Quick Review of R2 The Complete Official Guidebook + Photos

[lijianliang]

I got the Code Geass R2 official guidebook a while ago, so here's a quick photo review of it.

***This review is in progress. It will be updated with translated info throughout the day.***
If there's something in particular you'd like me to photograph or translate, please tell me.

Comments

[konart]

"Minor character profiles" and there I see Euphy? wtf? And the why is some sh*t like Rollo isn't there?

sad book

[hayato]

Because this is for R2, when Euphie is kinda... uh.

[nayami]

Rolo is in an earlier section. He's more than just a minor character.

[rainbow_cnxn]

For those two who bear the heavy sin known as killing their fathers, they share the belief that they can forgive each other by imposing the greatest punishments on themselves.
I was hoping that making it up to the world (for all the shit that they'd done) was the primary goal, rather than "bawww I need to punish myself". As it stands, at the end, Suzaku contracted a case of RESULTS from Lelouch, while Lelouch picked up Suzaku's unhealthy need to punish himself. We'd always known there was gonna be some mixing of ideals/characteristics by the end, but this is doin' it wrong. *rends hair*

Not to say that this is particularly badly characterized. Just frustration for the characters themselves.

Probably just reading too far into this, anyways. *sigh*

[lijianliang]

I know, I thought it was some complex reasoning about achieving WORLD PEACE that I'll never comprehend, but when it comes down to it, they were still two 18-year-old boys fresh out of teenagehood who wanted to punish themselves, and peace was a fortunate by-product. >_

[rainbow_cnxn]

Pretty much! So in the end, they didn't cast aside all their own desires for the good of the world; they simply got new desires and decided to execute it in a manner that benefited the world.

I am conflicted regarding how to feel about this. On the one hand, I think this final selfishness is very humanizing, while the image of a pure martyr is almost superhuman, which itself is either uncharacteristic of these boys or their natural character progression (which I dislike, so what if I'm biased shhhhh).

On the other hand, it means that they never were really able to get over themselves or their demons. Particularly Suzaku. 50 episodes of character progression to wind up where he started.

[fisha_onigiri]

On the other hand, it means that they never were really able to get over themselves or their demons. Particularly Suzaku. 50 episodes of character progression to wind up where he started.

Oh, I'm angsting over it for three months. I hate the fact that on every official art with Empelouch and Knightzaku they are apathetic or angry (esp. Suzaku) or with a sad smile (Lelouch). I've always hoped we'll get some explanation about how their reunion looked precisely (to be specific, I've hoped it was real reunion with them returning to be friends), but then something like this guidebook must had happened -_- Awww, I hate you, Sunrise ;_;

[karice67]

I'm glad that they spell out the reasoning behind why Lelouch chose to die and Suzaku chose to live - there seem to have been a lot of people ranting that working to rebuild the world would have been a greater sacrifice.

Thank you for the review and the translation snippets! I'll definitely be getting a copy.

[nayami]

Also while I am, and have always been a death believer, the focus on translating the scenes that mention the death seem a little... I dunno. I got nothing wrong with people interpreting things however they wish. Not everyone reads this side stuff and spelling it out word-for-word seems... counter-productive to just being able to watch something and take it as is. It's like a book author sitting next to us and telling us exactly what each scene means. It removes half the thrill of enjoying the material on its own merit. Overall, this is more me scolding the writers than the OP. If they wanted clear-cut, they should have written and shown clear-cut. They were ambiguous, and some guide book with their "true intentions" shouldn't cover for that. Sorry guys, you can't hold our hands as we watch.

[lijianliang]

Sorry about that. ^^;; It's just that I run a website where I got plenty of comments and e-mails from people chiming LELOUCH IS ALIIIIIVE = CART DRIVER and it drove me nuts (I couldn't convince them otherwise), so the death translations are mainly for those people. I'll be adding more material as I get through the book.

[piggyhoho]

YOU WIN.

lol

I know how you feel but I would have put it more subtly and do a in-your-face without actually shoving it in the face, but more like an afterthought. XDXD Ah well, as long as the goal is achieved I guess. XDXD

And I think the whole "opened ending" concept has been mislead to. Yes you can interpret what happens if it were meant to be like that. But I think this was just clear cut to begin with. It is because everyone else screamed bloody murder about how it's not true that people (by that I mean other fans, not the creators) backtracked from concrete facts and say "interpret it as you like".

[nayami]

It is true that the directors were surprised people didn't understand their ending and that they believed it was clear-cut, but if you don't make something understandable, you don't make something understandable. This strikes me as the same issue with the ending of Pan's Labyrinth. People still ask whether or not the fantasy world was actually real in that because it was so ambiguous. I just don't think certain questions should be answered by directors. I'm a fan who hates having things spelled out to me by the creators because I live for interpretations. Direct answers make things less fun, and Geass has ever been a case of few direct answers. If they want to answer this question, they can answer a few questions about the geass while they're at it. Also what Suzaku and Lelouch talked about after the World of C. What about that part where C.C. told Lelouch to come back and make her smile? What happened then? I think those questions are just as important as the death one. But honestly, I DON'T WANT THE ANSWERS from the directors; I

[x_reggg]

the book repeatedly states that Lelouch is dead

can't wait to get a virtual copy and pin it up in the comm T___T