Episode 39: The Battle For America

The thirty-ninth episode of Hetalia: Axis Powers was broadcast on October 16th, 2009. It adapts The Battle For America from the second published volume of the manga, although it was originally an Extra Story.

Holy Roman Empire and Chibitalia
Holy Roman Empire asks Chibitalia to join with him and become the new Roman Empire. Chibitalia takes his hand and agrees, as HRE promises that he'll make "her" happy. As he leans in to kiss her, he is awoken by a shrill beeping.

HRE sits up in bed, and comes to realize that it was only a dream.

The Battle For The New World
A beat-up Finland sits in the grass, sobbing. The narrator explains that in the 17th century, Swedish, Finnish, and German mercenaries created "New Sweden", a colony that would later become the state of Delaware. The narrator goes on to say that the pioneers became too full of themselves and wound up picking a fight with the Dutch, which caused the Netherlands (or "Holland") to invade and defeat them.

Finland asks for England and France to hear him out. England asks if he tripped and fell, but Finland explains that he and Sweden built a villa, only to be beat up by Netherlands. The two other nations agree that it's terrible, but secretly think of how the land will eventually be theirs anyway. Finland continues and informs them of a mysterious boy that he spotted. He states that the boy doesn't appear to be from any of the neighboring villages, then worries about what would happen if the Netherlands found him (as a laughing demonic silhouette is shown).

After asking Finland about the boy, England and France realize that he might be "one of them". The three wonder if he could be their little brother, though England and France immediately start fighting over ownership of him (as a frightened Finland watches).

Our Little Brother
The three come across the young America in a bush, as he looks back and forth making "kyoro kyoro" noises (Japanese onomatopoeia for "looking curiously"). Finland confirms that the child is the same one that he came across, while England has the feeling that it's one of them, and explains that America must be related to him as they have the same hair.

France insists that America's eyebrows resemble his own, so they must be related. Finland looks over at America and asks the other two what part they share, though France and England quickly backtrack and state that resemblance doesn't mean much, that it only matters how much one loves him.

England The Flag Crusher
England returns to the field, where he finds the young America holding a rabbit. America seems happy to see him, though England is confused as to why he hasn't run away. America explains that he's learned a lot about himself. England says that he is glad to have met the young America, and decides that he'll be his older brother.

The young America asks if he can call him onii-chan, causing England to become startled as he flashes back to various darker points in his life:


 * His older brother Scotland (not shown on-screen) throwing a bird at his head.


 * A younger France declaring that England will be his servant.


 * A beat-up Spain swearing revenge on him.


 * A messenger informing England that one of his brothers sent him a curse in a box.


 * Henry VIII informing him that he's mad that he can't marry a young girl.

A nervous England answers that America can just call him "England".

Character Appearances

 * England
 * France
 * Finland
 * America (young)
 * Spain (flashback)
 * Chibitalia
 * Holy Roman Empire
 * Netherlands (Holland) (as a silhouette)
 * Scotland (flashback, not shown on screen)
 * Henry VIII (flashback)
 * Messenger (flashback)

Voice Cast

 * Narrator: Yuki Kaida
 * America: Katsuyuki Konishi (eyecatch)
 * Young America: Ai Iwamura
 * England/UK: Noriaki Sugiyama
 * France, Messenger: Masaya Onosaka
 * Finland: Takahiro Mizushima
 * Spain: Go Inoue
 * Chibitalia: Aki Kanada
 * Holy Roman Empire: Jun Konno
 * Holland/Netherlands: Hiroki Yasumoto

Trivia

 * The first segment with Holy Roman Empire is original to the anime, though it reuses animation from both Episode 11 and Episode 22 in the dream sequence. It may have been loosely based off of the strip Chibitalia And The Holy Roman Empire, where HRE dreams of Chibitalia being one with him. The scene is notable for the confusing usage of an alarm clock in the 17th century, as well as being the first scene in the anime to depict HRE without his hat.


 * In the original manga, there was an opening segment featuring Sweden and Finland at their new home. They wind up discovering the young America while out fishing, only for America to run off in a panic. Sweden and Finland then discuss the idea of having a kid to take care of.


 * Although Netherlands is the more proper name, he is often labeled as Holland as well due to the fact that the Japanese word used for the country is Oranda and derives from the latter word.


 * The footnote about Sweden and Finland in the episode is based off of one that followed after the scene with England and France arguing over who would be America's brother. An omake illustration depicts Sweden, Finland, and a German mercenary marching off.


 * Though the adult America does not appear in this episode, Katsuyuki Konishi is credited for the role due to voicing the eyecatch version of America.


 * In the original manga, a speech bubble from the offscreen Scotland shows him calling England a "rotten little brother". In the anime, only the thrown bird is depicted.


 * In the original Animate.TV broadcast, the episode ran an extra 17 seconds due to an advert for France's CD.
 * In some translations "bro" is used insted of "onii-chan".