Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ Kōdo Giasu: Hangyaku no Rurūshu), often referred to as simply Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise, directed by Gorō Taniguchi, and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by manga authors Clamp. Set in an alternate timeline, the series focuses on how the former prince Lelouch Lamperouge obtains a power known as Geass and decides to use it to obliterate the Holy Britannian Empire, an imperial monarchy and a superpower that has been conquering various countries.
Code Geass first ran in Japan on Mainichi Broadcasting System from October 5, 2006, to July 28, 2007. Its sequel series, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 (コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュR2 Kōdo Giasu Hangyaku no Rurūshu Āru Tsū), ran on MBS and Tokyo Broadcasting System from April 6, 2008 to September 28, 2008. The series has also been adapted into various manga and light novels with the former showing various alternate scenarios from the TV series. Bandai Entertainment also licensed most parts from the franchise for English release in December 2007, airing the two TV series on Cartoon Network. Most manga and light novels have also been published in North America by Bandai. The TV anime series has been well received in Japan, selling over a million DVD and Blu-ray Disc volumes. Both seasons have won several awards at the Tokyo International Anime Fair, Animage Anime Grand Prix, and Animation Kobe event. Critics have also praised the series for its large audience appeal as well as the conflicts shown across among the main characters and the moral questions presented.
A 3-part trilogy compilation of the television series is released in theaters from 2017 to 2018, being a separate continuity from the series in events changing like Shirley's storyline so that she survives the events of series. This leads to the the 2019 film Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection (コードギアス 復活のルルーシュ Kōdo Giasu Fukkatsu no Rurūshu).
Plot[]
The series is set in an alternative timeline where the world is split into three superpowers: The Holy Empire of Britannia, the Chinese Federation, and the European Union. Britannia conquered most of the world, including Japan on August 10, 2010 a.t.b., by means their "Armored Autonomous Knights" or Knightmare Frames. Japan and its citizens, designated as Area 11 and the Elevens, are effectively stripped of their rights and subjected to prejudice by their conquerors.
Lelouch vi Britannia is an exiled member of the Brittanian imperial family alongside his little sister Nunnally; sent to Japan as a bargaining tool prior to the invasion by their father Emperor Charles zi Britannia following the murder of their mother Marianne vi Britannia. Having assumed a new identity as Lelouch Lamperouge after he and Nunnally are declared causalities of the invasion, he gets caught up in a terrorist attack where he is reunited with his childhood friend Suzaku Kururugi, the son of the Japanese Prime Minister. Lelouch also meets a mysterious girl named C.C. and receives the power of Geass (ギアス Giasu). This power also known as the Power of the King (王の力 Ō no Chikara) as it gives him control over someone with a single command, whether bending their will to live, fight, or die on his behalf – though only with direct eye contact. With his new power to compliment his intelligence and insider knowledge of Britannia, Lelouch possesses the means to hunt down his mother's killer and destroy Britannia to make the world a better place for Nunnally.
Lelouch takes up the mantle of the mysterious rebel named "Zero" to restore the Elevens; morale as leader of a resistance movement known as The Black Knights, opposed by Suzaku who became the pilot of the Knightmare Lancelot and joined the Britannian military to change Britannia from the inside. But caught up in a conflict that claimed many lives while eventually learning the truth behind C.C. and his mother's murder along with the conflicting motives of his father and his older brother Schneizel el Britannia, Lelouch is willing to rage war on the entire world to execute his vision of forever changing the world at any cost.
Appearance in Super Robot Wars[]
Code Geass appear in Super Robot Wars Z2 Hakai-Hen and Saisen-hen. The world of Super Robot Wars Z2 is actually composed of portions of several different worlds, forcibly merged together by phenomena known as Dimensional Quakes some 30 years before the start of the series/game. The Holy Britannian Empire found itself sharing most of North and South America with the Union of Solar Energy and Free Nations from Mobile Suit Gundam 00, and both nations merged into the Britannian Union, under the president and Emperor Charles.
This world has two Japans, situated right next to each other. The "Outer" Japan is the one conquered by the Britannian Union and turned into Area 11, while the Japan between it and China, in the real-world location, is still free (and home to Super Robots such as Mazinger Z and Dai-Guard), with Britannia declining to attack it as well. Area 11 is also home to a number of refugees from the Astrageus Galaxy of Armored Trooper VOTOMS. The Brittanian Union often uses Astregean mercenaries to keep the peace in the Area 11 ghettos.
Saji Crossroad, Louise Halevy, and Relena Darlian are all students at Ashford Academy, the latter transferring at the beginning of the Hakai-Hen. This ultimately brings Setsuna F. Seiei, Heero Yuy , and Duo Maxwell. The latter two, along with Chirico Cuvie from VOTOMS, become involved in his rebellion early on.
Kallen Kōzuki takes advantage of the altered world by participating in a Mecha-fighting sport using her Knightmare Frame against Astragean Armored Troopers to improve her fighting skills. Her use of a KMF and her skills quickly earn her the nickname "Red Devil of the Elevens". Around the time Crowe first arrives to Area 11, she is challenged by Chirico Cuvie. Chirico is nearly cheated out of his match when Kallen's "manager" Konin forces him to fight two AT's at the same time, but Kallen wants to fight him herself (The player controls Chirico, and has to beat Kallen to continue). An angry Konin sends armed ATs and vehicles after them both, but Crowe jumps in to help them using his Brasta. As Crowe figured, the fighting draws not only the local police, but also the two colonial Gundams he came to Area 11 to find: The Wing Gundam and Gundam Deathscythe. Between the five mecha and their skilled pilots, the corrupt police are wiped out in short order, and the group makes their escape. Ohgi and the other members of the resistance arrive, and convince Crowe, Chirico, and the Gundam Pilots to join them. Their first mission is to steal A certain load of poison gas, thus setting the series' events into motion.
During the early operations of the rebellion, Zero has a lingering worry that outside forces may intervene. Particularly Being Celestial Being, who has publicly announced their intentions to do as much all over the world. When Celestial Being finally shows up however, it is at the behest of Elgan Laudic, Secretary-General of the United Nations. He has gathered CB, several Super Robot warriors from Free Japan, and other organizations into a team he calls ZEXIS (Z EXtra International Savers), after a new dimensional quake once again alters the landscape, causing the barrier blocking off the southern portion of Africa to fall (releasing marauding bands of Beastmen and Gunmen) and a large mysterious fleet (The Macross Galaxy colony) to appear in orbit. Though working with these other groups will take him away from Japan, the added resources, information, and fighters that would come under his command convince Zero to join ZEXIS.
Differents compare to the Original series[]
Saisei-Hen has a hidden value known as "Zero Points" which are gained by taking certain route splits (branching parts in the storyline where the Original characters can choose which parts of the heroes' force they will travel with) or performing certain tasks in battle. If the player gains five or more by Mission 37, the course of Code Geass' storyline and Zero's destiny may take a major turn: Shirley Fenette will be saved by Bajou Haran (Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3) and Roger Smith (The Big O), regardless of the later decisions and the path of the story line. After the Second Assault on Tokyo Settlement, the player may have the Black Knights choose to trust Lelouch despite Schneizel's outing of him as Zero. This choice is instrumental to what follows. Lelouch does not forsake Rolo, who doesn't have to give his life saving him. The Zero Requiem plan is never put into motion. As such, the major conflicts of Code Geass end after Schneizel el Britannia is defeated by ZEXIS at the Battle of Mt. Fuji. Euphemia li Britannia survives, having been saved by Schneizel, who may have planned to reveal her at a later date. After the battle over Fuji, she reveals herself to stop Zero from using his Geass on Nunnally (Rolo uses his instead to get the Damocles' trigger from her).
If the Black Knights don't trust Lelouch, the Zero Requiem plan is put into motion, but after being stabbed by Suzaku, Lelouch is brought to the Celestial Being battleship Ptolemaios II and revived with their technology. Lelouch takes Suzaku's place and continues to be Zero for the rest of his life.
Additional plot and characterization changes[]
As is common within the game series, characters from one anime series often enter into friendships and rivalries with the heroes from another series. For example, Kallen's match with Chirico forms the basis of a close rivalry and friendship, while Lelouch has to deal with the antics of Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, particularly during the incident when his mask got stolen by Arthur, leading to a confrontation between the Gurren Gang and Koji Kabuto (Mazinger Z) on one side and the Black Knights, Heero and Duo on the other since it got out that the mask really was Zero's this time around. Kamina also clashed with Kallen over the fact that they both have mechas named "Gurren".
Many elements of the series as presented in the game, specifically due to the nature of the split storyline, have been furthered changed, sometimes to the point of conflicting with the series as aired or even with itself.
The ending of the first game, Hakai-hen, has the various groups that form ZEXIS split into their original groups and separate, despite the various enemies of many of those factions still existing, leading to the endings of Gundam 00 and Code Geass' first seasons. While Gundam 00's first ending is due to an ambush - previously repelled, but repeated again - the Code Geass ending is ultimately the Black Knights fighting the Britannian military stationed in Tokyo as part of the Black Rebellion, with a small fraction of the forces the player possessed beforehand. Among those missing are the groups closest to the Black Knights, like VOTOMs protagonist Chirico and the main characters from Gundam Wing, who were previously semi-official Black Knights members, despite that the intent to do this was previously stated. Though this is canon, it conflicts with the concept of ZEXIS, to form a united front against enemies.
The Assault on the Geass Order is done with the full assistance of ZEXIS, but though the entire organisation is presence and dealing with the Order's armed forces, no one notices that Lelouch is proceeding to kill the various Geass cultists, even when V.V. escapes the facility and joins the battle.
Tohdoh begins a friendly rivalry with, and respect for, Gundam 00's Graham Aker, in his Mister Bushido identity, despite that a pilot of the Britannian Union proclaiming the philosophy of Bushido, after the destruction of Japan at his nation's hands, should be an awkward situation, at a minimum.
Despite Zero being elected as the official head of ZEXIS - to tie his reappearance in with the reformation of ZEXIS, with true leadership being shared between various high-ranking officials of it's various groups - the decision by Ougi whether or not to execute Zero is only acted against by ZEXIS with a strong recommendation that they hear Zero out. Though this is disapproval for the canon route, it suffers from ZEXIS treating themselves as outsiders, despite the Black Knights being a ZEXIS subordinate group, as well as treating the Black Knights' desire to murder their superior (or offer him to Britannia, surely leading to his execution) comparatively lightly, as ZEXIS claims to support the Black Knights if Ougi decides to do so.
Schneizel's actions suffer from strange irregularities with canon. Specifically, Schneizel decides to confront Lelouch along with Nunnally, without any armed guards, mounted turrets, or anti-Geass measures, the former two having previously been displayed in canon. In addition, the self-destruct that Schneizel was planning to use in canon when Lelouch infiltrates the Damocles is not mentioned, nor is Schneizel's willingness to die to kill Lelouch and bring peace from that method. As a result, Schneizel was captured without incident when Suzaku and Jeremiah arrive to support Lelouch. It is suspected that it was done purely so that Lelouch was not forced to use Geass, which he had chosen to stop using, since the canon events would be impossible to survive without such a power.
Following this, Nunnally is made Empress, despite more appropriate heirs still living, and only Clovis' death, and without Lelouch as the former Emperor, Nunnally is not the closest to the position. In addition, despite authorizing and approving the use of the FLEIJA super-weapon on which destroted some of Britannian-held Tokyo, a normally criminal act, Schneizel is permitted to return to his position of Prime Minster under Nunnally, without the influence of Geass.
Euphemia's survival is a Schrodinger's Cat, as she is treated as deceased in the Zero Requiem route of the game, and the SAZ disaster in the previous game went unchanged, with Euphemia's death, while Suzaku was present, and on-board the Avalon, making Euphemia's survival and movement extremely difficult to manage. In other words, she is both alive and dead until the player makes the choice that determines if the game does down the ZEXIS or Zero Requiem route.
Similarly, Lelouch's survival in the Zero Requiem route suffers from his death clearly happening as it was originally portrayed, and organ regeneration in Gundam 00 is said to take weeks for even a small organ, rendering it impossible to save Lelouch from the piercing of his heart before he bleeds out and becomes impossible to revive, even before considering how long it would take to get Lelouch's body to the Ptolemaios II. Furthermore, if Euphemia could not be saved, despite Britannia, and likely the Avalon, possessing the same advanced equipment, then Lelouch should also be impossible to save, due to dying faster, and if Lelouch could be saved, then Lockon Stratos, a character who died in the game from less immediately fatal wounds, could also have been saved, but the game treats this as impossible.
Many of these decisions seem to have been made to minimize any storyline difficulties when writing the highly-foreshadowed sequel game.