Hetalia: Axis Powers is a Japanese webcomic written and illustrated by Hidekaz Himaruya. It was adapted as a manga series, which was serialized in Comic Birz from 2006 to 2013. A dark humor genre anime adaptation, produced by Studio Deen, premiered in 2009. The series' main presentation is as a comedic allegory of political and historic events as well as more general cultural comparisons. Characters are mostly male personifications of countries, regions, and micronations, with both positive and negative cultural stereotypes forming part of each character's personality. Hetalia (ヘタリア) is a portmanteau combining hetare and "Italia" .