User blog comment:Watermint/Hetalia Season 4 Greenlighted/@comment-2004850-20100730171748

@Ceras - Oh. I really had no idea that he actually said that (it was a bit too garbled for me to hear). I have a mixed opinion: on one hand, it's following the stereotype, and on the other hand, it could be a bit insensitive. I don't think Funi set out to be racist, of course, nor does it promote white supremacy (barring the ones out there who will take it to the next level). I mean...I've definitely heard worse in a comedic show or skit.

@FF14 - Tokyopop has had some really screwy translations recently. A while ago, they ended up letting go of the majority of their editorial department. The translation can be clunky and it's not rare to find misspellings scattered throughout. Apparently, a light novel was even missing a chapter. On top of that, Tokyopop is getting involved in some strange ventures recently, which may hurt the company. People don't really trust them anymore. Apparently, though, they have some contract with Mag Garden, which probably helped them secure the license. Other companies do it, too; VIZ with Shueisha and Shogakukan, Yen Press with Square Enix, and Del Rey with Kodansha. I know Vertical has dibs on some Kodansha titles, though, but mostly seinen and josei. Other companies can grab titles from those Japanese publishers, but it's more difficult.

The bright side is that Tokyopop would be insane to mess with Hetalia, especially in their state.