Code Geass, Science Fiction for Anime Fans

Code Geass is an animated series that was first aired in Japan in 2006.  The series is set in the future, in which Britannia, a massive superpower that controls over a third of the world has taken over Japan, renaming it Area 11.  The main character, Lelouch, is an exiled prince of Britannia who vows to destroy the Empire that killed his mother and made his sister a cripple.  The other main protagonist is Suzaku, Lelouch’s childhood friend.

I don’t want to spoil any of the plot here.  It is incredibly well written and proves that just because a show is animated doesn’t mean that it can’t be deep or that it must be for kids.  I’ve watched a lot of movies and television in my day and nothing has come to close to the “wow” factor this show has.  It’s amazing to see Lelouch brilliantly tackle a problem. (I wish I could talk about a few of my favorite instances but I promised myself I wouldn’t spoil anything here)

Within the plot, the show has incredible character arcs, most notably seen within Lelouch, Suzaku, and Kallen.  The relationships between the characters and the twists and turns they take are not only believable and realistic, but fascinating to watch.

The main sci fi focus of the show stems from the Knightmare frames that the characters pilot.  These giant robots or “Mechs” are war machines that many people I’ve watched this show with say remind them of Gundam Wing.  I’ve heard people say that Code Geass is a Gundam rip-off.  I’m here to tell you otherwise.  This show is incredibly original, both from some of the Knightmare frame designs, and more importantly, the story and background that the Knightmares are a part of.

One of the reasons why I think this show is so original is that it combines science fiction and fantasy.  There is a woman named C.C. (pronounced C-two) with mysterious powers.  (Once again, I don’t want to give anything away.)  Just watch the first episode all the way to the end.  Then make a judgement about the show.

There is some fan service in Code Geass, much like many other anime shows.  It’s usually not too bad and it doesn’t distract too much from the story (Like High School of the Dead for example.) so it’s not really a problem.

This show obviously can’t appeal to everyone, but I think it’s incredibly well made and definitely worth watching.  I would recommend it to everyone.  If anime isn’t your thing, that’s fine, but if you’re not sure or you do like it then give Code Geass a try.  It’s 50 episodes, 25 per season, so it’s manageable and easy to finish. (All together, it runs almost 20 hours)  Watch it for the storyline, for the character development and interaction, and some of the awesome giant mech combat.  I’ve showed it to about 8 people, all of whom got hooked and have finished the series since.

 

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