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Ichirō Ōkouchi’sCode Geass:Lelouch of the Rebellionis celebrated by many fans for its complex themes, morally ambiguous characters, and the scale of the overall conflict. Lelouch is an excellent strategist and tactician, who leaves a long-lasting impression on fans, making them question the true meaning of morality.
From thrilling action scenes to splendid rebellion storytelling,Code Geassenthralls several fans with Lelouch’s rebel act on the Britannia Kingdom. Unlike most anime series, where the villain is portrayed as evil for evil’s sake,Code Geassshowcases moral ambiguity that makes it stand out from the rest.
Undoubtedly,Code Geassis regarded as an alternate-history sci-fi anime that showcases the violence of imperial wars and resistance to colonization. Amid the series’ immense popularity, Ichirō Ōkouchi once shared how the challenges before the manga’s glory days made him almost quit his work.
Ichirō Ōkouchi Almost Walked Away Before the Rise ofCode Geass
Lelouch has been the star of the series because of his noble intentions to make the world a better place for his sister. Despite being the protagonist,Lelouch’s immoral methodsto depose the Britannia Kingdom turn him into a villainous character.
Revenge is a dish best-served cold, but rebellion always burns bright. Ichirō Ōkouchi delves into complex themes of revenge, revolution, and the inherent abuse of power that made the anime leave amemorable impressionon the audience.
Despite not ranking among the mainstream titles,Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellionis considered one of the best animes of all time. Due to Ōkouchi’s great creative design of KMF (Knightmare Frames, the humanoid war machines), many fans originally perceived it to be a mecha anime series.
“There was always a conflict”: Code Geass Director Never Wanted to Remove One Major Aspect of the Original Anime that Became Redundant in the Movies
Sadly, the mangaka’s plans to feature robotic machines as a significant element of the series ultimately backfired on him. In aninterview, Ōkouchi shares his pasthardships and daunting challengesthat brought the mangaka to the verge of quitting. He said:
Since the beginning of this project. Actually, when this project started, the protagonist pilots the robot and robot battles are the main event. But when I submitted the project to a competition at MBS, the project fell through. I was thinking of quitting it altogether, but then I had already ordered the original character design, and there are staff’s livelihood to be considered. So I overturned the project premise because it wasn’t attractive enough. The concept of robot being the ally, turned into being the enemy.
Lelouch manipulated his own army and betrayed their trust to commit mass murders of Britannians and Japanese to achieve his goal. However, that doesn’t prevent fans from sympathizing with his character as Lelouch’s sacrifice at the end of the series shifts the moral compass of many viewers.
Lelouch’s Sacrifice: The Ultimate Resolution forCode Geass?
Using the Geass and his genius-level intellect, Lelouch becomes the leader of the resistance movement against the Britannia Kingdom. Lelouch plunges the world into chaos by taking on the role of Zero, his immoral methods to depose the Britannia Kingdomturn him into a villainous character.
Code Geass’ Entire Editing Process Became a Nightmare for Director Taniguchi After He Constantly Woke Up in Cold Sweats
Throughout the series, Lelouch’s only goal was to create a peaceful world for his sister, Nunnally. Although Lelouch was also driven by his revenge against the Britannia Kingdom, the protagonist did consider a peaceful treaty with Princess Euphemia.
Unfortunately, after losing control of his Geass, Lelouch had to kill his first love, Euphemia, with his own hands. Because of his manipulation and mass murders, Lelouch was no longer seen as a savior, but more like a dictator. Burdened by so many innocent deaths,Lelouch sacrificeshimself and leaves everything to Nunnally and his best friend, Suzaku Kururugi.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellionis available to stream on Crunchyroll
Mehul Rolta
Articles Published :510
Mehul Rolta is a seasoned journalist with over 3 years in esports and soccer journalism. Transitioning to anime writing at Fandom Wire, Mehul shares his lifelong passion for anime about integrates professionalism. Dedicated to connecting the world of anime globally, Mehul shares thoughts and insights, communicating personal passion with professional insight.
