brock.lynch - 2013-09-03 02:07:07

Code Geass - Spoiler-free review

Code Geass, a pretty famous anime which everyone has been talking about and praising. Since I never watched Code Geass before, (even though I should have) I decided to watch it because of how popular it's fan-base was...and because I was peer-pressured to by my friends and everyone else on the internet. And I was not disappointed (except for the ending).

Story: 8/10
The story is about our young protagonist, Lelouch, just your average high school student, with the exception of being extremely smart. He gain's a special power called geass, who ever makes I contact with him is under his command. Andhe often uses it for strategy in battles, mind games, or even to sneak into a girl's room. The story mainly focuses on war and how it could feel like. Overall, the story started off a bit slow for me but quickly changed into intense action sences, strategic plots and mind-blowing events. The story would have been a 10 out of 10, but the ending was really bad in my opinion and there were some really important questions I really wanted to know that got left unanswered, but I guess that's why there's season 2. Hopefully I get the chance to watch it.

Art/Animation: 8/10
The art style for Code Geass was a pretty original style that I didn't really think fitted into with it's story but was a great art style nevertheless. It's animation was great too, with fluid animation from start to finish, especially it's action scenes, it was really well done and looked amazing.

Sound: 9/10
The sound in Code Geass was spectacular, especially the first opening theme song, it's easily my favourite anime opening of all time. However, opening 2 takes the spot as my least favourite opening theme song of all time, It was so bad, it sounded like Rebecca Black had a sex change and was making a duo with Lil Wayne. Other than that, Opening 3 and all the ending theme songs sounded great. Also gotta give props to the soundtrack too, it made Code Geass only that much better with amazing battle music, to intense music that could give you goosebumps.

Character: 9/10
There are a lot of characters in Code Geass, most of them are great, if not amazing. All of them have different personalities and are very interesting character. Also it's has a lot of character development, especially from Lelouch, and Suzaku, both of them change a lot throughout the series for better and worse. Only a few characters weren't very useful and sometimes I question why they were in the story. Such as V.V. or Nina. Nina was a very weird character for me, she went from innocent, to psycho, to what appears to be having sex with a table in the dark, if you don't believe me, search it up.
Other than that, the characters are spot on!

Enjoyment: 9/10
I really liked Code Geass, Although it started off a little slow for me, It got into action quick. Every episode was very enjoyable to watch and kept me more than just entertained. How entertaining? More entertaining than cute cats playing pianos. After an episode ended, I just felt like I wanted to watch more. It's that good.

Overall, I think Code Geass is a amazing anime to watch and if you're looking for great story-telling (except the ending), awesome characters, and mind-bending moments, look no further, Code Geass is the anime for you! I'm ohhenry2, and I give Code Geass an awesome 9/10!

cornelius93 - 2013-08-20 19:16:39

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Review:

Firstly I would like to say that this review is for the entire series as a whole, NOT just for season 2. Now then....
I am not a fan of mecha. There, I said it. This was the main reason why I ignored all of the suggestions and decided to put off this show for so long. However, this decision of mine to put off this show was just plain stupid and I now realize why everyone likes this show. Code Geass has become one of my favorite shows of all time and has joined Clannad and Steins;Gate on the list of shows that I believe are truly on a different level from the rest.

Story 9/10:
Politics. The primary focus of the plot is politics. This is true with most shows in the mecha genre. However, Code Geass does not limit itself to just this focus. Code Geass dives into the morals of humans and the true nature of people. This is primarily seen with the main character Lelouch who is granted the ability to control other people that he makes eye contact with. With this power (and Lelouch's extremely high intelligence), Lelouch forms a rebel group known as the Black Knights to fight against the tyranny of Britannia. To add on to this, there are school life, and other non-war related plotlines that are well placed throughout the show to give you a break from the action. Now, before I watched this show I had already read about this, I thought I knew what the story was going to be like. I was wrong. The story isn't your typical rag tag group of kids trying to fight against an empire story. The story is about Lelouch. It's about Lelouch and his successes, struggles, mistakes, and changes. Although he basically IS the storyline, I will refrain from diving in further and go into more detail in the character section later. The story is one that is packed with plot twists and unexpected events (some admittedly can feel forced or leave plotholes, especially towards the end of season 2). This is more so in the first season, where the second season changes it up a bit and focuses more on the emotional aspect than the suspenseful one. Although the dynamic of the show changes between seasons, this change was necessary and really makes this show multidimensional. The writers tend to use the "because I said so" and "oh it all happened in the past and we just never told you guys" plot devices to explain a lot of events but for me this wasn't a big deal. However, I know that others absolutely hate this kind of writing so it does have to go into account in my review, dropping the story from a 10 to a 9. For all you fans of closure, the first season provides none, but the second season provides one of the greatest endings I have seen in a long time that is a lot more complex than one might first assume. The story was nothing short of brilliant, and the show's ending only justifies this, however the plot holes and poor explaining that went with some events prevent this story from being a perfect 10.

Art 8/10:
Another reason why I hesitated in watching this show was the art. I just didn't like the way all the characters looked. After watching it however, I have changed my mind. The art direction was very good, providing a wide array of characters, settings, and action. At times the action could suffer from the animation, but this was uncommon and for the most part the art was very good.

Sound 8/10:
Lelouch's voice actor was nothing short of brilliant. Without him, I'm not sure if Lelouch would have been as interesting of a character as he was. The rest of the voice acting was solid for the most part as well. The music for the most part did nothing to stand out in any particular way. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't anything special. It served its purpose effectively and that's all that matters. The exceptions were the vocal tracks in this anime such as "Stories" "Continued Story" and "Innocent Days" as well as "Madder Sky" due to it being used during a crucial part of the last episode. Overall the sound was very good due to the voice acting however the soundtrack was hit or miss, at times it was average or not good, while a few other tracks were actually fantastic. The inconsistency prevented the sound from getting a 9 but it was great none the less.

Character 9/10:
Everybody seems to want to compare Lelouch to Light from Death Note. I can see where they're coming from (extremely smart, granted amazing power, seemingly very selfish at times). However, Lelouch has a trait that Light seems to completely lack, Lelouch actually has morals. Sometimes it is hard to see, but Lelouch fully intends to make the world a better place. He makes countless mistakes that harm others throughout his journey, and when these kind of things happen, you can clearly see Lelouch being effected by these mistakes. He may put on a face as if it is all fine, but by paying attention to his initial reactions, and the final decisions that he makes towards the end, you can tell that he fully accepts his mistakes as sins that will most likely never be forgiven. But moving on from Lelouch there are plenty of other characters. Most notably there is Suzaku. Suzaku was a character that I had strong opinions towards. What was weird however was that the writers somehow made me like him one minute, hate his ass the next, sympathize with him another, and then love him again. This of course was intentional and very well done. Suzaku is similar to Lelouch in that he has good intentions but goes about the wrong way of trying to achieve them. It's hard talking about these two without any spoilers, but realize that they are without a doubt the two most important characters, and following them both was definitely a treat. Other important characters were C.C. (aka little miss plot hole maker) and Kallen (aka fanservice). Beyond these four characters the others weren't too developed due to the sheer fact that there were so many of them. However, none of the characters were really "bad" besides maybe Nina. Ok yeah, Nina was awful. The fact that Lelouch was so brilliant and that, for the most part, his supporting cast was relatively strong, I really can't give the character section anything less than a 9.

Enjoyment 10/10:
This may be because practically every episode ended in a cliffhanger, but I could not stop watching this show. From the first episode to the last I could not stop myself from watching. I wanted to know what happened next. I wanted to know the consequences of Lelouch's actions, and how he would respond. I wanted to see in what unique way he would tactically take down all of his opponents the next time. I wanted to see how Lelouch and Suzaku's friendship would pan out. The show provides you with countless small and large desires that can get fulfilled within minutes, or not be answered until the last episode. This recipe of teasing and rewarding made this show addicting as hell and was beautifully crafted. The intriguing plot, interesting politics, and fantastic characters were melded beautifully by the writers to create a show perfectly executed to entertain the viewer. The two seasons differ in their approach, but the basic tease and deliver equation was still in place throughout it all. The first season contained a stable goal for the characters filled with shocking surprises and twists. The second season was far more inconsistent with its objective, but really delivers massive emotional punches, and eventually steers itself up for the grande finale. Code Geass was filled with practically everything you could ask for in an entertaining anime, and all these tools were utilized perfectly with fantastic execution. If there's one thing Code Geass did right, it was that it kept me entertained.

Recommendation:
Code Geass is one of those ridiculously popular shows that actually deserves its praise.
Buy it! +.2

Overall 9.0/10:
The plot, pacing, characters, emotions, and most importantly the execution of it all are what pull Code Geass out of the crowd and make it truly something else. The plot can push towards over the top at times and trip over itself, but the overall story and the characters within it make Code Geass one hell of a ride. This show has joined Clannad (10/10) and Steins;Gate (9.5/10) as the three lone anime series that I have given a 9 or higher rating to, and is a must watch for everyone.

Verdict:
More addicting than crack, and without the deadly side effects! Ranging from action packed, to funny, to convoluted, to tear jerking this show is something else. Truly a joy to watch and a must watch for all.

Pros:
+ Main character is a legend
+ One of the greatest endings ever
+ Extremely addicting
+ Story is fantastic

Cons:
- Plot holes/Writers' tendency to use the "because i said so" explaination
- There may have been too many different characters, resulting in some unnecessary or just plain weak/annoying characters (Nina)

9.0/10 - Brilliant

ewisoky - 2013-08-04 20:09:54

lets try it with less spoilers , mostly i enjoyed this series , its about young british prince , who is trying to overthrow his father's kingdom and he is expelled from brithish kingdom . Lelouch vi Britannia go to Japan and there he live a normal life for a few weeks , and then Kingdom of Tea drinkers conquer Japan and call it area 11, Lelouch change his last name to Lamperouge go to school for brithish guys and and he live happy ever after.

Until he meet some terrorist (Aka rebels ) when they were trying to escape by truck and in truck was a strange being called c.c ,and c.c give Lelouch a super power called geass , his geass have power to controle persons mind ,
oke story wont spoil more but i did like , mostly strategy and politicals issues are question in anime

animation done by :sunrise(Gundam series , cowboy beebop and others ) it may not appeal to everybody but fight scenes are really and what was i expecting from sunrise

character :we have a lot of characters in this universe from prince to princesses to rebels , and everybody is unique i wont spoil to much with describing them
anime had own WTF moments but its good anime and people should watch it :D

asha09 - 2013-07-29 15:29:09

This anime is fucking awesome, it's my favorite one. I wish there was another season and the ending was so sad, but still. I couldn't stop watching this anime!

I loved the whole story specially the fact that Lelouch was Suzaku's friend when they were kids. It's interesting how they changed roles and their thoughts. I love Lelouch cause he's a wonderful brother.

One thing I didn't like is the fact that Karen never ended up with Lelouch, they were such a beautiful couple. Well, this review includes part of the 2nd season of this Anime.

The geass is interesting and I can resemble this series with Death Note, they have similar elements. For example the Geass has a purpose and so does the Notebook, then both character were looking for revenge and changing the world, they both felt like Gods and that they were flawless. But unfortunately in the end they both die killed by someone who was with them the whole time.... Then the fact that they both had their love in front of them but they never cared about.

lloyd.leuschke - 2013-07-29 04:40:00

This is one of the anime that is a "must watch" for most anime fans. Brilliant story, enough action, decent (not rich, but pretty good) character development, mechas, love, treason, super powers, guns, strategy, deception, etc...

It is packed with so many elements it is hard to find someone who won't enjoy it. If you liked Death Note, you are going to love it, if you didn't, you are going to love it either way.

raymundo87 - 2013-05-30 23:39:55

First of all, I would like to mention that this will serve as my review of both Code Geass R1 and R2. I decided to review the whole series as a whole instead of the seasons separately and my scores are based on considering both seasons. The best way to introduce Code Geass is simply to call it Death Note with mechs (though not literally). You can clearly see that Code Geass is one of the most recommended anime for Death Note fans and visa-versa. Code Geass has all the intelligence, well craft plans and strategies shown in Death Note, but applied to a military formula.Story: 9Let’s get the negatives out of the way.. My complaints on the story are largely based on fillers like the infamous cat episode. Don’t bother watching the fillers because they really kill the mood of the anime and aren’t even slightly funny. There is also a significant amount of fanservice during these episodes (and sometimes even in the main episodes) that distracts from full immersion but it’s not too excessive that the anime because a “high school of the dead with mechs” anime. In the end, I did not find that these issues detract from how good the story really is.When a Code Geass episode is not a pointless filler and following the main story, it’s simply awesome The world is well crafted and possibly inspired by George Orwell’s 1984, but in a future setting. Lelouch Lamperouge is an exiled prince of the Holy Brittanian Empire that vows revenge against the emperor and creates an insurgent organization known as the Black Knights whose goal is to destroy the Empire. He does this with the help of Geass, a power that lets him control people completely. The story is very interesting to watch as Lelouch dismantles the empire on battle at a time and grows a strong reputation in Japan (area 11). The tension in this show can only matched by Death Notea’s as the viewer sees Lelouch’s plans unravel. The story has excellent build up, despite the fact that the first episode was a bit too fast paced and the anime struggles to easy the viewer into the world. However, once you’ve been sucked in it’ll be hard for you to escape the magic :DThe Art and Animation: 9My major complaint with the art is the character design. At first they looked like stretched pieces of spaghetti to me, but I got used to it quickly enough. In the end, the art and animation are superb. The environments are beautiful and there is clear attention to detail, the mechs look great, the animations are smooth and precise, etc. Basically, all the things you expect from a very well animated anime will be present here. It should not disappoint.Sound: 8Soundtrack is awesome and played well. I didn’t like most of the opening themes after the intial one and hated all the ending themes. However, I will still give it an 8 due to the fact that the soundtrack within the anime (outside of OPs/ED) are fantastic and the voice acting is great in both the sub and the dub. Furthermore, all the sound effects sound as expected and I did not kill immersion.Characters: 8Lelouche is easily the best character in this show. All the other characters are interesting, but some are downright annoying. I deeply hated Suzaku’s idiotic view of the world and his hypocrisy sickened me. Nina was also extremely annoying so thank god she didn’t get too much screen time. The student council members are sometimes annoying and sometimes great depending on the episode. I would rank them as below average slice of life characters. Well, that basically sums up all the “meh” or poor characters in this show. The rest are fantastic and trust me, there are a TON of fantastic characters in this show.Enjoyment: 9The fillers sometimes ruined the experience, but I would consider Code Geass as one of the most entertaining anime’s I have ever seen. Its main story is exciting with an excellent protagonist; it has a cool setting, awesome mecha action and finally, some of the best tension and suspense in anime. If there is one thing Code Geass can do, it’s entertain an audience. Overall: 9+ excellent story+ cool and well developed setting+ Excellent protagonist and mostly great supporting characters+ some of the best tension and suspense in anime+ Awesome soundtrack-- Fillers-- Fan service-- Some bad and annoying characters

margaret.mcdermott - 2013-05-30 01:06:53

Eternally popular, Code Geass still strikes me as one of the most over-rated anime of this generation. While the animation and music are top-notch (what else can you expect from a Sunrise-produced show with CLAMP character designs?), the story and characterization falls flat. There are points where you could wholesale replace Code Geass characters with Deathnote characters and barely notice the difference. Unoriginality can be forgiven if the story and execution are well-done (I'm looking at you, Gurren-Lagann), but the story plods and the battles seem stilted. The few genuinely amazing moments in the show are so few and so far between that you almost forget that they exist. The political intrigue is weakly done, and the much-vaunted "Batmanning" of the show boils down to Princess Bride-style "I know that you know that I know that you know that I'd put the poison in this cup!". 

We're also never given a particular reason to care about any of the characters; Lelouch is a clever bastard, but lacks the "L" type likable character to play off of and just comes across as a jackass. The rest of the resistance is given the idiot ball so hard I'm impressed that they haven't attacked a toaster with a knife for stealing their bread, and the few characters that do rise from the background are bland and mostly there to be played by Lelouch for some plot or another. 

That said, I'd be lying if I said there weren't some great moments; the opening two episodes are particularly amazing, and there are still some great mech fights in there. That said, I feel like I would've had a better time watching Mobile Suit Gundam and Deathnote at the same time. 

wtremblay - 2013-04-04 17:13:38

All Code Geass episodes... are NOT created equal.

Some are filled with genius twists, some with greater drama, some are at the edge of fanservice, and others filled with redundant overturn and minor plot holes. Both in emotions conveyed and consistency, in sheer scope of entertainment, every episode of Code Geass is inherently different. Yes! That is why Code Geass episodes build rythm between each other, which is why there is surprise and boredom, tension and nostalgia, hope and despair, shaping the unfaltering march of progress toward Code Geass's final episode.

Inequality is not wrong, equality is!

What of Animes which all episodes are similar? As good as forgotten. But not our beloved Code Geass which continuously evolves! Even the most questionable episodes demonstrate Code Geass' unswerving commitment to progress. Watching Code Geass, we will empathize, we shall struggle, hope, hate and cry, and in the end, we will be changed as spectators.

As Code Geass is the first Anime I ever loved, I am not quite sure about my impartiality... However, loyalty trumps all.

ALL HAIL CODE GEASS!!!!!

gbartoletti - 2013-03-31 15:06:14

This anime is so beautifully crafted that I find it a right shame that more people haven't heard of it. It has so much of everything (romance, drama, action) without going overboard on any of it. Perfectly balanced and an overall crowd pleaser. 

For me this anime is more than just a pretty boy with a God complex playing an immense chess game against someone bigger than himself for the sake of a better world. If I wanted that, I would go look at Death Note. 

But Code Geass sets itself apart by being real even though it's smack dab in the middle of a highly unrealistic setting. By giving its main characters virtues and vices you remember that Lelouch, no matter what he makes himself out to be, is still human and will still make any mistakes a regular human will. This sense of realism is what drew me to Code Geass and what hooked me on Lelouch and his journey as he tries to accomplish his goal. I felt as though I could connect with Lelouch; I empathized with him. And the ability to draw the empathy from the viewer is what makes this anime so much more sweeter when you're actually watching it. 

And the amount of character depth and detail which goes into each of the characters, it really makes you wonder as to who the real protagonist of the story is. 

But the beauty of this anime is that, really it's up to the viewer -it's up to you!- to decide whether or not Lelouch was 'right' or 'wrong'. It forces you to think and actually debate with yourself the limits and prejudices of 'justice'. 

I could rant on and on about Code Geass (and I have a feeling make less sense as I go along) but I can only end with this. 

Look at it. Enjoy it. Internalize it and then realize that this anime is one of those which deserves to be up there with Full Metal Alchemist and Naruto (heck, take Naruto's place for all I care) as one of the Kings of anime.

lavada70 - 2013-03-15 10:46:52

My favorite anime by far would have to be Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. When looked at on paper this show does not seem as if it would shine bright at all, yet once you start watching you are engrossed and quickly go episode after episode having to find out what Lelouch does next. There are a few moments in the anime that are those “could never happen” moments but all animes have them and this one does a great job of covering any moment up by quickly moving on and keeping your attention to the plot.

Every anime has a great hero, but Lelouch is the classic tragedy hero made into a villain…only with a twist ending that nobody could have seen coming until the last few episodes. With this ending the rewatch value of Code Geass is phenomenal as you catch onto things that the first time through you missed. The metaphorical chess game played by the dark king Lelouch against the white king Lancelot, Suzaku Kururugi, is one which I enjoyed and never before have I seen such two perfect foils for each other. As you watch the anime progress you see yourself siding with one or the other or maybe even both and making their choices along side them as their characterization takes place.

This anime combines action along with an amazing plot that seems to actually have a purpose rather than to just go on to see how long it can last. The writers had an ending in mind and they headed straight for it in the second season. I could write much more on the subject but I do not wish to ruin it for any who have not seen it. I have around 40 animes under my belt, including Cowboy Bebop, Full Metal Alchemist, and Death Note and yet this one has stood out from among the rest, even those legendary works of arts. I often feel people do not give it enough credit for one reason or another, whether its Zero’s childish flare for the dramatics (which is explained by Zero being his alter ego in which his fantasies come to life) or their inability/unwillingness to watch an anime that requires one to think along with the characters for the maximum benefit (I often see this with hardcore Bleach fans who do not understand the difference between an entertaining anime and a real though-provoking anime). Either way I hope as many people at least give the first season a chance before making judgments.