Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

I was incredibly skeptical about Code Geass at first, but I'm very pleased to say that I was greatly surprised.

STORY - Before I saw this series, it was described to me on multiple occasions as "Death Note with mechas." After seeing it, however, I am inclined to disagree. The similarities between the two series are superficial at best, and though I can see why people would draw the comparison, I don't really think that dis/liking one means that you'll dis/like the other. But anyway, unlike Death Note, I wouldn't say that the story in Code Geass is particularly notable or unique. It's actually rather straightforward ... and even a little cliche, but that's exactly why this is such a well done series -- the barebones storyline is handled in a refreshing and new way that grabs the viewer's attention. There are enough twists and turns involved to keep you on the edge of your seat. The pacing is excellent and nothing feels rushed or drawn out. Indeed, the progression up to the conclusion is especially brilliant. (It's a cliffhanger "ending," but oh, it's just a fantastic cliffhanger.)

The series is also appealing in its uncanny ability to mix genres. Yes, this is a mecha series, but it really doesn't have to be. Yes, CLAMP did the character designs and there are some very shoujo elements (read: homolust), but there are very shounen rivalries and some pretty epic battle scenes too. Everybody wins! Additionally, because of the number of characters, the story allows for a number of small subplots. I was very happy with how this was handled in particular because all of the subplots relate and affect the main plot directly, whether by revealing some bit of information to both the characters and the viewer or by pushing forward interesting character development. Everything is well thought out and wonderfully executed, so despite the fact that "strong-willed person with plans to change the world receives mysterious power that helps facilitate his goals" isn't a very unique storyline... Code Geass makes it work.

Also. Code Geass utilizes the "best friends trying to kill each other" plotline, and I'm a sucker for that plotline.

CHARACTER - The characters in this series are rather varied. Some are very plain and one-dimensional, while others have an amazing complexity to them that makes them very life-like. I'll be honest. I've become somewhat infatuated with Lelouch as a character (and am rather biased as a result). To me, he is very much a human character -- he has emotions, opinions, a unique point of view, and some very serious flaws, all of which make him incredibly easy to relate to and to sympathize with. He is easily the most complex character in the series, and he feels real to me, even with his supernatural powers and his genius-level intellect. This ability to make the audience relate to him is also probably the series' greatest strength and the main reason why the story is able to remain relevant and interesting despite the fact that there aren't too many new ideas plotwise.

Suzaku would probably be second in line for complexity after Lelouch, though his sense of justice might be called cliche at first (along with Nunnally's and Euphemia's), and his hax-level physical prowess is somehow harder to accept than Lelouch's genius-level intelligence. It's harder to appreciate Suzaku's depth at first, partially because he is presented as Lelouch's main obstacle and the audience's sympathies are with Lelouch, but a great deal is revealed about his character throughout the course of the series, and he becomes an amazing foil to his rival. Their conflicting ideologies and philosophies are fascinating if you really look into it, and gay as it sounds, they really do compliment each other very well.

Much of the rest of the cast seems to fall into typical archetypes -- there's your adorable little sister, your mad scientist and his assistant, your cheerful schoolgirls, your best friend, your most loyal soldier, your second-in-command, your village idiot, your... really creepy lesbian girl? Despite the generic-sounding descriptions, most of the characters are actually pretty fun, or at the very least, interesting. C.C. provides snarky commentary. Shirley spreads innocent schoolgirl love. Nunnally is so moe you'll die. Jeremiah is a good butt of all jokes. Little bits of backstory are tossed in here and there to separate them from the crowd, but it's never enough to actually intrude, and the wide range of characters lets you settle into the world pretty well too; after all, what universe is complete without an animal mascot that shows up now and again?

ARTWORK & ANIMATION - I wasn't too impressed with CLAMP's character designs at first (noodleboys!), but as always seems to be the case, they gradually grew on me, and I remembered just how pretty X was. CLAMP just knows how to make everyone look amazingly sexy, male or female. I really loved how they did all of the facial expressions in the series though, especially for Lelouch. Seriously, that guy had some of the most awesome crazy expressions, some of the most amazingly touching sadface expressions, and of course, some of the most amusing WTF expressions. The mecha designs for the Knightmare Frames were also pretty awesome. I dig the whole rollar blade thing, and some of the technologies they come up with are neat, if a little over-the-top. The animation is fluid and smooth for the most part and very few things stood out as being bad.

MUSIC - Initially, I wasn't particularly fond of any of the OP/EDs for Code Geass except the first ending by ALI PROJECT because 1) they're awesome, and 2) Yuki Kajiura's style seemed to suit the series very well. The screaming violins both convey the high status of Britannia and the intensity of the emotions in the series. The rest of the themes seemed lackluster in comparison, but though I was never a huge fan of FLOW, "COLORS" kind of grew on me after a while. The final insert song, "Innocent Days" by Hitomi is pretty nice as well. Very thoughtful, very poignant, very fitting. The background music during the series was negligible for the most part; there is some pretty generic battle build-up type music and other appropriate, but rather typical, themes. Still, there's some neat classical/opera stuff, and the "All hail Brittania!" theme is definitely awesome.

VOICE ACTING - I've seen all of Code Geass subbed and most of it dubbed. Although I was incredibly turned off by Johnny Yong Bosch's role as Lelouch initially, it kind of grew on me, and now I think it fits well enough, though I do wish he'd change his voice a little more when Lelouch is Zero (make it a little deeper?). Suzaku's dub voice surprised me with how appropriate it was too. One of the things I really wish we could replicate in English though, is the subtle differences in manners between characters, between Lelouch and Suzaku at various stages of their lives, and between Lelouch and Zero. In Japanese, when Lelouch and Suzaku are children, they refer to themselves with "boku" and "ore" respectively. As teenagers, the pronouns are swapped, with Lelouch using "ore" (Zero uses "watashi") and Suzaku using "boku." Euphemia uses "watakushi." I'll skip the grammar lesson (go wiki "Japanese pronouns"), but suffice to say that these differences provide a lot of very interesting insight into each of the characters. It's really too bad English isn't nearly as interesting.

The rest of the voices in the dub are pretty average, perhaps the low end of average, with a stereotypically high-pitched girly voice for Nunnally that is amazingly annoying, and very forgettable voices for virtually all the female characters (Milly, Shirley, and Kallen all kind of sound the same). I was very impressed with Lloyd's dub voice though, even if nothing will ever amount to his amazing original voice, which is uh, amazing! Seriously. One of the most amusing voices I've ever heard. Jun Fukuyama's voice for Lelouch I found to be a bit too deep/old sounding initially, but that grew on me as well, and I really love the badassity of his voice for Zero. Suzaku's original voice sounds a little generic at first, but it grows with his character. There's a good bit of Engrish in the Japanese version as well, which is always fun. I don't think you can ever get tired of their "Yes, my lord(o)!" or their "All hail Britannia!"

Overall, I'd say the original is damn awesome, and the dub is pretty watchable -- always a plus, right?

OVERALL - I really love this series, and I definitely did not see that happening. Honestly, I found the first episode incredibly underwhelming: the opening sequence made it look like a series I wouldn't be interested in watching at all, and all of the expository really turned me off...but the second episode? That was so much more epic than I could have ever predicted, and I was pretty much won over after that. I'm just a sucker for chess analogies, I guess! Seriously though, good story, good characters, good animation, and good music! Mechas, politics, rivalry and comradery, strained friendships, love and hate, complex ideologies, and blowing shit up! What more could you want? :D

Code Geass is one of my favorite anime. Why? It's filled with so much action, bombastic dialogue, and has such eye-catching visuals that it tops the charts in entertainment value. This is an exciting and epic anime and it's over the top.

For some people, the plot, characters, and music alone is bad enough to make the show unwatchable. For others, the high action, flashy animation, and drama will be more than enough to make the show a favorite of all time though I like everything about Code Geass.

Story: Lelouch Lamperouge appears to be a typical high school student at Ashford Academy in the ... Britannian controlled Area 11 (formerly named Japan.) But he's actually a prince in the Britannian imperial family, and seventeenth in line to the throne. He develops a hatred for the emperor of Britannia and the entire imperial establishment, vowing to one day destroy them for the death of his mother and cripple of his sister. After an encounter with a mysterious young woman named C.C., Lelouch gains the power of Geass, which grants him the ability to force anyone to do what he wishes. With this ability, Lelouch becomes a mysterious figure named Zero and begins his battle against the Britannian Empire.

Code Geass have too many loose and cliff hanging ends. The end are always left unexplained, leaving the viewer with questions not only about various subplots but also about several key elements of the storyline. However, what makes up for this is the plot and character developments. Every episode is surprising and leave you eager to watch the next episode.

It seems Code Geass mainly focus on the drama, emotion, and the heart-breaking moments. Geass ends up being not so much a story with a certain plot and characters but rather a series of exciting, exaggerated but well-crafted, incredulous and definitely memorable scenes.

Characters: The characters, are so great and awesome that it's hard to stop enjoying them. There are characters that are a goody too shoe, outright intolerable that will make you want to strangle and kill them off the show. The characters are all so great that something unexpected might happen to them. There are also characters that are naive, filled with too much hate and/or love but in the end, you'll have a character you like or maybe even love. My favorite character, of course, are C.C., Kallen, and Lelouch.

Art & Animation: Another good thing about Code Geass is its high production values and colorful animation. The character designs, created by CLAMP, are great and well drawn. The animation may not be great but it is detailed, vivid, and lively. The fights aren't as smooth or fluid as it could be but it's flashy, colorful, which is very much fitting considering the nature of the series.

Sound: The voice acting also plays a role in the show's success. Characters like Zero and Suzaku may be outrageous or cliched but their voice actors fit the characters so well that they are able to sell the characters. One of my favorite voice actor, Jun Fukuyama, does a great job playing the key character of Lelouch/Zero. His performance, especially how well he change from the carefree high school student to the more sinister and manipulative rebel is vital to keeping the series enjoyable and entertaining. Fukuyama is usually playing two characters and does it absolutely convincingly. There's nothing to complain about of the music either as the background music is very good and it fits right in it. The openings for Code Geass are my favorite. It's very paced and exciting.

Enjoyment: I've seen Geass more than 5 times in a row already. (Not counting season 2) This is a nice, great anime. With the non-stop action, you'll be wanting to see which side will win and lose. For one moment you can be smiling, then crying the next. Happens to me sometimes.

Overall: Code Geass is a awesome anime that will surely gather different opinions from viewers and other reviewers other than myself. I've seen and heard a lot of people saying SUNRISE has done an awesome job and it's not because of the use of mecha, action or drama, but rather how effectively it appeals to that certain aspect of anime that is not often addressed and yet is one of the main purposes of anime: entertainment. If your main interest in anime is in the quality of the storytelling or the characters, then Geass is probably not for you. However, if you're in it to have fun or for some good laughs, then take a look at this anime. You wont be disappointed. Indeed Geass is a rare accomplishment.

A new Gundam series is being announced! Naruto: Shippuden is finally beginning! KyoAni is doing something new! RomeoXJuliet!

These are titles that attract us to the newest animes, but Code Geass, much like our beloved Suzumiya Haruhi was (and is) a fall/winter sleeper success. This anime, backed by Sunrise, director Goro Taniguchi (s-CRY-ed, Gun X Sword) and scriptwriter Ichiro Okouchi (Azumanga, RahXephon, Eureka 7) showcases an excellent engine of entertainment.

Story
A key part of any mecha/action anime. Code Geass is set in an alternate reality in which it appears the American Revolution during the late 1700s was quelled and Britain went on to conquer the ... rest of the Americas. Thus, the Holy Britannian Empire became the world's largest superpower, covering 1/3 of the world. On August 10th, 2010, a.t.b, Japan is conquered by the Empire, renamed to Area 11 while her people are designated as 'elevens' and have their rights stripped. Thus begins the story of Code Geass, the tale of Lelouch Lamperouge, eleventh prince of the Empire and his ambition to obtain revenge on the Empire through whatever means necessary. Through the use of this alternate reality setting, we’re definitely given something out of the ordinary. Code Geass brings a new spice to an old genre. Code Geass hops along with an arc to arc system with a few lighthearted episodes to mix things up. The story builds with each arc (obviously) to the climax. Although the rising action allows for few breaks, the viewer is never overwhelmed with information or under whelmed by a standstill. As each arc progresses to its end, we’re given answers to previous questions yet new ones always arrive – it’s this sense of mystery that really gives Geass its draw for attention.
Pros: Intriguing political, action, dramatic and moral oriented story. The questions never stop – the viewer is always left wanting to discover and see more. Light hearted episodes here and there, placed very well (ex..The School Festival).
Cons: A few scenes may turn people off on the series – something parts may seem excessively strange (read: some to some people). Again, I’d like to reiterate that for a mecha fan, I’m assuming you’ll be watching this for either story or super awesome mecha battles – you’ll get both from this.

Characters
The main characters are all extremely well devised by the hands of the all female group, CLAMP. Besides their high aesthetic appearance, each character harbors a separate and distinctive personality essential to the story. For example, Lelouch and Suzaku, opposing main characters and best friends both suffer from a very Machiavellian, " Do the ends justify the means," syndrome. Lelouch is willing to do anything to further his goals however Suzaku remains wary of what must be done and what should be done. Code Geass shows us the characters inside the mechs; they're not clean cut: "I fight to protect someone I care about." Each character must weigh the morality of their options as influenced by their past where the correct decision may place them farther from their goals.
Pros: Large cast of balanced characters providing a wide arrange of personalities and moral conjectures. Characters are quirky and enjoyable.
Cons: Only the main characters matter; anyone else is pushed to the sidelines (i.e. their stories are never a main focus).

The Battles
Code Geass delivers during its extremely well devised battle scenes. Battles seem as if they were an entirely seperate anime; lines are drawn, ace pilots face off and the battlefield is real. Geass takes a new twist on "main-characters-destroy-grunts-then-whoever-else-battles" and puts us right in the intensity. As said above, there is a large array of characters, interesting on both the "good" side and the "bad" side (which is which is up to you). The battlefield pits them against each other in a deatch match where we know one has to lose yet we are sympathetic to characters on both sides. This sort of conflict draws out the most amazing and interesting battles you can get from a mecha series of this time. Battlefields are led by commanders (obviously) who must make judgements based on his or her opponents's tactics and information - the strategem of battles only adds to the entertainment. The complexity and chaos of a battle give the illusion that you are watching a real war happening right before your eyes.

Animation
Not much to say here; Sunrise puts money into this, characters look great, mechs look great, everything looks great. However, the art design may put some people off; characters are very tall and lanky (as expected from CLAMP) while grunt mechs are generally unimpressive. Overall though animation is on the high end of the spectrum even during low budget episodes.

Overall
Code Geass is probably one of the few mecha anime's that will appeal to more than just action fans. Battles are kept to a minimum: the main attraction consists of Japanese nationalism against foreign invaders, their actions which undoubtedly cause bloodshed in the name of peace. One of the themes I enjoyed was the balance between cause and effect. Characters were constantly victims of their and others’ actions this although a given in the real world seems to slip past many other story boards.

Code Geass is set in a alternate reality where the Britannian Empire has conquered more than one third of the world and counting, and that includes Japan. In said Japan, now called "Area 11" - and its inhabitants "elevens" -, a Britannian student named Lelouch Lamperouge finds himself thrown into a cycle of events that ultimately leads to him gaining a power known as the "Geass", a power allowing him to force anyone to obey any order he gives to them. Together with his hate for Britannia, he uses his newfound powers to gain followers and eventually bring forth a war against the oppressive Britannian ... Empire.

The story skips along at a fast pace, taking the viewer through one event after another, spending neither too little time nor too much time on each event. And skipping has a more literal meaning here too; the story tends to take small jumps here and there, not explaining the events in between until a bit later. This may come off as a little confusing, but it's also a nice way of keeping you wondering what's going on and what's going to happen next. It doesn't lack twists and turns either, and especially towards the end will you get some unexpected yet pivotal twists.

One of the things I love about Code Geass is that it frequently delves into subplots, something which would've normally been bad for a two-season series. However, despite their initial prospects of irrelevancy towards the main story, in the end they serve a purpose in the grand perspective, either by moving the plot forward or by presenting character development. These subplots also help keep the show a refreshing and interesting watch.

On top of that there's a lot of ideology in the picture, both on a political and a personal level. The Britannian Empire has their share of - in my opinion - wrong beliefs. The most obvious one is the racism they're displaying towards the inhabitants of the territories Britannia has conquered - or Numbers, as they call them. They also follow social Darwinism, which is basically the principle of natural selection implemented into human society. Stupid beliefs, if you ask me. But not everyone thinks so, it would seem.

The more intriguing ideologies are found when we move down to the personal level, though, with Lelouch and Suzaku's differing beliefs being the root of a ideological conflict. While their goals are more or less the same, they differ in their views on which methods should be used to accomplish the goals - Lelouch believes that the end justifies the means no matter what, while Suzaku believes that peace by murder is wrong. This conflict between two best friends (when not in battle) is a really interesting one, because it is so representative of the moral conflict that's presented - who is good, and who is bad? Britannia - or Zero? Decide for yourself who you want to sympathize with.

Many people have compared Code Geass with Death Note, saying that it is the same, just with mecha. While it is easy to see where that is coming from, it is only on the surface that this is true. Both series' main characters are very intelligent and analytical fellows who believe that the world must be changed through bloodshed, and they both have some supernatural power. But that's all there is to it. Aside that they're as different as day and night. As a character and human being, Lelouch is a thousand times more believable than Light, mostly because he is explored much more than Light is; all we got to see in Death Note was Light's intelligence and analytical capabilities, while in Code Geass we actually get to explore Lelouch as a human, and partake in his emotional experiences, be it love or interaction with his friends, victory or defeat. And aside the two of them, I couldn't really find any similarities between the two shows. Hence, you may like one and not the other, so if you've watched Death Note and did not like it (:o), you may still like Code Geass.

Code Geass also presents a huge array of supporting characters. Some are more one-dimensional and cliché than others, yet they all have their defined personalities and roles in the story. Some of them are developed in a great way, and come off as believable during their exposition. The subplots mainly focus on them, and either develops the characters or the story, and it's interwoven with the main story in a truly great way.

Code Geass, both story- and character-wise, builds up more and more towards the end; the impending climax becoming more and more evident after each and every episode. Finally, in the last two episodes, the fuse has run out, and the bomb blows. In the end however, what one will see is the smoke and not the results of the big explosion; you are left with one massive cliffhanger that'll make you long for - no, need to watch the second season.

Character designs are done by CLAMP, and anyone who've watched or read one of their works will know what to expect in this department: Tall and lanky characters. It's a style that may be new and unusual for many, but it really grows on you, and you can't help but think that it looks good enough, even though their proportions are off. The animation isn't anything spectacular in other departments, but it's good. Great special effects and detailed surroundings help on the aesthetic pleasure too, and aesthetics is something which is important to me when I watch an anime. The coloring is fresh and vivid, however often too much so; at times it could've probably gained from having a darker color tone. Nevertheless, it was well done. The action scenes are made out well, with smooth animation and great mecha movement, and just the right effect of chaos that's needed during intense battles. There is some reusing of the "Geass-effect"; the special effects they use when Lelouch uses the Geass, and while cool the first few times, it gets a bit annoying in its persistence.

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the type music they used in Code Geass. Utilizing voices instead of instruments makes for an experience that I just fall completely for, and several insert songs make it even better. Some background themes are reused a lot, but my, are they effectual. The opening and ending themes aren't especially noteworthy, unless you're a fan of the artists performing the songs, that is. The first ending theme is made by Ali Project, and I have to say, I've grown to like their style a lot.

Code Geass can be summarized to an anime that doesn't produce anything that's over the top or exceptional, but it does give us is one helluva experience with great characters, intriguing ideologies as well as a twisted plotline that ends in a cliffhanger so massive it could kill you!

Code Geass is awesome. If you have any qualms against it, whether you dislike mecha or anything like that, put it aside and watch a few episodes. Then you'll see what I mean when I say that Code Geass is a great anime.

If you want an anime that is going to leave you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, waiting impatiently for the next scene--this is for you.

Art is pretty decent. It's very colourful. The animation is also good--the action sequences are well drawn.

The characters are all interesting. Never have I seen an anime with a cast of ... so many anti-heroes before: lots of jerks, losers, obsessed freaks, and extremists, but they manage to make you intrigued with their lives and the happenings around them.

The sound was also decent. A lot of trumpet and sweeping epic battle pieces that complement what happens on the screen.

Code Geass is so original as well. It's about colonialism, if you caught it. It's like a cool History lesson--but with mechs. This is certainly one of the best anime to have been released this century.

Watch it. It's totally fabulous.

Some people like to attribute Code Geass's success to the fact that it is a Sunrise mecha. Personally, I'd like to think that it succeeds (critically) despite the fact that it is a Sunrise mecha. Code Geass manages to establish a believable backdrop from which it launches a compelling plot along with motivated and realistic characters, something that has been missing from the last few Gundam series produced by Sunrise. It injects a plot where the focus is finally on the characters and the events surrounding them, rather than the machines that they use to fight. In fact, it could be ... said that Code Geass only qualifies as a mecha anime due to the existence of the machines - they are in no way integral to the plot nor its development anymore than a tank or any other weapon that the characters may be using (aside from the mysterious "Geass" itself).

Geass's plot is strengthened by its attention to detail in the geopolitical climate that the series quickly establishes from the get-go. While the setting isn't too unique for a futuristic mecha (world divided between multiple superpowers, belligerent native populations fight to reestablish their cultural identity, etc.), the way the events are interwoven with one another sets itself up as being above the status quo. Code Geass also manages to ask some of the questions that other futuristic plots seemingly neglect, either through purposeful avoidance or just through sheer ignorance. From a political / sociological perspective, the setting and the development are especially engaging, posing questions on the topics of nationalism, racism, genocide, and the rules of war to the audience. While you shouldn't expect any profoundly new ideas to arise from the series, the fact that the writers and creators did weave these ideas into the ongoing plot makes the world both more realistic as well as more theoretical at the same time, providing both an environment for the characters to exist in as well a philosophical establishment that they can debate.

However, the writers do not merely craft a beautiful world and leave it alone - instead, they focus much of their attentions, especially in the latter half of the season, towards physically and metaphysically deconstructing the world, both in the direct, tangible actions of the characters as well as the moral questions surrounding their resolve and trains of thought. Such is the development of the actual plot of Code Geass: fluid, dynamic, and engaging. While not entirely unpredictable, the plot's development is seamless in terms of being able to logically move from one event to another, such that the implications of a "cause and effect" paradigm can be observed. At the same time, the plot is also not so simplistic as to be a "Point A -> Point B -> Point C" formula. Instead, we witness the joining and interweaving of multiple, distinct plot lines, which at first glance are independent of one another, but towards the end fuse into one. Then, Code Geass throws us a curveball, and splits the strands again, preparing us for the upcoming Season 2....

The greatest relative strength of Code Geass when compared to most other action / mecha anime are its characters and the way they develop. Sunrise made the intelligent decision of contracting CLAMP to design the characters, since they are both visually and emotionally appealing to a wide array of audiences. Internet messageboards are usually torn between the main protagonists and side characters of the story, each holding one above the others for a personal reason that they see within each one of them. In addition, the side characters are not there merely for ornamentation - even the seemingly minor characters at the sides of the main few are given room to develop with their own storylines and reactions, such that we are never really compelled to dismiss characters as merely being "filler fodder". Prepare to be intrigued by these individuals - from the psychological coldness of Lelouch, to the restrained idealism of Suzaku and Kallen, to the overall question mark that is C.C. The reactions of the individuals combine to form distinct, evolving psychological profiles, allowing the series to be populated by a cadre of multifaceted individuals.

While Code Geass is extremely successful from a storytelling perspective, it does have its faults, especially on the technical side. Plain and simple, the fight scenes were not too impressive. That is not to say that they were awful, but the mecha and battle scenes definitely did not compare tot he fluidity of the script nor the depth of the characterization. In addition, especially towards the latter third of the season, the plot does take a few freedoms with regards to suspension of disbelief, as well as falling into the trap of rapidly switching between "tragically dramatic" to "comically relieving" scenes. However, these are minor problems, especially the "bloated plotlines", which fixes itself by the end of the series. I also would not recommend this series to mecha addicts who are genuinely more interested in awesome combat scenes between mechas, since Code Geass will not live up to your expectations. However, for the rest of you, even if you have never considered picking up a mecha anime to watch, pick up Code Geass, it is sure to not disappoint.

Code Geass is one of those series that can inspire praise, hatred or mere ridicule, depending on what is expected or what can be tolerated. Curiously, I find entirely valid reasons behind each of those reactions. There's still a bit of this and that, to put it bluntly, but perhaps the lines aren't quite as clear as they seem.

In short, I enjoyed the series and still find that its virtues and sheer fun factor outweigh its objective flaws, but I'm worried about the future. Whether or not the inevitable sequel picks up the slack, addresses existing concerns or drops the ball completely is something that ... only Sunrise knows at this point. In any case, we might as well enjoy what we can.

Story:

The premise is melodramatic and ambitious enough. Lelouch, the protagonist, is embarking on a personal quest through the use of his intellect and a mysterious power, motivated by personal revenge and morally ambiguous altruism. The setting is divided into two spheres, the edgier world of military/politics and the more carefree environment of the Ashford academy, with their respective casts of characters. There's a clear element of mecha action here as well, even if it's not really the main attraction and doesn't dominate the show.

The pace is definitely fast and unrelenting...perhaps it's all a bit much for Lelouch's and the story's own good, though, as things turn out. The writing and direction can be uneven during the weaker moments, but are absolutely thrilling at their best. Most of it develops quite nicely, with some general predictability and a few genuine surprises that keep things interesting.

The biggest concerns are certain major twists which threaten to overwhelm the viewer, if they are not enjoyed or understood. Intentional and unintentional humor, such as Pizza Hut's sponsorship or many over the top sequences, can be occasionally distracting as well. I personally felt that the basic focus is never lost, however, when all is said and done, in spite of a few undeniable blunders or red herrings.

In the end, we've only seen half the story and, for better or for worse, the upcoming sequel has the responsibility of providing true resolution. Or at least trying to do so in an interesting way, whether it fails or succeeds at it.

Animation:

Production values are good and tend to stay consistent. I've never been a CLAMP fan, mostly due to unfamiliarity, so their original character designs for Code Geass -while distinctive and attractive- don't really impress me too much. They may also look strange from certain angles. The mechanical designs are just fine for the show's purposes, with a couple of particularly well done models.

Sound:

The music is appropriate and mostly unobtrusive, whether the mood is serious, exciting, relaxed, mischievous, dramatic or tragic. Not exactly the best soundtrack I've ever heard, as a few tracks could use more variety. The opening and ending themes are quite well done, as a rule, and tend to fit the show. Naturally, your mileage may vary here.

Character:

For someone who is often accused of being a copycat there are certain nuances to Lelouch's personality that set him apart, such as his emotional range and a sense of humanity emerging from his internal conflicts or character flaws. Predictably, the protagonist himself carries the show on his back and receives the most development, which is good since he does deserve much of it and this makes him an interesting subject of study. Having said that, said development has at least one major drawback: it may not be what people are expecting and finding certain events relatively disappointing or even anti-climatic is quite possible. Suzaku, who also plays an important role as Lelouch's foil, has a self-righteous personality and his interference can be very annoying to witness. He does have some complexity though, even if it's still a hard sell for those who find themselves sympathizing with Lelouch/Zero. C.C. herself is mysterious enough, as we've only seen bits and pieces of information regarding her background thus far, but remains an intriguing and generally fun character by virtue of her interactions with Lelouch.

Secondary characters tend to get some attention too, with interesting results in the major cases whether you appreciate their fates or not. The big issue for me is that the cast of characters might seem a bit too large as the show goes on, with a couple of unnecessary additions towards the later half that tend to delay, limit or rush development. Still, this is the kind of show where such size makes sense on paper given its scope, but as a result we will have to wait for the sequel in order to see if a few questionable plot threads are continued, resolved or at least replaced.

Enjoyment:

The first season of Code Geass, even though I wasn't entirely convinced about certain plot twists and openly laughed along with certain sequences or developments, was certainly entertaining and rarely boring.

In short, I appreciated both the genuinely well-done portions and several of the more absurd scenarios. The show is not a masterpiece by any means, nor is it going to please every sector of the audience that it will initially attract. I'd still be perfectly happy to recommend it to those who haven't seen it.

There some mecha's that achieve near brilliance, and others that are rendered useless in their awkward failure. Code Geass is neither of this.

I started Code Geass as soon as the first episode aired.. Yes, I have enjoyed it very much. But to my surprise, on the arrival of the 13th episode, Code Geass took the anime industry by storm. Like a moth to a flame, people crowded the anime and simply worshiped it(God knows how many CC fans are being born as of this moment). Much as Ive enjoyed Code Geass, it does not do justice to be considered what it is today. In ... fact I feel its popularity is similar to FMA, both are highly enjoyable but nowhere near being the masterpiece people claim it to be.

Code Geass is not a sight to behold, but rather a sight to gather thousands of fans within only barely dozen of episodes. Spectacle, after all, is Code Geass specialty, not subtlety, so enjoying the sum of the parts sometimes requires dispassionate detachment or at least blind belief. But whether you think Code Geass is absurd or lacking originality, Code Geass is one of the most fun and engaging anime's in recent memory, as long as you don't think about it too hard.

Japan, being defeated by the empire of Britannia, whose territory reaches nearly one third of the world thanks to their high-tech war machines called Knightmares, was renamed to Area 11. Britannia swiftly depraved the Elevens(Japanese) of their pride, rights and isolated them from the migrating citizens of Britannia, leaving them to poverty.

This is where our main boy steps in. Lelouch, a young former prince of Britannia who was known to have passed away, not to mention a cheap ripoff of Light Yagami from Death Note. During a battle between the Britanna and a scarce amount of rebelling Elevens, Lelouch finds a capsule containing a naked woman, who gives Lelouch Geass, a mysterious ability that can control any human simply by looking them in the eyes and speaking his commands. And because that it just so happens that Lelouch has this great animosity for the Brittania, he plans to single handedly face the tyrant.

Lelouch under the alias of Zero, becomes a hope to the elevens and a threat to Britannia.

Its hard not to compare Lelouch from Yagami Light of Death Note. But if you can get past it, you'll find out something more. Coming with a tragic past pre-installed, it may seem that Lelouch is your typical apprehended teenager(Gundam anyone?). But Lelouch in a way, is a revenge-driven genius who would dare to go against the world to reach his goals and doesnt endlessly desires to just die without a fight. He even has the discernment for seizing control of the situation and directs the terrorist group by radio, controlling them and anticipating the moves of the Britannian forces like it was a game of chess.
It isnt entirely plausible how is still able to manage a double life and lead the Japanese to victory. But it does provide Lelouch moments to look more sympathetic and less unrealistic.

So yeah thats pretty much what you need to know. Lelouch battles Britannia with the help of the ever so gullible and disposable Japanese. Oh and I forgot to mention Suzaku,an Eleven who is his childhood friend, siding to Britannia. They both basically the want the same thing, only they have different methods. Lelouch wants to rid of Britannia to make the world easier for his sister to live in, Nunally. Suzaku, on the other hand, wants to climb the ladders of Britannia, and gradually change it to good from the inside.

There's a ton going on in these first five episodes, and the pacing is rapid-fire. Add in a truly epic stage, some awesome battles, and just a dash of comedy to keep things from getting too dark, and it's really hard to see where this show can go wrong from here.

Code Geass is majestic, in terms of entertaining. The plot twists are so twisted that it becomes endless and absurd. Every episode ends in marvelous cliffhangers that can make you get a garotte wire and strangle yourself for an entire week until the next episode comes out and makes you do the same thing all over again. It just keeps getting better and better.

The actions are also a treat. From assault to massive warfare, Code Geass is impressively detailed. The contest between Britannia and the Eleven are as breathtaking as they are thrilling, while the individual battles are supremely well choreographed.

Code Geass has so many things working in its favor that it becomes easy to overlook some of its flaws.

The animation is completely convincing and fulfills the shows "mecha plausibility" quotient well besides than the roller blading war machines. Moreover, few if any prior shows have as effectively integrated the tacky yet refined movements of the robots as they do here. CLAMP did the designs here so be sure to expect it to be excellent(and have arms, which have uncanny ability to stretch an extra three feet)

The music is fluid. It always depicts the sound perfectly. Be it a gunshot or a whole building crumbling down, it is nicely executed. The background effects are also a plus. You get to hear a bunch of insects flying around or birds chirping.
It gives a rather credible atmosphere partnered by a perfect atmospheric melody. The clarity of the sound effects definitely supports the anime very well.

Voice acting is no slouch either. It can easily persuade you of the emotion of each characters tries to convey, even supporting characters are given enough to time to emote.

The results are predictably impressive, even genre-defining. However as good as Code Geass is in terms of spectacle, the show does hit a few dud notes in terms of plot and characterization. But put together with visual flair, it’s a winning combination that helps to ensure Code Geass is a roller coaster experience of thrilling intensity.

Just like Da Vinci Code, it is "preposterously entertaining".It is safe to say that anyone who's interested in action or mecha will go bananas over Code Geass.

At first when i heard of how great Geass was and then I learned it was a mecha show, I was a bit reluctant to watch it since I am not a big fan of mecha. But once I sat down and watched code geass I was really impressed at how good it was.

Story: The story of this anime is one of the best I've seen and it is highly enjoyable. At the end of every episode I had the urge to quickly watch the next because of how incredible this show was giving you all this conflict and plot twists at would just leave ... you shocked. I could feel the intensity of the situations at times and not many shows can do that. Another plus is that it was not 100% mecha and it has its elements of mystery in it because of the actual geass power. And the story is not yet over since they give you an ending that just breaks your heart knowing that you're gonna have to wait a couple months to figure out what happened. Cliffhangers are EVIL!!!

Art: CLAMP, not everyone likes their style of drawing but in my case I am a nut for CLAMP so I found this show's animation really good. The colours were so bright and pretty for an anime that IMO is rather dark and serious. All the robots looks great and have flashy and pretty designs to them, the Lancelot looks SO COOL XD

Sound: The only thing that I didnt find outstanding about the show was the music, some of the background songs I kinda disliked since it seemed like it wasnt really fit for the moment. But overall it was still good. I guess I should comment at how great Lelouch's seiyuu did a great job playing him.

Character: Lelouch is probably one of the main reasons I like Geass, the conflicts he suffers and how he plays some of the other characters is just awesome. Suzaku on the other hand, I dont really like how he is trying to achieve his plans and should just die v_v but thats what makes geass good since it allows me to really get attached to the characters and grow to love or HATE them. Oh and C.C = win.

Enjoyment: I have really enjoyed watching Geass it has given me one of the best storytelling and even some really cool action as well. And with the new season coming my excitement has once again returned.

Overall Geass is one of the best mecha shows out there and if you are a mecha fan this show has a lot of other aspects that will definitely draw you in. This is one of the best shows out there and should not be missed by anyone. In my case, I'm just glad season 2 is coming out soon.

The other reviews available here cover a lot of details, so this will be a somewhat brief overview that will concentrate only on the main aspects, without spoilers.

Code Geass is a good anime that I recommend to watch. However, it has its hits and misses.

Story
Compared to many other anime items I've watch, Code Geass's plot twists and unfolds with shocking pace compared to the usually expected sluggishness found in most 20+ episode series. The 25 episodes of the first season would have been enough to supply like 75 episodes One Piece style (no offense to OP: I like it no less than Code Geass).

This, however, ... placed its toll on the story's coherence. Near the end, it might even become somewhat confusing, as if the authors looked at all the possible outcome scenarios and picked the most shocking ones, without paying much attention to how well they would fit. I can't confidently say if its a good or a bad thing, I guess we'll only know for sure after season 2. So far, I'd easily give it a 10 for pace and courage in plot twisting, but after seeing it all I think I'll place some penalty to emphasize that the story could use some more work when it comes to adequacy.

Art
I'll be honest: I don't like CLAMP's character design, not even one bit. I'd prefer any Satoshi Kon's or Katsuhiro Otomo's movie characters to it any day. I like the characters to look realistic, and here I see typical bishounen boys and comparably cute girls. No wait, boys are apparently more cute here. Much so. Cause all of them look like, you know, androgynes. And size differences between, say, Lelouch's frame and Emperor's frame are shocking.
I'm actually surprised how can these boys even move so fast with those frail limbs.

Animation is very good, though, action scenes are fluid and detailed. Also, lots of blood, many deaths. Be aware.

Sound
Music is fast and catchy, very fitting for a story like this. I didn't like it much, though, except for the second opening starting midway through the series. Rest of the sound work is fine, if you don't count somewhat annoying voices and public domain samples used in several scenes.

Characters
Tough to say. On one hand, characters are active and vivid. On another, they can annoy you easily (easily!). Some characters could use more development, some abandoned their development whatsoever. Some you will wish didn't die, some you will definitely wish to have died.

What definitely contributes to my own displease is that the characters are very easy to make a decision no matter how major and complicated the matter is, which makes their actions seem less natural and more "eh, they totally saw that coming" throughout. Moreover, while many of the main characters' motives are deep and somewhat disturbing, all their thoughts are immediately relevaled, leaving less to think through and analyze, which makes it easier to understand than something like Evangelion, but at the same time detracts from long term enjoyability. There is little point in solving riddles when you're given an answer before you even have a chance to realize that.

Also, it looks like the entire cast of main and supporting characters was composed of Mensa members. You'll see what I mean when you watch it.

Enjoyment
One undisputable factor such fast paced story usually contributes to is the thrill. That's right, Code Geass is thrilling, interesting and unpredictable, with numerous comedy elements, little fan service and fascinating action scenes. Just what I like in series like this. A well deserved 10 from me.

Overall
Code Geass is an enjoyable watch, clever and surprising. However, its story leaves something to be desired, in both possible senses.

Also, don't watch the Recaps together with the main episodes: they disrupt the pace without contributing any new content. Better use them instead of rewatching in case you want to refresh the memories of the events happened. Specials (the non-animated shorts) can be watched at any time, provided you won't watch them before the corresponding events in the main series.

Code Geass is definitely a very popular anime, no denying that, but I wouldn't exactly call it a master piece, but it is however, a fun and entertaining show, you just don't need to put too much thought into it.

STORY: Once upon a time, there was a famous animation company that decided to mash up as many genres as they can to make an anime that would try to appeal to as many anime fans as possible.

The end result was Code Geass, and it was a success, popularity wise.

But before I get on to the actual review I have to say honestly, I really like ... this anime, but it can pretty much ruin the fun of the anime if you try to look at it objectively, but that being said, it's hard not to since this anime tries way too hard to appeal to too many genres that fans are into.

Admittedly, the story itself is quite interesting, an alternate reality where England, now named Brittania, has taken over the world and just really hates Japan to the point of ethnic cleansing (It's a little unsettling to say the least). But the main focus of the anime is about a royal family member castaway, Lelouch Lamperouge, trying to get revenge on his father, the leader/king of Brittania for the murder of his mother. So yeah, essentially the story is just another revenge story, nothing too original (How are revenge stories so damn popular I will never know).

But the anime starts to show its short comings, and really early on. The anime tries to make you assume that Lelouch is a genius solely upon him being good at chess, with no other reason, he's genius cause he's a beast at chess, that's it.
There's no character build up to show he's a genius other than playing chess (But I would not know since I don't play chess, maybe it really does make you a genius, maybe I need to try it out before making this judgement).

And besides being a genius, he receives a power which allows him to control people's minds, once per person, called Geass (Get it? Because the show is also called Code "Geass"), which by the way, is the best used character/plot device in the anime, and it's entertaining how Lelouch uses it in dangerous situations or when he's trying to outsmart his foes.
However, the way he obtains just seems that not enough thought was put into it, in other words, kinda lazy, he meets a girl in a strait jacket being chased by the military, and bam! Mind control powers.

This is also where you also should realize a major plot hole in the early episodes, with his mind controlling powers, he could get his revenge in a heart beat, but that's not fun to watch at all, but if he could simply kill off one of his family members easily in less than three episodes (Don'y worry, that character's death is just another way to advance the plot), what's keeping him from getting his father like that too?

Additionally, Lelouch isn't really a likable character (His comes off being arrogant and is just a calculating and sadistic bastard), but the rest of the cast though, have a little more going on for them.

The benefactor of Lelouch's power, C.C. (Pronounced C2) may not be terribly interesting herself, but like myself, she's just there to watch the whole show play out and snack on pizza (Fun fact, this anime was endorsed/sponsored by a pizza company).
In fact I would've been fine if her character just died on the first episode (Spoiler: she gets shot in the head), it would've been more interesting to see Lelouch figure his powers all on his own anyway. But apparently, she must have been a favorite of the creators of the anime, enough so they keep her to mess a round with Lelouch and eat pizza, so at least she's amusing.

Childhood friend and some what frienemy of Lelouch, Suzaku, is arguably a better protagonist than Lelouch and was developed into his character much better than Lelouch too, but his focus on what he wants to do isn't exactly clear (I want to save Japan/I want to be a knight for britiania, blah, blah, blah), and though his character development is better than what Lelouch's was, it can be arguably be called lazy, because most of it was through flashbacks to his past, though later episodes are more enjoyable due a girlfriend he gets.

But, the real stars of the anime are the genres that are ungracefully crammed together.

It tries to be school life anime, a harem, an action anime, ecchi anime, psychological anime (TRIES to, it isn't), romance anime, and a mecha anime all at the same time, but if you look down at the core of this anime and try to piece it together, you'll realize it's a gigantic mess.

Especially how this anime tries to integrate mecha (Get it? Because it's called Code Geas... wait, don't the majority of mecha anime have the name of a mecha in it's title? Gurren Lagann or any Gundam for example) into the story, they're just literally there to just be cool and to be used as weapons of war, nothing more, absolutely nothing more. Shallow is a better word to describe it than lazy.
The anime would honestly be just as effective without the mechs (Apparently the creators are aware of this because two of the manga series have no mechas in them), in fact, it isn't a mecha anime.
A mecha anime is a mecha cause one of it's major focuses is on it's robots, Code Geass focuses on anything else but the mechas, they're there just to appeal to mecha fans, so really there's no point what so ever for the mechas to even exist in this anime, they're just cool to throw in because they're giant robots.

But, there is one thing this anime knows what it is, a loud cluster f**k of many gernres, and despite that it's not a great anime, it's fun to watch and at least pretend that it knows what it's trying to be.

ANIMATION: For me, this is best part of the whole anime, it looks great, the girls are hot, the boys are pretty, everyone wins, plenty of eye candy for all.
Especially for fans of clamp, who were generous enough to do the character designs.
The mechas look cool enough, but the stupidest parts on them are the wheels slapped on them, they look so ridiculous. But the action scenes more than compensate for them.
But other than that, this a gorgeous looking show.

SOUND: Both the Japanese and English voices are great, but I only watched the english dubbed due to my own preferences.
Johnny Young Bosch, Yuri Lowenthal, Michelle Ruff, Steven Blum, Kate Higgins, and so many more top notch notable voice actors are in this anime, but of all of them, Johnny is damn good as Lelouch and Yuri's Suzaku is a great compliment to Johnny's performance.
Each theme music is enjoyable and what you'll except for a mainstream anime, though the back ground music doesn't really stand out.

OVERALL:
The Good:
+ Very entertaining and fun to watch.
+ Good looking characters designed by Clamp, and great animation overall.
+ Good english dub, Johnny Bosch's Lelouch is arguably one of his best performances.

The Bad:
- Can be faulted for trying too hard to appeal to multiple audiences by shallowly cramming genres together.
- There's honestly there's no point of the mechas other than to be used as weapons to fight.
- Weak character development, C.C. honestly feels thrown in.
- Lots of plot holes

Despite what I have said in this review I would still recommend this to any one.
And I'm surprised I didn't reference Death Note once in this review... Wait a minute... Damn, so close.

"I was dead until the moment I met you. I was a powerless corpse pretending to be alive. Living without power, without the ability to change my course, was bound to a slow death." -Lelouch Lamperouge

Preface:
I've been debating a review of Code Geass for a while now, and I was really unsure of where to start, given how expansive the story is, and how immense the cast of characters is coupled with everything that I have to say about it. So, that said, this will be a two part review, one for Code Geass part one, and one for R2.


Overview:
Let me first ... dispel the dismissive "Code Geass is just Death Note with mechas" saying: It's totally different. Similarities can be drawn between tons of shows in which supernatural powers are bestowed upon the main characters, along with their aspirations of changing the world. It's a sleight against this show to say that it's just a rip of Death Note, when in fact, they actually premiered the same season.
Code Geass is set very straight up- You've got Lelouch Lamperouge, an exiled member of the royal family of Britannia, out for revenge against his father, Charles, the Emperor of Britannia. Britannia being the greatest military power and empire since the days of Alexander the Great, Lelouch is powerless to take action against this seemingly insurmountable enemy, until a mysterious benefactor, a girl named C2, bestows the "Power of the King", otherwise known as Geass upon him, giving him the ability to finally wreak the vengeance he so desperately seeks. His power is one that enables him to give someone he can make eye contact with a single command that they must obey. With this, he's out to change the world.


Quick stuff first:

Art: 7 (5 Animation, 2 Character design)

CLAMP character design, and everything that comes along with it: skeletal bodied characters with enormous eyes and a lot of wild hair designs, but not Yugioh or anything. Sunrise did quite a good job animating this show, though. Juicy explosions, fluid fight scenes, and solid key frames. Character design consistency is very high quality throughout, with no loss of detail at any time.
The mechas look great, and while many designs are reused for the no-name mechs, the named ones are pure awesome, very unique, and memorable.

Sound: 9 (7 for Voice Acting, 2 for OP and ED)

A lot of people really seem to hate the 2nd OP by Jinn, Kaidoku Funou, but I thought it was appropriately energetic for the rising action. The 1st OP and both ED are fine, nothing really interesting, but not worth skipping.

Voice acting is on another level in this show: Johnny Yong Bosch leads an all star cast, with names like Yuri Lowenthal as Suzaku Kururugi, Michelle Ruff as Euphemia, Liam O’Brien as the mad scientist Lloyd Asplund, Crispin Freeman as Jeremiah "Orange Boy", the great Megan Hollingshead as Viletta, and the Major herself, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Cornelia, and others.
Props to Funimation for putting this incredible group of VA together. They really made the show.


Characters: 7
Story: 8

It's difficult to encompass and accurately describe the collective of characters in an ensemble show like Code Geass. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood has a comparably large cast, who are also very intricately worked into the plot. So many characters make an impact that it'd be impossible to list all of their complex interactions with one another and on the plot itself in this review, so instead of Kicking Logic to the Curb and Doing the Impossible, I'm going to stick with the mains.

To best understand the characters, we need to first examine their dynamic. Our setup is as described above, a classic revenge tale, Son vs the Father. Lelouch, exiled after the death of his mother, Marianne, at the hands of Charles, flees and lives in secret among the once proud, now subjugated Japanese people, known as "Elevens". He and his younger sister Nunnally, who was crippled and blinded after the attack on their mother, are taken in by the family of Suzaku Kururugi, the best friend and ideological opposite of Lelouch.
Years later, Lelouch, in his guise as a bored high school student, gets wrapped up in a terrorist group operating in Area 11, known as the Black Knights, plot to steal a secret weapon away from Britannia. A series of mishaps later, and Lelouch finds out that the weapon is not inanimate, but a green haired, straightjacket wearing witch named C2. Lelouch sets her free, and she grants him a power, the power of Geass- the absolute control of another being, with the rules outlined above.

The dynamic between Lelouch and Suzaku is definitely the most interesting. As previously stated, they form not just a symbolic Friend/Brother against each other dynamic, but also one of an Anti Hero, Anti Villain. Both make some seriously morally ambiguous choices, both have their tortured past, struggles in the present, but most importantly; their goal for the future. This is what drives their ideological differences.

"A victory won through detestable means is no victory at all" - Suzaku in a nutshell.
Suzaku is a hound of the military. He believes that change brought on by violence and conquest is wrong, and that the racist and oppressive Britannian government should be changed from within, his eventual goal to rise to a position of high military power and use it to influence the outcome of the future. Suzaku's strengths lie in his unwavering loyalty to his ideals, and his almost stupidly overpowered/unparalleled strength in combat, particularly that in mechs.
-- (interesting, in that he starts out as a common footsoldier, and is rescued by Lloyd to be a test subject for an experimental mech, which then turns his complete ignorance of mechs into a godly fighting machine. We'll chalk it up to untapped natural talent.)
Suzaku has a tendency to blindly follow his orders, believing it's for the good of his goals, and by proxy, the Japanese- so long as they're at least partly in line with his thoughts. He takes part in many questionable operations, and begins to have self doubt, which really shows the inner conflict in the character. Outwardly, he's always the knight of justice, but inwardly, he has his own darkness, and doubts about whether what he's doing is right or wrong.
Suzaku is easy to hate at the beginning, for being so foolhardy and unflinchingly loyal, uncompromising. However, he shows a true hero's arc, and improves vastly in R2.

"A life that lives without doing anything is the same as a slow death."

Lelouch, on the other hand; new powers in hand (eye) is finally equipped to fulfill his dual goals of revenge against his father and his idea of world peace, so that Nunnally can live in a kinder, gentler world. Where they differ is in the methodology. Lelouch plays at rebellion like a game of chess, (symbolism intact). The very image of Zero is that of the king piece in chess, (C2's uniform in R2 is also the image of the queen) and while not the strongest piece, is definitely the most important. Lelouch knows his limitations; namely the physical, and fighting hand to hand. He knows that his intellect and Geass power are his best means of fighting, and uses them to set up and manipulate everyone around him, much to the chagrin of Suzaku.

Lelouch may use manipulation, murder, and other detestable methods to achieve his goals, but he's the absolute definition of the Anti Hero. Noble goals taking ambiguously evil or callous means of fulfillment. Despite his cold, calculating Zero personality, or his ever scheming "normal" identity, Lelouch has nothing if not a noble goal in mind- everything he's done, his Raison D'etre is his sister, Nunnally. His life is unimportant in the face of making the world a place that his sister can live in without constant fear for her life.

Now, the antagonistic relationship that Lelouch and Suzaku share is as thusly: they serve as foils to each other, the White Knight with the dark past, and the Black King who looks to a bright future. An eternal struggle of brother against brother, friend against friend, and an intense underlying conflict of ideals vs the facade of an outwardly friendly relationship. Cat and Mouse, but who's which?

The many other characters in the show form a true ensemble, as I said. Screen time is split up very appropriately between the many different threads of the story, keeping parts in suspense when necessary, and most importantly: keeping all the different plotlines up to date where you're not constantly having to keep up with "What year is this?" "Is this the past or present?” For as many subplots as are going on screen in a single episode, Code Geass manages to stay on top of them, keep them relevant, and important to the outcome of the story. The supporting cast has as many scenes as many "main" characters from other, lesser shows. They get their fair share of the time, and the story never felt weaker for it.

*Spoilers from here on*

Enjoyment: 6

Code Geass is a very watchable and engaging series, for the most part. It is one of those stories though, that ends up being a jack of all trades and a master of none with how it tries to fit in a lot of themes, with some success and some failure. What I did not like about Code Geass was namely three things: inner universe inconsistency (which I'll get into), tonal inconsistency, and lastly, the fanservice.

Code Geass has a great setup for a gripping plot, and a lot of fodder to work with. It takes its time explaining many concepts, and never felt rushed, at all. However, there are some obvious filler episodes (giant pizza anyone?) and some plotholes (some of which are patched up in R2, but that has no bearing here.)

1. Inner Universe Inconsistency
--The Geass power is explained to have these rules:
A) Can only be used once
B) Eye contact required
C) Person having Geass used on them will perform *to the best of their abilities/physical capabilities the command issued**
D) The order will be carried out as long as dictated
E) The subject loses all memory of actions carried out under the effects of Geass
Finally, F) No one can resist his command, but someone can resist Geass by sheer force of will... (When convenient to the plot)

R2 aside, Rule A stands. Rules B and D are also always true. The issues arise with rules C, E and F.
The writers played fast and loose with the rules of Geass, bending it to their will when they've written themselves into a corner. Geass comes across as Deus ex Machina in many moments in the first series, and while a cool power, it's sometimes cheapened by its misuse or obvious "why didn't you just use Geass to do 'x'?"
2. Tonal Inconsistency
--All throughout Code Geass, we're treated to a lot of different themes and ideologies. This often comes out as a mish mash of conflicting ideas at inopportune moments. There will be a dark war drama going on, with characters dealing with loss of life, regret, ambivalence about the choices they made and how it affects the future, from victorious highs to the crushing blows of defeat, it swings appropriately. However, interspersed with this gritty narrative will be scenes (or entire episodes) of light hearted comedy bordering on a slice of life tangent. We just went from watching people get brutally mowed down by the hundreds to some schoolkids at a festival with a giant pizza mishap. Alternate comedy with some fanservice moments (Kallen, Viletta) and it really breaks up the pacing and more importantly, atmosphere of the show.

3. Fanservice
--Plain and simple, they really beat you over the head with Kallen and Viletta's bodies. Compromising situations, poses, and just really sexually suggestive scenes. I felt they were very unnecessary in an otherwise very serious drama because they didn't add anything to the plot; detracted from it, minorly, because it was harder to take it seriously when they arose during tense and dramatic moments.


Overall: 7

Code Geass was both a real joy and really infuriating to watch. Chalk that up to how it was written, maybe, but overall it's a "good" show. This season really amounts to a 10.5 hour long exposition and setup for R2, the more emotionally charged, and consequence-filled half of what's a really great story.

+Great MC
+Good supporting cast
+Very entertaining, keeps you guessing
+Voice Cast is among the best
+Great Anti hero/ Anti villain dynamic
+Detestable villains

+/- couple of filler episodes

- Plot holes (some are not apparent until R2)
- Annoying side characters
- Unnecessary fanservice
- Tonal inconsistency
- Inner universe inconsistency

Recommend?
Yes, I would recommend Code Geass. R2 is by far the stronger part, but part 1 is very enjoyable on its own, and necessary to the overarching story.

Death Note meets Gundam Wing. Nonetheless, the fusion between the two animes can only underestimate the greatness that is Code Geass. Yes, this series is jammed-packed with attractive characters, battle scenes, bloodshed, slight romance, and even a little supernatural dose to add to a stereotypical anime. However, Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion is not as stereotypical as it may seemed at first glance.

~[S T O R Y]~ [9]

Initially, I became attracted to the series through the hyperactive fandom that has spread vastly throughout the world of the internet. Only then did I realize that I could not longer resist watching this show. Indeed, ... I had my doubts that it would've been a lame rip off of Death Note meets Gundam Wing. Little did I know how wrong I was. A conspiracy between governments, rebellion and anarchy, advanced technology that may be deemed impossible to ever exist in our world, the raw emotion that bounces from one character to another, a small dosage of supernaturality that does little to ruin the storyplot...Code Geass has done well. Breathtaking twists are evident in the series to an extent where the viewer can be grateful that no supernatural assistance was needed. The story flowed as smooth as water. There was not one moment where I felt bored or even regretted watching the series. Even the use of chess metaphors and mythological analogies made the storyplot more interesting. Indeed the show was nothing but a game. Everyone was played. The characters, the world...even the viewers' minds were played! But that was what made Code Geass interesting. It kept us guessing on purpose, like we were part of the game all along!

~[A R T]~ [8]

The reason why I did not give the Art section the same mark as the other categories was the opening theme. It literally used the same animation profusely except it just switched the order of clips around. Every other manga at least alters the opening theme thoroughly until it does not meet its previous ones. But the opening theme appeared as though it were low-budget, like the creators were procrastinating on changing the opening theme a few times and decided to alter it a little by adding in new clips which introduced new characters we would be acquainted with later on in the series. Other than that, everything else about the art was quite intriguing. The paintings in the museum were a little ostentious but in a nice, presentable manner. The essence of CLAMP was illuminated in the character designs, but it did not change the great appeal of each character's personality. The emotions expressed were drawn well. You could taste the insanity radiating off of Nina's face and the hatred off of Suzaku's face. Well done indeed.

~[S O U N D]~ [9]

The scores for the anime's soundtrack was fitting for every scene. We could slight feel the suspense, the nostalgia, and even the burning hatred through the music selected on different scenes of the show. The action sounds were not cheesy. The dramatic sounds were ones to not laugh at. Truly the musical scores lived up to the rank I have given them.

~[C H A R A C T E R]~ [9]

It's understandable how attractive protagonists would surely attract more fans. But I did not fall under Lelouch's apparent spell. Yet I can say that I was bewitched by his hunger for superiority, not to mention locked in the mystery of his past and his intentions. A young, masked vigilante holding the fate of Britannia and Japan in the palm of his hand? It may sound overrated, but his techniques cannot be explained in words. All of the characters left my mind boggled: how do they feel about this situation? what are they going to do? Throughout the series, it felt as though I was able to understand every character and his or her motive. Furthermore, the dramatic scenes displaying the raw emotion reciprocated between different characters was surely not ones to miss. The development was beautifully done. At times even a viewer can sense the vulnerability, the cravings, the sorrow, and the power to know and conquer in each and every character. I applaud with joy.

~[E N J O Y M E N T & O V E R A L L]~ [9]

This series should not be underestimated. Do not judge a book by its cover here. The only way an anime like this could be altered is through the observation of biased fandoms. Before reading reviews or hearing the opinions of others, be sure to examine the series first before considering anything else. For I assure you reader that, unless you prefer some ecchi delight or dull storylines, you won't be disappointed. This series teaches a valuable lesson: that we live to fight for something, and how we fight gives everyone around us a sense of who we are. So be careful what you fight for, for you will be one's hero and another's enemy. :]

Title: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Manga, Light Novel, Anime: Code Geass has, at this point in time, three manga spin-offs to its name, all being serialized in Kadokawa Shoten magazines. The first, with the same title as the anime (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion) focuses on Lelouch and more or less follows the series, with art by Majiko!, and began being serialized in Montly Asuka magazine in the Octpober 2006 issue. The second, known as Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, focuses on Suzaku's part of the story, with art done by Atsuro Yomino, and is being serialized in Beans A ... magazine. The third, Code Geass: Knightmare of Nanally, focuses on Nanally's part of the story, with art done by Tomomasa Takuma.

There is also a series of light novels that follows the series' plot that began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's Sneaker magazine on April 28th, 2007.

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion is a twenty-five episode series that was produced by Sunrise (famous for their work on the Gundam series and Cowboy Bebop) and directed by Goro Taniguchi (famous for his work on Planetes and s-CRY-ed). It ran on Japanese TV from October 5th, 2006 to July 28th, 2007, and has been licensed Stateside by Bandai. Bandai has yet to release a date for its DVD release, but the dub will be airing on Adult Swim starting on April 26th (next Saturday!).

Story: On August 10th, 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia invaded Japan and conquered the country in less than a month with their mechs, known as Knightmare Frames. Japan, renamed "Area 11", was colonized, and the Japanese, now known as "Elevens", were made to live in ghettos while the Britannians live in upper-class walled-off settlements. Lelouch, then ten years old, swears to his friend Suzaku that some day, he will destroy the Britannian empire.

Seven years later, Lelouch is going to school at a private Britannian academy, known as Ashford Acadmey, and Suzaku's joined the Britannian army as an honorary Britannian. One day, Lelouch gets caught up with terrorists escaping with a military secret, and Suzaku is part of the squad sent to capture the terrorists. When Suzaku insists that Lelouch isn't one of the terrorists, he is shot for disobedience, and in the chaos that follows, the military secret is revealed to be a young girl named CC (or C Two), who contracts with Lelouch and gives him a power known as Geass, more specifically, the power to make anyone do anything he says just by looking them in the eyes.

Lelouch decides to bring Britannia down using his Geass, while Suzaku decides to attempt to change Britannia from the inside.

This is a good, solid series. The set up's a bit like Death Note, in which we've got a guy in high school using the powers he's received to change the world (Lelouch), and there's someone opposing him and his ideals (in this case, Suzaku). It's also like V for Vendetta, in that we've got Lelouch leading a rebellion against Britannia as the masked Zero.

The series ends up being a neat juxtaposition of politics, mech action, plotting, rebellion, and school life. And it's like Toward the Terra, in that a lot of the side characters are developed more than they would be in most series, are pretty intriguing, and end up playing major roles in the plot. The plot progresses pretty nicely, with Lelouch figuring out how his powers work and building up his power and followers and attacks on Britannia, with a few calm-before-the-storm episodes that end up bringing some of the more awesome revelations, plenty of plot twists tossed in, all bought to a boil in the last few episodes, leaving off with that cliff hanger of cliff hangers.

Taniguchi weaves in little homages from the other series he's directed, so if you've seen his other series, watch and see what you can find.

It's not without it's problems, though.

First thing you'll probably notice is the rampant jingoism. It's probably a bit more apparent to me, because I'm in an class about the ethnography of Japan, and we just finished a section on WWII, but, still, you'll notice a lot of BANZAI NIPPON! in the first few episodes. For example, the date that Britannia (which, if you look at the bit before the OP, is, in fact, America) invades Japan is the day that Japan surrendered at the end of WWII. It does get less noticeable as the series goes along, but you can still tell it's there.

The second fact is that the series brings up a lot of mysteries and doesn't really answer them, a la Rozen Maiden and Romeo and Juliet. But at least they don't try and clumsily resolve things like in Nishi no Yoki Majo or Darker than BLACK. Admittedly, there is a second season that just started airing in Japan about two weeks ago, so hopefully they can address those issues.

Art: The animation for this is really smooth, not to mention vibrantly colored. The action scenes are fully animated, as are the explosions and such, which is nice to see.

You can tell straight off the bat that Clamp does the character designs because the men are a bit pointy and lanky. But once they're introduced, they get a bit less pointy, which makes the lankiness work out better. And, of course, the females are absolutely beautiful.

Sunrise's mech designs do admittedly look a bit like Gundams, and a bit on the bulky side rather than streamlined but, for the mecha I've seen in anime (which, admittedly, isn't that much), they're pretty neat.

There's some stock footage for when Lelouch uses the Geass, and a bit of recap at the beginning before the OP, but, luckily, it's well-done and doesn't get too old.

Music: I like the music for this a lot. There are some pretty basic themes and styles for specific people and things that happen, but there end up being a lot of well-done variations. The insert songs that they do don't take away from the scene, but fit in perfectly.

For the most part, I liked the OPs and EDs for this. The first (and, incidentally, the third ED) and third OP are your standard pop numbers, but they're really catchy. The first ED is an ALI Project song, which, in my opinion, guarantees awesomeness.

However, the vocalists for the second OP and ED (whether or not they're the same, I'm not sure) need to be strangled. They're worse than the harpy woman who did the Honey and Clover OPs, and that's saying something. They gave me headaches.

Seiyuu: The seiyuu for this project are made of awesome on several levels. Jun Fukuyama, who played the naive innocent Albert in Gankutsuou, gets to play the scheming jaded Lelouch, and it's particularly nice to see the role reversal there. Kikuko Inoue, who played Mercedes in Gankutsuou, appears in a small, but important, supporting role, as do Jouji Nakata and Fumiko Orikasa. Also, Suzaku's seiyuu may sound familiar, mainly because he's been voicing Cloud in the recent FFVII spinoffs.

The only seiyuu who really annoyed me was Lloyd's seiyuu, but then again, he's meant to come off as annoying. They did their job there. xD

Length: Had they done some slight reworking of the plot, they probably could have made this a twenty-five episode series. However, the story would've taken a hit if they had. The second season, which, as I mentioned before, just recently started airing, should hopefully bring a sense of completeness to the story.

Overall: A beautifully designed and animated show, with excellent music and seiyuu, and a very solid plot, save for the jingoism and unsolved mysteries, which will hopefully be solved by the next season.

Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 9/10
Seiyuu: 9/10
Length: 8/10

Overall: 43/50; 86% (B )

STORY: Code Geass is a story about just/unjust war, the aftermath, peace, and pride. There is great content here with multiple levels of conflict, making the process of deciding right and wrong very difficult. The plot lines are complex, easily drawing the viewer into this fictional world. While the story is not tangibly realistic, the show is quite convincing and alluring. With Code Geass the plot material is serious and demanding. Silliness, fun times, and character development are required and acceptable as long as they remain within the established context. At times the story-telling of Code Geass steps out of its theme, and the flow ... of the solid story loses impetus and direction in uncharacteristic light-heartedness. The show is then thrust back to its original course which can be jarring. The negative effects of this shift result in a loss of the strong conviction by which the show is driven. Also, this series is not finished, and the end is a huge slam on the brakes. I do not consider the abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion to the 25 episode season to be detrimental, but the end will leave you craving more. Besides the occasional sharp, awkward shift in the plot dialect, the story of Code Geass is fantastic and one of the best of the 2006-2007 season.

ART: Sunrise is one the oldest and most reputable animation production companies in Japan, and they have no problems upholding their reputation with Code Geass. Although it's not the best I've ever seen, the animation is very good. At no point is the art direction bad or frown worthy. Mecha fights are convincing enough, dramatic scenes are illustrated well with emotion in mind, and filler scenes don't fall below the established visual standard. The animation is very good, but, more importantly, the animation is consistently good.

SOUND: The voice acting is okay. Some of the voice actors blew me away, especially Suzaku's. Some of the actors left me feeling a little soapy with opera, especially Leuloch's. At times important lines, ones meant to finish a powerful scene with conviction, fall short of their mark. However, the voice acting is situational. Sometimes Leuloch's voice actor convinced me to the fullest. At other times the voice actor made me roll my eyes and laugh. The sound effects are decent, and the music is good at getting the audience interested. However, the soundtrack here does not take command of the epic saga, and there are no moments where the music capitalizes on a scene. The audio aspect of Code Geass is sometimes hit or miss, and the audio is always runner-up to the other facets of the show.

CHARACTER: There are tons of characters in Code Geass, and the show does an exceptional job of trying to involve each and every one of them. Even among the farfetched fantasy of the show, the characters felt unnervingly human and real. Amongst the diverse multitude of characters, there are complex characters being developed through genuine, deep emotions. And then there are the characters who are well developed but not deep. These characters seem out of place like infants among giants. Whenever these normal characters are on screen, the show drops the ball and begins to feel out of place. The screen time was a little too divided between the true characters and the cookie cutter characters. The true characters of the show sold the story and are arguably the strongest element of the show. I just wish they received more time and focus.

ENJOYMENT: Code Geass is compelling, complex, and convicting, and the final product leaves your heart pounding with tension and suspense. While the experience is very entertaining and enjoyable, Code Geass is dark. As the characters make decisions with massive consequences, the vast amount of emotional weight of the show can easily affect the viewer. The show is fun to watch and equally difficult to watch. As previously stated in the story section, the show does not do a good job of providing light-heartedness and release from the stress. Thus, the peaceful and happy scenes feel forced and out of place at times. Still, Code Geass is entertaining and involving.

OVERALL: Code Geass is an intelligent and provocative, war-time, think piece. The production has flaws but is still great, and the final product is much greater than the show's parts.

I hope this review has been beneficial. All feedback, critiques, and comments are appreciated and well accepted through messages. Happy anime watching!

I'm here to talk about the both seasons of Code Geass. I don´t want to make 2 reviews about it so i will do as i did with Clannad.


Code Geass .. one of the best rated animes here on MAL .. for sure it deserves it !

Story: (9/10). It is a complex story, usually or this go terribly wrong, or goes extremely well. It depend if it gets confuse or not. This story starts to be a normal one, but then with some twists we get lost for some time until we figure everything out at the end. The plot is original and ... creative. It is about world domination and one of the new colonies named 11 starting a huge rebellion for freedom(and ofc this one it had to be Japan). The leader of the Rebellion is Lelouch, our main character.

I found the plot nice, but this is a progressive anime, gets better with the time. So at the beginning, it may seem boring, and it is but don´t give up, it is worth to watch. Then after the 8th episode, things starts to get hot :D.

This anime talks about a lot of shit.. really it talks about a lot of themes from love to immortality. From world domination and how is it like to lose our rights as a nation, to what happens when some one gets sick of revenge and power. I can´t tell you more otherwise i would be spoiling but you get the point. It is really interesting to watch this show.

The story is fluent at some point (when it doesn't get confuse). It is solid and I found no plot holes here.

Art: (8/10). The character design is pretty normal. The characters are solid and have a peculiar shape (all look pretty skinny and tall) and we have really different looks between the characters. The anime is really coloured and the machines (this anime is a mecha anime) are really well designed. The detail is outrageous. The action here gets super nice due to the detail !

Character: (9/10). This is the thing here ! For me the best aspect to see in this anime. We have C2, Lelouch and Suzaku taking the first place as the main characters. While C2 is a mistery until the end, Suzaku and Lelouch have their development since the first episode. While Lelouch suffers a transformation due to his power (geass), Suzaku suffers as well a transformation. He is a japanse who joined the Britannia army(Britannia were the ones who conquered Japan and named it "11". So he basically is fighting with his enemy). The anime gets good because of this. The interaction between them 2 and their development is really interesting. They were friends since childhood and now they are like enemys (because Lelouch is the one who is fighting against Britannia while Suzaku is the one who tries to stop the rebellion). So having these 2 main characters makes the plot much more fun rather then just huge machines destroying each other.

The other characters are pretty as usual as in the other animes. In general, i found them to be really realistic which is rare. But some of them make quetionable choices... he/she would really do that? ~

Here we have everything. Normal characters, super strong ones, super weak ones, and those characters that we just can´t know what they are. If they are bad or good, if they are strong or weak. This gives some kind of mistery around them and it is something that at least for me it was nice.

So basically, there is a huge variety of characters here, that's why i belive it is the best point here to be considered.

Sound: (9/10). We have 2 good openings, while the other 2 suck. But when we have such nice OST no one cares about the openings. Lelouch as a leader of the rebellion, he often makes inspiring speeches and the OST that they use for it it is just epic :D. Not just here, throughout the entire show we see nice OST in pretty much everything. In the romance, in the drama, in the action.. and then we have that finnal OST that almost made me cry :D. So the sound in general has a nice effect on the show, makes it look better. So does what it is suposed to do ( making the scenes better)

Enjoyment: (9/10) I did not give 10 because for me, the 10 would be an anime which all episodes were fun or cool to watch. Such thing does not happens here. As i said, sometimes the plot gets nasty and we can get confused, and the first part of the show is just too boring compared to the rest. But besides that, it make me hooked. The consistent plot twist and the development of the plot was so nice. It also has a nice drama and a litle bit of romance. It is a litle, but it is good !. Plus seeing the huge machines (by they way the are called "knightmare") fighting is really epic. Some fights are even better than the fights in some shonens.

This anime is one of those anime that i will never forget... With this end and this characters, it makes it really unique. Unlike some other animes that can be good but are normal. This one is good and not normal so it becames memorable!

About the end? One of the best i've ever seen. It has everything to be a good end. They give an end but at the same time, we can chose our own end and get happy with it. So i think it would be hard for anyone to dislike this anime.


Overall, this anime has everything to be a good anime and that's why it is so known and so well rated. This anime also has a lot of psychological fights so if you liked Death Note you will problably like this one to. If you never saw something like this, well give it a try. It happens that having a super inteligent guy taking controll of an entire army at the age of 17 is really epic xD.

Code Geass- Hangyaku no Lelouch is definitely one of my favorites yet I found the most difficult to review because of its complexity.

Story (9/10)

Fans' first impression: Gundam + Deathnote= Code Geass. That opinion was normal and may somehow be correct but it is definitely not an acceptable conclusion: the story is a beautiful mix of mecha, school life and epic soap opera. Code Geass may have some familiar elements and some may think "ah, i know this type" but when one gets absorbed in the plot; he/she will find a very unique anime with surprising twists:

The unique thing I find in this series its ... very hard to categorize: on the outer surface it is called mecha but the robots and their pilots' endeavors are not mainly the ones that make the story progress, they are just players of the game not the rules. CG is has exciting action scenes but the ones that really thrilled me are the: psychological and tactic's clashes, character development and choices and their interaction with other characters, who the good or bad guy really is and many mysteries being revealed one by one or further mystified.

The story has lots of irony yet like a fruit salad; different ingredients and tastes good altogether and still distinguishable, the story is very well focused on one point though it has a lot of attributes. An idealistic and righteous but selfish and hypocritical view battles with a realistic, practical but dark and personal goal. In these brain popping thoughts, humor, sarcasm and teenage drama is added together with politics and racial conflict. Here humanism is a tasty ingredient present in every side growing within every tragedy and angst.

Art (9/10)

Technically, the animation is super consistent, high definition and vivid. The machines are so cool and effects like explosion, sparks and water movements are satisfying.

Clamp has made a wonderful job designing the animation. But if one's not fond of thin characters and pretty boys, animation may be not too satisfying.

Art, not only animation, in this series in my opinion is innovative; classic and modern concepts are also used. The one thing noticeable in this series is the outfits; they are post-modern European inspired yet manipulated into pilot suits, uniform(both in military and school) and casual wear into "anime" fashion (with Japanese preferences). At first I thought that the "vampire cape" and "mask" is kinda dorky showing a classic evil and mysterious appearance but I eventually loved it, not to mention the minions' "evil" but cool appearance too (which are actually good guys)

Sound (8/10)

Though I like some tracks, I was not impressed by the opening and ending themes except "Colors". Sometimes they destroyed the mood or annoy me. Nevertheless the background music still give the right mood: Insert songs are well placed and memorable.

Character (9/10)

The characters strongly inspire both love and haterd; some are very unique while some are ordinary. That composition is helpful because too many complex characters will make the plot confusing and unfocused. Though one can say that not all characters are exceptional; their interactions are full of twists and developments! CG featured well some much more complex new tastes in anime characters:

a dark, byronic main character that is insanely smart and good-looking that needs gym classes
a good, kind guy who is the greatest mockery of the concept of heroism
a mysterious, sexy green haired lead heroine that probably knows and understands more things than any of the characters

Their characters deepens as the series progresses and they are meticulously designed in way that they are both the protagonists and the antagonists of the series, both hero and anti-hero or both villain and anti-villain.

As for the themes, I personally think that they are action and thrill on the surface,yet deep down, it is back boned in simple human desires, ambitions, frustrations and opinions. Nevertheless, this series is definitely not depressing, not deep as deep as the ocean that ordinary viewers will not even understand the story and I found that it contains weirdness both in humor, drama and tragedy.

Enjoyment, Personal Response and Overall:


I really enjoyed this one, very addictive and offers a lot of mystery. I found the main characters very likable especially Lelouch the main character. I found it really cool.
Also, this story as a whole is not yet finished, it has a direct sequel: Code Geass r2.

I don't recommend this anime to grade-schoolers because it the story and visual interpretation shows a lot of controversial and violent things and may not answer the question "What's the moral lesson?"

OVERALL: 10

The following is a review for Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion as well as it's second season R2. Enjoy!

Important Notes:
Before we get into the actual review, I believe a quick bit of back story is important. Code Geass was first conceptualized at Sunrise Animation in hopes to create a show that would appeal to a wide range of audiences. The idea originally only entailed a underground resistance leader leading a double life. The idea was then given to the manga author team of Clamp for character designs, (both physical and portions of other aspects as well) a partnership which continued ... through the writing process meaning many of the stories intricacies were also written with assistance from Clamp. The idea was to cover the two largest demographics: Shonen (action and generally story based targeted at young males) and Shojo (relationship based normally set in more everyday scenarios). The question is, were they successful? Well, yes and no. The problem is that if you swap between the main character's everyday life and his secret life at the drop of a hat with little in between, one party is usually unhappy. There are entire episodes based on dating games and creating the world's largest pizza that barely contribute anything to the story. They are immediately followed by two episode long battles in mech suits that get rather monotonous pretty fast. Compare that to a show that, in my experiences, does appeal to almost every audience like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Brotherhood keeps the battles much shorter while keeping a ton of relationship and character development, and all of it is integrated together rather seamlessly to have everyone on their toes. Compare that to the separated method which has a tendency to give the viewer minor whip lash. What does save Code Geass is occasional episodes where everything collapses and the two worlds collide pretty beautifully. Now that we have that out of the way, to the story!

Story:
Code Geass has an enjoyably complicated story so if you're looking for something to watch while doing other things it might not be the best choice, but hey, a better choice than Baccano! It features very few all out filler episodes, every episode has something that furthers the plot or some amount of character development no matter how small, (except maybe the dating game episode, I can see what was supposed to be character development but... yeah not really). The only real story problem is that at times it seems like it could have ended right there but trust me everything happens for a reason and those who stick with it shall be rewarded eventually. Well that was short, but I don't want to give anything away so let's just move on to characters.

Characters:
The fascinating thing about Code Geass's characters is that none of the "good guys" are particularly likeable, yet you grow to care for everyone anyway. Our protagonist, Lalouch Vi Britannia, is a manipulative liar who tells us that the ends always justify the means. Most of his school friends are, in my opinion, annoying, his little sister has a terrible voice and makes me cringe rather than daw, and the only character who acts entirely "good" is Suzaku, and he is the one character I didn't really grow to care for! The Britannians on the other hand had several great characters who I loved despite their "evil" actions. One thing Code Geass does amazingly well is kill people. Sorry I had to be the one to tell you but you were going to find out eventually and, this is war, come on. By the end you realize that your favorite characters are dead and aren't coming back and you honestly feel the same despair that the surviving characters do.

Music & Sound:
Let's talk music. At the beginning the background music is an awesome flavor of weird. Odd moments in the eyes of the protagonists are highlighted by that sad trumpet. I love that sad trumpet. As the story progresses though sad trumpet leaves us and other than a few quick return visits to say hello and goodbye, doesn't really come back. Other than that the background music is pretty average quality and is made mostly to emphasize the intensity of situations and regality of it all. The opening and closing music varies VASTLY. I loved some of the songs particularly those by FLOW and Ali Project then they are immediately followed by the second opening which I watched several times to be sure I wasn't making a snap decision but no, it's just bad. I'm just going to combine the voice acting section in right here. Decent. Some characters were good. Some were close to great! But some were just bad. Nunnaly is the number one culprit in my opinion. I will never forget her unique and ear-bleeding inducing way of saying "le-loooosh" no matter how much I try. On the brighter end though, without too much bias, Luciano Bradley in R2 is one of my favorite Vic Mignogna roles, Johnny Young Bosch does his usual thing for Lelouch which I guess is cool, Euphemia and Cornelia were very fitting, and last actor of mention is Troy Baker as Schnizel which is as amazing and regal as every Troy Baker role.

Art:
Okay now just art and a quick conclusion, almost there. The art style is quite unique and was made to mimic the original character designs by Clamp although it takes their drawing style to a new level. Drawing quirks well known from works like Cardcaptor Sakura such as high shoulders, thin bodies, and incredible height, are extended to an odd level that every once in awhile makes you notice: "Oh yeah, that's super not accurate to life... that's weird. How does that work?" but it is quite well done and amazing.

Conclusion:
Well over all Code Geass is very good, it isn't perfect but nothing really is. No matter if you prefer Shonen or Shojo or even if you're more like me and prefer something more moderate and balanced, if you can sit through the parts you don't like, you'll be pleased with the end result. Tears will be shed, trust me on that. I sadly had several deaths accidentally spoiled for me and told myself that I would not cry because I didn't even like that character anyway and then slowly lost my resolve. Well thank you for reading and I hope my opinions were helpful to you. If you can see anything I missed or misreported please let me know. Bye for now!

I had high hopes for this show, and it certainly delivered.
First off, the story; In 2010, the Holy Empire of Britannia -which rules about a third of the world- decided to invade Japan, the Japanese resistance didn't last long against Britannia's new fighting robots, the Knight-mares. After adding the country to its territories, it was renamed Area 11, with its citizens dubbed 'Elevens'. Now after all of this, the protagonist, Lelouch, vows to destroy Britannia. 7 years later, he gets caught up in a terrorist attack and the mysterious girl C.C. grants him the power of 'Geass', the ability to make anyone obey your order. ... Using that power, Lelouch adopts the identity of Zero -a masked rebel- and sets off to destroy Britannia and free Japan from its clutches, with his primary goal -other than defeating Britannia- being the protection of his little sister, Nunally.
Some people may be skeptical about the art style, but I find it beautiful. The credit for the character design goes to the manga group 'Clamp', I personally never watched or read anything from them, but CG looks marvelous and I have to give them credit for the amazing work that they've done on the characters' designs.
From there we get to the sound and music, and I don't really have much to say on this except for, go listen to the first opening. The music of the show does a good job immersing you in the show, through all moments, from an action scene to a flashback to a character death to... pizza?
The characters vary from 'I'll kill myself if you die' to 'Hurry up and die'. Reasonable Lelouch and retarded (for lack of a better word) Suzaku, Poor table-kun and *cough* PERVERTED, CRAZY, PSYCHO AND OVERLY ATTACHED NINA.
Overall, the enjoyment I got from this show was great, and it's definitely worth your time. So if you haven't watched it, then you should

CODE GEASS IS THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION TO COME TO MIND WHEN RECOMMENDING AN ANIME, ESPECIALLY TO A NOOB, BY PROBABLY ANYONE. To see a spoof on it plz check out my HONEST ANIME TRAILER on Code Geass on YouTube, but only if u watched the series, because there will be spoilers.

in a future, the country Brittania is basically conquering the world and it eventually takes over Japan, treating the Japanese as scum and second class citizens.
The protagonist is Lelouche, a genius exiled prince with a grudge against the empire who rallies terrorist groups and proceeds to PISS THE F%@K OFF HIS DAD.
The 2 major characters ... are: 1) The aforementioned Lelouche & 2) Suzaku the straight arrow who has the same final goal as his best friend/arch enemy Lelouche where the only difference is according to suzaku the end doesn't justify the means, whereas Lelouche disagrees fervently.
Code Geass is a political and strategical masterpiece that EVERYONE would enjoy, the only ones who say they don't like it, are Hype Trolls and can't truly ever be trusted again.
The more that is said about an anime the less enjoyment and surprise will be given to the eventual viewer so I'll stop here and say that Code Geass is amongst the 10 best anime of all time, not just in my opinion... but it's pretty much a fact, enjoy it :)
(and if u saw it already plz check out my HONEST ANIME TRAILER - CODE GEASS on YouTube)