The straight man of the trio. Germany is tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and perpetually exhausted. He is efficient, punctual, loves bratwurst, and follows the rulebook to a T. His tragic role in Hetalia: Axis Powers is being the babysitter for Italy. While trying to conquer Europe, Germany spends most of his time yelling at Italy for leaving his post to draw pictures or make gelato. The homoerotic undertones of the "Germany disciplines Italy" dynamic are a massive pillar of the fandom.
For better or worse, Hetalia got teenagers interested in world history. A 2012 survey on MyAnimeList showed that a significant number of fans started reading Wikipedia articles about the Congress of Vienna or the Balkan Wars simply because they liked the character designs. The show acts as a "hook," even if the teacher (Himaruya) is a jester. Hetalia- Axis Powers
Hetalia is not a war comedy. It is a horror story about immortality. These characters are not humans; they are landmasses with memories . They cannot retire. They cannot escape. When their government changes, their personality warps. When their border moves, they lose a limb. The straight man of the trio
Perhaps the most haunting line in the entire franchise is spoken casually: "Nations can’t die. Even if their people are gone, they remain." His tragic role in Hetalia: Axis Powers is
These characters, along with others, navigate through historical events, interacting with other nations and forming relationships that shape the world.
Hetalia operates on emotional logic. It translates political science into personality disorders. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact becomes a secret, uncomfortable handshake between Russia and Germany. The special relationship between the US and UK becomes a bickering sibling rivalry where America left home but still calls for money.