Code Geass Akito the Exiled has finally reached a relatively decent conclusion in my opinion, despite rushing through certain events, but ultimately I can only recommend this last installment to those who do not expect to see the old cast of characters taking the center stage, are willing to rewatch the previous four Akito episodes if they've forgotten any details, and also aren't afraid of dealing with new and mysterious supernatural elements playing a major role in resolving the conflicts at the heart of the narrative.
Story: 6/10
It is not a secret that, for many viewers, Lelouch was the main attraction of Code Geass. Plenty of
...
entertainment value came from seeing all of his exaggerated tactics and ridiculous strategies at work during an ambitious struggle to defeat Britannia and overthrow its system. Lots of plot twists and crazy events. In fact, you could even argue this characteristic was a key part of what made Code Geass both so popular and so infamous across online communities.
But, to bring things into perspective, that is almost the opposite of what Akito wanted to offer in the long run. Nope, this project wasn't really targeting the hardcore Geass fanbase at all. If Lelouch of the Rebellion provided us with a fabulous telescope of many colors, then Akito the Exiled gave us a mere microscope with a few study samples on the side. There might be some beauty in looking at a different creator's vision, together with its own unique flaws, but the overall experience is not going to be remotely similar and not all tastes will enjoy it.
The last episode is perhaps the single clearest example of that. Rather than fighting a large scale conflict, the final battle took place around the siege of an old castle. This already established that the stakes would be comparatively low, and more centered on the survival of a small group of people, both European and Japanese. Not on the fate of an entire continent, much less the world. Despite the ostensible dangers of Shin's plans for global destruction, those weren't much of a real concern.
The first half of the episode concentrated on the castle battle itself and that was quite exciting, providing plenty of attractions for fans of mecha combat sequences, especially if they can already embrace the increasing use of 3D in the hands of masters like studio Orange (no relation to Jeremiah, I swear).
However, one could even argue that this concluding entry was less about the actual military outcome, which could be easily predicted with some imagination or past experience, and more about the real or attempted personal redemption of certain characters. Which isn't necessarily all that appealing. If you are the sort of person who thinks happy endings are lame or inherently inferior to bittersweet ones or outright tragedies, then you'll be extremely unlikely to have much appreciation for this approach.
But, in truth, that didn't really bother me at all. Sometimes it's perfectly fine for a story to let most of the cast survive and allow them to become little more than exiles (ah, we can see the title makes more sense in retrospect), whose actions and fates will not change the status quo of the world. If Lelouch will always be remembered inside his fictional universe for what he did as Zero and how he pulled off an insane final plan, the cast of characters in Akito will most likely see their days end in anonymity.
I would say the single most controversial factor in Akito the Exiled, from a general storytelling perspective, was the way in which Geass-related abilities were suddenly used in this last episode. Those magical or mystical aspects had taken a backseat to the action before, even though you could find some old hints about Akito's condition, the BRS system, Shin's past or Leila's abilities in previous episodes with a small amount of detective work. None of these aspects are coming out of nowhere. But it does seem like the co-writer and director of this project, Kazuki Akane, really wanted to compensate for not having a lot of magical powers influencing the narrative before this point.
The result? We get to see a combination of very anime-style interpretations of quantum mechanics employed for the sake of messing around with space/time. Not to mention the introduction of other new concepts, such as an overseeing entity linked to the collective unconsciouness (She has no name, but I'd call her Jupiter-chan). Or a completely different way to obtain a Geass ability in the case of one particular character (Shin), and a more vaguely defined yet symbolic type of power for another (Leila).
I can understand why some folks will react negatively to this. Familiarity often brings calm and sudden novelty can be risky. Even so, I feel those expressions of annoyance may simply be the result of confusion. A lot of these elements may certainly feel odd, especially at first, but I think it's possible to figure out how they are actually supposed to work with some patience and analysis. For instance: Leila's Geass power doesn't really have multiple abilities. It's essentially about communication. Therefore, most of the really crazy stunts aren't her fault. If that's not Leila, then who? Well, it's all because of the supernatural entity (Jupiter-chan) who is responsible for overseeing space and time. When you look at the big picture, it's slightly unexpected yet neither illogical nor random.
To be fair, the original Code Geass series had also relied on the supernatural to resolve important storylines at times. Think back to the metaphysical Ragnarok Connection scenario, which was not resolved thanks to any political reality or brilliant tactical move, as well as arguably the most contrived yet most memorable moment in the entire TV series that happened near the end of the first season. But, at the same time, it is important to note the original story ultimately went back to the real world for its final conflict resolution in both cases.
Here, the supernatural side of the story remained part of the mix during much of the second half of the episode. The BRS shenanigans, when taken to the extreme, literally combined a mental networking technology with the magical power of Geass in order to temporarily alter the fabric of reality. An interesting equation, on paper, but sadly never sufficiently explored in this spin-off.
Something more intriguing, in my view, was the conversation between Leila and the space/time overseer. While we can still question the use of such plot devices to help resolve conflicts as a literal deus ex machina, I think the existence of said being helps expand this fictional universe, even beyond the limits of this episode's script. In other words, it strengthens the Code Geass lore by providing a sense of larger purpose and opens up new story possibilities. Individuals like V.V. or even dear C.C. never really had this effect, since they operated on the same level as humanity rather than above it. To put it another way...I want to see Jupiter-chan show up again.
Oh, I was forgetting something! I will admit that the small and almost insignificant presence of Suzaku and Lelouch in this new story might have distracted the audience, with both unfortunate and fortunate implications, but for me they were always a sideshow in the context of Akito the Exiled. Just a way to give the fans a bonus feature. It wasn't going to focus on them, one way or another, and I think that isn't too unreasonable for a spin-off.
Having said of all this, I would say the resolution provided by the final episode of Akito the Exiled is valid and not impossible to understand, but parts of the narrative do leave me wishing they had chosen something more practical instead. Or, failing that, changing the format of the project into a full TV series rather than a bunch of small movies released every other year.
Art: 8/10
This was really more of the same, so there's little to add. The general animation and art quality was moderately impressive, although I do believe certain scenes might have been edited in a rush (or not at all) in order to release the last episode in theaters. Presumably the physical disc release is going to smooth certain odd spots.
Sound: 8/10
Not much of a difference here either. Good sountrack, although the crazy jazz will surely tend to confuse and annoy those who haven't already gotten used to the work of the composer who has worked on all the previous Akito the Exiled episodes.
Character: 7/10
Let's get the obvious thing out of the way. The characters in Akito the Exiled are not as charismatic nor as larger-than-life as those in the main Code Geass TV series. They also don't have the same amount of development or characterization due to the limited running time. There's a lot of purely secondary or tertiary people in this final episode and the same thing goes for the rest of the series. Some of them could have played a larger role and others got brief scenes that are nothing more than decent. If I were to talk about all of them, I'd be here all day.
Having said this, I think there's some pretty good stuff going on too. Akito's character development arc arguably ended somewhere between the third or fourth installments. This is simply the final stage. What we have here is an already changed man who no longer just wants to die and kill people. He views life in a more positive fashion and tries to see if his brother isn't entirely beyond saving after all. In the end, you could say his goal was mainly about resolving a brotherly conflict rather than a global war. I can see all of this sounding a little unoriginal or even repetitive for some folks, but in my opinion it was still a logical outcome for Akito. Beyond that, he gets to do a lot of neat fighting and that is always welcome.
Curiously enough, Leila herself had more character-based scenes than Akito in this one yet didn't play much of a role in the combat resolution. What she really does do, however, is directly experience the bulk of the supernatural elements that were emphasized during this last episode. I imagine the specifics behind that magical turn of events will always remain controversial, but I thought the underlying meaning was interesting enough. That said, I admit that idealistic and selfless characters are rarely popular in the context of the CG property.
You could say Leila represents the side of humanity that will not give up, even in the face of real or potential tragedies. She had many doubts at the start of this whole story and moments of weakness, unsure about what to do, but those were eventually overcome (with the help of others, such as Klaus and Akito or the gypsy folks too). In other words, that was her development.
In the end, the core message of the story connects to Leila. She believes people can change, despite all the terrible or at least depressing things that have happened around her, her teammates or her own family. That's why she wanted to help Akito and even Shin, both during previous episodes and especially now. It also reflects her accepting former enemies as comrades. Even after seeing something horrible during this final installment (which might even come across as a little cheap, on the surface), she didn't give up nor succumb to despair.
Instead, Leila finally decided to embrace her own Geass ability (and that, in turn, seems to have interested a higher power). Which also reflects how she wants to continue living in the world and not just destroy everyone around her like Shin. What exactly does her Geass ability do? Don't ask me about any explicit rules or lore behind it, that is all vague, but the relevant effect for the purposes of analysis is helping people connect with each other. In my opinion, that worked just fine for this story.
That said, I do have some moderate disappointments here. It is true that Leila technically orchestrated the castle defense, but we didn't really get to see her setting up the traps nor giving the orders. Which makes Leila's role seem passive in that area, although it isn't inherently supposed to be.
I will not claim Shin was a great villain, but his full background history (that family was rather messed up) did help connect a few dots. It explains why his Geass power was not only far too restricted but also very ironic. His weak point, both as a character and as a person, was that he didn't have any concrete ambitions (or motivations) for changing the world. Just destruction. I suppose he was not a completely evil being, since there was some good left in his soul before it was twisted in strange ways, but in the end he was more of an insane person than a healthy individual. Even poor Jean turned out to be more reasonable than him.
Another character-related criticism would be the final fate of Smilas. It felt underwhelming. Predictable due to the chronology and even entirely deserved for his duplicity, in the end, but lacking some more build-up.
Enjoyment: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
I'll say that the last episode of Akito the Exiled felt quite lukewarm in execution when it came to the script, yet still fitting as a conclusion to the main characters and the themes of the story. It's a valid way to end the narrative, but not as strong in terms of impact as that of the main series. I would have appreciated more explanations for the magical elements too.
One way or another though, I still had fun watching it. Not every revelation or decision concerning the storytelling was properly presented either, although a few specific sequences did reflect a lot of directorial or cinematographic skill. To make a long story short, this isn't your past self's Code Geass. Nope, not at all. It does some things better, or at least differently, but others were also worse. How much you care about particular aspects will help determine where you stand on it.
Apr 11, 2016 Recommended
Code Geass Akito the Exiled has finally reached a relatively decent conclusion in my opinion, despite rushing through certain events, but ultimately I can only recommend this last installment to those who do not expect to see the old cast of characters taking the center stage, are willing to rewatch the previous four Akito episodes if they've forgotten any details, and also aren't afraid of dealing with new and mysterious supernatural elements playing a major role in resolving the conflicts at the heart of the narrative.
Story: 6/10 It is not a secret that, for many viewers, Lelouch was the main attraction of Code Geass. Plenty of ...
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Informative
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all 
Mar 26, 2016 Recommended
Wait...doesn't this premise remind you of Patlabor or Psycho-Pass? A little, but only on the surface. In practice, it's a lot closer to a newly self-aware entry in Toei's old Metal Hero series. Think Winspector meets Dekaranger, except guest starring Bonzi Buddy. Or just Power Rangers. That said, Active Raid was a hard sell right out of the gate. It isn't really innovative nor sophisticated, but in the end it can still provide some lighthearted fun for those who can sit back and relax without overthinking the material. Even Goro Taniguchi, who is one of the two directors involved, cautioned that this show wouldn't be
...
anything like his previous projects.
Story: Active Raid does not revolve around the life of a central protagonist or singular character. The story centers on the team as an ensemble cast. This show follows a rather old-fashioned storytelling approach, aiming for audiences with a nostalgic fondness for silly and formulaic Tokusatsu or Super Sentai series without a ton of depth nor intellectual pretense. Instead of a modern take on Patlabor or a dramatic sci-fi police procedural like Psycho-Pass, what we actually have here is a much less ambitious production. The misfit cops of Unit 8 have to deal with an uncooperative government bureaucracy in order to overcome wacky episodic threats through the use of power armor (Willwear) and ultimately face a juvenile mastermind. If that doesn't sound like something you would enjoy, then the series probably isn't going to work for you at all. Which means I cannot really praise the overarching narrative of Active Raid. Even the political elements are there to serve as either satirical gags or temporary obstacles through the use of hyperbole, rather than serious explorations of conflict. In the end, the underlying story is going to be predictable. However, one of the potential virtues about the episodic structure is that each week can be very different from the previous one. New elements will come and go, providing small surprises, inside jokes and quite distinct sources of amusement thanks to the rotating focus between the various members of the cast. If you didn't like a given episode, perhaps you'll enjoy the next. Or the one right after that. The episode previews do a good job of providing both explicit and implicit self-awareness about the inherent silliness of the show as well as various degrees of teasing concerning future events, although they usually tend to be a little misleading. If you didn't care for the first episode because it was trying to do too many things at once and the characters used some jargon, both of those particular concerns go away rather quickly. The specialized terms end up being mostly self-evident or irrelevant, generally used either for token procedures or to illustrate how police work is supposed to work. In other words, this isn't the kind of show where you really need to go look up a dictionary or glossary if you don't care about the technical details. Simply put, Active Raid isn't a show that takes its science or physics seriously, nor does it even try to present a game like poker in a remotely realistic manner. I would argue the single best episode of the show is the sixth one. That's Active Raid at its most effective. It deals with nostalgia for outdated giant robots that are no longer necessary in this fictional universe due to their fuel inefficiency, combining both a few goofy in-jokes for old-school fans of Super Robot anime as well as a couple of genuine emotional beats and an impressive use of 2D mechanical animation. If only the show had more episodes like that one, the resulting experience could have been a lot stronger rather than merely satisfactory. Character: When it comes to the characters almost all of them were technically adults, which is rather unusual (and welcome) compared to most contemporary anime. However, these are not exactly a bunch of serious professionals. Their way of dealing with crime, while sometimes surprisingly effective, was often only superficially following the rules and could directly or indirectly cause lots of property damage. The government doesn't think too highly of Unit 8 and, frankly, neither should the viewer for a start. As expected when it comes to such a goofy and unrealistic production, the show doesn't provide vast amounts of character development. Sure, there are a few situations which do give valid characterization to various members of the cast, such as the episode about the relationship between Sena and his former girlfriend as a notable example, but these are the exceptions. As much as it can be a double-edged sword, the series wasn't too interested in trying to handle powerful emotions or complex character arcs. That's not the name of the game here. Instead, it's simply more about how the individual displays of charisma, gimmicks, quirks and interactions create a superficially amusing dynamic between the members of the team and anyone else involved at any given time. That is most of what the show expects to offer its target audience and, if you can accept this, it is actually quite possible to develop a very basic liking for these individuals. Not every gag or quip is gold, to be sure, but that ultimately depends on your personal sense of humor. Let's take a quick look. Asami, the rookie cop, initially hoped to reform Unit 8 and turn it into a more disciplined outfit. As much as the random bits of Engrish in her dialogue might annoy certain viewers, they were also a pretty amusing quirk to other sectors of the audience. That is the sort of thing one must either take or leave when watching this show. Now, you might be tempted to expect the series to ostensibly focus on her dilemma and try to turn it into a Psycho-Pass style conflict of ideals. But that's not what really happens, further revealing the huge differences between how both series operate. Early episodes did establish this tension, yet they also started resolving the issue at the same time. In particular, the second episode already had Asami implicitly accepting Unit 8's methods. After that point, the rest of the team essentially keeps handling things in their own way and, effectively, ends up absorbing her in a gradual manner. Which is also pointed out near the end of the season, thus completing the process. Are these people just caricatures then? Not completely, since a few of them do have extra traits and occasional personal issues, which emerge after learning a little more about their lives or just by seeing them in action. In fact, I would have to say that Rin (the "Boss" of Unit 8) and old man Funasaka were arguably two of the best characters in the show at the end of the day. Not great ones, but decent. The episodes focusing on them were pretty good in this respect, and they still manage to get other nice scenes later on. Evidently, you do need to accept how someone like Rin will look young for her position. But, as a matter of fact, she does consistently behave like an adult. The same can't always be said about everyone else in Unit 8. While I was fine with all of that, I believe one character-related issue did admittedly tend to directly detract from the show, at least in this season: the main antagonist, Mythos. Mythos lacked presence, his personality was boring and the revelations about his background were not effective in creating much sympathy. Frankly, glorified computer hackers don't seem that much of a threat even as a concept. The single best thing you could say about him and the "organization" he created, Logos, is that they contributed to creating various entertaining situations. It's true other enemies, such as the ones known as "Dog" and "Bird" (rather silly codenames, of course), were slightly more fleshed out during the late stages of the season. But if there is one key thing that Active Raid absolutely needs to improve for the next series, it would be providing better villains and giving them more room to breathe. In fact, it would be easy to speculate about how such a positive change could also help expand the characterization for the heroes from its currently basic state into something more traditionally solid. In short, if you have come to Active Raid expecting much more than that, or as someone who needs very compelling characters as a strong anchor to hold your interest, then you are most definitely looking in the wrong place. Art: In terms of art and animation quality, Production IMS did some relatively consistent work by their own standards. The illustrator known as Tosh made everyone pretty when it came to the character designs and the production itself didn't collapse all of a sudden, unlike some of the worst IMS projects. The eventual physical release of the series will include fixes to the artwork and animation, but the broadcast wasn't too impressive. That said, I would argue the various animation changes to the opening and ending sequences over time were quite welcome. In particular, the ending had some amusing additions towards the final part of the show which contributed to the amusement value of the experience. The 3DCG Willwear suits were animated by Orange, one of the better studios in the anime industry for this kind of work. The actual designs have uneven visual appeal, but they do show variety (different in-universe companies produced them) and blend in quite well. In general, most of the mecha action sequences were well animated and merely competent rather than particularly exciting, often being employed as another part of the surrounding jokes rather than trying to be too intense. Sound: As for the OP/ED songs themselves, Akino and Bless4 were involved. They were alright. But what I liked the most was the background music by Kotaro Nakagawa. He gave the show's soundtrack the right kind of retro cheesy yet energetic vibe, which was a good fit for something like Active Raid that owes a lot more to the traditions of Tokusatsu and power armor heroes than to anything else. Overall: So, what would be my final word on Active Raid? It's fun and watchable with low expectations, but not for everyone. The first season isn't very appealing to modern anime fans. In addition, it has long been established that most of the real anime moneymakers come out in Spring and Fall. Active Raid is just a transparent throwback piece - not a product of innovation and great creativity - made by a bunch of creators who were basically chilling out during an off-season. Everything suggests they wanted to create something primarily for those who share a certain amount of nostalgic amusement for this specific type of material. Which is why I doubt Taniguchi and Arakawa, or the rest of the team for that matter, aren't thinking about more ambitious projects in the meanwhile. Objectively speaking, this is simply a lightweight product. Neither serious enough to provide a compelling dramatic core, nor nonsensical enough to appeal to fans of complete insanity. If that sounds boring or offends your sensibilities, you would be better off watching something more substantial. Otherwise, feel free to check it out.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Informative
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all 
Jul 4, 2015 Recommended
As long as you are willing to embrace something new or unusual with patience and an open mind, Akito the Exiled continues to do a good job at combining a series of small scenes that gradually provide characterization, moments of political intrigue, great mecha action in 3D and various hints about future developments.
Story The third chapter gives our current cast of characters the opportunity to relax after previous events and get to know each other a little better. It might seem boring if you're only here for the action and don't have any appreciation for using a little humor as an interlude, but I think ... this detour was absolutely necessary if you want to understand the narrative structure as a whole. No matter how many complicated personal issues Akito, Leila and the others have to deal with, whether in the past or in the future, they are still human beings at heart. This is a story about people struggling to survive in the middle of a rather bleak part of the world, where democracy is not a guarantee of freedom. That being the case, we can't have them fighting the enemy or each other all the time. Once that is out of the way, we should discuss what is happening on the Euro-Britannian front. Politics and backstabbing take the center stage this time around through internal divisions due to the arrival of Julius Kingsley and Suzaku, along with some setup for over-the-top plans that aren't particularly realistic yet seem oddly fitting for the larger-than-life world of Code Geass. The chapter's single mecha combat sequence also happens here, remaining as exciting as one can expect from this production. In short, this was a transitional period with a turning point that might have interesting consequences for both new and old characters. Character While the size of the cast feels relatively large for the running time and many of them tend to have a low profile, I think we are finally starting to get used to the newcomers. In particular, it's worth mentioning that we learn about Leila's past and why she struggles against the status quo even from within a military organization. This also prompts a certain interaction with Akito that also manages to show his vulnerable side beneath an aloof and occasionally cold exterior. Then we come to the question of Lelouch, or rather the person officially known as Julius Kingsley. It is fair to say he isn't remotely the main focus of the story here, which means his portrayal is less detailed than during the original TV show. He is playing a different role as an envoy from mainland Britannia sent to the European territories who wants the Emperor's wishes to be followed, no matter the cost, in order to quickly conquer the continent. However, beneath all of his bombastic speeches and outright villainy, which is probably still entertaining to watch if you are a fan of Code Geass in one way or another, there are a couple of hints about the true nature of the character that contrast with the superficial simplicity of the individual currently known as Julius. His interaction with Suzaku also matches the state of their dynamic at this point in the original story, though certainly in a less direct manner than usual. In other words, you may need to read between the lines. Another character who gets some much needed time in the spotlight is Shin, the main antagonist of Akito the Exiled. He actually didn't have a lot of opportunities to act before, outside of meeting Akito in battle and previously engaging in murder behind-the-scenes, but now we get to see him as a truly manipulative individual who can be surprisingly dangerous. It is he, not Julius Kingsley, who ends up in control of the situation. This is not a person you want to cross. We also briefly meet a mysterious entity connected to the Geass, who is apparently involved in some sort of conspiracy, but since nothing else has been revealed yet there's no point in worrying about it too soon. I hope this subject receives a proper explanation within the next two chapters. Just as an aside: I found the old ladies at the start of this chapter kind of silly, if you must ask, but not too problematic in the grand scheme of things. Art and Sound As expected, production values remain high quality here. There isn't much to complain about as long as you're not expecting something on the level of the visuals for Gundam Unicorn. It's easily as good or better than the best episodes of the Code Geass television series in terms of quality, with the backgrounds being a lot more detailed now. The music seems to be divisive because of its unique brand of jazz, but I think the chaotic sensation it transmits has a certain charm once you get into the right mood. Enjoyment It's another version of Code Geass with its own brand of storytelling and entertainment. If you want something exactly like the original show, this isn't going to be same. Which makes me happy, since I think we need more variety and less repetition in order to avoid some of the problems with the second season of the previous work (leaving its excellent ending aside). Overall So far, I admit it's taken a while for the audience to warm up to Akito the Exiled and perhaps it will only be fully appreciated when all five chapters can be watched one after the other. Even so, I think it's existence is a valid way to expand the Code Geass universe in a creative manner. I'll continue to look forward to where the rest of the story takes us.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Informative
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all 
Mar 14, 2014 Recommended
Code Geass R2 is one of the best examples of how a very theatrical and over-the-top show that doesn't take itself too seriously can succeed by maximizing entertainment value. It is a series that shamelessly and knowingly appeals to the masses yet, surprisingly enough, somehow manages to keep a few thematic strengths beneath the surface to make the results worthwhile.
For you see, Code Geass in general is more than the sum of its parts. It's got flaws, sure, but I would argue they are almost besides the point. Well, at least as long as you're willing to play along with what the staff intended to ... accomplish here. Needless to say, that can be much easier said than done. In essence, both the original Code Geass and R2 are quite emotional and youth-oriented in nature. There is no attempt to maintain plausibility in this show, so those looking for a serious take on alternate history or a down-to-earth war story shouldn't bother watching. That doesn't mean it is not without some internal logic, as twisted as it might be, but you absolutely need to learn to enjoy the craziness without entirely losing your mind or nerves in the process. Let's start with the setting and world view. It is a rather whimsical fictional universe, no matter how you choose to look at things. What we have in this story is a world that liberally mixes futuristic science fiction with medieval fantasy right from its initial inception. One the one hand, there are fantastical magical abilities, such as the power of Geass itself and everything related to it, along with powerful robots called Knightmare Frames that come in all sorts of varieties and colors. Some Knightmare models would be right at home in classic Real Robot mecha series such as Mobile Suit Gundam or Armored Trooper Votoms, while others appear to be more inspired by productions with a clear Super Robot touch, like Mobile Fighter G Gundam or Overman King Gainer among others. Code Geass R2 especially shows us a preference for the latter, roughly speaking, although without the quasi-organic look. On the other hand, we have emperors, princes, princesses and knights who often wear capes, use swords and speak using rather operatic and grandiose expressions or exaggerated hand gestures, along with a larger-than-life plot that combines shades of political intrigue with Japanese high school antics, robot warfare and constant one-upmanship, philosophical introspection and fanservice. A little bit of everything, one way or another, can be found here. On paper, this sort of contradiction shouldn't work at all. For the more critical viewers, perhaps it never could have and never did. But strangely enough, I find myself in genuine disagreement. Why? Because the show has just enough mad energy and self-aware bravado to pull it off. There are numerous signs that the production staff knew exactly what they were doing. Code Geass R2 is not attempting to present a series of events worthy of being included as part of a historical documentary. No, it's a work of pure entertainment, where by their own admission the writers loved coming up with crazy scenarios from week to week, as well as poking fun at themselves and their own work. Even at the expense of the poor characters, it must be said, who are trapped in the context of a story where their own relatively serious attitudes are at odds with almost everything that is going on. They are all playthings, at heart, used for the game called entertainment. Far too often, certain observers will tend to confuse the presence of drama with absolute seriousness, when the reality is that a show like this one is a case of tragicomedy and camp at work, deliberately combining or switching between humor and tragedy, sometimes within the same sequence of a given episode. Why do all these unrealistic plans work? Why does Suzaku keep doing his spinkicks? Why is Sayoko a Ninja Maid? Why does Orange-kun steal the spotlight at times? Why does Emperor Charles have a ridiculous hair style and later goes flying off like a rocket? Why did a million people suddenly show up wearing the same costume? Because the staff found all of this amusing and, rightfully or wrongfully, thought the audience would derive the same sort of amusement from making such a flashy production. Considering the absurdly large popularity of the show at its height, I would argue that this wasn't an incorrect assumption. But Code Geass is, one way or another, special because it manages to be more than just that. Which is why I must also touch upon some of the more interesting aspects of the show, regardless of how they weren't necessarily the primary focus point of R2 at all times. Our protagonist, known as either Lelouch Lamperogue or Lelouch vi Britannia and particularly famous as the fabulous masked vigilante Zero, is a Byronic hero. That's a large part of what makes the series so attractive. Both his personality and the dynamics he develops with other characters, especially Suzaku, are a lot of fun to watch and quite intriguing to analyze. As a mastermind character with exaggerated speech patterns and physicality, Lelouch wears the clothes of a Light Yagami clone in the style of Death Note, but in reality he cannot entirely cope with the role. Which is what makes him more fallible and thus, I would argue, human. Humans -even so-called geniuses- can be perfectly irrational, contradictory and free to make mistakes that an omniscient spectator would consider foolish or worse. Humans are not perfect, not even the smartest ones. Much less those that are unstable teenagers or young adults, like Lelouch and most of the cast. Among the other characters Suzaku, in particular, is worth mentioning because he is often the most misunderstood. Suzaku, comparable to but unlike Lelouch, also wears a mask that hides his real intentions...yet the trick is it isn't a physical one. He also has his own set of conflicting thoughts and emotions, explaining his behavioral changes between season one and R2, as well as his tortured path through the twists and turns of Code Geass R2 until the ending. Suzaku is a living contradiction who initially follows ideals that he doesn't entirely believe in, deep down, and as they break down the plot itself ultimately has him acknowledge this fact. Lelouch wants to do good too, or so he tells himself, but cannot escape the direct and indirect consequences of his actions -as well as a lot of gratuitous bad luck- despite his outward attempts to portray himself as a demon or dark prince figure. The emphasis made on this sort of inner conflict is what makes Lelouch less of a product of the modern era and more of a throwback to 18th or 19th Century Romanticism, which is fitting considering the obvious neo-medieval aesthetic of the production. Romanticism appealed to emotion, not reason, and looked back to the Middle Ages, rejecting the Enlightenment's obsession with making everything out to be scientific at its core. As a Romantic character, Lelouch has access to a much wider range of emotions than other masterminds, who might have employed more plausible methods in their planning but tend to be far too aloof and distant in comparison. The animation quality was standard for a television anime. Not particularly great as a whole, to be honest, but nothing too bad either. You could even call it functional. I was actually rather impressed by the original soundtrack though, and would definitely recommend giving the background music compositions a good listen even outside the context of the show. Having said that, there is no denying that Code Geass R2 isn't exactly perfect. Oh, far from it. In some ways it is worse than the first series, by a significant degree, as it contains elements that several viewers might find fairly annoying to sit through. The constant twists can get tiresome towards the final stages and, for all their contributions to increasing the fun factor, the way they risk detracting from the execution of the more interesting elements isn't a good thing. In fact, there were specific developments that suffered from a visible degree of popular backlash, which could have been avoided by slowing the pace and spacing things out to provide more details. There are some cases of characters switching allegiance far too quickly, and that can be frustrating to witness even when there are valid reasons, some better than others, explaining their behavior in retrospect. In particular, a certain event involving the Black Knights should work fine on paper, when you take a look at the general framework, but needed to be far better scripted and less rushed in practice. Instead, it comes off as a bit too petty. That's part of why Code Geass R2 tends to challenge the average person's suspension of disbelief so much, especially for those who want to take Code Geass as a completely serious narrative when that's far from being the case. The more one looks into the real intentions of the creators, the more one realizes that respecting or maintaining any semblance of realism or absolute seriousness wasn't their main objective at all. No matter what, the second half of the tale of Lelouch is an entertaining adventure with a few interesting complexities deserving of appreciation. But in the end, what we have here is a crazy anti-heroic neo-medieval romance, intended to keep the audience amused and having a good time, regardless of whatever else it could have been if it had chosen to follow another path. Overall: 6.5/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Informative
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all |