D-Frag! (Japanese: ディーふらぐ!, Hepburn: Dīfuragu!), also known as D-Fragments, is a comedic manga series by Tomoya Haruno that began serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive in July 2008. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Brain's Base aired from January 6 to March 24, 2014.[1]
Plot
The story focuses on a semi-connected series of sketches as delinquent student Kenji Kazama is forced into joining his school's struggling "Game Creation Club" (Game Development Club in the Seven Seas translation) by its members, a quartet of crazy women with their own eccentricities and self-proclaimed elemental affinities that drive him crazy. As he attempts to distance himself from the club, the more he seems to run into not only his fellow club members, but others from his school who drive him insane to different degrees.
Characters
Most main characters' names are reference to railway stations in Tokyo, particularly Keiō Line. Some main character's first names, like Takao's and Funabori's, are not yet revealed.[2]
The leader of the "Kazama Party" and one of the head delinquents in school, he was forcibly recruited into the club after attempting to help them put out a fire. He is actually quite capable of fighting, however because he can never hit a girl he "supposedly" is still no match for the other girls in the club. While not being able to hit a girl, he later starts using trickery and deception to outmatch them in competitions. Later, the club members refer him as "Wind" elemental, due to his name. At all times, he serves as the tsukkomi (comedic straight man) to the antics around him.
The President of the Game Creation Club (Provisional). She has blonde hair. Her element is "Fire", although she later states that her true element is actually "Darkness". Her main combat method is putting a bag over her opponents' head, rendering them blind, hence the darkness element. She carries a lot of spare bags so she can use them anytime. Despite having a small profile, she is referred as "Strongest Darkness" and is the strongest in school. She refers to Kenji as her "important person", and shows jealousy when other girls approach him.
A second-year and the President of the student council. Her authority is so great even the teachers fear her. Her element is "Earth", and her main combat method includes punching her opponent, throwing dirt at them, or digging traps. She also has a habit of burying her victims up to the neck.
A first-year and a pink-haired tomboy. Her element is "Water", and is usually seen carrying a water bottle. Her combat method includes pouring water on her hands, or forcing water down an opponent's throat. She later starts referring to Kenji and Noe as her siblings, though both of them deny any relation.
The faculty advisor of the club. Her element is "Lightning" because she carries around a taser. She is shown to be sleeping almost anytime, even in her own class. She also seems to have a fairly poor memory as shown when she cannot remember the name of a past student who lent her the track suit that she wears at all times.
President of the "real" Game Creation Club with no known first name. Friends with Roka, even though she left and started her own Game Creation Club on negative terms. She has a crush on Kazama. After losing a match with Game Creation Club (Provisional), she actually starts to hang around with the club more often than her own club.
A glasses-wearing girl with a perverted streak who often dresses up Oka in girly outfits. She acts as Chitose's counterpart for the "real" Game Creation Club.
A boy with a very feminine appearance. Due to a misunderstanding during their first met, Kenji refers to him as a girl, which he never had a chance to correct.
Yamada (山田)
Voiced by: Takahiro Fujiwara (Japanese); Chris Rager (English)
A big, muscular club member. He is described as looking like a brutish giant on the outside, but in reality he is a timid pacifist.
A short but fat student who is a member of Kazama Gang. Despite his delinquent status, he is very intelligent, scoring second in the school placement test.
A junior student, Tama is the ex-Student Council President before Chitose. She has a grudge with Chitose since their childhood and secretly plots to have Game Creation Club (Provisional) disbanded. She specializes in using her twin-tails hairstyle in combat, in which she is renowned as the strongest in Fujou High, capable of fending off Roka, and known as "The Legendary" in other schools. She seems to have an interest in Kenji after losing to him during the competition between ex-student council members and Game Creation Club (Provisional), and starts to participate in the club activities despite not being a club member.
Ex-student council secretary. She has an unstable stomach and often vomits to the point that friends and enemies alike call her "Barfie". She is often shown working many different types of part-time jobs and often runs into the club activities.
The club's other male member, he has an unrequited crush on Roka. He often uses the gap between a bookshelf and the wall as his "seat". Other club members refer to him as a "Light" elemental due to the sparkles that seem to surround his appearance. Roka is quite harsh toward him, while most other club members simply ignore him. He later joined the Kazama Gang.
Kenji's classmate, she is good at housework and often shown doing various chores for the class. Has trouble being the center of attention, and is often blushing when she receives praise from anyone. She has a crush on Kenji.
Kenji's little sister who shares her brother's spiky hair and a penchant for being the comedic "straight man" in a world full of crazy punchlines. She is often comforted by Kenji when she can't take the insanity of his daily life. Called an "ice" elemental by members of the Game Creation Club due to her love of ice cream, and has also been referred to as the "little sister" element.
A man who dresses in a tokusatsu outfit and plays a superhero.
Shawn KoneKone (ショーン・コネコネ)
Voiced by: Jōji Nakata (Japanese); Bill Jenkins (English)
Kenji's English Literature teacher. He saved the Kazama Gang (and RaGaiGar) from a flaming building when they were kids. He inspired Kenji to help those who are in need. A parody of real-life actor Sean Connery with elements of Indiana Jones, and supposedly wields the "Dandy" element.
Tsutsuji Shibasaki (柴崎 つつじ, Shibasaki Tsutsuji)
Roka's younger(albeit taller) sister who attends another, lower end high school, having failed her exams to enter Fujou High. Has made elaborate lunchboxes for Roka and seeks to "protect" her from Kenji.
Kudanshita (九段下)
A third-year student at Fujou High who has a scary, smiling expression on her face all the time. Despite this, she is actually known throughout the school as a dependable person, and even offers her guidance to Kenji on occasion. She is nicknamed Kusshi (クッシー).
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Tomoya Haruno, the manga began serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive in July 2008. The chapters are being collected and released in the tankōbon format by Media Factory. As of November 2023, eighteen volumes were released. Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the manga.[8]
An anime television series adaptation by Brain's Base aired from January 6 to March 24, 2014 on TV Tokyo. The series is directed by Seiki Sugawara, Makoto Uezu is in charge of series composition, while Nijine composed the music.[1]Crunchyroll LLC (then known as Funimation) has licensed the series in North America and Australia. As of 2022, it can be streamed on its namesake service.[31][32]
Kenji Kazama arrives at school looking to leave an impression, but ends up forced into joining the Game Creation Club, from taking out a small fire. Later, the Student Council Vice-President and fourth member of the Kazama Party, Ataru, reveals some backstory about the Student Council President Chitose.
When Kenji is at a park (not at school due to the suspension he got from the events of the first episode), he finds himself confronted by members of the "real" Game Creation Club, claiming the one he joined was a fake club. When he confronts his own club members about it, he discovers that the leaders of both Game Creation Clubs were actually friends in one club, but Roka didn't like how the other members talked about her, so with Chitose's help she started her own club.
3
"Fujou Academy Freedom Festival, AKA FuF Festival" Transliteration: "Fujō Gakuen Furīdamu Sai. Tsūshō Fufusai" (Japanese: 府上学園フリーダム祭。通称フフ祭)
January 20, 2014 (2014-01-20)
As the day of the school festival draws near, the presidents of both Game Creation Clubs prepare to make their own games to show the students at the festival. Takao and Roka agree that the loser's club will be absorbed by the winner, while Chitose threatens to do "that" (an undefined action) to Takao if her club wins. Later that day, Kenji discovers that Takao's club did a decent job of making their own video game, while Takao finds that the "fake" club made a mini-carnival with various analog games, as the rules never specified the type of game they had to make.
4
"They're the Band of 14 Devils!!" Transliteration: "Are wa Ma no Jūyon Gakudan!!" (Japanese: あれは魔の十四楽団!!)
January 27, 2014 (2014-01-27)
After some debate, Minami reveals that the club's official name is "Game Creation Club (Provisional)." While trying to avoid having to play the "Quest for Porn Mags in Space" board game that Roka created, the Kazama Party gets ambushed by the "Band of 14 Devils" (minus two for personal reasons). Despite his best efforts, Kazama and his friends are captured, though Ataru escapes to warn the Game Creation Club (Provisional) about what happened. The club and Takao decide to fake going to the bathroom and rush to Kenji's rescue.
5
"What?! Your Little Sister Makes Your Lunches?!" Transliteration: "Nanī !? Imōto ni bentō o!?" (Japanese: 何ー!? 妹に弁当を!?)
February 3, 2014 (2014-02-03)
Kenji tries to get out of playing the newest edition of "Quest for Porn Mags in Space" again, promising Takao anything if she'll switch places with him. Unfortunately, after striking the deal, Roka reveals that this edition can be played by five people. Later, Chitose bullies Kenji into eating a green pepper off the floor. After lunch, Kenji reveals some backstory about his relationship with legendary Japanese classic literature teacher Shawn Konekone.
6
"So That Means We're in a Love Triangle!" Transliteration: "Koi no Sankaku Kankei tte Koto Desu ne!" (Japanese: 恋の三角関係ってことですね!)
February 10, 2014 (2014-02-10)
Pretty boy and newest Game Creation Club (Provisional) member Shio appears to proclaim his love for Roka, but Roka is only interested in Kenji, and Kenji wants nothing to do with either of them. Later, after Funabori reveals she washed and cleaned one of Roka's bags, Shio, Kenji and Roka decide to have a contest over who owns that bag, and Chitose expands the contest into a school-wide event that begins with a King of the Hill-style tournament.
Kenji wakes up after being hit by the zipper from Takao's old uniform to discover that he's locked in a thumb war with Shio as a semifinal match. Meanwhile, Takao and Roka are locked in a game of musical chairs, but seem to have forgotten the chair entirely and are instead tackling each other. The Grand Final round turns out to be a "King's Game," but with only two people the winner is whoever picks the "King" stick.
8
"I Liked The Pixels..." Transliteration: "Ano Dotto ga Yokatta no ni…" (Japanese: あのドットがよかったのに…)
February 24, 2014 (2014-02-24)
Kenji and Takao are informed by a panel of teachers that ever since the zipper incident from the tournament, various students have been injured trying to copy the event with each other. After Kenji stands up for Takao, she later asks him out on a date. Unfortunately, the release date of a popular new game she planned to get falls on the same day, so Kenji ends up waiting in line with her.
9
"That's Right. I'm His Little Sister." Transliteration: "Sōda yo, Aitsu no Imōto da yo" (Japanese: そうだよ、あいつの妹だよ)
March 3, 2014 (2014-03-03)
After getting flustered by Kenji's demands to hide his bag from Shio and Ataru, Funabori ends up preempting the boys by sticking her own head in the bag. Kenji's little sister comes to visit her brother's club room, but ends up getting increasingly scared by the girls inside, then flees after Takao accidentally smacks her against a bookshelf. Takao tries to make nice with her to get closer to Kenji, but her attempts backfire.
10
"Tama-senpai, Long Time No See" Transliteration: "Tama Senpai, Ohisashiburi" (Japanese: タマ先輩、お久しぶり)
March 10, 2014 (2014-03-10)
Kenji gets kidnapped again, this time by the former student council led by senior student Tama. The Game Creation Club and Ataru race to save him, but find themselves facing the Science Club's robot mascot with Shinsen ("Barfy") riding inside. Takao ends up defeating the robot by herself, but when they reach the classroom, Roka finds her usual "darkness" bag attack blocked by Tama's unique twintail hairstyle. Tama demands the Game Creation Club (Provisional) disband, and Kenji proposes a contest to save the club.
11
"What's My Secret Move?" Transliteration: "Higi tte Nani?" (Japanese: 秘技ってなに?)
March 17, 2014 (2014-03-17)
Takao comes up with a contest called "Cell Thievery" where each team tries to snatch an opposing player's cell phone and correctly answer a question about that person written on the phone. Roka demands that Kenji "princess carry" her after Tama's hug from earlier drained most of her strength, and the two of them run away with Sakura, but two of Tama's team are in hot pursuit. Eventually, Roka regains her strength and distracts Naganuma long enough for Kenji to knock him out of the game. Chitose finds herself losing against Tama's strength and needs help. Roka tells Kenji he has a secret move: the "Vertical Jump." Kenji literally jumps up to the second floor and is immediately surrounded by the Basketball Club.
12
"At this Rate, You'll have Zero Friends for All Eternity!" Transliteration: "Kono Mama da to Tomodachi Eien ni Zeronin da yō" (Japanese: このままだと友達永遠にゼロ人だよぉ)
March 24, 2014 (2014-03-24)
Some of the teachers decide to bet over whether the Game Creation Club or the former student council will win their battle. Chitose has a flashback to when she was a kindergartner playing in a sandbox. Every time she tried to build a sandcastle, Tama would come over and smash it, until Roka appeared and helped Chitose bury Tama in sand. Since that day, Chitose swore to one day build a legendary sand castle, and Tama swore to break everything that Chitose loved for her humiliation. In the present, Tama's sumo slap attacks and "double kabuki" technique are keeping both Kenji and Chitose from getting to her cell phone. However, Kenji comes up with a plan that lets him slip past her guard and pull off Tama's hair ribbons, letting Roka subsequently place a bag over her head. The Game Creation Club is declared the winner. Later, Tama plays a round of "Quest for Porn Mags in Space" to get closer to Kenji, while swearing to his club members that her original goals haven't changed.
