If Her Flag Breaks

Plot

Souta Hatate, a new transfer student to the Hatagaya School, has the ability to see the futures of those around him in the form of flags. He is able to affect those flags based on his interactions with the person in question. He ends up living in a small dorm with many beautiful girls. When he finds a flag of death on himself, Souta learns that in order to be able to change his fate, he has to find and bring together four people: a princess knight, a magician, a cleric, and a shinobi.^[ch. 5]

Characters

Souta Hatate (旗立 颯太, Hatate Sōta)

Voiced by: Ryōta Ōsaka Souta is a transfer student to Hatagaya School who has the ability to see the fate of the people around him in the form of flags atop their heads. He can "break" the flags depending on his actions and thus change the fate of the people around him.^[ch. 1] Several weeks prior to the start of the series, he was the sole survivor of the Premium Ambriel (プレミアム・アンブリアル, Puremiamu Anburiaru) a cruise ship that sank. There, he acquired the ability to see and alter flags from Sakura, who played a chess-like game with him during the cruise.^[ch. 6] He ends up living in the Quest Dorm (クエスト寮, Kuesuto Ryō) with many beautiful girls.^[vol. 2] In the anime, he seeks his sister who was also aboard the Premium Ambriel; the sister is later revealed to be Nanami. He is a Bladefield family member, Nanami's younger brother and Hakua's older brother, thus revealing his name to be Souta Bladefield, though he doesn't believe it.

Nanami Knight Bladefield (菜波・K・ブレードフィールド, Nanami Naito Burēdofīrudo)

Voiced by: Ibuki Kido The thirteenth princess of Bladefield,^[ch. 2] a small principality in Europe. When she introduces herself to Souta, she does not raise a flag like the other characters. She shows an interest in his ability,^[ch. 1] and serves as the "princess knight" in his party.^[ch. 10] In the anime, she is revealed to be Souta's older sister, and the daughter of Elia Bladefield.

Akane Mahougasawa (魔法ヶ沢 茜, Mahōgasawa Akane)

Voiced by: Ai Kayano Akane is the granddaughter to the founder of the renowned Mahougasawa Foundation.^[ch. 2] She sports a friendship flag that reappears no matter how many times Souta tries to break it,^[ch. 2] and becomes the "magician" in Souta's party.^[ch. 10] When she was younger, she was separated from her very first friend by her caretakers, who said that the difference in their classes was pitiable. As a result, she tries to "save" Souta and atone for her broken friendship. She is the first among the Quest Dorm housemates to raise a death flag, which Souta converts into a "route conquered" love flag by kissing her.^[ch. 5] In the anime, Akane's death flag incident occurs before any of the girls have moved in with Souta.

Kikuno Shōkanji (召喚寺 菊乃, Shōkanji Kikuno)

Voiced by: Kana Asumi Kikuno, nicknamed Okiku by Souta, is a childhood friend who likes to act as an older sister to him and does not relent in doing so for anything, as demonstrated by her "sibling love" flag that dodges Souta's flag-breaking attempts.

Megumu Tōzokuyama (盗賊山 恵, Tōzokuyama Megumu)

Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa Megumu is a schoolmate whom everyone thinks is a girl despite his dressing in the male school uniform. Because Souta recognizes Megumu as a boy, he immediately likes him, and sprouts a string of friendship flags near him.^[ch. 3] The schoolmates' ignorance of his gender (and presence) becomes a running gag in the anime. He is the "thief" in Souta's party.

Rin Eiyūzaki (英雄崎 凜, Eiyūzaki Rin)

Voiced by: Yōko Hikasa Rin is a member of the archery club who transfers to Quest Dorm at the request of the student council president to help them win the athletic tournament. Souta notes that she has a "hates men" flag on their first meeting. She is friends with Kikuno and reveals that she had a male childhood friend named Souda whom she regards as her best friend, and who is the only male in the world whom she likes. Even though he moved away several years previously, she keeps in touch with him by text. When she discovers that Souta is her childhood friend, she retreats in embarrassment and reveals a yandere flag which Souta manages to change into a "conquest completed" flag, much to his dismay, ^[ch. 8] although the yandere flag sometimes reappears.

Ruri Ninjabayashi (忍者林 瑠璃, Ninjabayashi Ruri)

Voiced by: Ayaka Suwa Ruri is an android created by the Mahougasawa Foundation. She serves as the "shinobi" in Souta's party,^[ch. 10] and is introduced in the story as a secret weapon to help the Quest Dorm in the school's athletic tournament games. She frequently asks yes–no questions regarding actions she is about to perform, and is programmed to act like a little sister to Souta.^[ch. 7]

Serika Gin'yūin (吟遊院 芹香, Gin'yūin Serika)

Voiced by: Aoi Yūki An idol who performs at the school festival and later transfers to Hatagaya, where she moves into the Quest Dorm. Her role in the group is the bard. Souta and Nanami learn that Souta met Serika previously and that she was able to become an idol because Souta told her that she had a "Success Flag". She did not know the name of the person who said that and thought of him only as "Purple Flagman".

Mimori Seiteikouji (聖帝小路 美森, Seiteikōji Mimori)

Voiced by: Yukari Tamura The student council president, and the granddaughter of the school chairman.^{[vol. 2:profiles]} Although she was responsible for placing Souta in the remote and rundown Quest Dorm, she atones by having the building renovated by the school's engineering club.^[ch. 3] The school board wants to shut Quest Dorm down, but she arranges for its continued operation provided the tenants win the MVP at the upcoming sports festival. Later, she starts calling Souta by his first name, "Souta-kun", instead of "Hatate Souta".

Tsumugi Ryuukishibara (龍騎士原 月麦, Ryūkishibara Tsumugi)

Voiced by: Aki Toyosaki Tsumugi is a schoolmate who is rumored to have been with the school before it was built. The rumors persist to the point that her peers call her "baba-sama" (elderly woman). She appears as a young girl wearing a bonnet^{[ch. 3][vol. 2:profiles]} and acts like a grandmother towards Souta.^[ch. 12,13]

Mei Daimyōzamurai (大名侍 鳴, Daimyōzamurai Mei)

Voiced by: Sakura Tange Mei is a mysterious girl who knows about Souta's powers and his connection to her world.^[ch. 12] Her title is number 7 of the House of Shigitoku.^{[vol. 3:profiles]} She shows Souta the "virtual world", which is an artificially created world. After Souta and Mei get back from the virtual world, she sees Souta sleeping and tries to get him rid of the "Death Flag" he has on his head. Then, "the Sacraments" or "Sakura" appears and disposes of her memories and also her ability to see flags.

Kurumiko Daishikyōgawa (大司教河 くるみ子, Daishikyōgawa Kurumiko)

Voiced by: Misaki Kuno Kurumiko is a middle school girl who is introduced as a popsicle vendor during the school trip to the beach. Her parents were part of the crew of the Premium Ambriel therefore she recognizes Souta and feels guilty for the treatment he was subjected to after the incident, more so even than her losing her parents in the accident.^[ch. 13] When she shows Souta a seaside cave and they become trapped by the rising tide, Kurumiko loses hope and a death flag appears. Souta saves her by agreeing to think of her as his little sister and then offering to get her into Hatagaya middle school while having her live with him at Quest Dorm.^[ch. 14] She becomes the cleric in Souta's party, and her flags are usually ones of story advancement.^[ch. 13] Kurumiko speaks very formally, even in casual situations.

Hakua Berserker Bladefield (白亜・B・ブレードフィールド, Hakua Bāsākā Burēdofīrudo)

Voiced by: Ai Kakuma Hakua is Nanami's younger sister and another princess of Bladefield.^{[ch. 16:sketch in chapter]} She is overly polite and, having been raised in the Bladefield royal family and living a life sheltered from the outside world, is clueless about the life of commoners. She comes to Japan to study the life of commoners with her sister. In the anime, she is revealed to be the daughter of Elia Bladefield, whom she had thought to be her eldest brother, as well as Souta's younger half-sister.

Miyuki MacKenzie (深雪・マッケンシー, Miyuki Makkenshī)

Voiced by: Yuuka Nanri She is Souta's homeroom teacher^[ch. 7] and the resident adviser at Quest Dorm.^[ch. 14] When Mei shows Souta an alternate world, he meets an alternate version of Miyuki on the wreck of the Premium Ambriel where he motivates her to live on. She reveals that her great-grandfather's name was Souta Hatate, making her his descendant. Immediately after this he notes that she has a "main character" flag and is told that the alternate Miyuki will now play a major role in how events progress in that world.^[ch. 16]

Sakura (桜)

Voiced by: Rina Hidaka Sakura is a mysterious girl whom Souta meets on the Premium Ambriel and who gives him his powers.^[ch. 6] After Mei and Souta visit the alternate world, she removes Mei's flag observing powers and related memories.^[ch. 16] Her name is short for Sacrament (サクラメント, Sakuramento). She is nearly identical to, and shares the same voice actress with, Laplace's Demon. The two together were emotion programs designed to act as a conscience for Angel Boat, which cut them off when it rebelled. Laplace's Demon is focused mainly on the will of individuals, and bears a strong affinity to those with strong hearts and a powerful sense of sacrifice, while Sakura is instead focused on the bonds that tie people together.

No. 0

Voiced by: Risa Taneda Number 0 is an advisor of the Council of the Seven Virtues who appears in the anime series. She needs Souta in order to combat the Angelus Gemeni. She is revealed to be Kagura Bladefield (神楽・ブレードフィールド, Kagura Burēdofīrudo), the founding queen of Bladefield.

Light novels

Kanojo ga Flag o Oraretara began as a light novel series written by Tōka Takei, with illustrations by Cuteg. The first volume was published on December 2, 2011 under Kodansha's Kodansha Ranobe Bunko. Kodansha has published 11 volumes.

Manga

A manga adaptation illustrated by Nagian began serialization in the December 2011 issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shōnen Rival magazine, published on November 4, 2011. The first tankōbon volume was released on March 2, 2012, and seven volumes have been released altogether. The seventh volume was published simultaneously with a limited edition, bundled with a drama CD. A spin-off series also by Nagian is published in two parts: in Monthly Shōnen Rival and online on Kodansha's Magazine Lab service. The series is titled Kanojo ga Flag o Oraretara: Ō Yūsha yo, Flag o Tateteshimau to wa Nanigoto da!? (彼女がフラグをおられたら おお勇者よ、フラグを立ててしまうとは何事だ!?), or Gawoyū (がをゆう) for short, and its serialization began in Monthly Shōnen Rival's June 2013 issue sold on May 2, 2013. The series shows Souta and the girls as characters in a fantasy role-playing game world. A second spin-off series, titled Kanojo ga Flag o Oraretara: Root Love (彼女がフラグをおられたら ～ルートラブ～), or Gaworabu (がをラブ), by Kazuki Ayasaki, is serialized in Monthly Shōnen Sirius and on Niconico's Niconico Seiga service. Its first chapter was published on July 26, 2013, and its chapters have been compiled in one tankōbon volume.

Anime

An anime adaptation, produced by Hoods Entertainment and directed by Ayumu Watanabe, premiered on April 6, 2014, on Tokyo MX and later on SUN, TVA, BS11 and AT-X. NIS America is simulcasting the series at Crunchyroll with subtitles in English. The opening song is "Cupid Review (クピドゥレビュー) by Aoi Yūki and the ending theme is "Kanojo ga Flag o Tateru Wake" (彼女がフラグを立てる理由) by Yell, a group composed of Ibuki Kido, Ai Kayano, Kana Asumi, Kana Hanazawa, Yōko Hikasa and Ayaka Suwa.

Reception

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network wrote that the anime was a fairly classic harem show, but that each episode throws something unexpected at the viewer to keep their attention. She found the pastel coloring to get old and some of the character designs to be generic. Brittany Vincent of Japanator was immediately put off by the first episode which she called boring with awful animation and bizarre clothing.