Hetalia: Axis Powers - The Movie: Paint it, White (Ginmaku Hetalia - Axis Powers: Paint it, White, literally Hetalia - Axis Powers on the Silver Screen: Paint it, White) is the first feature-length film adaptation of Hetalia: Axis Powers, released on June 5th, 2010. The film marks the first animated appearance of Iceland.
The movie involves a mysterious force causing unusual incidents to happen all over the world, and the nations having to try to ward off the threat of human extinction from the alien race known as Pict, who seek to transform mankind and drain the color from the world (with America deciding that the world will be saved under his command). Recaps of the Hetalia anime series are interspersed throughout the film, showcasing different segments.
Plot Summary
Iceland, who has been trying to get more tourists to help out his economy, notices a strange green mist in the atmosphere. Elsewhere, a woman is being chased through the streets by a mass of strange white blob-like aliens, who capture her and change her into one of their own.
At the world meeting, the World 8 (consisting of the former members of the Axis Powers and Allied Forces) try to figure out a way to solve the situation, but wind up only arguing with each other and causing Germany to call the meeting off. North Italy is left alone, unaware that Canada had also attended the meeting and is there with him.
Although the nations attempt to ward off the aliens in their own ways, the blob aliens manage to succeed in draining the color of various cities and transforming them and the people (including the nations themselves) into white blobs. Belarus and Ukraine attempt to search for their brother in the middle of the chaos. The aliens proceed to convert Poland, South Italy, Greece, and Finland. However, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are unaffected by the attacks due to their barrier of "permanent neutrality" and manage to evade the disaster.
Though Tony is first suspected of being the cause, the World 8 discover that the aliens (known as the Pict) originated from a dying white star and have come to Earth looking for things to drain color and happiness from and to turn others into their race. Before Tony can explain further, the Pict capture him and convert him into a blob creature, leaving the World 8 to have to figure out a solution on their own. Elsewhere, Canada and Cuba attempt to help out humans that have been halfway converted into Pict.
The eight nations then discover a spaceship and attempt to sneak onboard amidst the converted Earth population. America declares that he'll be the one to lead them, but this idea is shot down by Germany, who orders them to split up. France and England are forced to pair up, but wind up becoming caught quickly due to their arguments. America, Russia, and China find a control room, but wind up triggering an alarm and become ambushed by the aliens. Germany, Italy, and Japan attempt to sneak through the air vents in the spaceship, but a cat that Italy brought along in his suit attacks Germany and the three fall through the vent and fail as well.
In an attempt to ward the Pict off and bring them happiness, the nations showcase their special talents: China and France show the aliens their food, Japan demonstrates the Bon festival, Russia shows them the art of ballet (and has dressed the Baltic Trio up in ballerina costumes), while America offers them gambling. The Pict seem to approve of the gambling, but wind up disgusted when they have to eat England's scones and attack the nations. The eight bail from the ship and wind up falling into a vast ocean, but reunite on a deserted island. They try to figure out another plan to defeat the Pict, but are found out by them and shown visions of the world turned into white blobs to depress them more.
But Sealand has also found the group and has engineered his entire platform to move across the ocean. He tries to fight off the Pict with cannons on the platform, though they overtake him and transform him. The World 8 then decide to fight off the Pict (with the exception of Italy, who runs away to hide) and become engaged in a very physical battle, with Germany and America doing most of the fighting. The nations become overwhelmed by the Pict though, and America is the first to fall and become transformed (to England's horror). One by one, the nations are transformed into Pict, leaving Italy as the survivor and frightened at being the last one.
Suddenly, as the Pict corner Italy, Ancient Rome rises from the sea to sing a song (previously heard in Episode 18) about "Heaven and Hell on Earth", using the transformed landmarks of the world as his stage backdrops. The Pict become baffled by the bizarre event, giving Italy his chance to "attack" them in his own way: Having found a felt-tip marker, he proceeds to draw strange faces all over the Pict and his transformed allies, causing them to laugh and find happiness.
The happiness of the Pict cause the transformed nations on the island to revert to their human forms, and a strange faceless girl known as the Pict Princess appears to apologize for the destruction caused. She asks for Italy's marker (as such an object never existed in her world to create laughter) and thanks the group for showing her the meaning of happiness. The Pict Princess then returns the Earth to normal and departs with her race in the spaceship.
The next morning, the World 8 wonder how they'll be able to leave the island, though Japan suggests that they all simply do Bon dancing.
Iceland has managed to get several tourists and wonders why everyone else in the world was despairing over the chaos, as he and the tourists managed to have a great time during it all.
Episode Recaps Present in the Film
The following are scenes from episodes that were inserted into different parts of the film, from different points of the first and second seasons
- Italy asks Japan about his penis size (Episode 04)
- Russia dives from an airplane and winds up breaking his bones (Episode 29)
- Germany trains Italy with a cat, but the cat licks and frightens Italy (Episode 13)
- The Allies find doodles of them drawn on a blackboard by America (Episode 34)
- England attempts to curse Germany (Episode 13)
- England accidentally summons Russia in a spell (Episode 13)
- England visits Japan's house and finds strange creatures living there (Episode 30)
- France asks England to marry him (Episode 12)
- Italy sings a song to Germany (Episode 03)
- The Italian troops flee from Germany (Episode 14)
- Austria mends Germany's boxers (Episode 06)
- Romano attempts to get revenge on Germany with a fake mustache (Episode 07)
- Italy's hand grenade (Episode 20)
- The creation of Nikujaga (Episode 34)
- Italy runs away during a training session (Episode 19)
- England creates boiled eggs and bubbling beer (Episode 20)
- Japan showcases a miniature U-Boat (Episode 04)
- Italy "fights" England with his "Italian Spirit" (Episode 21)
- Italy hugs Japan and is ordered to "take responsibility" (Episode 12)
- Germany learns that tomatoes may be the cause of Italy's cowardice (Episode 23)
- Italy begs Germany to play soccer with him (Episode 48)
Character Appearances
- North Italy
- Germany
- Japan
- America
- China
- Russia
- Canada
- Prussia
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
- Sealand
- Iceland
- Austria
- Hungary
- Belarus
- Ukraine
- Lithuania
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Poland
- Greece
- Spain
- South Italy
- Finland
- Cuba
- Ancient Rome
- Holy Roman Empire (dream sequence with Chibitalia)
- Tony
Recap Footage
- Youkai/"Onion-Head"
- Kappa
- Zashiki Warashi
- Japan's boss
Voice Cast
- North Italy/South Italy: Daisuke Namikawa
- Germany: Hiroki Yasumoto
- Japan: Hiroki Takahashi
- America, Canada: Katsuyuki Konishi
- England/UK: Noriaki Sugiyama
- France: Masaya Onosaka
- China, Zashiki Warashi (recap): Yuki Kaida
- Russia: Yasuhiro Takato
- Prussia: Atsushi Kousaka
- Switzerland: Romi Park
- Liechtenstein: Rie Kugimiya
- Austria: Akira Sasanuma
- Hungary: Michiko Neya
- Sealand, Tony: Ai Orikasa
- Iceland: Ayumu Asakura
- Rome, Kappa (recap): Hozumi Gōda
- Chibitalia: Aki Kanada
- Holy Roman Empire: Jun Konno
- Janice: Yuko Mizutani
- Pict Princess: Ayako Kawasumi
- Youkai/Onion-Head (recap): Takahiro Mizushima
Trivia
- Though Prussia appeared in several early promotional materials for the film and was hyped as the Ambassador character for it, he only appears briefly in one scene early on and presumably winds up attacked and transformed by the Pict like most of the other nations.
- At least 70 percent of the movie is the actual original story involving the Pict, while the other 30 percent of the runtime consists of the recaps of the anime series spliced inbetween various scenes. This move proved to be controversial due to the recycling of footage and the discrepancies between the animation quality, along with the recycling of the island setting for the film's climax.