It begins somewhat in character to overall Code Geass and showcase what have happened elsewhere in the world while Lelouch was busy with his Black Rebellion.
In fact it even finds a clever way of inserting some of the main characters into the show, even though they only play a minor role.
Knighmare Alexander that all the main characters are using is cleverly designed and overall makes a good fit into the Code Geass world.
However while first two episodes are still mostly faithful to the original, the third is somewhat transitional and the lest two completely veer off into their own direction and tell their own, not always cohesive story.
The way Geass works for example is different from the original and it gets increasingly noticeable in the later episodes.
In Hangyaku no Lelouch each geass user has a unique to them power, that is a reflection of their innermost wishes as well as unique to each of them limits on such powers.
For example Mao's geass allows him to read other people's thoughts while they are in range and Lelouch's to force them to do anything he orderes them to, but just once. As for limitations Lelouch's geass only can only work on each of his targets once and he has to be able to look them directly into the eyes and not say through the display and cameras in their knightmares. In contrast Mao's geass does not have these limitations and affects everyone within half kilometer radius from him.
Akito the Exiled geass users have neither concrete powers not concrete rules of usage. By episode 5 geass is just used as deus ex machina for scrip writers to pull whatever.
While early on Akito the Exiled showcased the life in EU and Euro Britannia, later story became about about authors own values and philosophy of life they wish to sell us.
Overall story mostly revolves around Leila Malcal and everyone else acts as her support, the final episode is about main antagonist Shin Hyuga and pretty much the entire cast is used to stop him from destroying Pendragon and killing everyone.
This unlike the original, here authors want to make a dichotomy between death represented by Hyūga and Life represented by Leila and those who ended up on her side.
Hangyaku no Lelouch and Akito the Exiled have ultimately the opposite views on lfe and values.
The original Hangyaku no Lelouch was about fighting for justice against the unjust system and the unjust world. It clashes this worldview with that of Suzaku but ultimately lets Lelouch's vision to prevail.
However it is also an ultimate tale of battle for one's inner personal happiness, even if the entire world oppose you.
The main protagonist continually defies fate at every turn and twist of his life no matter what happens. It is a story about fight against fate. The story of Ubermensch if you want.
In contrast Akito the Exiled at first endorses monarchy, aristocracy and military dictatorship as 'stronger' systems. Then continues on to endorse basically pacifism, acceptance of fate and saving human lives above all else.
If in the Hangyaku no Lelouch Charles wanted to kill god and Lelouch later geassed god into obeying his vision for the future.
Then in Akito some mysterious girl just acts as a representative of some sort of 'higher power' and fixes the final outcomes of the plot. Not only it is a poor lazy writing, but also a values statement on existance of the said 'higher power', something like a god, the kind of god who is 'a bearded old man on a cloud or a winged goddess' to quote VV from Hangyaku no Lelouch who also said there is no such thing.
It is a story about surrender and acceptance of fate to save lives. And about miserable existence that follows.
There is also underlying message of guilt for being a human. Overall story about being the Nietzschean Last Man and living a medieval lifestlye in some wooden wagon on wheels, drawing water from river with buckets and such. No seriously. How could Code Geass devolve into that is a mystery even for me.
Overall it is a mixed and dubious experience so consider if it is right for you.
