Around 11:30 PM, the first episode of the animation aired.
Online, posts flooded the forums one after another:
"A phenomenal anime returns! As satisfying as ever—truly worthy of Lelouch!"
"The first episode is titled 'The Day the Demon God Revives.' Today marks the return of this iconic anime. It feels like a deliberate message: 'Hey, SEED fans, I'm Lelouch, and I'm back. Let's see how long you can keep acting so smug.'"
"The first half was frustratingly tense, but when Lelouch regains his memories and orders his enemies to commit mass suicide, all that frustration vanished. I was so excited I could barely sit still!"
"Seriously, dude above, you're a bit much! But yeah, it's undeniably good. A memory-restored Lelouch is so cool."
"I'm dying to know what happened at the end of the first season. Why was Lelouch's memory sealed? Where did Nunnally go? And what's up with that sudden appearance of his younger brother Rolo?"
"Damn it! Not only did they leave so many plot holes from the first season unfilled, but the first episode of the second season dug even more new ones!"
"Can't wait for what's next! I'm eager to see Lelouch rebuild the Black Knights and continue slaughtering his enemies across the land."
Some were simply delighted to be able to watch Lelouch again, while others earnestly discussed the plot.
Naturally, there were also those who boasted about their fandom and declared their intention to continue their three-hundred-round war with the SEED fans.
The previous Newtype reader poll, in which Gundam SEED had lost to Lelouch in every category, had already infuriated the SEED fans. Now that Lelouch fans were flaunting their victory, how could the SEED fans endure it?
So, inevitably, another flame war erupted.
However, calling it "another flame war" was somewhat misleading. In truth, the bickering had never truly ceased since December 2002. It was just that the conflict between the two camps had suddenly intensified.
That said, only a small portion of the fans actually participated in the flame war—mainly those who disliked Lelouch and only liked Gundam SEED, and those who liked Lelouch but disliked Gundam SEED.
The majority of fans actually enjoyed both anime, or even if they didn't like Gundam SEED, they had no desire to participate in such pointless arguments. Therefore, there were far more posts earnestly discussing the plot and celebrating the premiere of Lelouch's second season.
Forums, animation-related sections of major online communities, and chat rooms buzzed with fervent discussions.
The first season of Lelouch had been a massive hit, and now the second season was airing, proving even more popular.
The next day, when the viewership ratings were released, many were stunned.
An average rating of 6.0% and a peak of 6.3%—both records for an anime airing in the late-night slot.
In another timeline, the peak rating of 6.3% hadn't been achieved until 2006, when Madhouse's Nana aired. Now, in January 2003, Lelouch Season 2 had already surpassed that mark with its first episode. Future episodes would likely achieve even higher ratings, shattering more records.
Compared to Gundam SEED's highest rating, Lelouch still fell slightly short. However, Gundam SEED aired during primetime, not late at night.
Moreover, when it came to average viewership, the two anime were actually quite close.
When the ratings data was released, the producers of Gundam SEED were stunned, never expecting Lelouch Season 2's viewership to be so strong.
The SEED fans were completely speechless, while Lelouch fans erupted in celebration:
"Yes! Just as I expected from my favorite anime! Hooray!"
"SEED fans, what do you have to say now? Lelouch's rating is 6.0%! Did you see that? It's 6.0%! And Gundam SEED aired during primetime, yet it's still just the same!"
"Well, it's only 6.0%. Considering it's right after primetime, that rating isn't actually that impressive. Don't get too smug, ha ha ha!"
"Come on, come on! 6.0% isn't enough! Everyone, let's push for an average rating of 6.5% over the next few episodes!"
"6.5% might be tough, but surpassing Gundam SEED's rating should be no problem."
In another timeline, Lelouch's second season suffered when its broadcast time was shifted from late-night to 5 PM. This misjudgment of the target audience led to dismal ratings, barely reaching 3%. Even reverting to the late-night slot later couldn't salvage the declining viewership.
It's worth noting that while elementary school students often imitate Lelouch's poses and catchphrases, this isn't an anime designed for them. When SEED fans criticized Lelouch, claiming it was "kid's stuff," they weren't alone. Even the animation staff in that alternate timeline likely shared this misconception initially. But the reality is quite different.
In fact, Gundam SEED might have been more appealing to elementary school students. Otherwise, it wouldn't have achieved such high ratings during primetime broadcasts.
Of course, the strong ratings for Lelouch season 2, episode 1, weren't solely due to the ideal Saturday 11 PM broadcast time—what we might call "geographical advantage." Several other factors contributed.
For one, the first season ended with so many unanswered questions that anticipation was sky-high. Moreover, only six months separated the two seasons, unlike the eight-month gap between seasons 1 and 2 in the other timeline.
In another timeline, the first season of Lelouch aired in October 2006, with two recap episodes released midway through the series. This caused the final two episodes to be delayed until July 28, 2007, significantly damaging the popularity of the first season.
Lin Zhiyan's version of Lelouch, on the other hand, had no recap episodes and maintained consistently high production quality throughout. Supported by the initial popularity of Death Note and Lin Zhiyan's personal fame, this adaptation enjoyed overall higher popularity than the original series in the other timeline.
Promotion also played a crucial role. Lin Zhiyan invested significantly more resources in marketing than the original series in the other world.
Another factor was the competition with Gundam SEED. The month-long flame war between their dedicated fanbases only served to heighten the popularity and community spirit surrounding Lelouch.
Finally, the internet landscape had changed dramatically between 2003 and 2008. The proliferation of video-sharing websites and the corresponding decline in television viewership were undeniable trends.
With the perfect storm of timing, circumstances, and popularity, it's no surprise the series achieved such high viewership.
The real question, however, is how many of these viewers will actually purchase the DVD releases. If high viewership doesn't translate to increased DVD sales, that would be quite the irony.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 15+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon