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In anime, people who in charge sometimes wear armband,

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HO9Xs.jpg)

from left to right: Haruhi Suzumiya - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Club
president), Suzu and Tsuda - Seitokai Yakuindomo (student council), Kuroko -
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (Judgement, Disciplinary Committee), Kamado Ueshita -
Mirai Nikki (Director of the orphanage).

is this arm band have particular name? what is it purpose and how is this
originate? Is this related to Japanese culture? I never see someone wearing
this in my country.


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What is purpose of these arm band?


Arm bands in Japan, usually called as **red armband** , is worn as a method of
identification of team/group or organization (more on this at the end)

> The red armband can have a very different connotation in Japanese culture
> than in that of many other countries. The leader of any group might wear a
> red armband, usually with the characters for the name of the organisation
> written on it, as a symbol of his authority. Due to cultural diffusion, the
> usage of the red armband by leftist political groups has spread to Japan as
> well.

_[Source](http://www.ehow.co.uk/facts_7431774_red-armband-significance.html)_

The link also has information on how it spread to Japan but that's out of the
scope so I'm not including it here.

Known bands from the picture:

![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/heras.jpg)

1) Haruhi Suzumiya wears a band that reads [Brigade
leader](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruhi_Suzumiya_\(character\)#Appearance)

![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BcXyI.jpg)

2) In Ousai (Private Academy featured in Seitokai Yakuindomo) [red
armbands](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/SeitokaiYakuindomo)
signifies power, not leadership—students that enforces rules wear them.

![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/a6KdJ.jpg)

3) In Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, this band signifies the [Judgement
Committee](http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Judgment)

Couldn't find information regarding the fourth.

* * *

Also, personally, in many Japanese Dramas I have seen working people wear such
bands like the reporters, journalists, forensics and even the police officers
(not red though, it's usually white in black text) so I'm guessing it's a way
to tell who's from which organization.


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