Then I watched Code Geass. Then I figured out why they were so surprised at me. Code Geass doesn't just pass as some standard animé title; Code Geass is a story of epic proportions, with a lead character who you'd probably least expect to be one of your future favorite characters, nonetheless one of the most celebrated characters in animé history--or animation history, in general.
Code Geass presents itself as a cut above the rest; after all, you don't get to watch shows about anti-hero leads frequently. You don't get to watch anti-hero leads with mechas frequently, either. Code Geass manages to mix two genres, already detail-heavy on their own, and still come out as a masterpiece definitely deserving of the numerous awards already awarded to it. Here's why.
Story, for a short review, is simply amazing. Lelouch Lamperouge, our lead here, is as outstanding as he gets. Not only is he the perfect anti-hero, he's also the vice-president of his school student council. Code Geass meshes the two facets of his life--as a student and as a rebellious individual--and turns it into an orchestrated story which blurs the line between the two distinctly different faces of his daily life. Bring that with an initial premise as revolutionary as it is amazing, and you get a story that spans ideals and beliefs. You never thought an animé would ever get this deep a story. At least I did.
Art doesn't fall behind the story. CLAMP didn't fail in implementing their already unique style to the already unique story. This joint effort results in an animation truly a cut above the rest. Mecha designs rival those of the famous Gundam series. Code Geass seemingly overflows with creativity in both story and design. It's just like in a picture I saw on the net about Code Geass. Expectations: Cardcaptor Sakura + Japan; Reality: Death Note + Gundam. To whoever made this, well played.
The melodies present in this series truly augments to the high tensions and the mellow moments present in the story. I don't usually download animé soundtracks, but Code Geass is the first exception. I've downloaded a few others after it, but Code Geass will always be the first. Opening and ending themes are also excellent. FLOW's "COLORS" and Ali Project's "Yuukyou Seishunka" make for great first opening and ending themes, respectively. I'll leave it to you guys to find out the other opening and ending theme.
And here comes Code Geass' strongest aspect: character. You can easily rename this series as "Lelouch Lamperouge" and everyone probably wouldn't mind (though as a side note, its subtitle is "Lelouch of the Rebellion"). The story circles around Lelouch's development as an anti-hero and how he manages to blend it in with his everyday life. The story also shows how his family and friends slowly adapt to his peculiar tendencies in everyday life, and how his fellow revolutionaries slowly learn how he acts as a leader. Code Geass, above anything else, is about human emotional growth. That's my opinion, because I believe that each character's development is responsible for the great story this animé possesses.
I rarely give perfect 10s for any animé I rate. Yet somehow, I find myself in awe of what this show delivers to me. It goes beyond simple viewing and watching--it's a experience. Code Geass takes you to stories where you find yourself sympathizing with the characters, especially Lelouch. It's even more astounding to think that this show has a sequel.
