Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection

[Spoiler Warning] I write this review as a die-hard (male) fan of Code Geass. It was ten years ago when I saw Lelouch of the Rebellion and the degree of plot complexity and rich characterisation was beyond anything I have seen in anime as a teenager. In a certain sense, that anime series helped to shape my anime tastes for the next decade, among other anime classics such as Madoka, Cowboy Behop and Neon Genesis Evangelion. But is it worth it? Well, there are redeeming points to make about the movie. - the animation is smooth, well-detailed and its nice to see Code Geass so beautifully rendered onthe big screen compared to the animation standards 10 years ago. -The fighting sequences were just as tight and well choreographed as it were in the anime series. But the answer is no. The movie is a huge slap in the face especially for diehard fans because it disregards the winning formula for what makes Code Geass so brilliant in the first place. A) Lelouch was such an iconic character in anime for good reason, because there is such intelligence in the way he’s being portrayed. In this movie however, his characterisation is reduced to a 2 dimension caricature of who he used to be. Given the enormity of what he went through in season 2 where he decided to DIE for all his actions, in this movie, he doesn’t even seem to CARE why he was brought back – and his return was brought back with a certain degree with indifference. Given the emotional charged nature of his death in season 2 which is the culmination of all his actions and manipulations and lies, Lelouch have always mentioned that he knew he would have to pay the price for all of his actions, hence his famous philosophy in season 1 episode 1 “Those who may shoot are those who may get shot themselves.” The indifferent nature that Lelouch is portrayed with regards to his resurrection negates the emotional investment and cathartic nature that the whole of season 2 has been building up to.The significance of Zero Requiem in second season doesn’t seem to matter, his complex love-hate relationship with Suzaku and other characters are neglected, it’s almost as though this movie centers entirely around the mission in which Lelouch is resurrected to without exploring his motivations, his history, and how he reconciles his death in season 2 with his resurrection in this current reality. As such it’s hard to take seriously that this paper-thin characterisation of Lelouch could actually be the same character as the ones we see in Season 2. B) One of the most enjoyable points of the Code Geass anime series were the cat-and-mouse games that Lelouch plays with his opponents. Lelouch is such an amazing chessmaster that even as the audience, you cannot see where the plot is moving towards and it’s also gag-worthy when his opponents are competent enough to turn the tables on him. In this movie, I was surprised at the utter laziness of the writing as there were none of those twists and turns that were so brilliantly crafted in the anime series. Instead, Lelouch’s Geass was used as a device that could power through most of the problems faced in the movie. If one only watches the movie and not the series, it would be difficult to see that Lelouch was an intelligent manipulator and mastermind as established in the anime series. C) The ending is also particularly canon-defying in so many ways. I am not going to spoil any major details, but after the problem was resolved, Lelouch basically makes an arbitrary decision to spend the rest of his life with one person. Which is very weird because firstly, Lelouch in the anime series comes across as the guy that had multiple romantic interests, but he was not interested in pursuing any of these because his main motivation was in destroying Britannia and in saving his sister. The renouncement of his romantic desire for the higher good is in one sense one of the ways which established him as such an iconic anti-hero in the first place. Secondly, the ambiguity of his romantic interests is also why there is a proliferation of various fanbases shipping him with different characters: C2, Kallen, Shirley, Suzaku etc. Given that this was a 2 hr movie and that most of the movie lies in establishing the setting, introducing the problem and new cast, reintroducing Lelouch and henceafter, the resolution of the problem, Lelouch makes a last minute decision to spend the rest of his life with one character, without any rationalisation whatsoever. I remembered asking my friend at this point if I missed any romantic subtext that existed throughout the movie that could explain why Lelouch would make such a well… life-changing decision and the answer is no. It’s basically as coherent if I asked the person sitting next to me in the theatre if they would like to marry me after this. The infuriating thing is that even after a canon-romantic interest is established in the movie, Sunrise continues to release merchandise within the next few days with Lelouch and other characters in postures and positions that suggested a romantic/erotic subtext. It’s as though they wish to exploit the fanbases of all their money, at the risk of disregarding what was even established in the movie. It also cheapens all the relationships that the fandoms are invested in. Basically, this movie is heartbreaking as it details the utter decline of Sunrise as a respectable anime-production company. Which is actually not surprising because – well look at the Akito movies. The anime series ended perfectly – there was no reason to bring back Lelouch and bringing him back weakens the anime series – it’s like if Shakespare brought back King Lear or Othello; it cuts the cathartic element of the original series. To make it worse, Lelouch is brought back as a shadow of his former self with none of the rich complexities in terms of his characterisation or plot. It is sad that this movie has the depth and richness of a fandisk OVA, rather than a proper follow up to what is arguably one of the best anime series created.

*spoilers for Code Geass R2 and Geass Movie 3, and minor spoilers for this movie* And there I was, terrified. “There’s no way this could work,” I said knowing of Zero’s past oversights and inability to come up with decent contingencies and rewrites. I’ve witnessed imbeciles foolishly latch themselves onto his name and provide nothing of value, unless you count unnecessary complications as valuable. I’ve seen him redo ideas to mixed results, and tamper with the inexplicable. As the moment of truth came, I cast my fears aside and prayed for a miracle, as a fellow Black Knight. Somehow, we made it, if not in one piece.Zero is the miracle worker, after all. Revival sequels are a strange gamble. Often without the vision of the original team, these titles are put up against nostalgia. They’re confined by the rules and possible mistakes of their predecessors, as well as the expectations of those who cling to them. When looking at the likes of Diebuster or FLCL Progressive for example, I see nothing but mockeries of their predecessors and misunderstandings of what made them popular to begin with. Even the better examples I’ve seen such as the 2018 Halloween sequel and Star Wars: The Force Awakens are still decent at best, therefore still incapable of stacking up to their predecessors. When you consider the legacy of Code Geass, how monumental the series finale was, and how messy its second season was, it’s hard to see this film justifying its own existence, let alone living up to either season. While this film never entirely succeeds at either, the fact that it doesn’t fail miserably is a miracle in itself. There are a few aspects of the film’s narrative that I must praise. For one, they finally tried explaining C’s world instead of leaving it as a convoluted nonentity connected to a bunch of disparate, inexplicable aspects of Geass such as the Thought Elevator and how most of the new Geass powers are tied to the insecurities of the characters that wield them. It makes just enough sense for me to not question everything about it. The way they use this to justify Lelouch not being dead mostly adds up when you consider what happened in R2. The revival aspect was the main thing this movie needed to justify, and it did so while fleshing out something that both demanded scrutiny and damaged Geass R2 so heavily. The subsequent reunion scenes were generally solid, touching on the baggage most of the characters had with Lelouch in ways perfectly befitting most of these characters, even if the way they handled the major reunion and Lelouch’s character in the first leg of the film was questionable. Despite that and how the characters tend to stand around and talk instead of shoot, the film’s narrative is relatively functional. Most of the film’s setpieces work well, and every scene that touches on the former student council and most of the characters not heavily involved in the plot was handled in sweet and satisfying ways. It has a surprisingly decent final climax, and an incredibly interesting mental and supernatural chess match between Lelouch and the film’s gorgeous main antagonist, Princess Shamna. On the surface, the film’s plot is serviceable. That said, it wouldn’t be a Geass narrative if it wasn’t a mess, and it all revolves around the antagonists and their nation. The kingdom of Zilkhstan apparently suffered as a result of the Zero Requiem, which was meant to help restore peace and unify the world. They’re a war-torn country who was so powerful they once took down a Britannian army twice its size, and the pair of main antagonists, Shanma and Shalio, want to restore it to its former glory using C’s world. There are three major problems that destroy this entire thing. First off, where were they during the main series? They didn’t even try to justify the nation’s lack of involvement given their supposed strength and how their specific powers would have thrown everything out of whack for all warring nations in the original series. Given that they fought Britannia once, why did they stop, and when did they fight? Perhaps answering all of this would have been too difficult, and I currently can’t come up with a good one myself, so this seems like a lose-lose situation. Problem number two: the fact that the kingdom became war-torn following the Zero Requiem defeats the purpose behind the plan. Sure, this follows the film trilogy’s continuity, where the plan was only a step in the right direction towards world peace instead of an automatic win for world peace, but there shouldn’t be any signs of war. In fact, barring the fact that the kingdom started the conflict in the first place, there aren’t any. We don’t see anything resembling a war-torn, broken country. It’s literally just a third-world country. Where’s the chaos? Where are the casualties? Where is anything resembling compelling evidence that this kingdom was brought to ruin post-Zero Requiem? It’s the sole reason behind the villains’ motivations and we don’t see any of it, making us believe that these characters are just power hungry instead of the desperate souls they are. More on why these characters don’t work later, but keep in mind that this is one of the two main reasons the antagonists are less than the sum of their parts, and it’s the final reason the kingdom of Zilkhstan doesn’t work. *Note: Apparently, the idea of them being war-torn was a change made in the dub, as they were noted to have been a mercenary economy in the subtitled version. While that would ultimately justify why they were impoverished once the Zero Requiem kicked in, it still doesn't make the antagonists of the film any more compelling, as they merely tell the audience that "our kingdom is in ruins so we had to do this" without us actually seeing any kind of economic ruin. We can't get a proper view of their kingdom to help us sympathize with them and the extremes they go to in order to salvage their nation. I have no idea why the dub changed them from impoverished mercenary economy to a war-torn nation as that just makes things worse, but at the same time, it's not like we get to see their kingdom in ruins so it's difficult to care no matter what version you're watching. I just had to point this out after receiving comments from others who have seen the film in the sub format.* To go back to the film’s positives, let’s look at some of the characters. Lelouch himself, barring the questionable state he was in the beginning, is as charismatic a Char clone as ever. He carries this film, both in terms of personality, and in terms of how they deal with his errors and lasting impacts. He’s taken to task for the emotional turmoil he’s caused, and we’re reminded that underneath the mask of a magnificent bastard, he’s a tortured, petty soul whose ability to handle being forced to rethink his plans is still lacking. Surprisingly, in spite of having no new character arc to follow up his long, arduous, series-spanning character arc, Suzaku stands out as likable, and even consistent. He’s not the hypocritical douche he once was, but he’s every bit as emotional, and his hang-ups regarding Lelouch’s return are some of the most believable in the film given his character. Sadly, it goes downhill from there for a variety of reasons. Simply put, barring the return of the hilarious, sassy and borderline sociopathic scientist, Lloyd Asplund, the series seems to have run out of charisma for its characters. This is most noticeable with C.C and Jerimiah Gottwald. The former was a sassy, sarcastic, snarky vixen whose banter with Lelouch and his allies made for some of the funniest moments of the show. The latter was a monumental ball of ham across both seasons. Both characters are robbed of these traits, and even though C.C is now more important than ever before, her attachment to Lelouch and the insecurities she would often guard are given infinitely more focus than anything else about her. Sure, some of the banter and antics of the characters kept entirely intact are some of the most charming and entertaining parts of the film, but it feels like they have a hard time writing the personalities of most of the other characters without at least a little bit of strange deviation. Most of the reunion scenes were still great, but a lot of the returning characters that are remotely active in the main plot don’t feel quite right. If nothing else, the student council and scientist characters from the show were kept intact. The new characters are easily the worst ones in the film. The secondary antagonists are incredibly one-note and leave little in the way of charisma despite how much screen time they take up. The main antagonists, Shamna and Shalio, are their own anomaly. The film tries to make us sympathize with them and see them as broken, desperate individuals rather than bland, badly-written characters, but this fails for two reasons. Firstly, we don’t actually see their kingdom in a horrible, war-torn state. They just tell us that it is and that this drove them to take drastic measures. As a result, we can’t feel for them and how much they claim their people have suffered for them. The second reason they fail is that half of the time, Shamna and Shalio are simply portrayed as a generic, power-hungry ruler without morals, and an angry, bloodthirsty psychopath and cult lunatic. Those portrayals are at odds with one another. As a result, these villains feel like half-baked characters that don’t truly commit to being either kind of antagonist. Even if they’re not the worst main antagonists this franchise has, they’re honestly less than the sum of their parts. The surreal, mixed bag quality doesn’t stop at the writing, as it impacts the visuals as well. I have one question to start with: why didn’t they use the updated art style of the remake trilogy? That art style was a perfect recapturing of the original, as it provided more detail and polish than ever before. The new style isn’t bad, but it isn’t as good as what was given to us this past year. To be fair, most people likely wouldn’t notice, as it’s still a functional update of the original art style. Still, if they were gonna make it less detailed than in the trilogy, they could have allowed the characters to move more. It’s not badly animated or distractingly limited like in most of the Akito films, but even the original TV shows had more 2D animation than this. That doesn’t mean the artwork isn’t pretty, even though it’s surprisingly inconsistent. However, it’s partially put to waste when the new character designs are a total mixed bag. Some of the redesigns look stellar, but barring Shamna, the new character designs look anywhere from mediocre to just awkward and practically overdesigned. Another major problem is the CGI, as the sort of Gamecube cel-shaded CG machines look and feel borderline uncanny at the best of times, and horrendous at the worst of times. There’s even more of it than in R2. What’s all the more baffling is that the Akito films actually got this right with the later films, making the mechs look metallic. Why didn’t they opt for that look? It’s not like the mechs have that much movement anyway compared to the TV series. Hell, there’s only one breakdancing mecha action sequence in the film. Speaking of mechs, the new designs are god awful. The clunky, Mobile Armor-esque armors surrounding the iconic Lancelot and Guren units are just ugly, CGI or no. The antagonists’ mechs look ridiculous as well, and one of them is a scorpion mech, which damages the design philosophy of the franchise’s mechs in a way not seen since the spider and horse mechs of Akito back in the first half of this decade. The CGI doesn’t stop there as they decided to make C’s world CGI for most of its scenes, and that was a terrible idea. The production is overall subpar for a film release, and while not the worst the series offers in the visual department, is still not even on the level of the first season back in 2006. The audio presentation is also a disappointment. Kotaro Nakagawa actually managed to disappoint me with the film’s new compositions, as not a single one of them stands out. None of it is bad, in fact, they’re serviceable. However, given how bombastic and magnificent the OSTs of both seasons of the original were, it’s a massive step down. It makes me glad they decided to reuse some of the original series’ tracks, as they were the most noteworthy pieces in the film. In fact, I wish they used more of them. As for the opening and ending credits tracks, they are also decent tracks, even if they’re not ones I would go out of my way to listen to. I also feel that the dub is weaker than it should have been. Most of the returning female voice actors sound off when you compare their performances here to the TV show. C.C is the most obvious example I can point to. Most of the actors voicing the new characters give subpar performances, with the only exception being Elizabeth Maxwell as Princess Shanma. As for the returning male characters, they’re also a mixed bag. Lloyd, Lelouch, and Suzaku are voiced just as well as they were originally, but the other male characters range from decent to mediocre. Even Crispin Freeman feels underutilized in his reprised role as Jeremiah Gottwald, as his scenes are limited, and he never really gets the chance to go full ham. No one does, in fact, not even Lelouch, who still shines in spite of that. Frankly, it feels like a lot of the returning cast were out of practice and the new actors weren’t up to snuff. That’s the modern dubbing industry for you. I feel like I’m being harder on this film than I intend to be. In spite of the film’s glaring problems on the writing and audiovisual aspects, and how disappointing certain hallmark aspects of this franchise were here, I had a good time watching this film. I appreciate how they handled the return of one of the most iconic anime characters of all time and how the other characters interacted with him. I loved seeing the character interactions, including some of the interactions of the antagonists. I reveled in Lelouch dawning the mask of Zero and coming up with insane, 4D chess match plans once again. I’m amazed they didn’t entirely fuck up the supernatural elements which seemed impossible to make function. I wasn’t dissatisfied with what I got, even if the writing had glaring issues to fix and the audiovisual presentation wasn’t up to the series’ standards. It’s not even the first time this franchise failed to meet those particular standards thanks to the Akito films. Above all else, this film had to justify its own existence without destroying the monumental ending of R2. Given that it’s set in the continuity of the film trilogy, that makes this task easier than it could have been. The fact that it worked at all is a miracle in and of itself, even if I’m still a little wary of the inevitable installments that this film sets up. All things considered, this was a decent way to revive the series, and that makes me happy. Written and Edited by: CodeBlazeFate Proofread by: Peregrine

When the hit TV anime "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion" first ended its run 11 years ago, its dramatic finale created a divide in the fandom so deep that it appears to exist even today: half the fandom wanted Lelouch alive, the other half wanted/believed him dead. Whichever camp you are from, however, it was probably difficult not to feel at least a little curious (if not excited) when Sunrise first announced its plans for a continuation. Now, with the recent recap/compilation movie trilogy and this new sequel, "Lelouch of the Re;surrection", Sunrise attempts to reboot its most iconic series from the late 2000s andbreathe new life into the franchise, presenting "another possibility" (in director Taniguchi Goro's own words) with regards to the series' ending and hoping to delight fans with an alternate path and beginning that is offered to Lelouch. And having been a big fan of the original series for 11 years, I was of course interested to see where they would take it. As a continuation that still relies on the same major plot elements from the TV series to pull its weight, though, "Re;surrection" fails in terms of plot and characterization - and fans hoping for a sequel that at least stays true to the tone of the original series may find themselves sorely disappointed. *Mild and non-detailed spoilers ahead.* Those who enjoyed the original series ("Rebellion") would be able to agree that two large factors contributed to its overall success across a wide demographic: 1) Plot complexity and 2) Complex and three-dimensional characterization, especially in the case of leads: Lelouch, C.C., and Suzaku. "Re;surrection", however, not only fails to meet the standard of both - but even as an "alternate", ultimately ends up destroying what was crucial and praiseworthy about the series it is based on. 1. Story Given that this is a two-hour movie, it was probably difficult to fit in any philosophical discussion about politics and ideologies, something which was a driving force behind "Rebellion". While that is fine, and understandable (the world is supposed to be mostly fixed by now, after all), the writers struggle to introduce new stakes to the story that are just as compelling. A new country and a new cast of characters are brought in, but are clearly manufactured as an excuse to bring Lelouch back for one final "mission", since they aren't developed much by the end of the movie and the audience is not given much meat that would help us sympathize with their motivations (if anything, sympathy for Chamna and Chalio is cheap since it relies on evoking the same "oh my younger sibling cannot walk" sentiment that we got with Lelouch and Nunnally). The conflict that arises due to the presence of these new characters also does not provide much room for the twists and turns which made the story of "Rebellion" so enjoyable - indeed, at many points it starts to feel as though Lelouch's Geass is more of a trump card than his brilliance and his scheming. Only one noteworthy "twist" is present, and even then it is already set up such that every member of the audience is already expecting it by the time it happens. There are also several inconsistencies plotwise, but one in particular stands out, and shockingly so: As a new story that is built entirely on the impact and result of the Zero Requiem, there is a complete and inexplicable failure to address the objective of the Requiem, and how Lelouch's return is in conflict with it. Whether or not you feel that Lelouch is better off dead, any serious and long-time Code Geass fan would be able to acknowledge the impact of this conclusive plot event, as well as the meaning it lent to all of Lelouch's actions throughout the course of the series. And everyone should be able to agree that any continuation which involves Lelouch coming back from the dead must at least acknowledge the fact that it contradicts the atonement that Zero Requiem was supposed to serve as for Lelouch i.e. the reason why Lelouch died in the first place. Whether brief or at length, this conflict needs to be discussed in order to provide some reconciliation, and give meaning to the path that Lelouch will choose for himself now that he is alive once more. But none of that takes place here. Despite other characters "telling" us in one or two brief lines that Lelouch had fully intended to die, Lelouch himself is not shown to have much of an opinion on the matter, doesn't say anything about it, and appears blase about having been brought back from the dead throughout the entire movie. The Zero Requiem is hardly mentioned, the POINT of Zero Requiem is never discussed, and in fact, nobody in the movie seems to really remember it - not even Suzaku, who clearly demonstrates that he has also forgotten its purpose for himself (explicitly laid out by Lelouch in his death scene and just as explicitly accepted by Suzaku) in one of his conversations with Lelouch. And if Lelouch DOES have any issues with being resurrected against his will or how it goes against what was originally intended via Zero Requiem, they are never brought up. And while Lelouch's failure to display any misgivings OR any indication of gratitude at being brought back to life is somewhat troubling, what is more unfortunate is the effect that this puzzling refusal to address Zero Requiem has on story elements: 1. the Zero Requiem is reduced to some cheap plot device/excuse for why everyone is now happy to welcome their savior back with open arms without questioning him/questioning whether or not it is right that he should live (Lelouch saved the world and we miss him, let's forgive him for all his crimes!) - making light of the entire reason why Lelouch died in the first place 2. Lelouch is now a typical Mary Sue, loved and helped by all, and even the one character who can be said to initially display SOME resistance is superficially hesitant and won over very quickly. Which brings us to the next point: 2. Characterization This suffers most notably in Lelouch's case. As the centerpiece of this new movie, our main character now appears detached, distracted, and lacks the fire that once gave his character charisma and dimension. Where "Rebellion" was either brimming with emotional intensity or the occasional sentimental slice of life moment meant to remind us that Lelouch is also a schoolboy who tries to care for his friends (and sometimes fails) - Lelouch's reunions, reactions to, and interactions with other characters are now mostly brief, superficial and lukewarm - some don't even happen on screen at all. Since the basis for all of this relies so much on the Zero Requiem while the Zero Requiem is simultaneously now The Event That No One Wants To Talk About, Lelouch conveniently doesn't need to say or do anything to win characters over - and they also don't have much content for conversations. The only scene that can be considered a proper conversation and an attempt to provide some closure with respect to the preceding storyline is the chat that he has with Suzaku, and even then the impact of this is questionable or hit and miss, given that Lelouch spends half the time being distracted by a laptop (so that they can include a montage of other characters so that this can be introduced into the conversation, ultimately making the entire execution clumsy and somewhat artificial). As such the characterization relies a lot on the previous series and/or compilation movies to pull its weight, and in some places does not even feel faithful to the original. All of this is indicative of unimpressive writing and the fact that the characterization here cannot stand on its own, especially if one were to compare this to stronger, long-awaited sequels like The Incredibles 2, where beloved characters are expanded, given even more dimension, and given just as warm a reception by audience members who were entirely new to the story. Lelouch's lack of reaction and opinion to his new situation also means that we are given little insight into what his goals now are, thus making for a flat and uncompelling resurrected Lelouch, who currently doesn't appear to be driven by anything other than a need to rescue Nunnally - a simplistic problem that obviously gets resolved by the end and doesn't do anything to improve Nunnally's characterization either, since she is once again back to being the poor damsel in distress and kept unconscious for most of the movie. A similar problem plagues C.C., who used to be complex, layered, and one of the few people capable of calling Lelouch out on his bullshit. One would have expected a continuation to at least touch on points that "Rebellion" did not cover or close sufficiently, such as her current motivations or view on living on post-Requiem, but all we get are repeated and vague insistences that she is being "selfish", we learn nothing new and nothing more about her, and because she no longer challenges Lelouch in any way here, she ends up as nothing much more than another girl in Lelouch's harem of admirers. C.C. and Lelouch ARE given a scene where she mentions her past to snap him out of his funk but 1) this is done in a way that is more reminiscent of Kallen slapping Lelouch in Turn 7 rather than C.C.'s original personality 2) it still gives us nothing more than an airy vague two-liner reference to C.C.'s past, 3) the fanservice here (one reason why the Code Geass franchise will never make it to the list of anime classics like FMA, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away) in this scene is so awkward, unnecessary and done in such bad taste that any emotional impact this moment was meant to create is immediately stripped away - and you are left wondering if Sunrise really believes its target audience to be so imbecilic that they are incapable of appreciating any emotional scene between two characters without being given something to drool over. Now of course, Lelouch's transition from anti-hero into full hero is one possible, logical development that one would have expected a sequel to take. But because this transition suffers from a weak plot and such flattened characterization, Lelouch has now become no better than a convenient vehicle for male wish fulfillment. (And before anyone tries to tell me that his horrible stamina is a flaw - no, it's not, in fact it makes him even more of a vehicle since it makes him all the more relatable to that particular segment of the audience.) Not all is lost though, as the film does still deliver in other areas. Every character looks stunning throughout the film, all the illustrations were consistently high in quality, and the animation is nearly flawless, with the exception of one or two small instances with stylistic choices that suggest possible budget cuts (I've never seen Lelouch being faded out to sketchy still images while he sits and thinks, for example). The action and battle sequences were all thoroughly enjoyable, KMF and hand-to-hand combat scenes alike. Fans of Sayoko and Kallen will not be disappointed as the two get plenty of screentime in fight scenes. And while the character dynamics certainly make Lelouch seem more Mary Sue-ish, most fans should still be able to suspend their disbelief enough to experience and appreciate the emotional high that comes from seeing beloved characters reappear and now unite for a common purpose. Ultimately, however, while the film certainly carries elements that all Code Geass fans are likely to enjoy - its disregard for and inconsistencies with major plot points, lack of a compelling new story/conflict, and frightfully bad characterization, all make it difficult to see it (and by extension the preceding movie compilations) as anything more than a sloppy "alternate universe" OOC fanfic, and a desperate cash grab by the studio. Sunrise's own insistence that you treat this as an "alternate timeline" from the original series (at the time of writing the official Code Geass Twitter account has recently reiterated that "Re;surrection" "must not" be mistaken as "Rebellion" while linking related buzzfeed interviews) should more than speak for itself: this sequel has to be presented as separate from the original anime “canon” precisely because it deviates from the tone and character of the original, and cannot function as a true and proper follow up to it. But even when taken separately with the new compilation movies, the writing is so poor that "Re;surrection" doesn't manage to make itself a faithful and worthy successor to the name of Code Geass - and it certainly is not one that any seasoned and invested fan of Geass would ever be able to take seriously, no matter how much one might still delight in certain parts.

I just saw this movie at my local cinema, this being the first anime movie I have ever seen on the big screen and let me say out of the gate it was so worth it! This is one of the best anime's I have seen in recent memory and for any fan of the show I highly recommend a watch!!! The story was fantastic picking up where the original series left off adding upon the narrative after that heart cutting ending of the original. It introduces new elements into the series and puts twists on pre-existing features making it into a fresh and interesting narrativeto experience for fans of the show, a word of warning being the recap films changed elements of the series story so a brush up is recommended so fans aren't shocked seeing characters reappearing from the grave. *edit 24 hours later* after further consideration the twist or element in the film revealed in the third act could of been used to a greater effect to re-contextualise a lot more of the film and develop more layers into the story and antagonists. The art in the film was above my expectations and was surprisingly brilliant with vibrant colours, defined lines and limited usage of CGI allowing for more defined and visually appealing fight scenes throughout. The sound as similarly stated with the artwork was above my expectations even with the series previously spectacular songs throughout especially the openings and endings. So I'm happy to say the opening and ending were really good along with the backing music accompanying the movie throughout. The characters were fantastic in this movie and were a major reason for this films success as they felt so natural following the original series despite the few jarring changes from my perspective as having not watched the recaps. The many characters from throughout the series were perfectly incorporated in the movie and had me smiling during their appearances. A word to fans I'm happy to state CC and Lelouche were handled wonderfully in the movie having surprisingly brilliant development throughout from specifically beginning to end and in all honesty when rewatching certain scenes from the movie via the old trusty youtube hand cams it had me tearing up. *edit 24 hours later* after further consideration the antagonists could of been developed far greater in the film as their motives aren't fully fleshed out along with lots of their history. Enjoyment in this movie personally was a reason for its high rating, after having doubts for the past few days if I was really enjoying anime anymore this movie has really cleared a-lot up as personally most of the movie was extremely enjoyable. I've been wondering for so long if I'd ever find another anime that'd give me that feeling again, that passionate love for a show and I can confirm this is it, I absolutely loved this movie and have been frantically listening to the movies and currently the series soundtrack while shaking about. Overall I'm really finding it hard to criticise this movie as it ultimately full-filled all my expectations and then some in all departments having an amazing story, art, sound, characters and enjoyment managing to get me tearing up on clip rewatches and ultimately making me fall in love with this series even more so then after the masterpiece which was season 2's ending and I will definitely be keeping my ticket as a souvenir. In a bit of a side-note after finishing the movie and when walking out I was pretty mixed on the whole movie though I believe I've finally finalised my opinion to a reviewable degree :) (This review was made roughly 2hours after my first watch and I am seriously wanting to see it again henceforth I might be slightly biased towards this masterpiece).