BLOOD WORK: SUSPENDED ANIMATION: CODE GEASS - LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION (2006)

CODE GEASS - LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION (2006)

Way back in 2011 I was told by a friend that I needed to watch Code Geass. They even went as far as to say that it was their favorite anime of all time. I should've watched it back then, but for some reason I didn't (I kinda fell off of anime for a time and that was during that period). But when someone says something is an all time favorite, going so far as to say it's one of the best animes ever, you either listen or you don't. Well, I didn't listen... and I should've.

As time marched on, the name Code Geass kept cropping up here and there in greatest animes of all time conversations, keeping the name present in my mind. Finally, at long last, I experienced my anime renaissance and it occurred within the last two years. Yeah, I was watching Castlevania on Netflix (that's not anime though, it's American animation in the style of anime). And then there's Devilman which has long kept my anime pulse steadily beating for years.

But the two animes that reignited my passion were AKAME GA KILL! and FOOD WARS: SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA. These two reminded me of what anime can do that nothing else can. Akame ga Kill! was told so well and gripped me like great anime classics of the past have. And Food Wars completely blindsided me. I'm not much for comedy outside of the 80s and even less so with anime (although I do love Tenchi Muyo). But I fell head over heels in love with Food Wars, its characters, and its humor.

More animes followed and I found more that I loved, thinking to myself, "Why did I ever stop watching?" Eventually this led me back to Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. And the question I asked above was only further reinstated. Why did I take so long to watch Code Geass?

To put it bluntly, I loved Code Geass! From Sunrise Studios, the same studio that brought us such greats as Mobile Suit Gundam and Outlaw Star, Code Geass is another wonderful feather in their cap. This anime lived up to its reputation brilliantly; a masterclass in anime.

THE PLOT

In an alternative 2017, the world has nearly been seized by the empire of Britannia. Japan is now the last area of land on the globe resisting Britannia's rule, with a rebellion on the rise. Fate intervenes when a young Britannian by the name of Lelouch Lamperouge meets a bizarre green haired girl. This girl passes an otherworldly power to him, allowing him to control the minds of whomever he sees with but a look. The rebellion against Britannia and the fate of the world hangs in the balance as Lelouch uses his new power to change the course of history.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

One of my formative animes was none other than MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING aired on Cartoon Network in the late 90s or early 2000s. That anime had a profound effect on me that still grips me to this day. Code Geass takes everything great about Gundam Wing and ages it up a bit. Code Geass feels like a more mature version of Gundam Wing, a Gundam Wing for an older me. There's a young attractive and compelling cast of characters, giant robots like Gundams, political intrigue, and all out world war (everything I've loved about Gundam Wing).

Naturally, I fell for this anime almost instantly. The designs were composed by the group CLAMP, a popular creative team that has churned out some incredible manga and anime over the last several decades (including one of my favorite anime series "X." The women of CLAMP imbue this show with stunning looking characters and a unique and attractive aesthetic that is wonderful to watch. The mech suit designs are unique and interesting, evoking a distinctive European Knights feel. Visually, this show fires on every front, both the characters and the robots being beautiful to watch.

Perhaps the most stunning element of this show is the layout out of the story. The use of Lelouch's Geass power and that of the other Geass users is nothing short of masterful. There were episodes that were literally jaw-dropping for me. There were narrative moments where I stopped to reverse engineer how the writers set such an incredible moment into play. And the writers not only do this once, but multiple times throughout the show, almost all to great effect. It's rare storytelling that showcases detailed planning and perfect execution. Either that or I was so drawn into the show that I was too engrossed to see what was happening. Whichever way you look at it is a high compliment to the show.

Q1 - Kallen Kozuki, maybe the best character in the show!

THE VERDICT

I've watched a few shows like Code Geass, some of those shows are legendary (Gundam Wing, Evangelion, Escaflowne, ect.) so I'm not as attracted to the mech suit - giant robot animes like I used to be. But Code Geass drew me in and hooked me just as much as these others. Through the incredible designs of the characters and mechs from CLAMP to the wonderful animation and expert storytelling, I loved Code Geass through and through and look forward to watching it again.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 2 out of 10