Ranked #6266

Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally (Manga)

Normally I tend to write detailed reviews but speaking as one who hasn't read the full Code Geass universe, all I can say is that there are many elements in this side story that makes it feel like a poor rushed adaptation.

Nothing horrifying but in many ways when a work cannot match up to the previous work but tries to be part of that universe, there are just elements that will make the disappoints worse.

However if you're wondering why my personal rating for Nunally is 10 and the overall is 3, this is because I read the scanlated letter of the person who made this during the final chapter and it was just... so heartfelt - I couldn't deny a person who tries to make a masterpiece and succeeds at it short of a 10 because I didn't like said person's vision. On the other hand, reviews are still for those who are "curious" about a work and so I don't feel like lumping my two ratings together especially since you must literally endure up till the end for that last message to have such an impact on your perception of this manga. read more

Being a huge Code Geass fan I started to read Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally from the same reason as most of you, because I was wondering what kind of alternate story could it be… I was thinking that maybe this manga continues the anime story, so there was no time to hesitate.

The entire story is centered on Nunnally and her actions. Everything starts when she accepts a Geass contract with Nemo and gains the ability to see in the future. After this, the story is focused on her fights against the Irregulators. But there is no tension in the story, the mecha fights are quite boring and overall, there are many events but nothing happends…Why is this? Simple. Because Lelouch is almost nonexistent. I felt like Zero was zero intelligence.But even if is just for a little, I like this "good for nothing" story. And that is because, I really liked to see Nunnally "in action" fighting, crying and doing things that in anime could not do. Practically, in this manga we have the unique chance to know a new Nunnally. Because of this, even if the story is not that impressive, I find it at least an interesting version of the original story.

The character development was good and because there aren’t too many secondary characters, everything is centered on the main character. If in the anime Nunnally is more absent, here Nunnally is totally changed and she needs to face many challenges in order to create that “kind and gentle world”. For exemple , who would have thought that Nunnally, that sensitive and fragil little girl will come to fight against those Irregulators…Also Alice has a decisive role because she helps Nunnally in extreme situations. I really thought that Nunnally will open the Heaven's Door before Alice arrive and stop her. As for the other characters, Nemo seemed to have a very dark personality and the “Irregulars” in generally were an interesting subject. I don’t know what to say about that cell transplants from C.C part…It’s not a detailed subject.

Even if you’re a Clamp lover this new artstyle shouldn’t bother you too much..In fact, the differences are not that many. The mecha design is somehow the same and the character design is changed , but not really in the wrong way… I have to admit that I didn’t like the new outfit of Zero, that large suit, but I tried to think that inside is the same Lelouch so I wasn’t too bothered about it. Anyway the art usually depends on everyone tastes.

All in all Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally is an interesting and enjoyable manga. It doesn’t have comedy or romance moments, but the action, the fighting spirit and Nunnaly innocence guarantees you an enjoyable reading. I think this manga has a really big disadvantage because it can be easelly misunderstood. Most of the readers ,when they begin to read Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally normally have high hopes because after all this is an alternate setting of the popular Code Geass. But they shouldn’t start reading this with this feeling because there is a big chance that they will remain disappointed in the end. As for the last page, that one with Tomomasa confession, I think it was a wrong thing to do. If you’re writting a manga and then you’re confessing that it was a failure, what expectations do you have from the readers? What kind of interpretations should they have…
Finally I recommend this manga to everyone, and especially to the Code Geass fans,because even if the story is changed dramatically, you will get to read an interesting manga with Nunnally totally changed, doing things that in anime couldn’t do.Even if there is no Lelouch's intelligence, there is Nunnally's innocence and perseverance…

Overall 7.5 >> 8
read more