Flip Flappers

{{short description|Japanese anime television series}} {{Infobox animanga/Header | name = Flip Flappers | image = Flip Flappers logo.svg | caption = Flip Flappers logo | ja_kanji = フリップフラッパーズ | ja_romaji = Furippu Furappāzu | genre = {{ubl|Comedy<ref>{{cite web |title=FLIP FLAPPERS |url=http://www.sentaifilmworks.com/catalog/flip-flappers |publisher=Sentai Filmworks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707091829/http://www.sentaifilmworks.com/catalog/flip-flappers |archive-date=2017-07-07}}</ref>|Magical girl<ref>{{cite web |title=Sentai Filmworks Licenses the Original Magical Girl Anime FLIP FLAPPERS |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2016-09-29/sentai-filmworks-licenses-the-original-magical-girl-anime-flip-flappers/.107018 |website=Anime News Network |accessdate=August 29, 2018 |date=September 30, 2016}}</ref>|Sci-fi<ref>{{cite web |title= 押山清高に小島崇史ら 凄腕アニメーター集結『フリップフラッパーズ』無料配信 |last=小林 |first=優介 |url=https://kai-you.net/article/78475 |website=kai-you.net |date=2020-10-13 |access-date=2026-03-25}}</ref>}}<!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with MOS:A&M. --> | creator = Pure Illusionist }} {{Infobox animanga/Video | type = TV series | director = Kiyotaka Oshiyama | producer = Takayuki Nagatani ({{ill|Infinite (company)|lt=Infinite|ja|インフィニット (企業)}})<ref name="producer"></ref> | writer = Yuniko Ayana | music = To-Mas | studio = {{Proper name|Studio 3Hz}} | licensee = {{English anime licensee|NA=Sentai Filmworks|UK=MVM Films}} | network = Tokyo MX, AT-X, BS Fuji, SUN | network_en = {{English anime network|SEA=Animax<ref>{{cite web|last=Antonio Pineda|first=Rafael|title=Animax Asia Streams New Ads for Flip Flappers, Poco's Udon World Anime |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-12-03/animax-asia-streams-new-ads-for-flip-flappers-poco-udon-world-anime/.109419|website=Anime News Network|date=2016-12-03|access-date=2026-03-25}}</ref>}} | first = October 6, 2016 | last = December 29, 2016 | episodes = 13 | episode_list = List of Flip Flappers episodes }} {{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Flip Flappers'''''|フリップフラッパーズ|Furippu Furappāzu|lead=yes}} is a Japanese anime television series produced by Studio 3Hz. It was directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and written by Yuniko Ayana, with concept art by Tanu, character designs by Takashi Kojima, and music by To-Mas. The 13-episode series first aired from October to December 2016. ''Flip Flappers'' revolves around two girls, Papika and Cocona, as they travel through parallel universes to gather fragments of a wish-granting object.

Oshiyama, who previously worked on ''Den-noh Coil'' and ''Space Dandy'', debuted as a series director with ''Flip Flappers''. During production, several staff members departed from the project and the airing date was delayed from 2015 to 2016. The series has been examined for its thematic connections to psychology and fairy tales; Oshiyama has cited the influence Jungian psychology and theories of perception in developing the show's concept. Further analysis has focused on the ''yuri'' elements in Cocona and Papika's relationship.

''Flip Flappers'' has received generally positive reviews: commentators praised its visual identity and treatment of intimacy between its protagonists, though many were critical towards the role of fanservice in the series and the production quality of later episodes. The series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks in North America, who released an English-language dub in 2017, and by MVM Films in the United Kingdom.

==Plot== Cocona, a girl who lives with her grandmother in Fukushima,<ref name="fukushima">{{cite interview |last=Oshiyama |first=Kiyotaka |interviewer-last=Sugimoto |interviewer-first=Hotaka |url=https://realsound.jp/movie/2025/09/post-2137571.html |title=押山清高監督が『赤のキヲク』に込めた故郷・福島への思い “自分なりの『ルックバック』”を |work=Real Sound|date=2025-09-01}}</ref> attends middle school with her childhood friend Yayaka. While struggling to choose a future high school, Cocona sees a girl on a flying surfboard. The girl introduces herself as Papika and tries to befriend Cocona before a robot drags them down a pipe. Entering a world called Pure Illusion, Cocona uses superhuman abilities to save Papika from falling into an ocean. Shocked at the day's events, Cocona returns with Papika to the real world, and wakes up holding a glowing stone.

Papika says that the glowing stone is a fragment of a wish-granting object, and that she needs Cocona as a partner to find the remainder in Pure Illusion. While initially reluctant, Cocona accepts her invitation. Papika recruits Cocona into an organization called FlipFlap; its leader, Salt, is determined to find the "amorphous" fragments to "liberate Pure Illusion." During an expedition in a desert world, Cocona and Papika transform into magical girls named Pure Blade and Pure Barrier. They discover that Yayaka and her two cohorts, Toto and Yuyu, are also hunting fragments on behalf of Asclepius, FlipFlap's rival organization. In successive trips to Pure Illusion, Cocona and Papika solve a time loop, experience the memories of their upperclassman Iroha Irodori, and collaborate with Yayaka to collect more fragments. Toto and Yuyu attack and abandon Yayaka when she fails to retrieve a fragment inside Cocona's thigh. As FlipFlap treats Yayaka's injuries, Papika regains memories of the past and briefly mistakes Cocona for Mimi, the name of Papika's former partner and a recurring figure in Cocona's dreams.

Asclepius attacks FlipFlap, and Yuyu divulges that Yayaka had initially befriended Cocona to spy on her for Ascelpius. Cocona evades capture but is ambushed by her grandmother, an Asclepius robot, who tells her that "everything was a lie." Mimi, revealed to be Cocona's mother, reappears by possessing Cocona's body and absorbs the collected fragments. After taking over Asclepius, Mimi vows to make Pure Illusion a place for Cocona alone. It transpires that Mimi, Papika, and Salt were escapees of a laboratory. Mimi, a test subject described as "the only one who can go to Pure Illusion", assumed a possessive personality and destroyed the laboratory after the researchers took Cocona away from her. Papika stopped Mimi by embracing and shattering her, which created the fragments. After wandering Pure Illusion, Papika collapsed under a tree and physically reverted to Cocona's age.

In the present, Yayaka and Papika return to Pure Illusion to save Cocona from Mimi's control. While battling Mimi and monsters from previous worlds, Yayaka achieves her own transformation with a fragment she received from Salt. Mimi's gentler personality manifests in Pure Illusion and convinces Cocona to choose her own path in life. Cocona and Papika proclaim their love for each other and defeat Mimi's possessive personality. After briefly losing each other in Pure Illusion, the two return to the real world.

==Characters==

===Primary characters=== ;{{Nihongo|{{va|Cocona}}|ココナ|Kokona|extra2=/}} {{nihongo|{{va|Pure Blade}}|ピュアブレード|Pyua Burēdo}} :{{voiced by|Minami Takahashi<ref name="cast">{{cite web|title=Flip Flappers TV Anime Reveals Additional Cast in 2nd Promo Video|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-08-08/flip-flappers-tv-anime-reveals-additional-cast-in-2nd-promo-video/.105152|website=Anime News Network|date=August 8, 2016|accessdate=October 21, 2016}}</ref>|Luci Christian}}<ref name="Dub-Cast">{{cite web|title=Flip Flappers English Dub Cast, Preview Clip Revealed|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-16/flip-flappers-english-dub-cast-preview-clip-revealed/.126507|website=Anime News Network|accessdate=January 16, 2018|date=January 16, 2018}}</ref> :An aimless, timid girl in her second year of middle school. She lives with her grandmother and is Yayaka's childhood friend. After joining Papika on several bizarre adventures in Pure Illusion, she is recruited into FlipFlap and discovers that she can transform into the magical girl Pure Blade. Later in the series, her mother Mimi revives and attempts to keep her in Pure Illusion. Though initially acquiescent, Cocona breaks free of Mimi's control when Papika reaches out to her. ;{{Nihongo|{{va|Papika}}|パピカ||extra2=/}} {{nihongo|{{va|Pure Barrier}}|ピュアバリアー|Pyua Bariā}} :{{voiced by|M.A.O<ref name="cast"/>|Brittney Karbowski}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :An energetic and eccentric girl who recruits Cocona into FlipFlap. Her bond with Cocona grants them the power to enter Pure Illusion, where she can transform into the magical girl Pure Barrier. The two defeat Mimi's controlling personality after affirming their love for each other. Prior to the events of the series, Papika was a test subject named Papikana in a laboratory that studied Pure Illusion. Papika, Mimi and Salt made a botched escape attempt together; Papika was separated from Mimi in Pure Illusion and physically reverted to Cocona's age. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Yayaka}}|ヤヤカ}} :{{voiced by|Ayaka Ohashi<ref name="cast"/>|Patricia Duran}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :Cocona's blunt and sarcastic childhood friend, who works for the rival organization Asclepius alongside the twins Toto and Yuyu. It is revealed that she initially befriended Cocona to monitor her for Asclepius, but grew to love her over time. Though she resents Papika for intruding into her friendship with Cocona, she joins forces with FlipFlap after failing to retrieve the fragment in Cocona's thigh and being violently terminated from Asclepius. During Mimi's revival, she receives a fragment from Salt and uses it to transform into a magical girl.

===Secondary characters=== ;{{nihongo|{{va|Salt}}|ソルト|Soruto}} :{{voiced by|Kenjiro Tsuda,<ref name="cast"/> Kōhei Amasaki (young)|David Wald<ref name="Dub-Cast"/>}} :The head of the FlipFlap organization. Cold and pragmatic, he seeks to "liberate Pure Illusion" by collecting fragments. He is the son of the lead scientist that held Papika and Mimi as test subjects in a laboratory. A close confidante of Mimi, Salt is alluded to be Cocona's father<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chapman |first=Jacob |date=2016-09-09 |title=Flip Flappers - Episodes 9-10 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/flip-flappers/episodes-9-10/.109714 |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Anime News Network}}</ref> and joined the botched escape attempt after learning that Mimi was pregnant. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Hidaka}}|ヒダカ}} :{{voiced by|Jun Fukushima<ref name="cast"/>|David Matranga}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :A scientist at FlipFlap. He is obsessed with researching Pure Illusion and is responsible for upgrading TT-392. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Sayuri}}|サユリ}} :{{voiced by|Yoko Hikasa<ref name="cast"/>|Chelsea McCurdy}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :A scientist at FlipFlap. Level-headed and caring, she works closely with Salt. ;{{va|TT-392}} :{{voiced by|Kazuyuki Okitsu<ref name="cast"/>|Jay Hickman}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :A robot that follows Papika everywhere, nicknamed {{nihongo|"Bu-chan"|ブーちゃん}}. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Toto}}|トト}} :{{voiced by|Sayaka Inoue<ref name="cast"/>|Philip Hays}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :An elementary school student and Yuyu's twin brother, who works alongside Yayaka as Asclepius agents. He shares his younger sister's obedient and unforgiving personality. Described as one of the "amorphous children" by Asclepius, he cares deeply for his sister and puts himself in harm's way to protect her. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Yuyu}}|ユユ}} :{{voiced by|Airi Toshino<ref name="cast"/>|Carli Mosier}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :An elementary school student and Toto's twin sister. She wears a cast on her left arm when she is not in Pure Illusion. Though initially reverent to the leader of Asclepius, she chooses to heal Toto over the leader at the end of the series. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Nyunyu}}|ニュニュ}} :{{voiced by|Marika Kōno|Emily Neves<ref name="Dub-Cast"/>}} :The third amorphous child who briefly replaces Yayaka before Asclepius is destroyed. She is very lively and gets along well with TT-392. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Uexküll}}|ユクスキュル|Yukusukyuru}} :{{voiced by|Michiyo Murase,<ref name="cast"/> Rikiya Koyama (Pure Illusion version)|Mark X. Laskowski<ref name="Dub-Cast"/>}} :Cocona's pet rabbit, named after the scientist Jakob von Uexküll.<ref name="sfe"/> ;{{nihongo|{{va|Iroha Irodori}}|彩 いろは|Irodori Iroha}} :{{voiced by|Saori Ōnishi<ref name="cast"/>|Kira Vincent-Davis}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :An upperclassman in the Art Club at Cocona's school. Initially closed off from other people, she becomes more sociable and less focused on her art after Cocona and Papika alter things within her Pure Illusion world. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Cocona's grandmother}}|ココナのおばあちゃん|Kokona no Obā-chan}} :{{voiced by|Tamie Kubota<ref name="cast"/>|Tiffany Grant}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :Cocona's grandmother. She is Cocona's guardian after the supposed death of her parents, but is revealed to be an Asclepius android. ;{{nihongo|{{va|Mimi}}|ミミ}} :{{voiced by|Ai Kayano<ref name="cast"/>|Shelley Calene-Black}}<ref name="Dub-Cast"/> :Papika's previous partner and Cocona's mother. She possesses Cocona after all the amorphous fragments are gathered and fails to trap her in Pure Illusion. As a child, Mimi was held at a laboratory and studied for her ability to go to Pure Illusion. During a failed escape attempt, she gave into a destructive alternate personality and shattered into the amorphous fragments.

==Production== [[File:安達太良神社 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The series depicts several locations in Fukushima Prefecture, including Adatara Shrine in Motomiya]] <!-- concept and origin --> ''Flip Flappers'' was originally pitched as a space opera to series director Kiyotaka Oshiyama by the founders of Studio 3Hz. Oshiyama, who was a director of animation on ''Den-noh Coil'' and an episode director on ''Space Dandy'', adjusted the show's concept by having the main characters traverse parallel universes instead of outer space.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=48}} Oshiyama also designed several settings in the series from locations in Fukushima Prefecture,<ref name="fukushima"/> such as the Adatara Shrine and Mizuiro Park in his home town of Motomiya.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=June 2025 |title=アニメ業界で躍進する 押山清高監督をインタビュー! |trans-title=Making huge strides in the anime industry: Interview with Oshiyama Kiyotaka! |magazine=広報 もとみや |trans-magazine=Motomiya Publicity |location=Japan |publisher=Motomiya City |page=3 |language=ja}}</ref> The production team considered making the protagonists either primary or high school age, but settled on middle school to depict the emotional volatility of adolescence. In particular, Oshiyama likened Papika to protagonists in ''shōnen'' manga that he had read in his youth.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=50}}

<!-- style and character design --> The concept art for ''Flip Flappers'' was created by Tanu, who previously designed characters for ''Tari Tari'' and ''The Rolling Girls''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Flip Flappers Anime's TV Ad Reveals October 6 Debut |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-09-02/flip-flappers-anime-tv-ad-reveals-october-6-debut/.106037 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=March 16, 2021 |date=September 2, 2016}}</ref> Under Oshiyama's direction, Tanu incorporated a butterfly motif in Papika and Cocona's magical girl outfits to represent their growth. Tanu's concept art was adapted into designs suited for animation by the character designer for ''Flip Flappers'', Takashi Kojima.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=144}} Oshiyama selected Kojima for his youth and key animation work in ''Your Lie in April''. Early into production, Oshiyama and Kojima struggled to find common creative ground; Oshiyama often asked for retakes from Kojima and stated that their drawing styles "varied greatly from each other's".{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|pp=143}} Kojima stated that he spent three months designing Cocona and Papika alone.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|pp=143}}

<!-- later production, staff changes --> ''Flip Flappers'' was Oshiyama's debut as a series director;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-08 |last=Liborek |title=Flip Flappers: Episode 1 |url=https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2016/10/08/flip-flappers-episode-1/ |website=Sakuga Blog |language=en}}</ref> he later described the production as "an exhausting experience."{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=286}} Having contributed to the key animation, Oshiyama stated that working independently raised his personal workload but alleviated much of the stress that the project would have had on him.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=2024-07-24 |title=ルックバック |trans-title=Look Back |magazine=Nikkei Entertainment |location=Japan |publisher=Nikkei Business Publications |page=93 |language=ja}}</ref> The show's premise of dimension-traveling necessitated new setting designs for each episode,{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=48}} and several staff members left in the middle of production.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=285}} These included the lead writer Yuniko Ayana and background designers from Studio Pablo, who left after episodes 6 and 9, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-09 |last=Chapman |first=Jacob |title=Episodes 9-10 - Flip Flappers |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/flip-flappers/episodes-9-10/.109714 |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-03 |last=Liborek |title=Flip Flappers: Episode 9 |url=https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2016/12/03/flip-flappers-episode-9/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241231045849/https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2016/12/03/flip-flappers-episode-9/ |archive-date=2024-12-31 |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=Sakuga Blog |language=en}}</ref> {{ill|Infinite (company)|lt=Infinite|ja|インフィニット (企業)}}, a production company that had worked on Studio 3Hz's first series ''Celestial Method'',<ref name="producer">{{Cite web |date=2018-08-08 |last1=May |first1=Callum |last2=Morrissy |first2=Kim |title=How Creative Original Anime Get Made with Takayuki Nagatani |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2018-08-08/how-creative-original-anime-get-made-with-takayuki-nagatani/.134197 |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref> supplied a writer for the series after Ayana's departure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-05 |last=Megax |title=The Pre-Production of Anime #2: Scripting |url=https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/07/05/the-pre-production-of-anime-2-scripting/ |access-date=2026-03-07 |website=Sakuga Blog |language=en}}</ref> To manage the limitations of a small staff, Oshiyama interspersed episodes with simpler animation between action-heavy ones, and recycled as much artwork as possible during the second half of the series.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=49}} Though initially planned to air in July 2015, the show ultimately aired in October of the following year due to production delays.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=48}}

==Media==

===Anime=== {{Further|List of Flip Flappers episodes{{!}}List of ''Flip Flappers'' episodes}} The series by {{Proper name|Studio 3Hz}} was announced on March 25, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-03-25/studio-3hz-flip-flappers-october-tv-anime-revealed/.100249|title={{Proper name|Studio 3Hz}}'s ''Flip Flappers'' October TV Anime Revealed|website=Anime News Network|date=March 25, 2016|accessdate=March 25, 2016}}</ref> It was originally broadcast weekly from October 6 to December 29, 2016 and ran for 13 episodes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mediaarts-db.artmuseums.go.jp/id/C15984 |title=フリップ フラッパーズ |trans-title=Flip Flappers |website=Media Arts Database |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |access-date=2026-03-14 |language=ja}}</ref> It aired on the regional station Tokyo MX, the pay channel AT-X, the satellite television channel BS Fuji, and Sun Television.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1482999737 |date=2016-12-29 |title=TVアニメ『フリップフラッパーズ』いよいよ最終話が放送！ パピカ、ココナたちの物語の結末は |website=Animate Times |access-date=2026-03-14 |language=ja}}</ref> It is licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-09-28/sentai-filmworks-licenses-flip-flappers-anime/.107012|title=Sentai Filmworks Licenses Flip Flappers Anime|website=Anime News Network|date=September 28, 2016|accessdate=September 28, 2016}}</ref> and was simulcast by Hulu, Crunchyroll, and the Anime Network.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-10-01/anime-network-online-to-stream-matoi-the-sacred-slayer-flip-flappers-classicaloid-girlish-number-anime/.107121|title=Anime Network Online to Stream Matoi the Sacred Slayer, Flip Flappers, ClassicaLoid, Girlish Number Anime|website=Anime News Network|date=October 1, 2016|accessdate=October 1, 2016}}</ref> In 2020, Crunchyroll removed ''Flip Flappers'' along with several other Sentai Filmworks titles from its services.<ref>{{cite web |last=Antonio Pineda |first=Rafael |title=Crunchyroll Removes 77 Sentai Filmworks Titles |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-07-31/crunchyroll-removes-77-sentai-filmworks-titles/.162420 |website=Anime News Network |date=2020-07-31 |access-date=2026-03-17}}</ref>

The series has received several physical releases, including six Blu-Ray and DVD volumes that were released in Japan beginning in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Blu-ray&DVD {{!}} TVアニメ 「フリップフラッパーズ」公式サイト |url=http://www.flipflappers.com/bluray/ |website=flipflappers.com |access-date=2026-03-12 |language=ja}}</ref> Sentai Filmworks released a Blu-Ray set for the series in 2017; it included the English dubbed and subtitled editions in addition to a limited-edition booklet.<ref name="annBluray"/> The series is licensed by MVM Films in the United Kingdom for DVD and Blu-Ray; a collector's edition Blu-Ray set was released in 2018.<ref name="UKreview">{{cite web |title=Flip Flappers Complete Collection Review |last=Darkstorm |url=https://animeuknews.net/2018/08/flip-flappers-complete-collection-review/ |website=Anime UK News |date=2018-08-13 |access-date=2026-03-17}}</ref>

===Music=== The opening theme song "Serendipity" was sung by Zaq and arranged by RON.<ref name="lisani-zaq"/> The soundtrack for ''Flip Flappers'' is credited to To-Mas, a three-member unit composed of Yohei Matsui, Masumi Itō, and Mito.<ref name="lisani-tomas1"/> Itō described the recording session as "a three-day festival"; certain vocal tracks incorporated ''khoomei'' throat singing, and Oshiyama asked To-Mas to include a didgeridoo.<ref name="lisani-tomas2"/> Mito struggled while writing a metal song for the soundtrack, as it strayed heavily from the pop style of his debut band, Clammbon.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=194}} Under a time constraint, Itō repurposed a background track that they had recorded earlier in the session to make the melody for "Over the Rainbow",<ref name="rs-tomas"/> a character song performed by the voice actors who played Cocona and Papika.<ref name="lisani-tomas2"/>

To-Mas also wrote the ending theme song, "Flip Flap Flip Flap". The song was performed by Chima, who had previously been a backing vocalist for the band Galileo Galilei.<ref name="lisani-tomas1"/> The members of To-Mas agreed to bring Chima on as a guest vocalist after Itō attended one of Chima's concerts.<ref name="rs-tomas"/> Oshiyama had summarized ''Flip Flappers'' to To-Mas by asking: "How do you see the world around you?" Itō incorporated this question into the ending song's lyrics, along with Oshiyama's request for a ''Grimms' Fairy Tales''-like impression.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=193}}

==Themes== [[File:Aardige sprookjes ill 15 Hans en Grete (cropped).jpg|thumb|The series was influenced by the psychologist Hayao Kawai's study of ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'']] <!-- psychology --> The concept of Pure Illusion was inspired by books on Jungian psychology and Jakob von Uexküll's theory of ''umwelt''. Oshiyama also cited his personal interest in folklore and the psychologist Hayao Kawai's book on ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' as a specific influence. While he added transformation scenes and weapons to enhance the project's appeal, Oshiyama considered the inclusion of Pure Illusion and fairy tales to have largely been his personal decision.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=49}} Several commentators have offered specific psychological interpretations of Pure Illusion; ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' argues that the allusions to ''umwelt'' reflect how Pure Illusion is "shaped by various individual's perceptions",<ref name="sfe">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Pearce |first=Steven |title=Flip Flappers |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction |editor-last1=Clute |editor-first1=John |editor-link1=John Clute |editor-last2=Langford |editor-first2=David |editor-link2=David Langford |date=2022-05-23 |publisher=Ansible Editions |location=Reading |url=https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/flip_flappers |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> and Michael Goldstein states that the dimension represents the fantasies of in-world characters.<ref name="otakuUsa">{{Cite web |date=2016-12-17 |last=Goldstein |first=Michael |title=Understatement: Flip Flappers is a Psychedelic Take on Magical Girls |url=https://otakuusamagazine.com/flip-flappers-psychedelic-magical-girl/ |access-date=2026-03-13 |website=Otaku USA |language=en}}</ref> Peter Fobian maintains the theme of Jungian psychology and asserts that the worlds are aspects of the collective unconscious.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-17 |last=Fobian |first=Peter |title=FEATURE: Head Space - "FLIP FLAPPERS" Jung and the Journey of Self-Discovery |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/features/2016/11/17/feature-head-space-flip-flappers-jung-and-the-journey-of-self-discovery |access-date=2026-03-13 |website=Crunchyroll |language=en}}</ref>

<!-- yuri and sexuality --> ''Flip Flappers'' features an intimate relationship between its protagonists,<ref name="otakuUsa"/><ref name="sfe"/> and Oshiyama has stated that the series incorporates ''yuri'' elements.{{sfn|''FliFla Project''|p=49}} Many critics argue that the series depicts a romantic relationship between Cocona and Papika; Miles Thomas of Crunchyroll writes that ''Flip Flappers'' engages with "homosexual tropes" to show Cocona's queer self-discovery,<ref name="Thomas">{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Miles |title=FEATURE: Queer Discovery in "Flip Flappers" |website=Crunchyroll |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2016/11/30/feature-queer-discovery-in-flip-flappers |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041452/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2016/11/30/feature-queer-discovery-in-flip-flappers |archive-date=January 24, 2019 |date=November 30, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Fobian claims that Cocona expresses her own agency by choosing to reciprocate Papika's affections at the series finale.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-05 |last=Fobian |first=Peter |title=FEATURE: Head Space - "FLIP FLAPPERS" Mirrors, Reversals, and Returns |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/features/2017/1/5/feature-head-space-flip-flappers-mirrors-reversals-and-returns |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=Crunchyroll |language=en}}</ref> Scholar Arana Blas mentions ''Flip Flappers'' in an overview of ''yuri'' works, and contends that the series presents sexuality as a "part of the protagonist's growth".<ref>{{cite book |last=Arana Blas |first=Alexandra |date= 2022 |title=EN EL JARDÍN DE LIRIOS. El amor entre mujeres en la cultura pop asiática |location=Lima |publisher=Crónicas de la Diversidad |page=30 |isbn=978-612-48341-2-7}}</ref> Some commentators have analyzed the fifth episode, which was set in a boarding school, in light of the ''yuri''-related Class S genre. ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' describes the episode as a satire of the genre,<ref name="sfe"/> while ''Anime Feminist'' argues that the episode critiques Class S stories by having Cocona and Papika's romantic relationship persevere outside of a school setting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-10 |last=Henderson |first=Alex |title=Escape from Yuri Hell: FLIP FLAPPERS’ critique of the Class S genre |url=https://www.animefeminist.com/escape-yuri-hell-flip-flappers-critique-class-s-genre/ |access-date=2026-03-13 |website=Anime Feminist |language=en}}</ref>

==Reception== {{Quote box |quote = "More popular in the West than Japan, ''Flip Flappers'' is a memorable series: it has flaws – not everything is clearly explained and there is some fan service, albeit cake-and-eat-it parody – but there is much to enjoy." |author = – Steven Pearce, ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' (2022)<ref name="sfe"/> |width = 30% |border = none }}

''Flip Flappers'' has received generally positive assessments from viewers and critics. The series reached number 29 in an online poll by the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival for the best anime of 2017,<ref>{{cite web |title=TAAF2018 アニメファン賞は『ユーリ!!! on ICE』！ |website=Tokyo Anime Awards Festival |url=https://animefestival.jp/ja/post/8468/ |date=2018-02-21 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> and was listed as one of the 100 best anime of the 2010s by Crunchyroll.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wolf |first=Ian |title=Crunchyroll Names The Top 100 Anime of the 2010s |website=Anime UK News |url=https://animeuknews.net/2019/11/crunchyroll-names-the-top-100-anime-of-the-2010s/ |date=2019-11-27 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> Many reviewers complimented the series' visuals; ''Vulture'' felt that its action scenes were "incredibly impressive",<ref>{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=Kambole |title=The 20 Best Action Anime of All Time |website=Vulture |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-action-anime.html |access-date=2026-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425184711/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-action-anime.html |archive-date=2025-04-25 |date=2025-04-25 |url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Otaku USA'' enthusiastically received the show as a "visually enchanting delight" due to its varied color schemes and world designs.<ref name="otakuUsa"/> Carlos Ross of THEM Anime Reviews praised the "outright stunning" execution of the show's references to other media; he suggested that the show made allusions to John William Waterhouse's paintings of ''Ophelia'' and ''The Lady of Shalott''.<ref name="THEM"/>

The show's concluding episodes drew criticism from some commentators; ''Anime UK News'' felt that the plot suffered from "poor implementation and story pacing" and was rushed in the latter half.<ref name="UKreview"/> In reviews for ''Anime News Network'', Nick Creamer commended ''Flip Flappers'' for having "cheeky references to shows like ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and ''Penguindrum''",<ref name="annBluray">{{cite web |last1=Creamer |first1=Nick |title=Flip Flappers - Limited Edition Blu-ray [Review] |website=Anime News Network |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/flip-flappers/limited-edition-blu-ray/.110757 |access-date=March 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109032052/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/flip-flappers/limited-edition-blu-ray/.110757 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |date=January 11, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> whereas James Beckett felt that the show became a "clear ''Evangelion'' knock off" after the departure of its lead writer<ref>{{cite web |last=Beckett |first=James |title=The Best and Worst Anime of Fall 2016 |website=Anime News Network |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-12-23/the-best-and-worst-anime-of-fall-2016/.110280 |date=2016-12-23 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> and saw a "marked decline in quality" in the show's latter third.<ref>{{cite web |last=Beckett |first=James |title=The Best Anime of 2016 |website=Anime News Network |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-12-30/the-best-anime-of-2016/james-beckett-and-jacob-chapman/.110504 |date=2016-12-30 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> Sakuga Blog was similarly critical, claiming that the production value dropped in the "rushed" final episodes, but made the caveat that it "remained above the average" compared to other televised anime.<ref>{{cite web |last=liborek |title=Flip Flappers: Episodes 12 and 13 |website=Sakuga Blog |url=https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/01/07/flip-flappers-episodes-12-and-13/ |date=2017-01-07 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref>

The depiction of sexuality in ''Flip Flappers'' has been ambivalently received by several critics, who reserved praise for Cocona and Papika's relationship but felt that the characters were excessively sexualized by fanservice. Carlos Ross described the treatment of intimacy between the two lead characters as having "significantly more emotional depth and gentleness" than other ''yuri'' stories,<ref name="THEM">{{cite web |last1=Ross |first1=Carlos |title=Flip Flappers [Review] |website=THEM Anime Reviews |url=https://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1909 |access-date=March 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116045628/https://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=1909 |archive-date=January 16, 2021 |date=2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> and ''Anime Feminist'' contended that series had a "refreshingly honest" presentation of queer characters.<ref name="anifemRec">{{cite web |title=Queer Anime Recommendations |website=Anime Feminist |url=https://www.animefeminist.com/anifem-recommends/queer-anime-recommendations/ |access-date=2026-03-21}}</ref> However, Ross argued that the presentation of nudity through middle school girls was "borderline salacious", and ''Anime Feminist'' likened the "invasive" camera angles to "nails on a chalkboard."<ref name="anifemRec"/> In a similar vein, Creamer complimented the series for having "a remarkable union of emotional intent and visual execution" in its coming-of-age story, but criticized the fanservice for being "entirely out of place in the overall narrative."<ref name="annBluray"/>

Oshiyama stated that ''Flip Flappers'' had an underwhelming release; he attributed the show's lack of success to an oversaturated anime market, declining DVD and Blu-Ray sales, and the limited adoption of streaming services in 2016.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Oshiyama |first=Kiyotaka |interviewer-last=FM中西 |url=https://www.creators-station.jp/interview/seehim/292093 |title=『ルックバック』押山清高さんに聞く、アニメーターの仕事とキャリア。AI時代に“それでも描く”理由 |work=Creators Station |date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-03-20}}</ref> Oshiyama cited ''Flip Flappers''' commercial struggles and the limitations of working under a larger studio as key motivators in his decision to establish Studio Durian in 2017.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Oshiyama |first=Kiyotaka |interviewer-last=Yasuhara |interviewer-first=Mahiro |url=https://bijutsutecho.com/magazine/interview/32171 |title=劇場アニメ『ルックバック』監督・押山清高インタビュー：アニメーションを描くことを、いかに未来に伝えていけるのか |work=Bijutsu Techo |date=2026-02-27}}</ref> After directing the 2024 adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga ''Look Back'', Oshiyama stated that Fujimoto's decision to entrust Studio Durian with the adaptation may have been influenced by the fact that Fujimoto had previously watched ''Flip Flappers'' and enjoyed Oshiyama's work.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Oshiyama |first=Kiyotaka |interviewer-last=Brown |interviewer-first=Steve |url=https://shadestudios.com/f/director-oshiyama-on-themes-and-choices-in-adapting-look-back |title=Kiyotaka Oshiyama on Themes and Choices in Adapting Look Back |work=Shade Studios |date=2024-09-27 |access-date=2026-03-21}}</ref>

==References== <references> <ref name="lisani-zaq">{{cite interview |last=Zaq |author-link=Zaq |interviewer-last=Shimizu |interviewer-first=Kōji |title=【10周年記念連載】第4回：ZAQ「QUEEN」――9ヵ月連続リリースとともに10年間を振り返る！ |work=Lis Ani! |access-date=2026-03-16 |date=2022-06-01 |url=https://www.lisani.jp/0000202988/}}</ref> <ref name="lisani-tomas1">{{cite interview |last1=Itō |first1=Masumi |author-link1=Masumi Itō |last2=Matsui |first2=Yohei |last3=Mito |interviewer-last=Aoki |interviewer-first=Yuma |title=TVアニメ『フリップフラッパーズ』ED主題歌「FLIP FLAP FLIP FLAP」TO-MASインタビュー Vol.1|work=Lis Ani! |access-date=2026-03-15 |date=2016-11-09 |url=https://www.lisani.jp/0000100506/}}</ref> <ref name="lisani-tomas2">{{cite interview |last1=Itō |first1=Masumi |last2=Matsui |author-link1=Masumi Itō |first2=Yohei |last3=Mito |interviewer-last=Aoki |interviewer-first=Yuma |title=TVアニメ『フリップフラッパーズ』ED主題歌「FLIP FLAP FLIP FLAP」TO-MASインタビュー Vol.2|work=Lis Ani! |access-date=2026-03-16 |date=2016-11-09 |url=https://www.lisani.jp/0000100504/}}</ref> <ref name="rs-tomas">{{cite interview |last1=Itō |first1=Masumi |author-link1=Masumi Itō |last2=Matsui |first2=Yohei |last3=Mito |interviewer-last=Nakamura |interviewer-first=Takumi |title=伊藤真澄＆ミト＆松井洋平によるユニット・TO-MASが考える、“チームで音楽を作ること”の利点 |work=Real Sound |access-date=2026-03-16 |date=2016-11-10 |url=https://realsound.jp/2016/11/post-10074.html}}</ref> </references>

==Sources== {{cite book |author=FliFla Project |date=2017 |title=Flip Flappers Limited Edition Booklet |publisher=Sentai Filmworks |location=North America |translator-last1=Bull |translator-first1=Alicia |translator-last2=Lopez |translator-first2=Javier |id=SFCFLP100BCK| ref={{harvid|FliFla Project}}}}

==External links== <!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only --> *{{Official website|http://flipflappers.com/}} {{in lang|ja}} *{{Anime News Network|anime|18177}} *{{IMDb title|6139566}}

{{3Hz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flip Flappers}} Category:3Hz Category:Comedy anime and manga Category:Anime with original screenplays Category:Madman Entertainment anime Category:Magical girl anime and manga Category:LGBTQ-related anime and manga Category:Sentai Filmworks Category:Tokyo MX original programming Category:Yuri (genre) anime and manga Category:Anime and manga about parallel universes