Hello again. Today’s article is about Canada and how they behaved and are viewed within Anime. I’ve attempted to Google various Canadian animation studios and came across something that I’ll share with you below.
So how is Canada viewed in Anime? From my……..240th (364 as of 2011) completed Anime, I noticed Canada either mentioned or showed in anime in a neutral-positive side. Canada is either mentioned by name, has its own Gundam, or has a Quebec born singer singing an Opening theme song for an Anime. The United States of Americans, Germans, French, and Russians are a high target of getting animized, along with Vietnam, Australia, and CzechoSlovakia (Czech Republic or Slovakia now for those people who lag behind).
How can we pride ourselves along-side them? Let’s find out!
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– The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya:
The first time I noticed Anime talking about Canada was in “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” by name saying how someone moved off into Canada into some cottage in a big forest. Probably nothing special but being a Canadian it just gave me a small smile of hearing the name Canada.
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– G Gundam:
The second time I heard and saw Canada was in a Gundam show called G Gundam where Canada is now known as “Neo-Canada”. It also goes by the stereotype of Canadians where the Gundam pilot is a chubby lumberjack. By the way, guess what the Gundam is called…Grizzly Gundam (or Lumberjack Gundam, in NA Dubbing).
– Gundam official – Grizzly Gundam
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– Tokyo Magnitude 8.0:
The third Anime to mention Canada would be “Tokyo Magnitude 8.0“. Similar to the Haruhi’s way, it was mentioned by name. A group of students were talking about a cottage in the first episode. Again, probably nothing special, just Canada is mentioned and we have a stable Anime fan base within Canada.
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– Valkyria Chronicles – OP – HIMEKA:
Do you know of Valkyria Chronicles? Are you thinking of the PS3 game or the Anime? For those who are watching the Anime may, or may not, have noticed the first Anime opening was sung by a French Canadian female. Her name is Catherine St Onge and sings by the name of HIMEKA.
– Valkyria Chronicle’s PS3 opening –
If you’re a Canadian, or from another nation, then please support Himeka in any way you can. Seeing another Canadian sing with a strong passion as her needs to be supported! The funny thing is, both me and those I converse with mention how soft her voice is. Not just soft, even versatile in the way she can sing various Anime or Jpop music with such ease. Another amusing bit is her Japanese level, it sounds more Japanese than the Japanese singers at times. Numerous fans and/or listeners pointed such out.
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Molot Entertainment:
Here is what made me post this article in the first place. Ever heard of a Studio called Molot Entertainment? I came across this company and their Anime news, here, when I was Googling Canadian Animation. I couldn’t find their homepage but Molot Entertainment is claimed to be a Russian-Canadian studio who is partnered up with Studio 4*c for an Anime called “First-Squad“. A Russian-Canadian-Japanese produced Anime.
– Molot Entertainment – Not found (I’ll edit if I do find it)
– First-Squad – Homepage and Anime News Network.
– Trailers: First Trailer, Second Trailer, Third Trailer
Note: It’s more Russian than Canadian. Just wanted to list it due to the mention of Canadian’s working in that studio.
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Hetalia:
Hetalia features nations depicted as a single individual in a WW2-styled setting. Canada has it’s own personification in a person named “Matthew Williams” who is often mistaken as America, or is forgotten about. As rude as always towards Canada I guess.
I’ve watched a few and found it semi-amusing.
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– G-Savior:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-Saviour
The movie had Canadian actors and was a decently made movie. I know there were flaws but it was still a nice movie to watch (minus the Starship troopers armor). We should be at least proud that Canada + Gundam made it together as one, even if it was a “decent” movie.
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– Ginban Kaleidoscope:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginban_Kaleidoscope
Canada, Montreal is added with a qualification round for figure skating and a Canadian bush pilot.
(Until I watch it this is all you’re getting from me sadly.)
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– K-On! Movie:
Because the girls go to London in the movie Air Canada was mentioned by name. They went to London, England (or UK for you picky folks) for the graduation trip as well as to gain inspiration for Azunyan’s gift. Something small yet pride-arousing for myself and any other Canadian. Thanks!
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– Space Brothers (A.K.A Uchuu Kyoudai):
Space Brothers is a show about two Japanese brothers trying to achieve their dreams of going into space. During their period a few Canadian flags were slipped in at JAXA, NASA’s training space center, and even the famous Canadarm.
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– The Anne of Green Gables:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Green_Gables_(anime)
Anne of Green Gables is a famous story from Prince Edward Island featuring Ann. She was mistakenly sent from an orphanage to the Green Gables community to live with “strangers”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Green_Gables
As a Canadian I obviously heard of Anne of Green Gables but haven’t dwelled enough to summarize the story on my own. I guess I should feel a bit ashamed? Regardless, the Japanese took the opportunity to give Ann a Japanese version of the said story to their Japanese audience back in 1979. Also, for something so dated it looks so nice for our Anime.
Sorry! I haven’t watched it. I shall make note of it because it is a well known story and Anime.
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– Symphogear G:
A Canadian flag can be seen mid-way through episode 1 right before the Queen of Music concert beings. The flag and broadcast can be seen briefly on two separate screens trying to hype up the concert for both the real viewers and those in the Symphogear world around the whole world.
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– Gundam Build Fighters:
Gundam Build Fighters has a massive tournament going on with Gunpla builders from around the world participated. It plays off as Angelic Layer and Busou Shinki with the battle concept of battling and customizing.
In this show Canada is being represented by ‘Fox’. I can get high & mighty by saying that ‘Fox” is me with my Arctic Fox Gundam or Zaku II (kon!), or I can say that they are possibly thinking of Terry Fox. I do hope Bandai and Sunrise shows us who this ‘Fox’ is and how he or she managed to make it into the tournament. Don’t let me and us hanging!
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– Freezing!
Sadly I can’t tell you much about her, nor what her background is in detail. I can however tell you that she is (allegedly) a French-Canadian lady from Freezing (a show I haven’t watched) ranking #1. Quite a nice beauty with known for her eyes staying closed. More information within the wiki.
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– Strike Witches:
That such personality was mostly carried over into Elizabeth whom lost a comrade due to her actions. Always smoking, drinking, and disobeying her superiors. Sadly, I do not no much of her due to her short time in her manga, not even reading it also due to language barriers. I only know what’s written with me knowing more of the actual person than the Strike Witches version. I wish an OVA is considered so I can understand her more. Her homeland being named “The Faraway lands” mapped out in the Canadian general region, even aligned with the ‘Britannian’ side within Strike Witches lore.
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– Grisaia no Meikyuu:
From a good 50 minute prologue episode, this whole thing was quite depressive and quite emotional. This flash-back scene took us back to Vancouver airport where the main character rescued a ‘youthful’ appearing ‘Principal’ from a hostage situation. This all with the assistance of the Vancouver police and the overly energetic American army, or so assuming due to their “Hoo Rah!” type chanting and stereotypical appearance. Was both surprising and amusing seeing Vancouver in this anime within it taking the first 5 minutes of the episode. I would also laugh if that business plane was Bombardier made.
38 minutes into the episode we can see the cross-dressing main character once again Canada, even further back in the time-line coming and going while on assassination jobs. Still trying to ID the second Canadian airport scene simply assuming it’s Vancouver again. Toronto is up there, though may leave it at Toronto.
I should also note that everything within this anime is based from the visual novel that is roughly dated to 2006. Everything you see may be referenced to early 2000 while partially modernized for anime purposes.
(Vancouver Airport, Vancouver Police, and Canadian airport terminal with Canadian flag. More images below you can examine.)
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Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans:
I found this as a great surprise hearing how Edmonton was to be visited in a serious side of a Gundam show, of course in a political fashion. I was amazed how much detail they even went to make it look both accurate, even ‘futuristic’ to fit in this Gundam universe to bring basically peace to one and all. A power shift with Tekadan entering a two-sided severe conflict causing Edmonton to be caught up in mecha-related gunfire.
As a Canadian I felt great pride, if still disconnected by the Edmontonians basking in their glorious city pride. I’m on the east, they’re in the central-west of Canada. It’s still a foreign land to me. Even so, it gave me chills imagining enemies on home soil causing havoc. Those trains even being highly familiar. Even amused that I could tell that the ‘BankBank’ was Scotiabank. That’s now three Canadian nods in Gundam that I can be proud of [Grizzly Gundam; Fox representing Canada, & this].
[Visit Nopy’s Edmonton blog, even though he may hate me: – Article 1 & Article 2]
– Heavy Object:
Certain parts of the later half of the story took place in Northern Canadian territory. Not Alaska, nor the Arctic (or Antarctica). It was in an overly remote snowy location, even shown on the map being in ex-Canadian territory. 100% certain it was in a vague part of Northern Canada.
(Sadly can’t find sourcing, I took took long making note of this. The below image is of a cooler climate.)
– Lycoris Recoil:
Vancouver was constantly brought up by name by Mizuki Nakahara who was seeking out a boyfriend in this anime. She kept pouting, whining, and moaning how she couldn’t find a boyfriend, even going as far as desiring to see her potential loved one in Vancouver, Canada.
I don’t blame her, Ottawa is useless so might as well go to Vancouver. Japanese people know of Vancouver more than Ottawa, 99% of the time.
– Skeleton Knight In Another World.
Something you wouldn’t really expect would be a whole cast of Elves residing in the ‘Great Canada Forest’, and in the ‘City of Maple’. Very Canuck of them. Even the trees and scenery were of British Columbia pine variety.
– In Short:
– Haruhi Suzumiya – Canada mentioned by name.
– G Gundam – Gundam pilot, Gundam (Grizzly or Lumber Gundam), Niagara falls, Rocky Mountains, and Neo-Canada name.
– Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 – Canada mentioned by name.
– Himeka – A French-Canadian female singing in Japanese for Valkyria Chronicles first opening.
– Molot Entertainment – A Russian-Canadian Studio.
– Hetalia Axis – Has a personification of Canada into Matthew Williams
– Ginban Kaleidoscope – Canada, Montreal is added with a qualification round for figure skating and a Canadian bush pilot.
– G Savior – The movie had Canadian actors and was a decently made movie. I know there were flaws but it was still a nice movie to watch (minus the Starship troopers armor.)
– K-On! Movie – Air Canada was mentioned by name on a sign at London Heathrow’s airport. I would of missed this if it wasn’t for Tumblr.
– Space Brothers – Canadian flags in JAXA’s and NASA’s space centers along with the Canadarm making an appearance.
– The Anne of Green Gables – Ann’s Canadian story made into an Anime for the Japanese audience back in 1979.
– Symphogear G – Two or more Canadian flags can be seen in episode 1 before the “Queens of Music” concert.
– Gundam Build Fighters – Fox, representing Canada was mentioned. Do hope we can see him or her in the show. Don’t hold back!
– Freezing! – Chiffon Aoi is allegedly a French-Canadian in nationality, as well as a #1 ranking Pandora. She’s also known to have her eyes closed (Sorry for being vague.)
– Strike Witches – Elizabeth F. Beurling is based on a real Canadian ace pilot with similar personality issues, yet gender-swapped to fit the Strike Witche’s universe. Even given appropriate Strikers based on the planes he flew.
– Grisaia no Meikyuu – Canada was shown right at the beginning with Vancouver airport, Vancouver police, & a giant Canadian flag hanging from an airport terminal.
– Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans – Tekadan travels to Edmonton Canada to enter a political election to only be blockaded. They fight, causing havoc in Edmonton & severe casualties on both sides. It assists in concluding the first season.
– Lycoris Recoil – Mizuki Nakahara desired to travel to Vancouver (nearly doing so) to seek out a ‘hunk’ of a boyfriend.
– Skeleton Knight In Another World – Ariane Glenys Lalatoya makes mention of ‘Great Canada Forest’ & ‘Maple City’.
And with that, that should make us Canadian proud. So to my fellow Canadians, how much Canadian pride do you have? If there’s more Japanese related material containing Canada then point me to them and I’ll be sure to add them in one way or another.
(Last Updated: July 20th, 2023)
Proudly Canadian!