On the TV, the first episode of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion was playing.
"Suzaku, I... will destroy Britannia!"
"The nobles of today are all hothouse flowers, merely parasites living off their privileges."
"Even if we cry, the dead won't return."
"How sad."
"In the end, it's just self-indulgence. No matter how righteously we stand, the world won't change anyway."
"You don't want this to end yet, do you? You..."
"What?!"
"You seem to have a reason to keep living."
"The girl from earlier? Could it be..."
"If you gain power, you can continue living, right? This is a contract. I grant you power, and in return, you must fulfill one wish of mine. If you sign this contract, you can survive, but you'll live as something different from humanity—with a different will, a different perception of time, a different life. The King's Power will bring you loneliness. Are you prepared for that?"
"What's wrong? Not firing? Your opponent is just a student. Or have you noticed something? Only those who are prepared to be shot have the right to pull the trigger."
"What's going on?"
"By the authority of Lelouch vi Britannia, I command you: Die!"
"As you command! Fire!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"From that day on, I've been lying. My very existence is a lie, my name is a lie, my experiences are all lies. It's all lies. I've grown weary of this unchanging world, but these lies have made me so desperate I can't even give up. Yet I gained... power! So..."
In front of the television, Shiga Taka watched the first episode with rapt attention, his excitement growing with each scene.
This protagonist... he's something else.
There was a scene where a Noble played chess against a bald businessman. The businessman had been forced into a corner, nearly defeated. But then, the Male Lead, Lelouch, stepped in as his representative. With only 20 seconds left on his clock, he managed to turn the game around and achieve a stunning comeback in just 8 minutes and 32 seconds.
Though the scene was brief and the actual chess moves were skipped, it clearly demonstrated the protagonist's exceptional intelligence, much like the Male Lead in Death Note.
Even more importantly, after gaining his power, this protagonist didn't hesitate to use it. He directly ordered his enemies to commit suicide.
Decisive and ruthless, just like the Death Note protagonist.
A protagonist like this... he's just too likable! Especially for a Death Note fan. Watching the new animation, Code Geass, after finishing Death Note... it's like the greatest surprise ever.
The plot is also incredibly compelling. It begins with the direct fall of Neon, which is transformed into Area 11 by the Britannian Empire.
While the name "Britannia" might seem to allude to Britain, the map in the animation and its status as the "world's sole superpower" actually point more strongly to America.
The story follows the protagonist, Lelouch, as a villain who rises up to resist Britannian rule and vows to destroy the empire. As a Japanese person, I found it very relatable.
Additionally, this animation features a presence similar to Ryuk from Death Note: the mysterious woman C.C., who grants Lelouch his power.
When Neon falls, the male lead Lelouch and his childhood friend Suzaku are still children. However, by the time the main story begins, both have grown up.
Lelouch is now a high school student, while Suzaku, having been separated for years, has joined the Britannian military as an ordinary soldier and an honorary Britannian citizen.
The true beginning of the story is when two Japanese people hijack a round, iron-ball-like object that the authorities claim is "poison gas."
In reality, the object wasn't a true poison gas, but something highly sensitive and classified. If revealed, it would jeopardize the Third Prince of Britannia's position as governor of the Eleventh District. Panicked, the prince vowed to retrieve the item at all costs, even ordering a "military exercise" that resulted in a brutal purge of the commoner districts.
The two Japanese individuals were members of the Resistance.
The Male Lead had originally been a student with no ties to the Resistance. After winning a match as a proxy in Chess, he was accidentally caught in an accident on his way back to school.
Trapped in the chaos and unable to escape, he encountered Suzaku, a childhood friend he hadn't seen in years.
During their conversation, the massive, iron-ball-like object automatically opened, revealing not poison gas, but a woman—the mysterious C.C.
Initially, C.C. seemed perfectly ordinary, like any other girl.
Suzaku's superior arrived with a group of men and ordered Suzaku to shoot the Male Lead. Suzaku refused and was immediately shot by his superior, collapsing on the spot.
At the last moment, the Japanese captors who had kidnapped C.C. detonated their car, creating chaos that allowed the Male Lead and C.C. to escape. However, they were recaptured shortly after.
When Suzaku's superior ordered him to kill the Male Lead, C.C. rushed forward and took the bullet meant for him.
Shot in the head, she should have died instantly. Yet, just as the Male Lead was despairing, C.C. stirred.
She grabbed his hand and offered to make a contract, bestowing upon him the power of the King.
The Male Lead agreed, leading to the scene where he unleashed the King's Power to make all his enemies commit suicide.
Having watched Death Note before Lelouch of the Rebellion, C.C. gives the impression of being a female counterpart to Ryuk, the Shinigami. However, Ryuk is male and his identity as a Shinigami from the Death God Realm is established from the start.
C.C. is different, more mysterious. She looks like an ordinary person, yet she cannot die even when killed and can grant the Male Lead the King's Power—clear proof that she is no ordinary human.
As a woman, her interactions with the Male Lead in the future are particularly intriguing.
I had a feeling this story wouldn't end with the Male Lead losing a confrontation with his opponent and being killed by the one who gave him his power.
Beyond the character design and plot, the remaining elements were the animation and music.
The animation was clearly LSP's strong suit, and the new animation flowed smoothly and naturally. While some characters were thinner than in Death Note, which took a little getting used to, it wasn't a major issue after a while. Overall, the visuals were quite exquisite.
The music wasn't particularly outstanding, but it was decent enough to be noteworthy.
Since I was primarily watching the anime for the story, as long as the music didn't feel out of place, this aspect posed no problems.
In short, Shiga Taka was thoroughly impressed with LSP's new anime, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
Even after just the first episode, it felt worthy of Lin Zhiyan's new work and LSP's latest animation.
He let out a long breath, turned off the TV, and returned to his room, preparing to discuss the plot online with others.
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