Episode 05: Crying out S.O.S at the Center of the World!

The fifth episode of Hetalia: Axis Powers, titled "Crying out S.O.S at the Center of the World!" ((世界の中心でＳＯＳを叫ぶ) Sekai no chuushin de SOS wo sakebu), was broadcast on February 20, 2009. The episode loosely adapts a later story of the same title from Volume 1 of the published manga. This episode also marks the debut of the Allied Forces.

Crying out S.O.S at the Center of the World!
In the pre-title sequence, Italy enthusiastically informs Germany and Japan that he found a crab. Germany reminds him not to drown in the water, while Japan reveals that he has found fruit on the island. As Italy plays Marco Polo and swims about in the water, Japan says that he always wanted to relax on a southern island, but wonders when someone will come rescue the three of them. A "S.O.S" message is revealed to be written in the sand.

Something More Important Than Tanks
In a flashback to when Italy became Germany's ally, Italy reveals that he's made preparations for the job: A suitcase filled with pasta, wine, and fruit. He then reveals further that he's made something for them to use during combat: personalized white flags, bearing the words "I surrender. [respective country]".

Something More Important Than Tanks (Part 2)
In another gag flashback, Italy announces to Germany that he's brought better items this time: another suitcase filled with pasta, fruit, and wine, but with a pizza slice inside as well. Infuriated, Germany asks if he has anything useful for combat. In response Italy pulls out a suitcase saying that he only has Machiavelli (represented by a statue).

Crying out S.O.S at the Center of the World! (Part 2)
Germany has made a chart on the Allied Forces, written in the sand:


 * France and England have been fighting since birth and can't cooperate with each other.


 * America is constantly finding new ways to annoy England.


 * China is in an opium war with England.


 * Russia wants China and resents England for stopping his southern advance into Asia.


 * England can't stand Russia.

As Germany and Japan finish looking at the chart, Italy has finished something of his own: A giant sand sculpture of a plate of pasta, complete with a fork.

Chibitalia
The segment picks up from where the last left off, with Chibitalia's question about pasta being shot down. Chibitalia, now in a maid dress and apron, is forced to sweep the floors at Holy Roman Empire's house. He finds himself amazed at Austria's portaits, and searches for something to draw with. All he finds are a paintbrush and a bottle of ink. Austria catches Chibitalia painting a mustache on his self-portrait with the ink.

Suujiku = Axis
As Italy sleeps by the campfire, Germany and Japan discuss name ideas for their team. Japan comes up with the name "Suujiku" ("To tie our houses together, and then the rest of the world revolves around us"). Germany reveals that in German, it would be "Eine Achse", while Italy briefly rouses to say that in Italian, it would be "Ein Asse". As Italy dreams on, he pictures that the Earth actually is revolving around their three countries.

The final scene is of the next morning, viewed through a pair of binoculars. The five members of the Allied Forces can be heard arguing, with America declaring himself the hero and China muttering "Here we go again."

Post-Credits Teaser
The next episode teaser shot is of the five Allied Forces members looking on, with America holding the pair of binoculars.

Character Appearances

 * Italy
 * Germany
 * Japan
 * America
 * England/UK
 * France
 * China
 * Russia
 * Chibitalia
 * Austria

Voice Cast

 * Italy: Daisuke Namikawa
 * Germany: Hiroki Yasumoto
 * Japan: Hiroki Takahashi
 * Austria: Akira Sasanuma
 * America: Katsuyuki Konishi
 * England/UK: Noriaki Sugiyama
 * France: Masaya Onosaka
 * China: Yuki Kaida
 * Russia: Yasuhiro Takato
 * Chibitalia: Aki Kanada

English Dub Cast

 * Italy: Todd Haberkorn
 * Germany: Patrick Seitz
 * Japan: Christopher Bevins
 * Austria: Chuck Huber
 * America: Eric Vale
 * Britain: Scott Freeman
 * France: J. Michael Tatum
 * China: Clarine Harp
 * Russia: Jerry Jewell
 * Chibitalia: Brina Palencia

Trivia

 * In both the original webcomic and published manga, the Allied Forces were introduced differently, having a storyline to themselves beforehand (Hetalia: Chapter 2 in the web strips, and Power Ranger Allied Forces in the published manga). The episode itself also is only loosely based off the original S.O.S strip, further fleshing out the plotline of the Axis being stranded on the island. Only the first segment has any basis in the strip.


 * The flashbacks to Italy becoming Germany's ally were originally sequences from the Axis Powers arc of the published manga, but were skipped and moved to this episode instead.


 * The Allied Forces "relations map" was originally a gag featured in Chapter 2, to explain the complicated relationship of the Allies. It was reprinted as an omake illustration in Hetalia Axis Powers: volume 1.


 * After Chibitalia is caught painting the mustache on Austria's portrait, a small illustration in the original webcomic version depicts his punishment: Chibitalia is tied to a tree. A sign hung over his body reads "Do not feed pasta". This bit was dropped from the published version of the arc, and from the anime as a result.


 * The last segment in the episode was loosely based off of a strip from Hetalia Axis Powers: volume 1 (which was in turn a scrapped strip from Chapter 5 of the webcomic). In the strip, Italy approaches Germany with an idea for their their team name, and suggests Suujiku (having discussed it with Japan), though Germany states that Achsen Machte would be the better name. He also dreams of the world revolving around only him and Germany, with no Japan. The setting was moved to the island to flesh out S.O.S, and Japan instead suggests the first name (while "Achsen Machte" was changed to Ein Achse).


 * This was the first episode to actually receive a title, via its preview in Episode 04. Most of the other episodes in the series did not receive titles in their broadcast. The title is a reference to the Japanese romantic novel "Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World".