Casual Cogitations

I can probably can make a serious case that the first season of Code Geass is a genuinely good anime, but I could only make the same argument for Code Geass R2 on days that I feel completely and utterly retarded. Sure, the first season does have a bad tendency of hitting viewers on the kneecaps with convenient plot devices, but R2 takes the extra mile to run them over with a train. Much like the first season, Code Geass R2 is a boatload of fun and excitement, but as the series progresses, it gets bogged down by some of the most asinine storylines I’ve ever seen.

Perhaps the first season has left the Sunrise staff short on good ideas, but I honestly don’t think these folks took a step back to actually see what they were writing. While the story has spurts of absolute brilliance, the vast majority of episodes play out like fanfics, which can only be praised for originality and their ability to draw rabid fan reactions. The overall story is really a jumbled mess in serious need of an editor with a chainsaw.

So what exactly is the problem?

In a nutshell, R2 gets struck halfway through with a bad case of Sudden Shambolic Misdirection; this downturn in quality happens so inexplicably that I’m convinced the original production team got sacked and replaced with animation students on crack. Even in the beginning, R2 displays a couple of minor irritants which aren’t present in S1, such as incessant perverse shots of Kallen and an unnecessary influx of new and powerful characters. At first, these are easy to dismiss as temporary blips (after all, just watching Lelouch in action is exciting enough). Eventually, though, things begin to catch up with Code Geass – characters start doing things that don’t make sense and most of the shocking “twists” actually turn out to make no difference to the story later on.

Above all, what really hurts the series is the eventual sidelining of strategic interplay in favor of mecha battles so excessive that the show might as well rename itself Code Geass: I Wanna Be Gurren-Lagann So Bad.

Having said that, Code Geass has always been a franchise obsessed with results – it will sacrifice almost anything to deliver an almighty twist at the end of each episode. The same can be said of R2’s story as a whole; plotting and characterization (and yes, even the rules of chess) are crudely manipulated to make sure the series can deliver its ace in the hole. In those final few moments, the pointless twists and meaningless progression become vague memories lost in a single moment.

Indeed, for some this will be the only vindication necessary, or the miracle cure so to speak. However, I retain a healthy dose of skepticism for one very simple reason: while the final episode tries really hard to provide some delightfully poetic moments, simply knocking out a few great scenes can’t ever compensate for ten episodes of ill-conceived nonsense.

The writers of this show also need a remedial course on basic story writing because they have a bad tendency of following the “because I say so” form of storytelling. Instead of drawing from already established plot conventions, the writers clumsily tie the story into convoluted knots - which shoots logic in the foot - and shores everything up by making up a stupid explanation on the spot. In other words, if Lelouch were to somehow summon a magical, pink dragon that farts rainbows, it will be explained by a convoluted story about the history of Geass followed by blanks stares and a “because I say so.”

Nobody can claim that the cast of Code Geass has ever been superbly realized; in R2, however, they become downright incomprehensible. The best example of this is Lelouch himself. His goal at the beginning is clearly to protect Nunnally, but later, he starts to bounce from one contrived motivation to the other, confusing not just his companions, but also any discerning viewer. If Lelouch wasn’t so single-mindedly compelling, his final development would be a textbook example of how not to characterize a protagonist.

As for Cornelia, Kallen, Xinque and the rest of this colorful bunch, feel free to pick your favorites – it really doesn’t matter, because chances are they won’t end up doing much anyway. Too many times what appear to be brilliant new additions to the cast only end up hanging around like deadweight and even veteran cast members turn out to have no meaningful roles whatsoever. With each one falling prey to the story’s fickle whim, the ultimate effect is that too few of them remain interesting to watch in their own right.

Code Geass S1 is from beginning to end one of the most enjoyable anime of all time; conversely, Code Geass R2 is predominantly a big fat anti-climax. Conveniently, it delivers a hefty emotional punch at the last minute, ensuring in the process that it will be remembered with great fondness rather than bitter disappointment. In that sense the final episode could be read as a masterful move, although I think it’s more like dexterous trickery.

When all is said and done, any emotional connection made with R2 is only possible because of S1’s outstanding groundwork; for example, Lelouch remains sympathetic for miracles he used to perform as opposed to any of his actions here. As a standalone series, R2 is shamefully lacking; as part of a set of two, however, its worth lies in delivering the only thing S1 was missing – a finish.

Ultimately, how much you will enjoy Code Geass R2 is dependent on your opinion of the first season. If you think that the first season is mediocre or worse, skip this incarnation. If you think that season one is pleasure to watch, then expect the second season to be reduced to a guilty one.