Flag (anime)

	Flag
	Official North American DVD cover of FLAG
フラッグ; (Furaggu)
Genre	Mecha, War, Action
	Anime television series
Directed by	Ryōsuke Takahashi; Kazuo Terada
Written by	Toru Nozaki
Music by	Yoshihiro Ike
Studio	Answer Studio
Licensed by	US Bandai Entertainment
Original network	Bandai Channel, SKY Perfect - Perfect Choice ch160 Anime
Original run	June 6, 2006 – March 2, 2007
Episodes	13

Flag (フラッグ, Furaggu) is a 13-episode Japanese mecha-genre anime series directed by veteran director Ryosuke Takahashi. It was broadcast as pay per view streaming web video on Bandai Channel starting on June 6, 2006. Episodes 1 and 2 were scheduled to be broadcast on the anime PPV channel SKY Perfect Perfect Choice ch. 160 Anime from August 18, 2006. Stylistically, the series makes use of a still and video cameraman POV, as well as "web cam" images, to create a documentary-like narrative, despite being an animated drama. Character design is by Kazuyoshi Takeuchi and mecha design is by Kazutaka Miyatake.

Setting

Saeko Shirasu is a 25-year-old war front-line photo-journalist who became a celebrity after taking a picture of civilians raising a makeshift UN flag in war-torn Uddiyana. The image then became an instant symbol for peace. However, just before the peace agreement is achieved, the flag was stolen by an armed extremist group in order to obstruct the truce. The UN peacekeepers decide to covertly send in a SDC (pronounced as "Seedac"—Special Development Command) unit to retrieve the flag. Because of her connection with the "Flag" photo, Saeko Shirasu was offered the job of following the SDC unit as a front line journalist. Among the SDC unit's equipment is the HAVWC (High Agility Versatile Weapon Carrier—pronounced "havoc") mecha armored vehicle.

Characters

Shirasu's Front

Saeko Shirasu (Voiced by: Rena Tanaka (Japanese); Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English))—25-year-old frontline war photo-journalist
SDC Unit
- Capt. Chris Eversalt (Voiced by: Narumi Hidaka (Japanese); Cindy Robinson (English))—female commanding officer of the SDC unit, HAVWC mecha pilot
- 2nd Lt. Nadi Olowokandi (Voiced by: Takashi Nagasako (Japanese); Michael Sorich (English))—transport and scout helicopter pilot
- 2nd Lt. Hakan Aqbal (Voiced by: Yūko Satō (Japanese); Kirsten Potter (English))—transport helicopter pilot
- 1st Lt. Rowell Su-Ming (Voiced by: Yu Asakawa (Japanese); Karen Strassman (English))—intelligence officer
- 1st Lt. Jan Nikkanen (Voiced by: Kenji Nomura (Japanese); Paul St. Peter (English))—back-up pilot and intelligence support officer
- 1st Lt. Christian Beroqui (Voiced by: Hiroshi Iwasaki (Japanese); Christopher Corey Smith (English))—engineer and mechanic, technical support
- 1st Lt. Shin Ichiyanagi (Voiced by: Shinji Kawada (Japanese); Erik Davies (English))—HAVWC mecha pilot

Akagi's Front

Keiichi Akagi (Voiced by: Unshou Ishizuka (Japanese); Jamieson Price (English))—Saeko's senpai (senior) and friend. Veteran cameraman working for the photo agency "Horizont".
Lisa (Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi (Japanese); Mela Lee (English))—Fellow journalist
Naraya (Voiced by: Shiro Saito (Japanese); David Lodge (English))—Akagi's local informant

Episodes

#	Title	Original air date

01	"Flag" "Furaggu" (フラッグ)	2006-06-16
An armed extremist faction had stolen the Flag, which was previously seen as the symbol of peace that triggered the cease-fire initiative between armed factions and the government forces in Uddiyana. The UN secretly dispatched an SDC unit to retrieve the Flag. Saeko Shirasu was assigned as the embedded reporter.
02	"Portrait" "Pōtorēto" (ポートレート)	2006-06-30
Saeko started her reporting inside the SDC secret base. However, Captain Chris denied Saeko's request to follow any military operations involving the use of HAVWC. Saeko tried to capture the soldiers on camera as they returned to base.
03	"Frontline Reporting" "Dōkō Shuzai" (同行取材)	2006-07-14
The SDC unit is planning scouting missions in area where the FLAG was believed to be hidden. Once again Saeko's request to accompany the unit was denied. Nadi Olowokandi offered his helping hand.
04	"The Night of New Moon" "Shingetsu no Yoru" (新月の夜)	2006-07-28
It was established that the defence capabilities of the armed faction base were much stronger than expected. The SDAC unit decided to launch an operation to retrieve the Flag on the night of the new moon. Preparation of the HAVWC mecha, the key element of the operation, became a race against time, and Saeko spent all night covering the activities of the unit. Meanwhile on the same night, as reporter Akagi was pursuing a young girl, a reincarnate of the goddess Kuhura.
05	"Parabola of Darkness" "Kurayami no Sōkyokusen" (暗闇の双曲線)
On the night of the new moon, the SDC unit began its campaign to retrieve the flag and was heading towards the "Ruins", the armed faction's stronghold. Shirasu witnessed the crossfire while accompanying the unit. At the same time, the journalists, suspicious of the UN forces, found out about the UN's plan to bomb the city. Akagi had some idea where the target of the bombing would be.
06	"Light in Darkness" "Yami no Naka no Hikari" (闇の中の光)
Ichiyanagi stormed into the armed faction's stronghold to retrieve the flag. As the team were following the IC tag signal, something unexpected was waiting for them. They discovered the conspiracy to hinder the ceasefire. Facing return attack from the enemy and with nowhere to retreat, he attempted to break through.
07	"Reactivation" "Saishidō" (再始動)
08	"XR-2 Longku" "Ikkusuāru-Tsū Ronkū" (XR-2 ロンクー)
09	"Yurts and the Land" "Geru to Taichi" (ゲルと大地)
10	"SDAC + 1" "Shīdakku Purasu Wan" (シーダック+1)
11	"Reunion through the Viewfinder" "Faindā-goshi no Saikai" (ファインダーごしの再会)
12	"Recapture the Flag" "Furaggu Dakkan" (フラッグ奪回)
13	"Into the Light" "Hikari no Naka e" (光の中へ)

References

External links

Official site (in Japanese)
Bandai Channel Official site (in Japanese)
Flag (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

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