Hetalia Axis Powers - Complete Series 2 [DVD]

This disc contains the twenty-six episodes of the brilliant `Axis Powers Hetalia' second season. The series continues to be very funny and although some people may find some parts slightly offensive, it really shouldn't be taken seriously.

This season sees a bit more fleshing out of some of the countries other than the eight main countries with Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Belarus making some good appearances, Belarus in particular is a favourite of mine. This season also includes a number of Christmas episodes that are also quite funny.

As with the previous season, there is some difference between the English and Japanese dub, both of which are included on the disc, but I still prefer the English dub, which can be very funny in places, especially the narrator.

I love this anime and so do my friends and family the moment i got them to watch it. I had previously seen the japanese dubbing with english subtitles but the scenes move so fast the characters talk so quickly it was a case of pause and read a page of subtitles play and then pause again. The english dubbing on this DVD is excellent and enjoyable.

The voices, in my opinion, have been perfectly cast, if you're like me and love knowing about the voice actors you might end up fangirling as Todd Haberkorn (voice of Death the Kid, Kimihiro Watanuki, Hikaru Hitachiin, Natsu Dragneel and Tsukune Aono) stars as the excitable pasta loving North Italy. A personal favourite being J Michael Tatum (voice of Sebastian Michaelis, Jiro Machizuki, Shizuka Doumeki,Kyoya Otori and Scar) voices the flirtatious, fabulous and all around blonde bombshell France.

This DVD contains epsodes 28-52 on average I'd say episodes are about 4 minutes long some shorter some longer so the entire series can be watched in about the same time it would take to watch a movie.

Extras include:
- Audio Commentaries on episodes 31, 36, 42, 46 (which is basically english voice actors having a laugh and joking together)
- Director Bob Shirahara Talks with Japanese voice actors (subtitles included) Atsushi Kosaka (Prussia), Aki Kanada (Chibi Italy) & Daisuke Namikawa (Italy)
- Atsushi Kosaka (Prussia) Commemerates the Announcement of the Hetalia Movie (again with subtitles)
- Textless Closing Song

In series two, while the main focus is still on the Allies (America, Britain, France, Russia and China) and the Axis (Germany, Italy and Japan) we're also given the joy of meeting even more countries than before.

Personal Favourites being the three Baltic States (Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, who are servants to Russia and not by choice, poor things) Russia's sisters (Belarus, the younger sister but she is crazy and scary to the point she even frightens Russia, and Ukraine, the older "busty" sister who spends her time farming and dealing with a sore back due to her massive chest), even Canada gets some screen time but his character goes unnoticed by the other characters unless its soemone angery and misaking him for America.

An excellent series, I suggest watching series one first, it helps you to get to know the characters/countries more fluently so that when historical refernces are being made, however loosely it may be, you dont need to think to hard remembering what country is being represented.

Excellent humour, you may need to watch it a few times just to take everything in, the series does move quite fast, even now I am watching hetalia and picking up bits of the script i'd missed before, whether its a joke i didnt pick up the first few times or being able to understand italy through is 'Mario-like' accent.

The dub just makes this show better. I know most people are sort of like, 'I refuse to watch anything that isn't in subs' but Hetalia is something you can enjoy in both. Really funny.

Item arrived quickly and in great condition.