Reviews

With high rating come high expectations. Code Geass, being one of the most popular and high rated anime series, have ignited my interest even though I'm not really a fan of shounen mecha. And well, at first I was really disappointed with its abrupt and clumsy commencement of the plot. The story of Code Geass, despite being impressive with its intricacy and "wow factor", doesn't make much sense and is based mostly on happy and unhappy coincidences. I know that a good and captivating plot is what matters the most, but not at the expense of elementary logic! Still, I can't say it is bad, quite the opposite it's charming as hell with its anti-hero-tactical-genius-morally-ambiguous protagonist and numerous twists and turns.

I'm not proud of it, but I like my anime pretty. I like pretty images, pretty characters, backgrounds and whatnot. Code Geass is not pretty, oh no, it's not. Even though the animation itself and visual effects are top-notch, character design is just terrible. I know it's a cartoon, but give me a break, these are not human proportions. The soundtrack is quite good with some interesting jazz and orchestral influences, but the opening and ending themes almost made my ears explode with how unsuitable for the show they were. Who picks this stuff?

Characters are what Code Geass is first and foremost about. Their beliefs, conflicts, loves and alliances determine the flow of the story. The protagonist is obviously the most detailed and complex figure, full of conflict and brilliance boiling within. Still, the creators didn't avoid some painful absurdities. On one hand they struggle to create a story based on tactics, politics and the main character's reasoning, but on the other hand they fail to provide the supporting characters with even a pinch of intelligence. (SPOILER ALERT!) How could they all fail to recognize Lelouch by his voice or silhouette is still beyond my comprehension. (/SPOILER ALERT!)

CONCLUSION
A very good yet a bit overrated anime, with a captivating yet at times painfully contrived story and intriguing main character.