Overview:
"Code Geass" is one of the shows that really got me into anime. I had heard plenty of good things about it beforehand so, needless to say, I went into the series with high expectations. And I am happy to say I was not disappointed. I was hooked from the very first episode, watched the entire series through to the end and loved every minute of it throughout both seasons. With its fantastic characters, interesting setting and brilliant strategy elements, "Code Geass" is an amazing story about how far one will go to change the world and is absolutely a 'must-see'.
Story & World (9.5/10):
"Code Geass" is set in an alternate timeline where the world is controlled by three superpowers: the Britannian Empire, the European Union and the Chinese Federation and takes place seven years after the Britannians have conquered the Japanese (or as people now call them "Elevens"). At the centre of the plot is our anti-hero Lelouch vi Britannia, an former prince who was exiled by his father to Japan with his disabled sister Nunnally and is determined to one day seek vengeance on his country and make the world a better place for his sister. One day, after getting caught up in a terrorist attack, Lelouch has the key to his goal handed to him on a silver platter- Geass, a mysterious power that is best described as affecting the minds of others- in Lelouch's case, it gives him the ability to control people's minds. With this power and his cunning, Lelouch soon forms a group called the Black Knights in order to end the Emperor's tyrannical rule once and for all.
Some may dismiss "Code Geass" as a mecha anime but that really isn't the case. It's actually just a military anime that just happens to have mechs in it. The focus of the battles in the series is strategy, not mechs and the show can go for several episodes at a time without any mech battles at all. You may think that having the ability to control people's actions and wills makes Lelouch invincible but the truth is anything but as his Geass has plenty of limitations, such as only working once on each person. As a result, Lelouch has to rely on a lot more than Geass and thankfully he's an expert at manipulation and tactics, but even then he still loses or fails quite a few times.
The story is brilliant- as the plot develops it shows Lelouch gradually facing the consequences of his actions and how they affect those around him. The setting is also quite unique- while alternate timelines have been done before, this could very well be the best one I've seen. Sure, there is the occasional hiccup (did anyone like the infamous deus ex machina in reverse?), but overall the story is really compelling and kept me hooked to the end. And speaking of which, I'd also like to say this has easily one of the best endings to an anime I have yet to see.
Art and Animation (9/10):
"Code Geass" overall looks really good. The characters and environments are well drawn and the effects are fantastic. While there is fanservice, it's not particularly noticeable and never shove-in-your-face. Sometimes, however, the character models can look really weird when up close when you see how oddly skinny they look as well as the strange noses. The textures can also be quite dull at times. These don't keep the art from being solid but they can be distracting.
Sound & Dialogue (9/10):
The soundtrack is good, but not outstanding. It fits the series, but it tends to just blend in to the background most of the time. The opening and ending themes are quite good but not exactly memorable. Nevertheless, there are some really good tracks to be found here, especially in the last few episodes. The real attraction here, however, is the voice acting. The dub features a brilliant cast including Johnny Yong Bosch, Yuri Lowenthal, Karen Strassman and Crispin Freeman and they give nothing less than their usual energy. The dialogue is also fantastic, with the most noteworthy line being said three times in the series by Lelouch himself and is pretty much the lesson of the entire show: "The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed."
Yeah, I could go on forever listing how many villains should have learned that lesson before going on a crazed rampage.
Characters (9.5/10):
The characters are amazing. I could go all day explaining why I love them but I'll just keep it simple. For a cast that pretty much consists of anti-heroes and villains (not including all the neutral characters), there is an awful lot of diversity to be found here. The amount of character development is the series is huge- some characters you hated at first you may like by the end and vice-versa, though the latter isn't exactly a good thing.
We'll take a look at the main characters: Suzaku, for example, is the best friend of Lelouch but also works for the Britannians despite the fact that they dominated his country. He comes off as a hypocrite and a horrible judge of character but the last few episodes may just change your opinion of him. There's also Kallen, a member of the Black Knights and pretty much Lelouch's powerhouse. While she's not the best character in the series in my opinion, she is definitely the most badass and there are no less than two scenes where she's naked but not unarmed (you read that right). Another noteworthy character is Lelouch's little sister, Nunnally. While not exactly a protagonist, she is pretty much Lelouch's motivation for making the world a better place as he wishes for her to be happy. For someone who can't see or walk, she is hardly ever in a bad mood and is painfully sweet and huggable. It really is no wonder Lelouch loves her so much.
My favourite characters, however, are Lelouch himself and C.C., the mysterious woman who gave him his powers. I consider Lelouch in particular to be the ultimate definition of an anti-hero as far as anime go. The first episode alone establishes him as the chessmaster, the guy who will get his hands dirty to help a stranger without a second thought, the genius who appears to have an encyclopaedia jammed in his brain and the well-intentioned extremist he's about to become. He is also far from your average terrorist in that he's fully aware of the kind of person he is. While he is determined to destroy Britannia, he never has any delusions that he's doing the right thing. He even outright admits to being a hypocrite several times. Over the series, he develops a huge guilt complex which, if I were to explore in detail, would spoil the entire show. He always sticks to the quote I mentioned above and is perfectly willing to face the consequences for his actions at any given time. However, this does not stop him from ever giving up. C.C. is also really compelling and loved her very nearly as much as I did Lelouch. She may come across as very serious, but she has several odd quirks such as her fascination with pizza. She also has a very complicated backstory and the episodes that explore this are some of my favourite in the series. She is also the only character in the series who can match Lelouch word-for-word, and the banter between them is easily some of the best in the series.
The villains in the series leave a little to be desired, as many of them don't get as much screentime as they could have or have very convoluted plots, the Emperor included. One guy is made out to be Lelouch's worst possible enemy only to be killed off a few episodes later. However, I've always liked heroes a lot more than I do villains so this didn't bother me that much. Of course, for villain enthusiasts, this could certainly prove to be a problem.
Enjoyment (10/10):
I looked back over the series quite recently and I was amazed by the incredible amount of re-watch value the series had. I was never once bored during the series and it was never too much to handle. There were always some great surprises and the end left me truly satisfied. Long story short, I can say that I easily enjoyed it all.
Overall:
"Code Geass" is one of the best animes I've seen so far. It's got great set-pieces, fantastic character development and a very compelling and touching story with a truly perfect ending, as well as (in my opinion) the greatest anti-hero anime has ever given us. I would highly recommend this series to everyone, especially those who are looking for a show that will really get them into anime. Just don't expect every anime to match the standards of this one.
Score:
9.5+9+9+9.5+10=47/50=9.4/10
