Hetalia Axis Powers TV Broadcast Canceled

Japan’s Kids Station television network has officially canceled its planned broadcast of the Hetalia Axis Powers anime series “due to various circumstances.” The series will still be distributed, beginning late this month, by Japanese retail anime chain Animate, via cel phone delivery and internet streaming.

Hidekaz Himaruya’s Hetalia gag manga has recently been the focus of controversy in Korea. An online petition protesting the depiction of a character in the manga series who represents the nation of Korea has accumulated over 16,000 unverified signatures. Earlier this week the Kids Station television network told the Yomiuri Newspaper that it was “unaware of the criticism in Korea. However, a Korean character does not appear in the anime version.”

Source: Anime News Network