CODE GEASS: LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION (VOLUME 2)
July 21st 2009 02:39
Category: Videos, Television
Original story by: Ichirou Ohkouchi & Goro Taniguchi
Director: Goro Taniguchi
Script by: Ichirou Ohkouchi
Character Design Concepts: CLAMP
Producers: Hiroshi Morotomi, Yoshitaka Kawaguchi, Takuo Minegishi & Atsushi Yukawa
Starring: Johnny Yong Bosch (Lelouch), Yuri Lowenthal (Suzaku), Kate Higgins (C.C), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Cornelia), Michael McConnohie (Emperor of Britannia), Michelle Ruff (Euphemia), Liam O’Brien (Lloyd Asplund), Deborah Sale Butler (Cecile Croomy), Karen Strassman (Kallen Stadtfeld), Rebecca Forstadt (Nunally), Julie Ann Taylor (Milly Ashford), Brian Beacock (Rivalz) & Amy Kincaid (Shirley).
Produced by: MBS, Sunrise & Project Geass
English Version produced by: Bandai Visual in association with ZRO Limit
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 100 minutes Rating: M
One has to wonder if someone in Japan comes up for an idea of an anime that heavily involves lots of mecha running around causing havoc and destruction on a grand scale do they immediately go “Hey Sunrise are the people we have to go see as they’re pros at this kind of thing.” Responsible for Gasaraki, a mecha drama that combined high level politics with ancient Japanese history, Noh drama and international conspiracies as well as the seminal mecha drama Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Sunrise have certainly stamped their mark on the field of mecha anime. And once again they’re putting their mark on this particular drama, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion along with those legends of manga CLAMP who are responsible for the character design concepts. There is that distinct CLAMP feel to the characters and costumes; they look like something straight out of a Piffle Princess catalogue.
So all that aside just exactly what is Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (CG: LOTR) all about? Certainly it’s an interesting mix of various elements that combine into a rather compelling drama. Think the Napoleonic Era, mecha, the Scarlet Pimpernel, super powers and 1984 all tossed into a pot, stirred together and cooked up into a tasty treat that is rather masterfully pulled off with aplomb. Interestingly this series had been airing on ABC 2 at 9.30pm each Monday night but has now been replaced by Doctor Who, obviously Aunty has shown the whole of the first season and there is nothing to indicate that they’ll be showing the second. Still kudos to them for showing this particular series in the first place, it seems as if Aunty has taken over from SBS in showing some quality anime of an evening.
But back to CG: LOTR, the whole focus of the drama that unfolds revolves around the core themes of liberation, revolution, responsibility and revenge. This is a world very much different from the one in which we all know and love, in this world the sole superpower is the Holy Empire of Britannia, a vast imperial entity that covers the two Americas, the British Isles and now the nation of Japan or as it is called by its conquerors Area 11. And it looks as if the empire is not content to rest upon its laurels there is fighting against unmentioned opponents in the deserts of North Africa, so Britannia is an empire that continually seeks to increase its power and its wealth, all at the expense of others. Such tyranny on a grand scale seems to be almost unstoppable; certainly it seems as if it is only a matter of time before all will fall before the might of Britannia.
Survival of the fittest is the reigning doctrine of the Holy Empire of Britannia, it is the sole reason that this vast entity constantly engages in wars of conquest and plunder. The Strong deserve to rule and dominate the Weak, those who are unfit, unwell and unsound are nothing more than subjects for the Strong. This doctrine doesn’t just extend to the geopolitical arena but to the very succession of an individual to the Imperial throne, only the strongest of the Emperors many offspring will be fit to rule in his place. Thus there is constant tension, both internal and external, in the empire and it is one such incident of internal tension that defines the primary protagonist of this series Lelouch Lamperouge. Originally one of the children of the Britannian Emperor, Lelouch watched his mother get murdered by assassins and his sister Nunally was grievously wounded in the attack within the palace. When he demands to know why his father failed to protect his mother he is scornfully dismissed as worthless and sent to Japan where hopefully he can be of some political value to the empire.
The death of his mother and the horrors he sees in Japan that the Britannians inflict on the locals are what make him swear an oath to destroy Britannia. Strong words but how can he bring them about? Through the guise of the rebel Zero and the power of the Geass, using his skills and the power of the Geass Lelouch gradually begins to build up a core of followers and a cause which people can rally around. This particular volume charts the nascent beginnings of the Zero lead rebellion, we see him begin to take the initiative against his foes as well as slowly working out an ideology around which to rally not only supporters but fighters and those who will risk their lives in the name of that cause, which seems to be focused on justice, self determination and an end to tyranny. Of course there are other things going on in the story that provide a hint of mystery and something grander occurring.
First is the strange green haired girl C.C that hangs around in Lelouch’s abode, she is the one who has given our protagonist the power of Geass which allows him to command others to do what he bids them from committing suicide to forgetting that they saw or witnessed something. She also seems to be in constant communication with someone or something, could it be Britannia? The EU or the Chinese Federation? Or possibly the future? As this is my only encounter so far with the whole Geass saga I cannot say, although I get the sneaking suspicion that C.C is from the future but I could be very much off the mark. The second element is the Emperor himself, he seems to be up to something other than just garnering power though specifically what this is no doubt will be revealed at a later stage in the saga.
I have to admit though as I watched this series and listening to Lelouch I kept on expecting him to say something along the lines of “got to focus my spiritual pressure” or “Hey Zangetsu” this being that Johnny Yong Bosch who does the vocals for Lelouch also does the vocals for Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach. In fact looking at the English vocal cast list there are a lot of voice actors who have worked on that particular series and Naruto who have roles in this particular anime drama. Suppose it’s a small community, who knows. Still all that aside, if you like your mecha drama with a Napoleonic/Scarlet Pimpernel twist then Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion should be right up your alley. Zero Hour is close at hand…
Director: Goro Taniguchi
Script by: Ichirou Ohkouchi
Character Design Concepts: CLAMP
Producers: Hiroshi Morotomi, Yoshitaka Kawaguchi, Takuo Minegishi & Atsushi Yukawa
Starring: Johnny Yong Bosch (Lelouch), Yuri Lowenthal (Suzaku), Kate Higgins (C.C), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Cornelia), Michael McConnohie (Emperor of Britannia), Michelle Ruff (Euphemia), Liam O’Brien (Lloyd Asplund), Deborah Sale Butler (Cecile Croomy), Karen Strassman (Kallen Stadtfeld), Rebecca Forstadt (Nunally), Julie Ann Taylor (Milly Ashford), Brian Beacock (Rivalz) & Amy Kincaid (Shirley).
English Version produced by: Bandai Visual in association with ZRO Limit
Released by: Madman Entertainment
Running Time: 100 minutes Rating: M
One has to wonder if someone in Japan comes up for an idea of an anime that heavily involves lots of mecha running around causing havoc and destruction on a grand scale do they immediately go “Hey Sunrise are the people we have to go see as they’re pros at this kind of thing.” Responsible for Gasaraki, a mecha drama that combined high level politics with ancient Japanese history, Noh drama and international conspiracies as well as the seminal mecha drama Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Sunrise have certainly stamped their mark on the field of mecha anime. And once again they’re putting their mark on this particular drama, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion along with those legends of manga CLAMP who are responsible for the character design concepts. There is that distinct CLAMP feel to the characters and costumes; they look like something straight out of a Piffle Princess catalogue.
So all that aside just exactly what is Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (CG: LOTR) all about? Certainly it’s an interesting mix of various elements that combine into a rather compelling drama. Think the Napoleonic Era, mecha, the Scarlet Pimpernel, super powers and 1984 all tossed into a pot, stirred together and cooked up into a tasty treat that is rather masterfully pulled off with aplomb. Interestingly this series had been airing on ABC 2 at 9.30pm each Monday night but has now been replaced by Doctor Who, obviously Aunty has shown the whole of the first season and there is nothing to indicate that they’ll be showing the second. Still kudos to them for showing this particular series in the first place, it seems as if Aunty has taken over from SBS in showing some quality anime of an evening.
Survival of the fittest is the reigning doctrine of the Holy Empire of Britannia, it is the sole reason that this vast entity constantly engages in wars of conquest and plunder. The Strong deserve to rule and dominate the Weak, those who are unfit, unwell and unsound are nothing more than subjects for the Strong. This doctrine doesn’t just extend to the geopolitical arena but to the very succession of an individual to the Imperial throne, only the strongest of the Emperors many offspring will be fit to rule in his place. Thus there is constant tension, both internal and external, in the empire and it is one such incident of internal tension that defines the primary protagonist of this series Lelouch Lamperouge. Originally one of the children of the Britannian Emperor, Lelouch watched his mother get murdered by assassins and his sister Nunally was grievously wounded in the attack within the palace. When he demands to know why his father failed to protect his mother he is scornfully dismissed as worthless and sent to Japan where hopefully he can be of some political value to the empire.
The death of his mother and the horrors he sees in Japan that the Britannians inflict on the locals are what make him swear an oath to destroy Britannia. Strong words but how can he bring them about? Through the guise of the rebel Zero and the power of the Geass, using his skills and the power of the Geass Lelouch gradually begins to build up a core of followers and a cause which people can rally around. This particular volume charts the nascent beginnings of the Zero lead rebellion, we see him begin to take the initiative against his foes as well as slowly working out an ideology around which to rally not only supporters but fighters and those who will risk their lives in the name of that cause, which seems to be focused on justice, self determination and an end to tyranny. Of course there are other things going on in the story that provide a hint of mystery and something grander occurring.
First is the strange green haired girl C.C that hangs around in Lelouch’s abode, she is the one who has given our protagonist the power of Geass which allows him to command others to do what he bids them from committing suicide to forgetting that they saw or witnessed something. She also seems to be in constant communication with someone or something, could it be Britannia? The EU or the Chinese Federation? Or possibly the future? As this is my only encounter so far with the whole Geass saga I cannot say, although I get the sneaking suspicion that C.C is from the future but I could be very much off the mark. The second element is the Emperor himself, he seems to be up to something other than just garnering power though specifically what this is no doubt will be revealed at a later stage in the saga.
I have to admit though as I watched this series and listening to Lelouch I kept on expecting him to say something along the lines of “got to focus my spiritual pressure” or “Hey Zangetsu” this being that Johnny Yong Bosch who does the vocals for Lelouch also does the vocals for Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach. In fact looking at the English vocal cast list there are a lot of voice actors who have worked on that particular series and Naruto who have roles in this particular anime drama. Suppose it’s a small community, who knows. Still all that aside, if you like your mecha drama with a Napoleonic/Scarlet Pimpernel twist then Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion should be right up your alley. Zero Hour is close at hand…
| 39 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
