One year after the Black Rebellion, Lelouch Lamperouge has gone back to his
normal school life, seemingly with no memory of his past exploits as Zero or
as a former prince of Britannia.
However, Lelouch is soon reunited with C.C. and his memory as well as his
Geass is restored.
Realizing what had happened to him; Lelouch once again takes on the persona of
Zero, reforms the Black Knights and continues his war against Britannia.
Review: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
(Note: As this is a review of a sequel, it is written with the assumption that
the reader is already familiar/has already watched the first Code Geass
season. If not, then please refer to our original Code Geass review)
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 continues the story of Lelouch Lamperouge (a.k.a. Lelouch vi
Britannia, a.k.a Zero) and the Order of the Black Knights as they continue
their fight against the Empire of Britannia.
As is typical for a sequel, we are introduced to more characters including new
allies, enemies, and Nightmare Frames.
The long list of new characters includes Rolo, Lelouch's "brother" who turns
out to be an assassin that also possesses a Geass power, Li Xing-Ke, who is a
military officer in the Chinese Federation who is fighting to reform his
corrupt government, and V.V. (who was briefly introduced during the first
season), a mysterious boy with close ties to Emperor Charles di Britannia.
As the series progresses new factions are introduced and new alliances formed,
with plot twists abound.
The plot twists in R2 are even more abundant, and at times even more
implausible and unexpected than the first season, with every episode
essentially ending in a cliffhanger.
However, the characters this time around are far more likable, even if they
are so numerous that many of them, unfortunately, end up being underdeveloped.
And while the show starts off slow and self-indulgently, the plot eventually
moves forward at a lightening pace and while stumbles somewhat near the
climax, manages to pull off a remarkably well-crafted resolution at the end.
Fans who were disappointed by the way the first season ended will undoubtedly
be satisfied with the ending of R2 Code Geass.
Yet, like its younger sibling, Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 sometimes can't help but fall
into similar trappings.
Indeed there are moments during R2 (especially near the beginning and end)
that are even more incredulous and melodramatic than the first season.
Lelouch / Zero's antics are much greater in scale and much more ridiculously
unbelievable and grandiose than ever before.
The battlefields are filled with even more over-powered mecha, the back-story
becomes even more intricate and convoluted, and the storyline and premises are
as cheesy as ever before.
At times the characters themselves seem to be in as much consternation as the
viewers must be, and perhaps we shouldn't blame them.
In many ways R2 is a supersized version of Code Geass anime with scenarios that make
the absurd nature of the first season seem to pale in comparison--for action
fans in particular, R2 is like the original Code Geass on steroids.
(Though, unfortunately, these steroids don't make Lelouch or most of the other
characters in the series any more masculine.)
Looking past the outer shell, however, reveals an inner core that's very
different from what we've come to expect: a series that has real emotional
depth and dramatic resonance.
Now to be clear, by no means is this a primary focus of R2, however, the
actions and motivations of the characters and the events themselves seem to
have greater meaning and purpose.
The range of emotions felt by the characters is better conveyed: we feel their
desperation and determination, their sadness and joy, their anger and regret.
Characters that seemed so empty or clichéd in the first season are given
greater depth and expression, with exceptions of course.
Lelouch, in particular, is a far more interesting character this time around,
and his inner conflict and desire for self-resolution as well as his changing
relationships with his comrades and enemies alike act as a drive that propels
the show from a mere continuation into a rejuvenation of the series.
Conversely, many a cynic would deem the dramatic aspects of Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 to be nothing
more than empty tear-jerker material, worthy of ridicule but certainly not
acclaim.
And indeed for merely suggesting that R2 has a deeper emotional reservoir than
it seems may be the results of my own brain being influenced by the mayhem
conveyed onscreen.
Others would question the purpose of trying to find meaning in a show that is
so clearly superficial. It's not hard to agree with such arguments as R2 is in many ways very
one-dimensional, but it's at least able to have an emotional impact on this
reviewer, regardless of whether or not such a response was expected or
intended.
(Though be warned: those looking for actually meaningful messages should look
elsewhere.)
Production wise, SUNRISE has definitely outdone itself. The visuals of R2 are not only far better than the original, but are also
arguably some of the best I've seen all year (though somewhat expected
considering what must be an astronomical budget).
Even flashier and more colorful than ever before, the high quality of the
visuals consistently impresses from one episode to the next.
The characters and backgrounds are incredibly detailed and the large-scale
action sequences are spectacular to watch.
The only gripe I have is that the animation itself often lacks fluidity,
especially during some of the more hectic action sequences.
This didn't really take much away from the actual quality of the visuals but
it is rather noticeable nevertheless.
And while SUNRISE doesn't quite stand at the absolute top-tier level in terms
of overall animation quality, R2 represents arguably their best work since
their golden age of shows like Cowboy Bebop.
Likewise the audio is just as impressive as the visuals, with great sound
effects and the solid voice acting you've come to expect from the first
season.
The music, on the other hand, is more of a mixed bag. The soundtrack itself is solid, a score that is well suited for the mixture of
tones that a series like Geass goes through. The theme songs, conversely, are merely mediocre and all but one remains
memorable.
Code Geass R2 anime is a series that almost every Geass fan will be delighted to
watch--for newer fans watching the first season is recommended.
While its approach is often divergent from the first, it shares enough
absurdities and overindulgences that those who didn't like the first series
will most likely detest this one.
Yet for all its flashiness, its superficiality and its dangerously complex
back-story, this is still a far more entertaining series than most of the
other shows out there.
If nothing else, Code Geass R2 review again proves that entertainment doesn't always
have to be meaningful, just enjoyable.
Miscellanies: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
Code Geass R2 is licensed by Bandai Entertainment and began airing in North
America on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in November 2008, with a R2 Code Geass DVD release
to follow in 2009.
Related Articles: Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2) | |
| Genre | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 25 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Apr 6, 2008 to Sep 28, 2008 |
| Producers | Bandai Visual, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Bandai, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Rating | R - 17+ (violence & profanity) |
| Themes | Mecha, Military, Super Power |
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