Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Take Death note, some V for Vendatta, and some Neon Genesis Evangelion mix it with Fanservice and add Gary stu characters. Boom, You have Code geass! But you have to turn off your Brains before watching it.
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Firstly about the art and character designs are horrible. They look like shovelled face stickmans. Every character looks like it has been drawn over the same base with hair color and eye color changes. They have no variety or any memorable character design.
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The sound and opening/ending are good. Perhaps the only decent thing in this anime.
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Behold the characters. Lelouch is like a Isekai protagonist...Overpowered, has 3-4 female characters in ... love with him, Pretentious smart and basically a Gary Stu who always has a plan to outsmart everyone and has the last laugh always coz he is the main character duh. Nothing spectacular about him, a cheap rippoff of Light Yagami. No complexity, people like him cause he is a badass duh.
His stupid best friend turned rival is also a bland character. He is boring in short and yes his character design is a copy paste of the MC with minor changes
But the most useless and bland characters are the female characters of the show. They are just kept for boob shots and to fall for the protagonist.
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You cant enjoy the show if you want logic and real complex scenarios.
If you enjoy no brainer plots trying to be smart then you can maybe enjoy. This crap is not worth of even 7 overall and its claimed a Masterpiece by some otakus. This is just a Glorified SAO, believe me.
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The plot conveniences and stupidity of the antagonist parties is hilarious. And serious rebellion is going on but the government hangouts at high schools. If you want high school ecchi why did you have to introduce a heavy and serious plot/threat first?
Well the first season was just a taste of stupidity, 2nd season is worse.

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!

There are several popular anime whose success is difficult to understand, but perhaps none more so than Code Geass. This anime has been called a masterpiece by various sources, often using such adjectives as "deep". This strikes me as a bit odd, because if there's one thing that I think the show lacks, it's intelligence.

The premise seems reminiscent of Death Note, setting up an allegedly intelligent male high school student against incredible odds while armed with nothing but his wit and an incredibly potent superpower. In the case of Code Geass, however, the power the protagonist is given is too useful and lacking in ... any particular weaknesses to allow the kind of entertaining intellectual competition that was present in Death Note. Perhaps to try and compensate for this, the series contains several battles between armies of mecha, but the action in these is actually somewhat dull, and they quickly become repetitive and predictable.

These problems are fairly minor compared to some of Code Geass' other issues though. For one, the characters are archetypical and uninteresting, although that problem becomes more apparent in the next season than in this one. Some of them are quite grating as well, a trait for which Suzaku, one of the most important characters in the series, deserves special mention. The plot is a bigger problem than the characters are. It starts off tolerable enough, with the premise looking like it might deliver an enjoyable conflict between Lelouch and his opposition, but it kind of collapses toward the end of the season. About twenty episodes in, an event occurs that makes it look like there will be an end to all hostilities and Lelouch is unwilling to stop it. This could actually have served as a possible ending to the series, but instead it is resolved with one of the most contrived and nonsensical occurrences I've ever witnessed in anime. The next few episodes seem to waste a bit of time almost, and then it ends with a cliffhanger ending that could also have possibly served as an ending to the series but is also resolved by an utterly nonsensical chain of events that makes several supposedly intelligent characters embarrass themselves so that there can be a second season.

The art and sound are less worrying. The art style is kind of strange and not visually appealing, but it also isn't terrible. The music is actually somewhat enjoyable and the voice acting is competent. There are a few other things that work somewhat as well. It's kind of enjoyable to watch the fight scenes early on and there are some conflicts that Lelouch gets out of using reasonable tactics rather than something impossible or a deus ex machina. There's a few episodes early on that are fairly solid, and Lelouch is tolerable as a protagonist.

So that's Code Geass. A poorly written anime with a messy plot and bad characters. Its creators clearly thought that they were more clever than I think they are, and evidently a lot of people agree with them. The bright side is that this season has a few strengths and is certainly not as terrible as the second season is.

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!

Let me preface this by saying this is the fourth time I've watched Code Geass, and it never fails to impress. I'm also well aware of the many reviews attacking the show for its alleged defects, often going out of their way to tear it apart based upon questionable criticisms instead of offering a sincere assessment on the merits. I can only surmise that the bulk of these are the product of the counterculture phenomenon: the series is so popular and mainstream that it must suck. Obviously I disagree, and I'll do my best to explain why.

Code Geass starts with a great, ... deceptively original premise. The world is at war. Its sole superpower, the Holy Britannian Empire, has recently conquered Japan using advanced weaponry known as the Knightmare Frame. Lelouch, a well to do, perpetually aloof boy living in the Tokyo Settlement, escapes his otherwise dull life by beating nobles in high-stake chess games, until the day that he is caught up in a fight between the colonial government and pro-Japanese terrorists, meets a mysterious green-haired girl named C2, and is given the power of Geass (in his case, the power to order anyone to obey his command). War, mechas, and special powers are nothing to sneer at, even if stories incorporating these elements are a dime a dozen. Yet Code Geass stands out in its ability to infuse richness and depth into virtually every element and central character of the story. The war isn't just about land - it's about political philosophy. Britannia, by far the most powerful, nationalist, and aggressive of the world's political powers, is also the most morally deplorable, founded upon racial superiority, economic inequality, and the principle that the strong should devour the weak. The European Union and Chinese Federation, by contrast, choose to grant equal rights or equal wealth to their citizens, but are consequently weak.

Nor is Lelouch some random guy who gets special powers and decides to become a terrorist. Besides being one of the best and most complex male protagonists in the last decade, he is an outcast prince of Britannia who despises its philosophy and the Emperor because both deny the worth of his crippled sister Nunnally. Through his alter ego, Zero, he seeks to destroy the world through virtually any means so that he may rebuild it anew. Suzaku, Lelouch's best and yet worst friend and pilot of the invincible Lancelot, isn't just some trite rule follower, either. He is driven by his own dark past to believe that no good can come to oneself or others from an end attained by wicked means. C2 has her own complex history and a soul tempered by an existence outside of time. In her most candid and beautiful moment, she explains that her real name is all she remembers, and so she goes by C2 to ensure that it may only be spoken with tenderness, honesty, and affection. A number of characters beyond the main cast are also remarkably well-developed: Kallen, who leads a double-life as a Britannian student and terrorist and fights to give meaning to her brother's death and mother's life; the deliciously ruthless Cornelia, who presents a formidable challenge to Zero's plans; the maniacal Jeremiah Gottwald, aka Orange Boy, whose devotion to the Crown causes him to lose his very humanity; and Euphemia, the sweetest, kindest, and most tragic character a mecha anime has ever seen.

Beyond incredible, dynamic characters, Code Geass offers a superb story with perfect pacing and an endless supply of suspense and emotion. From the first episode, when Lelouch narrowly escapes death using his newfound Geass powers by ordering the Britannian soldiers to kill themselves, I was completely hooked, and things never let up. While the plot is initially and ultimately about the conflict between the Black Knights and the Britannian government, there are some nice subplots that enrich the main story: Suzaku's rise within the Britannian military and incessant ability to thwart Lelouch's efforts; Shirley's internal struggles; C2's past; the origins of Geass; and the Emperor's obscure plans for the world. Underlying the story are two philosophical questions, one common albeit well executed, the other quite novel - Can revolution be justified if it requires sacrificing the lives and happiness of others (i.e., can the ends justify the means), and if so, who should bear the blame for the consequences? The conclusion is also one of the best of any anime. True, it's the biggest cliffhanger ever and had I been watching during the initial broadcast I would have gone into a fit of rage, but it manages to create one of the most emotional moments I've ever seen, and it ensured viewers would be back for the second season.

Fortunately the studio realized it had a great story and went all out on the animation, soundtrack, and voice casting to make this a top-notch production. The character designs in particular are stunning, with facial expressions that often bring them to life (see especially Cornelia when she goes mad). The soundtrack is essentially as good as it gets without hiring Yoko Kanno, featuring a mesh of classical tracks with an imperial flavor (e.g., Noblesse Oblige), beautiful symphonies (e.g., Boyhood), jazzy trumpet pieces (e.g., Pessimistic Time), and a couple of amazing Hitomi tracks (e.g., Stories). The voice cast is essentially as good as it gets (no qualifier), featuring Johnny Yong Bosch (Lelouch) in probably his best performance, Kate Higgins (C2), and an exceptional fit and performance by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Cornelia).

Alright, so at this point I sound like a fanboy foaming at the mouth, which is partly accurate. But I like to be fair, so I'll close with the few things I did not like about Code Geass. First, and most critically, there are a few times when things line up too perfectly. Eye contact, for instance, is occasionally an area where Lelouch takes a huge gamble and gets lucky. Episode 22 also borders on unbelievable, but is ultimately acceptable because a foundation is established earlier on. Second, events accelerate a bit too much in the final 3 episodes and one more episode would have been nice to spread things out. Finally, I don't like Nina (mainly because of her voice) and I can't stand Tamaki.

Obviously those are minor criticisms that had little effect on my opinion of the show, and try as I might, I can't think of any others. Really I'm sure I could add more reasons that I love it, but this review has gone on too long already. Put simply, Code Geass is a masterpiece, and at least for now, it's the gold standard by which I review new anime.

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)

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

How many Code Geass reviews are there? I know, way too many. I think I have something a little different to say abut the show though, so bear with me. This functions as a spoiler-free review of both seasons of Code Geass.

I'm a huge Code Geass fan. I've described it before as the crack cocaine of anime because there reached a point where if the series had been the same length as One Piece it would have ruined my life. My first run-through I was truly addicted. Now I'm well aware that the show is wildly popular already. I'm pretty sure I've seen Lelouch Lamprouge ... on more "favorite character" lists than anyone else. Any top list without Code Geass will undoubtedly be assaulted by enraged fans demanding why this worldwide phenomenon isn't #1 on everything. It almost seems as though Lelouch has used the power of the king on millions of people worldwide to make them swear undying loyalty to his show. Despite this, the show does take a lot of flack from more scrutinizing critics for its plot contrivances, unexplained magic powers, absurdly over-dramatic characters, ridiculous robot sequences, and the escalation of all of these things in the show's second season. If you're the kind of person that values thematic soundness or plot cohesiveness over all else, that places an emphasis on realism over cartoon mania, feel free to sink your teeth into Code Geass. It's not Utena and it's not Eva: as I see it, Geass has two major goals:

1. To provide insight into the true nature of revolutionary leaders and what it entails to change the world, and to challenge its viewers to pursue an equally grand change.

2. To entertain the fuck out of its viewers.

I'm going to address the first one first. One of the things that makes Code Geass so compelling is Lelouch. Not in the sense that he's fun, though he is that, but in the sense that he is one of the most accurate reflections of the leader of a revolution or similar organization existing in fiction. People like Napoleon or Martin Luther King Jr. or even Ghandi are often drastically simplified by historical texts. People often take one of two sides: they side with the ideals of the person, or the criticize them for not being a perfect reflection of them or having alternative motives. In truth, these people are far more complex than that. Yes, they have ideals, and yes, they pursue them, but they are also human beings: they falter, doubt themselves, lose their way, have personal reasons for wanting to change a larger system. They do not behave in fully one-sided or rational ways, they are inconsistent, flawed, and confused. This is Lelouch. Lelouch breaks down the non-existent boundary between "everyday people" and people like Martin Luther King Jr, demonstrating that Lelouch is just as human as they are. Yes, he is an exceptionally intelligent person, but it doesn't take some genetic fluke or divine incarnation to change the world: it takes passion, determination, allies, timing: things that supposedly everyday people can have if they choose to embrace them. Lelouch initially strives to create the ideal world for Nunally, but realizes that he also legitimately wants to change the world because it's what he personally believes in as well. He claims to use people as pawns (such as Rolo) but he constantly demonstrates that he is not emotionally disconnected from them and can even alter his actions to selfishly protect those he cares about. He's neither a saint nor a martyr, and he's not asexual either (Lelouch semi-frequently demonstrates his hormonal urges, and whilst usually able to control them is not always the embodiment of chaste.) Lelouch shows that it takes more than just one brilliant mind to make a difference: all of Lelouch's allies are essential to his cause, furthering the point that just because you aren't Lelouch himself doesn't mean that you can't be an equally important part of the cause. Kallen is a far more talented nightmare pilot than Lelouch, and without her his tactics would be moot in the face of far-too superior forces. Diethard ensures that Lelouch's achievements do not go unnoticed: without publicity, his victories would be of minimal importance. Zero is an idea: he's not a person. The idea is pure, driven, resolute, refined. The people behind the idea are not. As individuals, they are messy, convoluted beings. But together they balance and complement each other and they come together to create the idea.

Code Geass doesn't come up with any solutions to war or oppression or imperialism. From a political science aspect it's a trainwreck and its resolutions are completely unbelievable. But from a people aspect, it's informed and understanding. It's inspiring. It demands more from its audience, asking them how they want to change the world and what they can do to make that happen.

Now, let's move on to part two.

Code Geass is entertaining. What exactly do I mean by that? As far as I see it, there are three main elements that make Code Geass such a huge heap of fun to watch.

#1. THE CHARACTERS
Code Geass has an absolutely enormous cast. In the fifth opening they actually showcase all the ones that aren't dead yet and it takes up an entire chorus. Each and every one of these characters are about as colorful and over-the-top as possible. They're loud, expressive people. They love to give speeches, profess their emotions, espouse their ideals, engage in battles of philosophy, and move/pose in dramatic fashions. From Lelouch to Suzaku to Shirley to Kallen to Lloyd, everyone is memorable. Thanks to this it's an extremely engaging cast since you can remember everyone and a lot about them. These characters are extreme, and it makes them pop like a 3-D picture book. It's more than this, though: despite being absurd, the characters are also actually really good! They all get a lot of screentime, and this is extremely beneficial because we get to see how much most of them make sense: their motivations, their growth, changes, decisions and words all fall into place in a way that is extremely satisfying.

#2. EMOTIONAL RESONANCE
If there's one thing I hate, it's stories trying to garner emotional investment through tragedy. You shouldn't have to make something horrible happen to your characters in order for me to care about them. Code Geass has plenty of tragedy but never ONCE does it rely on it. It packs an emotional punch because its characters actually grow and change drastically yet subtly, making the viewer feel as though they actually know them. This is because that's what it's like to be around actual people. They grow and change, and you don't always notice it at first but when you look back you realize it. It's because it's so effective at creating this bond between you and the characters that it doesn't need to rely on tragedy. Merely seeing the characters you care about in perilous situations creates intense investment, because the show also proves that it is not unwilling to kill them if that's what makes sense. This is the type of story where you don't care about characters because the die, you fear that they will die in the first place. One of the reasons that this is so effective is because Code Geass has a tangible sense of grounded conflict: there are tangible stakes in each battle, it is understood why the various sides are fighting, and the possibility of a variety of different outcomes feels very real. One thing that will forever stick with me is when a single poorly-timed joke from Lelouch results in Euphemia's horrific demise. It makes the show feel as though it's not glossing over the details: any small moment or decision could legitimately result in drastic repercussions.

#3. THE ABSURDITY
This is the real kicker. This is where Code Geass truly shines. The show manages to smoothly transition between being completely serious and not seeming to give a f*ck. It's like what Akame Ga Kill was going for, but actually done right. It's not even two sides of the same coin: they're completely entwined. What I mean by absurdity should be pretty obvious: Pizza Hut product placement. Lucrative bombastic speeches by Lelouch. Nonsensical conversations about mech abilities that are never explained (super energy beam cannons! Increase to 200%! Activate the rearview legacy thrusters of doom!). Unexplained magic powers. The fact that no matter what, everything always comes back to the goddamn high school. Entire episodes dedicated to chasing a cat. This works so well because never ONCE does the show have the characters draw attention to it. There's no stupid anime humor. All the characters are always completely serious, and this contrasts against the nonsense of the world they live in PERFECTLY. A lot of people complain about the amount of mech mumbo-jumbo in the second season, but I thought that it fit perfectly. The second season had some of the show's most intense and serious moments, it seems only natural to juxtapose those against a backdrop of INSANITY. What the hell is the 'Mordred' and why does it shoot death lasers from its chest?? Why can all these robots suddenly fly?? Now there's nukes, energy shields, people that can stop time, see the future, and even a collective unconscious. This is like Gurren Lagann, people, except instead of having women as housewives and teachers it has them as nuclear physicists and front-line tanks. This is the kind of over-the-top nonsense I expected from a genre with as much potential as anime, but instead we get dumb slice-of-life shows that think they're funny. Code Geass absolutely nails down fun, often at its own expense, and that's something I completely respect it for.

Now take that surreal absurdity, add emotional attachment and add amazing characters. Hilarious, shocking, creative, fast-paced, tear-inducing, epic, and just the right amount of over the top. That's Code Geass. That's what makes it so much goddamn fun. It's not some pseudo-intellectual nihilistic bullshit like Death Note, it's not idiotic slapstick comedy, it's dumb fun that also knows how to be good. It's both intelligent and stupid, and it absolutely works.

Let's go back for a moment though, to purpose #1.

This is the part where I have no idea what the creators were intending. This is pure speculation. However, regardless of intentions, Code Geass does something that more shows could definitely aspire to emulate.

It has an impact.

Through its addicting nature and emotional staying power, Code Geass might be one of the easiest shows to get obsessed with. It's massively appealing, affecting millions of fans worldwide and permeating their hearts and souls. So naturally, they're going to listen to what it has to say. It's not the most complex message, but it's an important one nonetheless. The main point is, as I discussed earlier, that it has one. Because whatever the message of a show like Code Geass is going to be, people are going to hear it LOUD AND CLEAR. Take Revolutionary Girl Utena, for example. Brilliant commentary on the nature of sexism and social expectations in society, phenomenal use of symbolism, excellent insight into adolescence and the obsession with permanence and eternity created by a fear of death. Virtually non-existent fan base. Due to its repetitive and grinding nature, slow progression, abstract presentation and confusing execution, Utena is only going to reach a very small and dedicated audience. It's not going to make an impact on a wide population, it's not going to turn into any sort of gospel of the masses, it's not going to get its point across to anyone other than a select few. Which is a real shame, because it has a lot of important things to say. But, if Utena had adopted the same tactics as Code Geass: seeking to ENTERTAIN as well as make a point, striving to engage its viewers on a fun, intelligent AND thematic level, I GUARANTEE that we would be looking at a very different reception. That version of Revolutionary Girl Utena COULD bring about the world revolution, because people would listen. Code Geass makes people listen, and then it has something to say. That is the value of entertainment: what can be done with it. That's why I think Code Geass is so great. Because it is entertaining. Because it did manage to entertain me more than any other show to date. And because it was able to do something with that. Sure, the themes are incomplete and basic, but they're also important. Code Geass isn't as refined a revolution as Utena, but it's the one that's more likely to actually happen.

The anime doesn't waste any time and jumps straight into action and to the point. The anime contains lots of various elements as in technology, super powers, intellect etc. which COULD HAVE ruined it due to over crowding of too many features BUT as they are well planned and placed, it complements to the story and keeps the views entertained and occupied thoroughly. The interesting combination and relations of the character is what I liked the best which keeps the momentum of the anime going and makes the anime more interesting. However the battle of the wits and intellect is my favorite part of the ... anime. The constant urge to be best and outsmart the other make me rewind and view certain parts again to fully understand the process. Character of Lelouch intrigues to the fullest. His progression from chaotic good to chaotic neutral is worth mentioning and understanding. He in lots of ways makes this anime more interesting, all being about good v/s bad morally and proving a point is attracting.
If you like this Anime you should also try:

No Game No Life
Death Note

Okay first off i want to say that first the only reason I watched this series is because it was recommended to me because I had seen Guilty Crown, and honestly i feel like i have a much higher appreciation for this series because I had watched it.

Also this review is for both R1 and R2.

After watching this series it immediately made it to my number 1 favorite series.

First the story, and yes I'm going to try to not hint at any spoilers. This story in a single word would be wow. From the first episode the series never drops the ball. Like i said ... before i had watched Guilty Crown before this so i wasn't really sure what to expect, and when C.C. originally gave him the power of the Geass, I had thought to myself "that's it?" but I've never been so wrong. Yes it may not be as cool as Guilty Crown's "Power of the King", but the ability to give any order with total obedience couldn't be better fitted then to Lelouch. The series is filled with twists and turns always wanting to watch the next episode. Its a great mix of story and action with the Knightmares. At the end of season 1 you will immediately want to start the 2nd season.

Next the music, this is really the only thing ill gripe about, I feel like there wasn't enough. Really all i can say about this one.

Characters. This series does an amazing job both with the writing for each character and the voice acting (I've only watched the subbed version). Lelouch is an awesome character. He has so many sides, just when you think you know or understand him, he throws a curve ball and shows you a new side. He can go from cold and calculating, to caring, to off the deep end upset and that's just a normal day for Lelouch. I feel like so many series fall short with screen time between main and supporting characters but this one does it right. Never do you see a relationship spark up and die in the same episode, or random people show up and then are gone the next episode. They start and finish with roughly the same group of characters. Each of the supporting characters get a decent amount of screen time and story around them.

Enjoyment. I've already started to rewatch the series, do i need to say more?

Overall this is now my favorite series. Perfect mix of characters and story. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll be on the edge of your seat begging for more.

First, for the sake of those who don't like reading much, I'll try to summarize what I can say about the anime in general.

While may sound exaggerating, I would say this anime excels in almost everything. Even though the idea on which the anime based is pretty average and feels like a replica of other series, I assure you that everything about Code Geass is actually more unique and special than you think.
The simple idea of "a boy receiving powers and executing revenge" was taken to new heights in this epic anime. The plot of this series is most likely the most intelligent, unpredictable ... and fast-paced you'll ever see in your life. Predicting the plot of this anime isn't hard – it's impossible!
It moves so fast and has so many twists, that at some point you'll surely give up about predicting it and will simply enjoy it.
The characters in the anime, differently from most famous shonen series like Naruto, feel realistic. Most anime try to offer unique characters with many strange and interesting features. But when you look closely, you should notice that those characters feel unrealistic because they have awfully extreme characteristics, which you won't find in real people. In Code Geass, the characters are much more balanced and feel much more real, while still being very unique and different from each other. Another strong point about characters is their development. You will usually see how different characters deal with though decisions, and may eventually even change the side they are fighting for.
The animation of the series isn't something I can say much about. Personally, I like it. With that said, it's not my "perfect" style of art, and yet I have to admit it's a unique one. Rather than simply being "good" or "bad', I think it's more about your taste. If it fits your taste – you like it, and if it doesn't – you don't.
The voice acting is really strong, especially for the main character – Lelouch. Since the anime focuses a lot about Lelouch's thoughts and decisions, the voice acting plays an important role in delivering the watcher his feelings and emotions. I think it was done beautifully in this anime. I could really feel how heavy each and every one of his decisions was, as well as how he felt before and after making the decision.
The music played a very important role as well, and like the voice acting – it fulfilled well its duty. Putting aside the action and tense moments, in which the music was great, I would rather focus on the tragic and dramatic moments. In these very plot-wise important moments, the music was simply perfect. Seeing the same moments without the music will make these moments simply "another forgetful part of the plot". But with the music, these very moments will most likely be the ones you'll remember the best after finishing watching the series.




Now, for those who wish to read a more deep analysis about the series...



Plot: The basic idea, which you most likely already read about somewhere, is "Lelouch receives special power from a mysterious girl, and decides to use it in order destroy the Britannian Empire, both for revenge for his mother's death and to make a peaceful world for his sister". You will most likely also see similar words over and over when watching the beginning of each episode. It's hard to believe there are many people who read such description and say "this anime gonna be epic!". I doubt if there are any at all. And I can't blame them, because it really sounds like a pretty average and simple idea. But the strength of Code Geass isn't hidden in this basic idea, but rather in the way its plot was executed. A basic plot pattern for the idea will be something like this: "Lelouch and his organization fight against the evil commanders of the Britannian Empire and defeat them. At some point, the evil "final boss" arrives and Lelouch defeats him as well. Happy ending. Credits. Bye bye"
That's what I believe most people would expect from this anime, and I was no exception. At the beginning, it really feels like it's going to follow this plain pattern. But very soon, after watching a few episodes, you'll realize that Code Geass's plot is nothing as simple as that. To start with, there is no even "Good vs. Evil" in this series. You can't simply classify the characters and the different organizations in the series as either "good" or "evil". If I had to pick, I would rather say that the main character himself is actually "evil". But the most important thing about the plot, is that there are many things which make the plot very complicated. The main character, Lelouch, has more to do than just "fight against the empire". He also has to make sure he hides his identity, act normally in front of his sister and friends, and most of all – to be a strong and reliable leader in order to make people believe in him and follow his orders. If you think these are trivial matters which has nothing to do with the plot – you are gravely mistaken. Each and every one of them affects the plot strongly at some point, and shows you that the plot won't go the way you thought it will.
The plot itself is very fast paced. You may not notice this at first, as it feels like things moving a bit slow at the beginning. But once you get to the main parts, you'll be flying trough the episodes, and be warned – you may not be able to stop. For me, the plot was the biggest source of entertainment in this anime. It just keeps on going and never stops to take a break. With each passing episode, my curiosity about "what will happen next" only grew bigger and bigger. I'll admit it – I got addicted to the plot of this series, and to the series as a whole.


Characters: Alongside with the great plot of this series, stands the amazing cast of characters. While the anime focuses a lot on the plot and on moving the story fast, it never forgets about character development. This anime has many characters, like most anime. What makes it different, and better in my opinion, is the balance of the characters. You won't see "an idiot who shouts the whole day" or "a girl which hits everybody when she's angry" type of characters. Every character has its own unique features, but in the same time they are all "humans". Which means that no matter what personality a character has, it'll never act in extreme or unrealistic way. Such balanced characters are easier to understand and to become attached to.
Another strong aspect of the characters is their "state of mind". You often see how different characters must make hard and heavy decisions, which will affect them or their surroundings in different ways. The main focus is on the main character, Lelouch, but many other characters also make important decisions in their life, like Lelouch's childhood friend – Suzaku. Every character has its own past, beliefs, wishes and values. Together, they affect the decisions of the characters, and usually even put them one against another. If you look at the battles in this anime, then you'll see they are mostly based on each person's beliefs. These aren't battles between "good" and "evil", but rather between what each character "believes is right". This adds a lot to the series, and doesn't allow you easily judge a character as "good" or "evil". Some people may say Lelouch is "good", while some may say he's "evil". Personally, I belong to the latter type.
But just like I said – they are humans. Every human sometime loses his way and falls into confusion and despair. You can see it perfectly in this anime. Many characters tend to become confused of what is "right" and what is "wrong" at some point. One event can totally change the character's personality, and to shake its beliefs and values. Some characters eventually even change the side they support and fight for. Your enemy in the beginning, may end up as your ally in the end and vice versa. If you ask what are the things that make this anime unpredictable, then this, without a doubt, is one of them.


Animation: Since the character design is done by Clamp, it's not strange to see how similar the art style between Code Geass and Clamp's manga, like X. The characters usually look tall and slim. That's how I always described Clamp's art style, and I think this description pretty much fit Code Geass. I'm a big Clamp fan. Not because of the art style, but because of their great ideas. This art style is pretty much unique to Clamp and you can either like it or not, depends on your own taste. Thus, it's hard for me to say that the art style is either "good" or bad". Even though it's not my "perfect" type of art style, I still liked it a lot. I think that in term of quality, this anime was done well – no matter whatever you like the art style or not.


Sound: Since the characters are put trough different situation, the voice acting plays a very important role in this anime. If it's done well, then the watcher can understand well how complicated or tense the situations are. If done badly, then everything about the anime will feel shallow and boring.
I say it was done well. Very well.
Notably is Lelouch's voice acting. No matter what the situation was, it was easy to understand it well thanks to the voice acting. Especially when Lelouch was lost or was making hard decisions, I could really understand how difficult and heavy these decisions were. Also, since Lelouch has more than one "identity", it was important that he'll feel different in every environment. He really felt like a fearless leader when he was on the battle field, but also as a carefree student when he was at school.


Music: It's always important to have a great music. Thanks to music, many events become better and more memorable. While the anime had great music during action scenes, I would rather focus on the music during sad and dramatic moments. In these very important moments, the music was perfect, beautiful and irreplaceable. It made those few moments the most memorable ones about the series. Even seeing them again, with this perfect music, will make you enjoy them almost as much as the first time. Without this perfect music, the same scenes just won't feel as great as they did.


Enjoyment: No matter how many things I say I liked about this anime, what really made it my favorite one is: that I really enjoyed it; and to enjoy is the most important, right?
It almost didn't have any boring parts. It was always active, and was moving forward without taking a break. It was unpredictable to a degree I have never seen before in a series, and I LOVE unpredictable things. Basically, the anime was very thrilling for me. It's like riding a roller coaster – once you start, you can't quit until it ends; but you don't regret it, because every moment was epic and thrilling.


Overall: I recommend this anime to everyone. No matter what you think about it, and no matter whatever you think you won't like it – just try it. I was quite sure myself I won't like it. For me it was "Robots? Who the hell is going to like an anime with big robots?"
That was the reason it took me so much time to actually try this anime. But when I tried, I realized how stupid I was. It doesn't matter whatever there are robots or cliché base idea. What really matters is how well it was done, and how much you enjoyed it.

Such a sad and violent story. Filled with death and decay, yet I enjoy it so much.
This anime fits perfectly into my descpription of a good anime. It forces you to think hard after every episode, make theories what the Zero's next step will be and completely devote youreself to it while watching. The political critisicm(atleast I think it is) in this show is huge. I draw parallels to the colonisation of the world, lead by Brittain and other European countries, that lead to the first world war. This is almost exactly what happened in Code Geass.
The story in this show is so twisting ... and turning that I never once knew what was going to happen. The thing is, it's so well thought through that the most obscure things can happen and still it fits in to the story. Truly a masterpiece.
The art is typical CLAMP, very tall and majestic. I find nothing wrong in this, but it's not my favourite kind of animation. Therefore the 8
The fate of the characters are intertwined in such a way that you wonder how the hell they managed to make this. There is a thin line between masterpiece and crazy and how CLAMP did the characters is so close to cross it. So much emotion is shown in the action of the characters that it will probably make you cry. Hate and insanity is very common among the many outstanding characters in Code Geass so if you don't like that you can skip it. Yet somehow, in the middle of all the bloodshed, they manage to squeeze in some love. They did it in such a way that proves that this anime isn't all darkness and hate.
Overall this series is horrible and dark with a glimt of light at the end of the tunnel. Fighting to protect what you love with all means possible.

Code Geass. That's surely an anime most anime watchers have at least heard about. Some consider it amazing and some consider it overrated. But maybe it's a little bit of both?


Story: 9. The story revolves around Lelouch Vi Britannia, an intelligent exiled prince with a sister complex and some daddy issues. In the Code Geass world, Britannia (we all know it's Britain) has taken over 1/3 the world, including Japan, and renaming it Area 11. Lelouch is an exiled prince of Britannia with a dead mother and a crippled sister. He swears vengeance on his father after he banished Lelouch and his little sister, Nunnally ... to Japan. One day, when caught up in a terrorist attack by some Japanese (Elevens) rebels he meets a mysterious young woman named C.C who grants him a power. Geass, the power of absolute control over anyone (except her lol). With this power and his intellect, he vows to take down Britannia, and create a gentle world where his little sister can be happy. He dons the persona of a masked figure called Zero and manipulates some Japanese into thinking he's doing it to save Japan, while using his Geass and intelligence to win battles against Britannia (though he doesn't win all of them).
Now the universe of Code Geass is quite original, but it doesn't sound that special. Well, the story is not exactly Code Geass's strong point. And for the love of God, it's NOT a Death Note copy.



Art: 8. The art is solid, with CLAMP's lanky characters and pointy chins. Even though I'm not a mecha fan (CG has mecha but it's not a mecha anime like let's say Gundam), I can appreciate the good animation and designs of the robots. Also, animation when the characters are like walking and small stuff like that is pretty great too.





Sound:9. Code Geass has a good OST. While most of the OP and ED aren't that memorable the background music that play during the show are usually quite good, from music for sad scenes to battle music. I find myself even personally downloading some of them, such as Deeply Fast.




Character: 10. Ah, the characters.... Where do I begin? We have Lelouch Lamperouge (A.K.A Lelouch Vi Britannia) the hero of the show. Er...well, sort of. He's more like the byronic hero actually or the anti-hero. These are typically the reasons people compare him to Light Yagami of Death Note and they're both also highly intelligent, but unlike Light, Lelouch has morals, and a sense of compassion. And even when he does some pretty immoral stuff (like blowing up some soldiers and making it look like suicide) you can't help but cheer for him. It's odd, but there's something so charismatic and charming about him that you just want him to win!

But surprisingly, Lelouch doesn't overshadow the rest of the cast. You have C.C the mysterious, immortal and sarcastic girl (actually over 500 years old) who gave Lelouch his Geass. Everything she spoke I hung onto her every word. We have Kallen, the kick-ass, fanservice girl in the show, and Nunnally, the crippled little sister you have to feel bad for.

Oh wait, I'm forgetting Suzaku, Lelouch's former best friend. Suzaku has very similar goals as Lelouch's, (to stop the oppression of the Elevens and create a better world) but a very different way of going about them. Suzaku and Lelouch are best friends in school, but enemies on the battlefield. Neither of them knows each other's secret identity. While Lelouch leads a group of terrorists named the Black Knights to destroy Britannia, Suzaku (even though he's an Eleven) joins the Britannian Military, and want to change Britannia from within. Oh....idealistic Suzaku. Code Geass has a wide range of characters, most of them interesting and some of them bash-your-brains-out-annoying *cough*Nina*cough*.




Enjoyment: 10, definitely. Code Geass is a wild ride, no doubt about it. Lelouch doing his tricks to score the Japanese several victories, with more plot twists than Evangelion. (But in a good way) It's also quite psychological, and EVERY FREAKING EPISODE ends on a cliffhanger: always leaves you wanting more. But Code Geass isn't without it's flaws...a few questions remain unanswered, and though most of them are answered in the second season, it's still kind of confusing. It's also very faced paced with about 3 storylines going on at the same time, at all times. Personally, I liked this and never found it overwhelming. But it might be different for some.




Overall: Code Geass is a psychological, action, with a bit of romance (and even a bit of politics), thriller. It always leaves you wanting more, and by the conclusion you won't hesitate to start the next season.

With striking character designs, adrenaline inducing pacing and epic battles, Code Geass is basically a versing in making exciting, highly watchable shounen anime.

Plot-10/10
My highest score would undoubtedly have to be for the plot of Code Geass. It immediately gives an interesting premise: Japan has became a social darwinist state, ran by the xenophobic britannians who dub it "Area 11". The Britannians are shown to be cruel and racist: their actions in the first episode of the anime is enough to get us on the side of Lelouch. The anime, thankfully, does not divert too much from the original plot. There are only really two or ... three episodes that are not totally pivotal to the outcome of the anime, and these are important as they divulge some of the secrets of Lelouch's new found powers. The pacing is fantastic: for someone like me, who has a hatred of filler episodes, the plot was concise and steady, it did not diverge in to useless flashbacks or mini-arcs. Code Gass works just as well as a drama as it does as an action movie: the interactions between characters are just as interesting as the mecha scenes. In fact, Code Geass does not behave like a stereotypical gundam series at all: at times, I forgot that this was a giant robot anime-it is far more Death Note than Gundam Suite.

Characters-8/10
Most of these points are solely for Lelouch-one of the most three dimensional anime characters I have seen for a long shot. Sure, he is supposed to be a genius, but he is a relatable one at that: he makes enough mistakes for the viewer to see him as a human being, rather than something invincible. Despite comparisons to Light Yagami, for me Lelouch does not tread in to "despicable anti-hero" territory: he is driven by his love of his family, and in fact, his empathy with others often prevents him from fulfilling his plans to their full extent. Lelouch is a true deconstruction of the "infallible badass" character: his flaws make him likeable and it is not hard to root for him as he dotes on Nunally.
Code Geass has a massive cast, and due to this, many are pretty 1D. But the characters that are fleshed out properly make an interesting bunch: Karen is a total action girl from the start, Euphie makes for a realistic beautiful princess, with enough flaws to not fall into Mary sue category. Suzaku is believable as Lelouch's counterpart: He has a massive guilt complex, and turns out to be not all that he seems: he is basically a breakdown of the classic mecha pilot.

Art-9/10
Clamp's character designs are gorgeous. I was initially a little bit thrown by the noodle like proportions of the cast, but give it time! Eventually your eyes will adjust to the anatomical weirdness. The characters were certainly all very different: the beautiful attention to detail in clothes, hair and eyes make this series a cosplayer or fanartist's dream. The striking differences in each member of the cast made it easy to tell who was who, essential in an anime that features so many people.
The backgrounds were pretty standard fare, as were the giant robots. But the obvious nod to Victorian style and architecture gave the series a feel unique to typical mecha and also fitted the essence of the ostentatious Britannian rulers.

Sound-8/10
I watched the subbed version, so all this will refer to the original Japanese.
No real complaints here. Lelouch's voice actor was awesome, and his changes in tone were excellent in showing the differences between Lulu and Zero. I thought Nanally's voice was adorable. The differences in chosen pronouns were pretty interesting: Lelouch uses "ore", Suzaku uses "boku", Euphie talks using the extremely formal "Watakushi". It's practically worth learning a bit about Japanese pronouns before watching as these nunances make such a nice touch. The creepy gospel music that plays during fight scenes wasn't dissonant to the general atmosphere of the fights, and suited it quite nicely actually. The rest of the background music went unnoticed.
There are two different ops: the first one was a standard shounen op, the second seemed to be from the Blink 182 of Japan. I thought the ending songs were actually better: the first one is a real challenge for any karaoke fans, the second stays in the head all day.

Enjoyment-9/10
Code Geass is enjoyable as it doesn't pretend to be something that it's not: sure, it has a crazy plot, everyone has neon hair and school boys piloting giant robots doesn't even turn heads. But that's the fun in it! Anime is supposed to be pure escapism, something often forgotten by those craving more and more realistic plots. As soon as you let go of any pretensions, Code Geass becomes a very fun ride indeed: it is bright, with many twists and turns and leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction when it's finished.

**SPOILER FREE REVIEW OF BOTH SEASONS OF THE SHOW**

There is nothing that I enjoy more than a well-written, intellectually stimulating anime; they are by far my favorite kind of show to watch. Evangelion, for example, is one of my favorite anime of all time. Before watching Code Geass, I was told that it would fall into that same sort of boat and that it would entertain me while making me think simultaneously. While it certainly entertained me and I enjoyed it quite a bit, I would like to make it clear that this is not what I would call an intellectual anime, not even to ... the same extent as its oft-compared counterpart "Death Note". Let's be honest here; at its core, Code Geass is still a show about giant robots fighting each other in a battle where the biggest and best one wins (*cough, White Knight, *cough). It's overly theatrical, can be pretentious at times, and has a few inconsistencies with its plot… But I still love it for what it is.

Story: 8/10
Synopsis: A boy named Lelouch is secretly the long lost heir to the Holy Brittanian Empire; a planetary superpower who rules over inferior countries with tyranny and an iron fist using advanced robotic technology called "Knightmares". Lelouch was exiled from his homeland and sent to live in Japan, which has basically been turned into a Giant ghetto under the rule of the Empire who look down on the Japanese and treat them as sub-human. Lelouch holds a harsh grudge against his father, the King, who exiled him, and so he vows to destroy his father's mighty empire.

How much you enjoy the story-line of Code Geass really relies on how seriously you take it. To elaborate on that, here is an example of what I mean: In the very first episode, Lelouch receives the power of "Geass", a power that allows him to bind anyone to his will and gives him the power to order anyone to do anything he wants. With a power such as that, it is inevitable that a few plot-holes arise. There are a few shortcuts that Lelouch could have taken using his power which he should have been able to figure out since he is portrayed as such a genius, but Geass luckily is able to avoid any show-wrecking plotholes and keeps them all relatively minor.

Anyway, the main strength of Geass' plot is that it simply knows how to get an audience invested in a story; it is written very, very well considering what they were going for. The writers were able to grip the audience from the very first episode and keep them on the edge of their seat for nearly the entire remainder of the show.

Code Geass deserves a lot of credit for focusing far more on the strategy and tactics of mecha battles rather then the fighting itself, which is one of the show's most redeeming qualities. At least, that is the case for the first season. The second season gets away from its roots bit and starts to divulge to the "Build a better robot! Beat the bad guys using brute force!" kind of story which is far less interesting. For that reason, I would definitely say that the middle part of season 2 is the worst stretch of the storyline.

However, it is certainly worth mentioning that Code Geass has an absolutely fantastic ending. Probably my favorite anime ending of all time. It can only be described using the far overused term, "epic". I wouldn't dare spoil it, but I truly wish that other anime would have the balls that Geass has in regards to not being afraid to risks in their storytelling.

So in conclusion, despite it's minor flaws, the big picture is that Code Geass' plot is impressively written and centered around a fantastic protagonist with supremely entertaining plot twists and an indescribably good ending. If you can look past the minor inconsistencies and the tendency for the show to over-exaggerate (which you should), you will have a blast watching Code Geass.

Art: 8/10
The characters look great, the settings look great, and the action scenes are very well animated. For an anime released in 2006, these are some very quality visuals.

Sound: 8/10
The OST is definitely the best part about the sound, as it never fails to set the mood. It is used to over exaggerate not-so-exciting scenes a bit too often though. The openings and endings are alright, but none of them really stand out. The voice acting is above average in both the sub and the dub, so you can watch whichever you prefer.

Characters: 8/10
The characters in Code Geass are great overall, in my opinion. To the show's credit, they all have very specific traits that make them recognizable and distinct, but Geass can struggle with inconsistent character behavior at times as well as one or two characters that are just very poorly written. But for such a large cast, these things are bound to happen.

Lelouch vi Brittania, the protagonist, deserves mention for being a masterfully written, extremely complex character and one of the most notable anti-heroes in all of media; not just anime. You love him at times, you hate him at times, you are constantly intrigued with his motives, and you are always in awe of his actions. Lelouch is compared to Yagami Light from Death Note often because they are both geniuses who are constantly involved in a cat-and-mouse game and because it is unclear whether they are heroes or villains. However, I think the real reason Lelouch is such a fantastic character is the ending to the anime. Everything you didn't understand about him is elucidated, particularly his motivations. It is incredibly hard to decide throughout Code Geass whether Lelouch is a hero or a villain; has he gone mad with power or is he still a force for justice? Well, lets just say the last episode gives you your answer in an EPIC fashion . Lelouch is in the running for my favorite anime character of all time, and I am not alone in that regard.

However, for every couple of great Code Geass characters, there is one who is not-so-great. CC , for example, is a character who is shrouded in mystery for a long time. She seems to add a lot to the anime at first with her level of intrigue, her unknown motivations, and her charm, but she receives little to no development at any point in either season, and the little that she does receive is very shoddy. CC is giant wasted opportunity. Don't get me started on Nina either. *shudder

There are many more great characters to talk about, but I can't possibly go over all of them. In short, there are a few bad characters in Geass and there a few things about the good ones that don't make sense, but the majority of the cast is very, very well done and most importantly; memorable.

Overall: 8/10
Is Code Geass perfect? No, not by any means, but watching it is incredibly fun and you owe it to yourself as an anime fan to watch it all the way through, even if it's just to say that you have and don't like it. I was on the edge of my seat essentially the whole time, the characters were likable, and the story-line is well written for the most part. I highly recommend Code Geass to all ages.

This is a long, detailed review so congrats if you can make it to the end.

Story 8:The series takes place in an alternate universe where Japan has been conquered by the “Holy Britannian Empire”, the world’s only superpower. Under Britannian rule, the native Japanese have been subjected to a cruel and oppressive foreign rule. At the heart of the conflict is the protagonist, Lelouch, who is a Britannian prince who hates the Empire. The story begins when he receives a special power from a mysterious girl.
What I appreciated most about the story was the moral complexity and ambiguity. Nothing is clear cut and everyone ... (who survives) undergoes a significant character change. It’s one of those morally grey narratives where it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Britannia is an evil empire, yes. I mean they ruthlessly execute Japanese civilians and their soldiers follow orders like Nazis, yet many of the series’ most likeable characters are Britannian students/citizens. The Japanese resistance on the other hand may stand for a noble, underdog cause, but they conduct terroristic bombings and execute Britannian hostages too. Ok, so who’s the “good guy”? If that’s an answer you need to have then this is not the anime for you.
The story is exciting and engaging and it definitely does a good job combining action with strategy and intrigue.

Characters 9: It’s rare and great when you have an anime that has exciting and well-developed characters along with a very cool plot. Often you have to choose between one or the other…or neither. Code Geass has both. The characters are complicated and don’t follow typical anime clichés.
One of the predominant themes that keeps surfacing is the challenge of fighting evil without becoming evil.
I’m reminded of a famous quote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago (which I was coincidentally reading at the time I watched this anime):
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
The protagonist, Lelouch, embodies this good/evil dichotomy. He is intelligent, self-righteous, ambitious, vicious and powerful. The viewer can’t help but respect him and his obsessive, driven personality. However, this admiration becomes progressively more uncomfortable for the viewer as Lelouch’s hands become bloodier and bloodier in his quest to eradicate the evil empire of Britannia. Can one fight evil without becoming corrupted? Is it wrong to kill in the name of a righteous cause? Are people guilty by association? What are the dangers of seeing the world in black and white? These are some of the questions that are explored in Lelouch’s journey and (in my humble opinion) allow the anime to transcend just being a cool story and, instead, give it some philosophical depth.
While Lelouch is the centerpiece, he is surrounded by very interesting characters too. And while these co-mains and supporting characters serve to give Lelouch more complexity, they are also very interesting and unique in their own right.
For example, when CC is rude or unreasonable it’s not part of some cutesy tsundere flirtation scheme…no, no, sometimes she can just be a major bitch…which is delightful to watch. Then there’s Suzaku, who I disliked at first for being a one of those over-powered, one-dimensional, annoying, simple-minded, pure-hearted idealists that pop up in anime so frequently, but even he turned out to be more complicated and flawed than I gave him credit for. And of course there’s Shirley, Episode 1: just the cheerful, preppy bimbo; Episode ???— Think again, she’s complicated too. Haha, I guess a good way to sum it up is that everyone in this anime has issues, which makes them interesting. And it’s through these unique characters that we get to see the different facets of Lelouch.

Art 9: the art is beautiful, from the action sequences to the futuristic/Victorian scenery to the characters themselves. The animation takes a very strange approach to depicting the human body. I noticed that most of the characters have very androgynous body frames and are usually tall and oddly slender. In faraway shots people look almost like well-drawn scarecrows. This isn’t good or bad but it’s unique. What’s not unique though is the absolutely shameless product placement. In an alternate universe where Britain rules the world, battles are fought using mechs and where magical powers shape the course of global events, only one thing remains constant…Pizza Hut. That’s right, kids eat Pizza Hut. CC eats it in 90% of the scenes she in and still manages to maintain that slender figure I was talking about earlier. And despite Pizza not even being Japanese or British, Pizza Hut still shows up on buildings, in parties, on desks and even as a password during a crucial moment. I was seriously waiting for the Mechs to start entering battles with NASCAR-style Pizza Hut logos slapped on their guns.

Sound 8: Catchy intro but not my favorite. None of the other music stood out in a big way for me.
Critiques:
At some point, every 17+ anime has to answer the simple question of how wrong is it to kill someone. Compare Elfen Lied and Psycho-Pass. Both are dark shows but Elfen Lied put very little moral weight on the masses of people Lucy slaughtered, and even portrayed her as a misunderstood and sympathetic character. Whereas, in Psycho-Pass, despite a great deal of violence and moral ambiguity, the death of a single anonymous person is still treated as something horrific, evil and thought-provoking. Code Geass is inconsistent and they kind of swing back and forth. Sometimes they’ll explore the psychological effects of a single death on different characters, but other times these same characters kill without so much as an afterthought and go on with their merry lives. I would have preferred more moral consistency.

Satisfaction/Overall 9: I was very satisfied with the first season. I'm looking forward to season 2.

Blood/gore: There is some. It’s not stylized or overdone but they are also not afraid to show death and violence.

Love/Romance: Lelouch develops special connections with a couple of girls throughout the series but the focus isn’t on developing a particular romance. As I said earlier, different characters = different sides of Lelouch and he’s able to interact with each of these girls in a different way. Likewise, these girls each see something different in him. I know it sounds weird but we bypass, a lot (but not all) of the jealousy/love-triangle/harem stuff despite everyone going to the same school. In my opinion, this is largely because these girls see Lelouch’s obsession with achieving his goal (rather than each other) as their greatest rival.

Sex/nudity: While there’s a fair amount of fan service in the form of “whoops, I didn’t realize I was naked”, there were a few (usually non-graphic) ‘mature situations’ where I had to ask myself what the fuck did I just hear/see? Seriously Nina, wtf…