Everybody loves their anime icons a little broken. After all, true-good paragons that haven’t had even a tiny breakdown or mingled with their inner shadow are utterly boring.
Red flag characters in anime. You know they’re objectively hazardous to be around, and could probably come up with thousands of ways to screw you over, but - much like potato chips – their allure can be undeniable.
Too many shows can feel sanitized, so any anime series that isn’t afraid to delve into the darker aspects of human nature with flawed characters can be exhilarating. Psycho student presidents or wealthy scions indulging in the ugly side of power. Genius anti-heroes who could topple a government as easily as they can stomp down rebellions. People with terrible upbringings, lashing out from their inner torment in creative and destructive ways.
From a certain perspective, these characters offer a peculiar way for fans to discover the shadow sides of their own personalities… as well as enjoy their own power fantasies in anime.
Which red flag anime character is your kin? Take our personality quiz to find out.
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There are flawed characters… and there are characters with personalities and ideas so twisted that they give off red flags wherever they go – hence the term “red flag characters.”
Such characters can become some of the most popular figures in an anime because people relate to their flaws, if not because their antics or way with dealing with the world are quite fun to watch. Their attitudes can also act as a mirror for viewers to examine their own darker identities – the Id, in Freudian terms, or the Shadow, according to Carl Jung.
This personality quiz is designed to find a red flag anime character whose personality is compatible with yours. They can match your temperament, coping mechanisms, sociability, energy level, or personal ambitions. Naturally, this quiz doesn’t encourage you to follow in the morally dubious footsteps of any character here.
While the results may not be as you expected, consider if the character you got shares some qualities with you of which you may not have been aware.
The term “red flag” refers to clues that somebody is prone to exhibiting sociopathic and manipulative behaviour.
Consequently, while no official meaning to the noun exists, a “red flag character” in an anime is usually defined as someone who is potentially manipulative or psychotic - and is likely to be mentally troubled – but is more or less very attractive to fans due to their appearance or personality.
Red flag anime characters are often, but not always, villains. They can even be sympathetic to varying degrees. Many, however, have no qualms over harming others, especially those they feel have wronged them.
This term can pop up in romantic contexts; as in real life, entering a relationship with one of these characters can be very harmful.