Review of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Code Geass is one of the most successful original anime ever produced, if not the most successful. It's certainly well-known enough, even among people who don't watch anime. I imagine that most people, including myself, came upon Code Geass because of people recommending it, saying that it's "like Death Note but with giant robots." Here I thought the point of creating an original show was so that it could stand on its own; that it wasn't in the shadow of a best-selling novel or manga that everyone would automatically agree was more powerful and had more depth. But, almost comically, even though Code Geass cameout before the Death Note anime, it's still kind of stuck in its shadow. Which is weird, because it's better than Death Note in every way, including the music.

I don't want to give credence to the idea that Code Geass is similar to Death Note in this review, or even that it's a better version of Death Note. Code Geass is a work that stands on its own, stands for different values, and fails for very different reasons. But I'll get the comparisons out of the way for the sake of the rest of this review. Lelouch is a high school kid who is plotting to rebel against a powerful empire out of vengeance. Light is a high school kid who is plotting to kill all of the criminals in his country so that he can "become God" by generating so much fear that no one will commit a crime out of fear of immediate death. Both protagonists are doing something ostensibly good but with unsavory motivations, but Light is trying to become a dictator, and is arguably already a dictator by the second episode, while Lelouch is trying to take down a dictatorship, and secondarily create a better world for his sister. Oh, and they both have sisters who are big, gigantic plot devices and easy pickings for hostages. Oh, and their identities are both concealed as masked vigilantes.

I could go on and on about the similarities and differences between the two series, but I'm going to leave it here and just say that Code Geass cares about its characters, has much more world-building, and Lelouch consistently has to get his hands dirty. Death Note, on the other hand, is more about the schemes than anything else. But, yes, let's talk about how Code Geass's storytelling slowly gets you attached to the characters, but also how it creates an almost constant smog of intrigue about Lelouch's enemies and the world itself.

Lelouch is thrust into a terrorist situation from episode 1, forced to use both his smarts and his newly-gifted geass to escape from a brutally unfair situation that a peaceful and respectful country would never have found him in. Finally given the ability to challenge Britannia for its past wrongs and its current brutal leadership, Lelouch realises that he has to do something. He and his sister can't live peacefully in a country that's constantly at war with itself. So, partially for his dreadful past, and partially for a bright future, Lelouch takes up the mantle and wages his own war against Britannia by allying himself with the current rebellion.

Lelouch is a character that grows and changes beautifully throughout R1. Right from the beginning, he is given a clear and commendable motive for his actions, which allows the viewer to side with him immediately. But Code Geass also shows his life at school, as a normal person, to contrast with the martyr-esque war he's assigned himself. Because under it all, Lelouch just wants to be happy, and he wants his sister and his friends to be happy, too. There's a constant push-and-shove between Lelouch's school life and Zero's rebellion against Britannia that helps characterise and humanise him, and is also full of some good comedy. When Lelouch's best-friend-and-nemesis Suzaku shows up in school, they're shown to still be great friends with a lot of respect for each other, which suitably muddies the waters. Whether you side with Lelouch's hardline approach or Suzaku's upending the system from the inside, we're given reasons to doubt and rally for both sides. Lelouch is even brought to question his own motives and strategies morally.

There are a number of subplots (thankfully few that are romantic) that succeed in adding depth to characters like Kallen and other foot soldiers on both sides of the war. One thing I have to commend Code Geass for is its ability to create and maintain a fairly large cast without reducing too many of them to glorified plot devices. Code Geass also handles its politics well enough to be entertaining without going too deep into it. There's the constant sense of tension and oppression that rules over even the school, but is never addressed until Lelouch becomes Zero. It's the sense that the world is held together with duct tape, which adds a lot of credence to the rebellion. Oh, and did I forget to mention C.C.? Because she's one of the best aspects of the series, from her hilarious lines to her dramatic ones. ("Do you know why snow is white?") She's a constant reminder to Lelouch that he's not the only one who has a stake in this rebellion, and he's not even the only one driving it. Code Geass is saying that this is bigger than Lelouch and his sister. That's where the heart of the series comes from.

Unfortunately, if we're going to keep talking about characters, we also have to talk about the bad ones. The ones that Code Geass uses only to make a point, or establish a motive. Respectively, that's Princess Euphemia and Nunally, Lelouch's sister. Princess Euphemia is not much of a character. She's a set of ideologies and a cute face for Suzaku to drool over, and her story is told in the most asinine way, without any respect for her as a character. I can't really elaborate on what I mean by that without spoiling anything significant, but the show always acts as if her ideas are completely unworkable and naive, from beginning to end, even as Lelouch starts to agree with them. A token gesture does not an altered world make.

And then there's Nunally, who is kind and soft-spoken, but also terribly naive and innocent and never given any time to breathe as an actual character. We're told constantly that Lelouch is "doing it for her", and that it's the only reason he's able to stay on track morally, but we're never given any reason to care about her. Rarely does Lelouch even talk to his own sister beyond pretty words and constant lies. We hardly know anything about her, perhaps because there isn't much to know about her. She's used almost solely in R1 as a motive for Lelouch, and a moral anchor, but we're never given any good reason to see her as such. It's only the concept of Nunally that's important, because Nunally herself is flat and boring, and kind of annoying in her naivety at times.

On the other side of the spectrum, Kallen is one of the best characters in R1. She's kind of a simple character, but she's strong because of how well-written she is. Kallen is also a moral anchor for Lelouch; a reminder of why he's doing all of this, and essentially his second-in-command. The show uses Kallen very effectively to convey the idea that it's not who you are, but how you act and what you believe in that matters - which is the approach she takes with Zero, as well. Code Geass gives her an admirable amount of focus in comparison to a lot of other secondary characters, which I think is one of the main strengths of R1. The way Lelouch and Kallen become close allies is one of the best subplots in the entire show, because it's very clear why and how it's happening, and it's a hilarious and enjoyable ride all the way there.

Suzaku is...an interesting character. He's definitely one of the hardest to like because of how naive and simplistic his ideas tend to be, especially toward the beginning of the series. But as the series goes on and he gets more confident in his values and ethics, he becomes a more interesting character. He's the B-plot that the show likes to check in on now and again to give us an idea of what the hell the state is doing and why. As a plot device, he's pretty good. Because he does have his own, self-contained narrative along with providing some much needed insight about the other side. He grows as a character, and has a few conflicts of his own, but you get the feeling that he's really just a foil for Lelouch and he isn't given enough attention for you to really care about. Whereas Lelouch has his friends at school to anchor him to normal life, Suzaku doesn't really have any of that. He's a soldier first and foremost. His school life only becomes important when Lelouch is in the picture, which is unfortunate, because I think there was some room for development there. I guess Suzaku would normally be the protagonist in this kind of mecha series, but it's not really apparent because he isn't surrounded by a bunch of other more vibrant personalities until R2.

I briefly mentioned earlier how Code Geass handles its politics fairly well, but doesn't go particularly in-depth or anything, but I might have been off the mark a bit when I said that. Suzaku is the vehicle that Code Geass uses to explore all of the bizarre and sometimes, surprisingly well-founded politics of Britannia. Siuzaku is the perfect character for this, too, because he directly opposes the ideas and philosophies of Britannia, but he slowly comes to understand why they are the way they are when he's in a position of power. I like how it's told subtly and not monologued about ad nauseum, and every character's viewpoint is explained over the course of R1. All, except for the emperor, of course.

There are also a few minor characters that added some more life and comedy to the series, like the mad scientist who occasionally dispense's life advice from a man who's seen it all to Suzaku, questioning and moulding his values. Or the class president, who is frequently treated as a figurehead who wants more in life, but can't have it despite her position. It's a nice, small subplot about why positions of power aren't always convenient. She also has some nice interactions with Lelouch and the gang, and she's one of the main reasons Lelouch's school life is so enjoyable to watch. And there's Rivalz, who only exists because there would only be girls in Lelouch's high school otherwise. In fairness, the series does address Lelouch basically ignoring him all the time, so he does at least have a stake in the series, even if he's one of the most unimportant side characters in Code Geass. Oh, and I almost forgot that one character I can't remember the name of and can only refer to as table-chan. She's a big nuisance, and also has the worst character arc in the series. But you can safely ignore her, because she has no real impact on anything.

Oh, and there's Shirley, actually. She's meant to represent the common public that get caught up in the political mess that is Britannia. She's just trying to do her best to live her life, but Britannia is not making that easy for her. Right, and she's also romantically attracted to Lelouch and there's some focus on that but it's not really focused on much in comparison to everything else, so you might as well just ignore it. She serves her role, but isn't much of an interesting character. Most often she's just a maiden in love or a damsel in distress, but she does have her moments - and, specifically, one moment in R2. She's a minor major character who is just kind of there to hold the plot together.

Lastly, we've got Jeremiah Gottwald, who might be the most on-the-nose character in Code Geass. He's initially presented as an elitist commander who only sees value in Brittanian soldiers and civilians. On the flip side, he's loyal to the core and actually has one of the most entertaining and dramatic character arcs in the series, despite being the butt of a lot of jokes in the early parts of R1. I watched Code Geass in the English Dub, and his voice actor is amazing and hilarious. He's the small-time 'villain' that Zero humiliates in order to make a name for himself, and is a perfect representation of what an elitist system results in. It's great fun whenever he's on screen, and what kind of plots he's cooking up this time.

Since I've spent so much time talking about the characters of this series (and believe me, the series spends a lot of time working on them too, which I really appreciate), I'd like to direct your focus back to the plot. This series has essentially every major side with a stake in the politics of Britannia represented by its entourage of characters, and it makes good use of them. What's astounding is that there are almost no strawmen in this parade of ideologies, with Euphemia being the most dumbed-down viewpoint. Code Geass explores a multitude of themes, ideas and arguments throughout the series, but frankly, I hardly even noticed the political angle when I watched it the first time and still enjoyed this show immensely. That's because Code Geass somehow manages to not beat you over the head with all of these parading ideologies but still gives them the time of day to properly examine and represent them in today's Black Knight act of terror and rebellion against the state of Britannia.

I've come to the conclusion that the reason Code Geass manages not to be boring with its political explorations is because of the personal stakes that Lelouch has in the game and his relationship with these characters. He's both the everyman, and a royal prince. He's seen both sides of the coin (except for the elevens, because they're not a part of the game at all as far as Britannia is concerned, which is the reason for most of the conflict in the anime), so he can sympathise in ways other people wouldn't be able to fathom, and understand when someone is just trying to rig the game in their favour. But it's also because Lelouch says: "Look, I don't really care all that much about politics. I just want to destroy the empire of Britannia for what it did to me and my sister when we were royals, and what it's doing to us now that we're nobody. And these elevens are the perfect vehicle to use to execute my plans."

But, inevitably, he gets caught up in the politics because he is, of course, championing a cause for the disaffected elevens, and so has to tailor his plans in a way that will make both them and him happy. Things get a bit complicated when the elevens are very motivated to do something that Lelouch personally would hate for them to do. Things get more complicated when Suzaku is piloting the Knightmare (haha) that's constantly getting in Lelouch's way. Things get even more complicated as more and more people with varying political interests and stakes get wrapped up in his personal crusade for revenge. Also, Lelouch comes up with some complicated and clever schemes that are more for the showmanship than practicality, but are nonetheless entertaining as hell to watch. These schemes also escalate in complexity and ridiculousness as the series goes on, resulting in some truly awful schemes in R2, but we're talking about R1. Which, for the most part, is solid in terms of scheming.

Now, I don't have any problem with the way the story is structured, or even the conflict that Lelouch gets dragged into. Most of it is comedic, poignant, or sorely needed to question Lelouch's drive and morality. It all serves Lelouch's character beautifully. Gosh, that lovable disowned prince-turned-clever-student-turned-rebel-leader can't get a break, can he? I actually really love how interconnected but still easy-to-understand Code Geass manages to make it for the viewer. There's more stuff in the background if you look, but you don't have to pay attention to it if you're just looking for a fun and gripping ride. What I do have a problem with, however, is some of the conflicts themselves. Especially - you guessed it - Princess Euphemia's altercation.

This is really the turning point for Lelouch's character, and I love how they've written him all throughout the conflict. He's proud of what he's accomplished, thinks he's doing completely the right thing, and still wants to be a part of the world that all his friends are a part of, and also include Euphemia in it. He largely shares her values, but she's offering a peaceful solution that satisfies his primary motivation without any more bloodshed. And it's logistically sound, too, as far as Lelouch is concerned (I personally think it's kinda dumb and easily criticised, but eh). But if Lelouch is to accept Euphemia's terms, then everything he's done will have been for naught, and he doesn't get his revenge either.

So far, so good. But then THAT scene plays out. In some ways, I like it, because it reveals a number of very good things about Lelouch's character, but in many other ways, I think it's cliche, overly convenient, and really dodges the main question of the arc. It's just really, really dumb. Way to ruin what was set up to be the best arc in the entire first half of the series. Ugh.

Aside from that one conflict, I think every other major conflict ranges from serviceable to pretty good. It's suitably dramatic, suitably comedic, and gripping and addicting all the way through. There are, as I mentioned before, a number of subplots that come up at the perfect time to break up the main story and build on the existing characters some more so that we're move invested when we return to the main plot. R1 is about the first third of the full Code Geass story, because R2 rushes to the finish line toward the end. As a natural consequence, R1 ends on perhaps one of the most infamous cliffhangers possible. That doesn't really matter 11 years later, because we have access to both seasons in full, but it did matter for R2. But we're not talking about that in this review. Just thought I'd mention it.

Somehow, I've left the art and music to the end again. The art is...highly stylized in comparison to other anime of the era. You may have noticed the pointy chins. They are, indeed, very pointy. Some more than others. Lelouch, of course, has the pointiest chin, being the sharpest of the bunch. In seriousness, though, I was surprised to see that the art style really shines in dramatic moments in ways that series with more realistic art styles can't. I'm really attached to the CLAMP-esque art style, myself, but it's much easier to get used to if you don't like it then, say, Aku no Hana's low-budget rotoscoping. The character designs are pretty different from most anime, predominately because Britannia is a place with a lot of British people. There's one reason why this anime makes more sense in the English Dub; why would the British conquerors learn and use Japanese as their primary language? Maybe that's addressed somewhere, but regardless, these are some of the characters with the best design: Lelouch, Kallen, C.C., Zero. They're still distinctly Japanese, just with a more European touch. The costuming is unique enough that I actually remember it in comparison to most other anime I've watched. In a good way - mostly. Zero's outfit is ridiculous without being tacky, fortunately, because we're going to be seeing a lot of it.

The OST for Code Geass is one of the most unique and immediately great I've come across in anime. Unlike the art style, I think most anime fans can appreciate the music for being more cinematic than usual (especially Madder Sky) and is a great accompaniment to this largely sombre, action-packed, dramatic, comedic, and politically-fueled pre-modern knightmare that is Code Geass. Also, I don't really have any basis for saying this, as I haven't seen the Japanese dub, but the English dub is better. I can't imagine Lelouch with any other voice. Johnny Yong Bosch nails it. There's no need to say anything about the OP. It's iconic. It's great. Moving on.

I'm not really sure where or how to end this, but I guess in keeping with the theme of giant cliffhangers, R2 ruins most of the things that makes Code Geass good. Tune in next time.