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is a Japanese anime series, created by Sunrise. It was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and scripted by Ichirō Ōkouchi (both of whom who had earlier worked on another Sunrise series, the acclaimed Planetes), and featured character designs by the noted all-female Clamp mangaka group.
The series premiered across Japan on MBS from October 5 2006. Its satellite television premiere across Japan on Animax was on November 7, 2006.[1][2] It has been announced that a second season of the series is to be produced.[3]
On August 10th, 2010, a.t.b., the Holy Empire of Britannia overpowered Japanese forces and conquered the country with their robotic weapons, the Knightmare Frames, in less than a month. Japan lost its freedom and rights and was renamed Area 11, and the Japanese people are renamed "Elevens" and forced to survive in ghettos, while Britannians live in first-class settlements. Rebel elements persist, however, as pockets of Japanese organizations struggle against the Empire for the independence of Japan.
After his father, the Emperor of Britannia, did nothing to pursue the terrorists who murdered his mother and crippled his sister, a young boy named Lelouch, vowed to destroy Britannia. Seven years later in Area 11, he encounters a mysterious girl who gives him the power of the Geass. With it, he finally has the power that he needs to defeat Britannia and fulfill his two wishes: to seek revenge for his mother and to construct a world in which his beloved sister can live happily.
First used during the invasion of Japan, the are giant robots designed by the Britannia Empire, using self-propelled roller skate systems christened Landspinners to achieve high mobility and speeds and gain superiority on modern battlefields. They are also equipped with a sophisticated Factsphere open sensor camera on the head or torso to gather visual data. Their power source is also known as the Yggdrasil Drive and their later models now incorporate nuclei made of Sakuradite, a material now paramount in superconductivity technology.
Their main standard weapons are hand-held rifles, shoulder or wrist-mounted Slash Harkens (wired rocket anchors), Stun Tonfas, lances and airburst hand grenades. The cockpit, which is set in the protruding 'hump back', can be ejected in case of emergency and is equipped with parachutes. Verbally, the name sounds like nightmare but in spelling, it refers to a knight's mare.
A mysterious ability which C.C., who calls it the , can bestow. C.C. is unable to use the power herself and she is immune to the power being used on her. People who have Geass are not immune to other Geass's effects. It is likely that Geass is different for each person it is bestowed upon. The power of the Geass increases with each usage, and should the user lack the willpower, may be consumed by the power, which was the case with Mao and his insanity. However, one who can resist and fully control the power has the qualities to become the King.
Lelouch's power of Geass, "the power of absolute obedience", allows him to momentarily control a mind, in a fashion similar to hypnotism, and is situated in his left eye. When activated, a red bird-shaped sigil, similar to the mark on C.C.'s forehead, lights up in the eye and reaches out to its target(s). Lelouch's Geass later evolves and becomes permanently activated. According to the English version of the Newtype magazine, the Power of Geass has something to do with the very existence of humankind and can be used to destroy or transform just about anything.[4] Currently, his power evolved over time and became permanently activated, with the sigil lit in his left eye all the time.
Lelouch performs some experiments with his power of Geass and discovers the following:
Mao's power of Geass differs from Lelouch's in that it allows him to telepathically hear every person's conscious thought within a radius of 500 meters. He does not need to maintain direct eye contact with his victim and has no usage limit on an individual. Mao can concentrate on fewer victims at a time, which decreases his effective range but allows him to read deeper into the victims' minds and even probe their memories. He cannot read something if the victim has no knowledge of or completely forgotten about it. Bird-shaped sigil are lit in both of his eyes all the time, because his power evolved over time and became permanently activated. C.C. gave the power of Geass to Mao when he was six.
Nunnally's ability (in Nightmare of Nunnally manga only)
Nunnally's power of Geass allows her to read "future lines", or to see into the future. An entity similar to C.C., Nemo, bestows the power onto her. Like Lelouch, a red, bird-like sigil lights up in Nunnally's left eye when the power is activated.
An international superpower that possesses about one-third of the entire world. It remains in expansion, with the recent invasion and colonization of Area 18. Britannia invades Japan to obtain a newly discovered energy source, the Sakuradite. The Britannia Empire appears to be based on an alternative universe in which the monarchy remains absolute, suppressing the American colonies' rebellion in the 1700s and thereby conquering the American continents.
A nation that had rich sources of the new power source named Sakuradite. Under Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi and with the shadow support of the Sakuradite industries, Japan oppressed and dominated other countries through economic control. Frictions between the Britannian Empire and Japan eventually developed into a diplomatic conflict and later open war with the former, invading and conquering the country to seize control of the resource. Japan's name is soon changed to Area 11 and its people are renamed to Elevens. The number denotes the numerical order by which Britannia has occupied new territories.
A desert country, which appears to be based within the Middle East.
Another country, presumably the European Union and supporting equal rights, unlike the Holy Empire of Britannia.
An Asian federation, where wealth is reportedly equally distributed.
A first-world level place in the conquered Areas where Britannians live, as opposed to the Ghettos only inhabited by native citizens. The settlements are powered by massive solar panels and the residents can go about the city in ease using monorails.
A third-world level place where Elevens live. The ghettos are filled with the bombed remains of the pre-war buildings and their residents can barely make out a living.
A private academy, owned by the Ashford family, where Lelouch, Nunnally and their friends study.
The name given to the Japanese upon the conquering and colonization of Area 11.
Citizens of the conquered Areas can become Honorary Britannians when they swear allegiance to the Britannia Empire. They attain the same legal rights as normal Britannians, but by no means are they free from prejudice and inequality. Also, Honorary Britannian soldiers cannot achieve the same career as native Britannians as certain privileges are forbidden to them.
A faction which opposes the Honorary Britannian system, claiming that the Britannian army and society should only consist of Britannians.
An important resource used on the manufacturing of superconductors, abundant in Japan, which is responsible for 70% of the world's supply. One of its mines reside in Mount Fuji, and this strategic material was the primary reason for the Britannia Empire's invasion. Since then annual meetings are held between Britannian and the other world's powers to determine each one's share of Sakuradite extracted from Area 11. From episode 13, it is speculated that the material is able to be stored in liquid form and is explosive, or at least highly flammable.
The calendar used by the Britannia Empire. It started during the Roman empire's first (foiled) attempt to invade Great Britain. The initials A.T.B. mean 'Ascension Throne Britannia' and refer to the election of a Celtic super-leader by Britannian tribes to resist the invader.
The title for a pilot of a Knightmare Frame. Honorary Britannians, by principle, cannot become Knights. The only known exception to the rule is Suzaku, who was chosen by Princess Euphemia. Knight is another title of the Empire that is the lowest court rank allowed to request an audience from a member of the royal family.
An elite unit of four of Kyōshirō Tōdō's most talented and devoted followers. In episode 11 during the confusion in the Battle of Narita they ambushed Governor-General Cornelia's Knightmare unit using the newly developed Burai Kai Japanese Knightmares. Their existence extends all of the way back into the initial invasion of Japan by the Empire of Britannia seven years prior to the Battle of Narita.
COLORS (first season, episodes 1-12)
(first season, episodes 1-12)
Stories (featured in episodes 5, 13), Masquerade (featured in episode 14), Alone (featured in episode 21), Innocent Days (featured in episode 22 and 23)
The Code Geass DVD releases are in 16:9 aspect ratio. The original TV broadcast on MBS was panned and scanned for full screen on 4:3 sets.
Code Geass premiered across Japan on Mainichi Broadcasting System from October 5, 2006. Its broadcasting runs across Japan also include:
Code Geass has been adapted into three different manga adaptations, containing alternate storylines:
Serialized in the Monthly Asuka magazine. (first serialization: October 2006)
Original story: Gorō Taniguchi, Ichirō Ōkouchi/artist: Majiko!
Tankōbon compilations (Asuka Comics DX):
Serialized in the Beans A magazine. (first serialization: Beans A Vol.6)
Original creator: Sunrise/scenario coordination: Ayaka Hasumi (ArcLight)/ artist: Atsuro Yomino
Serialized in Comptiq's Comp Ace magazine. (first serialization: Comp Ace VOL10)
Original story: Gorō Taniguchi, Ichirō Ōkouchi/artist: Tomomasa Takuma
An alternate story in which Lelouch's fate is unknown after his meeting with C.C. and Prince Clovis. Nunnally makes a Geass contract with Nemo and gains the power to read the future. She also obtains a new body and takes up piloting an unusual and powerful Knightmare Frame. Many people who can use the power of Geass, collectively called "Geass Users", make their appearance in the manga.
Code Geass has been adapted into a series of light novels, the first of which was titled and released on April 28, 2007. The light novels are being serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's The Sneaker light novel magazine.
Code Geass has been adapted into a series of drama CDs, the first of which was released on April 2007. They have also been available on a streaming basis on the Japanese internet website Biglobe.
Code Geass is slated to be adapted into a series of video games for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable and Wii.[8][9][10]
First premiering on October 6 2006 on BEAT☆Net Radio!, a series of weekly internet radio broadcasts. It features Sayaka Ohara (seiyū of Milly Ashford) and Satomi Arai (seiyū of Sayoko Shinazaki).
First premiering on December 12 2006, a series of internet radio broadcasts, hosted by Jun Fukuyama (seiyū of Lelouch) and Noriaki Sugiyama (seiyū of Rivalz).
Released on September 29 2006, a 30-minute preview, hosted by Teriyuki Tsuchida, first appearing on TBS. BIGLOBE has also distributed it as a streamable broadcast. It was included in the first DVD.
Production: Kyodo Television, director: Hiroshi Watanabe, script: Noboyuki Toyama
Since its premiere, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion has collected numerous awards and accolades. At the sixth annual Tokyo Anime Awards held at the 2007 Tokyo International Anime Fair, Code Geass won the best TV anime series award.[11] On noted Japanese anime magazine Animages 29th Annual Anime Grand Prix, Code Geass won the most popular series award, with Lelouch Lamperouge also being chosen as the most popular male character and "Colors" being chosen as the most popular song. At the first Seiyū Awards held in 2007, Jun Fukuyama won the award for best actor in a leading role for his performance as Lelouch Lamperouge in the series, while Ami Koshimizu won the award for best actress in a supporting role for her performance as Karen Stadtfeld.