Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (TV)

The Japanese anime series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" [Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED] (2002).

SEED takes place during a messy war between the PLANTS (orbital habitats occupied by genetically enhanced humans known as 'Coordinators') and the Earth Alliance (a loose union of squabbling, jingoistic 1984-style superstates, controlled by normal humans — 'Naturals' — and motivated by mutual distrust and anti-coordinator paranoia).
Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2005

Earth Alliance

The flag can be seen at a street demonstration in episode 36 as an Alliance politician delivers a rant; a coat of arms with lighter colors appears on the podium in the same scene.
Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2005

Earth Alliance's Coat of Arms

OMNI

OMNI is the Earth's counterpart to ZAFT — basically, a NATO-like military organization. It serves as the military arm of the Earth Alliance and is dominated by the most powerful of the Alliance's constantly bickering member states, the Atlantic Federation.
Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2005

Peace treaty variant (OMNI's Chairman ?)

This is a banner that appears at the peace-treaty-signing ceremony concluding the PLANT-Alliance War in episode 1 of a sequel series, Gundam SEED Destiny. Basically identical to the regular O.M.N.I. flag, except for the addition of a vertical white stripe down the center and a wide golden wreath at the border. It presumably pertains to the dignitary or dignitaries representing the Alliance at the signing. Since the entire Alliance delegation seems to be made up of uniformed military officers, the use of the O.M.N.I. flag rather than the civilian Alliance one is probably appropriate.
Eugene Ipavec, 10 April 2005

PLANT

Each habitat is a sovereign state, but since the series takes place in wartime, the PLANTs are always represented collectively by the flag of their military alliance, ZAFT.

However, there is also a loose political union; its flag makes an abrupt appearance in ep. 11 of the sequel series "Gundam SEED Destiny," flying over a military cemetery along the ZAFT flag. Dark red field with a stylized horizontal representation of the hourglass shape of a PLANT-type space habitat — like the ZAFT flag, but with the two solar mirrors shown (in blue.) Below, the caption "P.L.A.N.T." in white block script.
Eugene Ipavec, 23 May 2005

ZAFT

ZAFT is a military pact that unites the PLANTS. The acronym stands for Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty. The flag is featured a number of times in the course of SEED — the clearest view would be in episode 16, where one serves as a majestically-billowing backdrop for Defense Commissioner Patrick Zala while he delivers a warmongering speech to the ZAFT Supreme Council. The central symbol is the ZAFT coat of arms, which appears frequently throughout the series — usually on display screens — with several-shades-darker colors than on the flag and the inscription 'Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty' in black, upward-curved script nestled under the light-blue flattened circle.
Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2005

ZAFT's Supreme Council

A variation on the ZAFT flag, with intricate golden filigree around the edges. It appears behind the lectern in episode 32, as Zala assumes the council chairmanship from Siegel Clyne. Based on the circumstances, I think we can assume with some confidence that this is either the flag of the ZAFT Supreme Council, or of its chairperson. The flag may have a golden fringe — I'm not entirely sure.
Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2005

Chairperson of the ZAFT Supreme Council

The banner of the Chairperson of the ZAFT Supreme Council. Appears in episode 1 of the sequel series "Gundam SEED Destiny," at a peace-treaty-signing ceremony.

I should also note that the central emblem is meant to depict a nuclear weapon detonating against the hourglass shape of a PLANT space habitat, the bloody-shirt atrocity that leads to the founding of ZAFT.
Eugene Ipavec, 11 April 2005

United Emirates of Orb

The flag is clearly visible behind the Orb prime minister at a press conference in ep. 9 of the sequel series "Gundam SEED Destiny." It is turquoise, with the aforementioned arms centered and the word "ORB" in red-bordered white caps at the center of the sun.
Eugene Ipavec, 19 May 2005