Code Geass
I still cant believe I spent years ignoring Anime (apart from a few titles)... I have so much to catch up on O_O [and mostly cos I'm waiting for WoW Mists of Pandaria to come out, so it's downtime for this RisK GM ingame ^_^]
So Yes.. it's RANT TIME! (this is not a review... Other ppl do that ^_^)
Code Geass
OMG! That was one bloody good watch... ok, another 50 episodes in like err... 2/3 days... but I just couldn’t stop! not even on the crappy filler (back to school) episodes. I was glued to my monitor!
It was like some ride...
"Please get on this tame, same old, same old, rollercoaster you might have been on a few times before in other parks, to suddenly have it turn into a loop-da-loop, then a log floom, adding in some bunju jumping when you really were not expecting it, followed by some head mullering to really confuse you, then just to add some spice as your yelling at the screen, we are going to actually NOT insult your intelligence... oww and hares an ending you saw coming but REALLY didn’t want it to end quiet THAT way O_O... please mind the step as you get off, feeling a little wobbly is expected, thanks and I hope you enjoyed the ride."
Ok, so I knew how it HAD to end for Lelouch (the main teen in the story), soon as he killed his brother it was kinda obvious. but despite the angst, he got back on his feet and carried on with his convictions. Which was actually kinda refreshing, he didn’t welch out once. He just got on with it even when everything went to hell, and it went to hell a lot, there were so many twists and turns I was getting motion sickness... my head was total mush by the end (I didn’t cry!... ah crap... who am I kidding, I did reach for the tissues).
I found myself wanting to hate Lelouch, cos sometimes he was a total bastard, but I couldnt help loving him too, even with all his dramatic gestures (which I also kinda liked in some strange way :P, was nice not just seeing a masked guy standing there... though I bet ppl who ware contacts wish they could put in and take them out that easy, hu? tehe)
I liked the fact it didnt really insult my intelligence, as well as never dragging out a storyline too long before revealing the next sudden right turn in the plot.
It was a storyline that could have be dragged out for a 100/150 episodes (instead of the 50 it is). but was lovingly squashing into a thrill ride of 50.
I really REALLY enjoyed this anime, even most of the women weren’t annoying... well... (very evil grin)... most of them weren’t around enough to actually be annoying (chortles)
Also, I had a few episodes from when it was first sub'ed, but I never watched it... then I read somewhere it's chara design was by CLAMP, so I had to watch it didnt I...
And I was surprised that it was an actually vaguely CLAMP type story... Only they left out the obligatory vague confusion as to what is actualy going on that is so prevalent in all CLAMP works (and is always maddeningly annoying :P)... so that was a plus ^_^
As to any Yaoi aspect... well... there was Lelouch and Suzaku... but to me it would be pure fan bast reaching. (which is perfectly fine ^_~, but not for me on this one) Ok, so Lelouch said Suzaku was his last and only friend... So make of it what you will, that's what fandoms are for ^_^
When I was gushing about it on TS (Complaining cos I had the last 3 episodes of season 2 to watch, but had to raid >_<) he was like,
"You seen Evangelion?"
Me "Snorts."
I was collecting NGE on VHS as it came out each month for like £12 for 2 episodes (This was when a 56K modem was the best you could get and no one had a website. Gods bless BB & DVD's ^_^)
Me "Code Geass makes Shinji look like a whinny little brat with 'daddy' issues... Also this story actually has an ending"
+ + + + + + + +
Just on a side note...
CLAMP's colour artwork for this Anime...
I'm almost sure the artist who gave us X has long since left the CLAMP fold... but, most of the few artworks I've seen are very much trying to reach for that exquisite look that all the old X artwork had... but some how it looks like fan work to me :S... yes it's pretty, but it just doesn’t have the same feel some how, it's not as polished... When I come to do the galleries for this... I'm so going to be hunting down comparisons between this and X artwork (just cos I'm anal that way ^_^) cos all the swords and jewelry just seem to strange for the story... All I can theories is that who ever wanted CLAMP to do the Chara design asked for a X look maybe?... so if someone could put me right about this that would be great ^_^
PS: If you didnt know... wouldnt you say the image above was Kamui? not Lelouch... cos let's face it, they look very simler... (Also there is a Yasha clone from China I was drooling over, tehe)
Well Rant over ^_^