So last night I finished Part IV, Disc 2 of Code Geass: R2, Lelouch of the Rebellion, the final "turn" of this long running series. The main plot device of the series is a mystical power posessed by a select few known only as "Geass". Though the Japanese original, and the English dub both pronounce this as "gee-aas", the proper pronunciation is actually something more like "Gesh". The concept is borrowed from Celtic mythology...spelled geis in Irish or geas in Scots-Gaelic, and meaning roughly "taboo" or "prohibition". It is a staple of Celtic myth, a certain code of conduct a hero must uphold, certain things he must never do, regardless of circumstance. It basically makes a convenient set up for tragedy.
Code Geass the anime series takes a lot of artistic license with this concept, by imbuing the main character, Lelouch vi Britannia (a.k.a. Lelouch Lamperouge) with the ability lay a geas upon one target by making eye contact with them. In this fictional universe, Lelouch is able to force the target to unquestioningly obey a single command he gives. Lelouch can only lay a single geas upon a single indivudial once. After he's used it on someone, he can't use another one on the same individual ever again. It also has a limited range. Even still, it is a truly terrifying power.
Lelouch acquires this power from a mysterious, beautiful and evidently immortal, timeless witch named "C2" in the English dub. In the original Japanese she is known as "C.C.", which they regard as highly unusual. It had to be changed to "C2" in English because "C.C." in English is not an unusual name, it's short for Cecilia. C2 makes a divine contract with Lelouch, which he swears to uphold.
There are other "Geass users" in this fictional universe, whose "Geass power" functions very differently, though no less ominously, than Lelouch's power. Lelouch is a disgraced and exiled member of the Royal Family of the Holy Britannian Empire. We are introduced to one other Geass user in the first season, and yet more come out of the woodwork in rapid succession in R2, as the second season is identified. There is even a "Geass cancellation" power introduced, with tragic consequences for the character Shirley, one of Lelouch's love interests.
This series has a significant body count of tragic deaths...the death of saccharine-sweet Princess Euphemia is utterly horrific and sad. Shirley's death made me cry as well. Shirley loved Lelouch, even with her geass removed and knowing full well he was responsible for her father's death...she still loved him despite even that. Really, the level of death and tragedy reaches truly Shakespearian levels in this anime series.
I may be of an miniority opinion here, but the most interesting characters to watch, I think, are the moral transformations of the some of the Britannian nobles, who go from being uniformly arrogant, insufferable pricks to characters with real moral depth, who come to learn suffering and compassion for others. I was so very happy that Viletta chose to stick it out with Oghi, even with her memories fully restored. By the end, I find it hard to hate Cornelia, either...she endures a lot of redemptive suffering throughout this series.
I'm also happy that C2 fell in love with Lelouch. I feel most horribly for Nunally, who loses nearly everything dear to her...she does inherit a more peaceful, gentle world in the end, but at such a terrible personal cost.
By my final count, Lelouch gets to kiss 1) C2 (twice), 2) Shirley and 3) Kallen. Quite the ladies man, no?
In one of the DVD extras, there's an interview with Johnny Yong Bosch, who voices Lelouch, and identifies him as an "evil" character, but I don't think this is quite right. I have a hard time attaching the label "evil" to Lelouch. Ruthless, yes. Lelouch is definitely ruthless. But he's also daring to face down a gigantic, tyrranical global empire. Emperor Charles truly IS evil, and Lelouch opposes him. Empries are brutal, evil, ugly things, so anyone that challenges imperial power has to at least have some moral impuse and kudos in their favor, whatever their personal flaws, vanities, etc. Lelouch is vain, arrogant, manipulative, wickedly smart...but he's also charismatic and driven by a sense of moral outrage and a desire for justice and is ultimately very life-affirming.
A lot of anime fans, understandably, want to compare this series with another very popular series known as Death Note; they specifically want to compare Lelouch to Death Note's main character, Light Yagami. The comparision seems inevitable. I must say at the outset, I think that Death Note wins hands down overall as the better written show. Whereas the plot twists and turns of Death Note are exciting and keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering if the writers are going to paint themselves into a corner...and the amazing thing is, they never do. Death Note never feels like it's trying too hard or implausible in any way. The writing is simply that good.
The same can't be said for the Code Geass franchise....its sudden plot twists, reversals, etc, seem much more ham-fisted and clumsy than Death Note's, which are handled with such utter grace and finesse. Code Geass too often relies on credibility-straining deus ex machina to pull the plot out of the ditch, over and over. The cleverest thing about the Code Geass franchise are the long-term, unforseen consequences of the geasa, especially those laid by Lelouch.
Death Note's main character Light Yagami can be summed up in three words, "evil fucking genius". I have no difficulty identifying Light Yagami as "evil". If anything, he is even more ruthless, even more self-serving than Lelouch. As I recall, Light has no self-critical thought in his head, never once questions himself or suffers any doubt of the rectitude of what he is doing. His utter certainty of being absolutely correct is what makes him radically different from the deeply conflicted Lelouch vi Britannia. Light Yagami is the perfect demonstration of the fact that most evil people believe deep down they are doing good, in some twisted way.
Lelouch's final act of self-sacrifice for the good of all is something Light Yagami would never be capable of in a million years.
I was reasonably satisfied with the ending of this show. While some of the sudden reversals, people coming back from what seemed like certain death, etc, does strain credibility at times, the series is reasonably entertaining throughout, and these are a cast of characters we come to care deeply about, which is important in any anime series. It is far more bombastic and over-the-top than Death Note but remains a sufficiently entertaining anime franchise in its own way.
