Code Geass is an underrated gem, a cult classic, and a thoroughly engaging show, all at once. The anime enjoys a massive fanbase that compares to the likes of Death Note. The complex narrative and world-building of Code Geass are intriguing and keep the audience hooked to the plot progression. The anime would not have been nearly as highly regarded if the makers didn’t make this key change while transitioning between the two seasons.
Goro Taniguchi, director of Code Geass, spoke at length about the challenges the anime staff faced during the production of season 2. There were some difficult decisions involved, which proved to be beneficial for the anime. Here’s an exploration of how things changed in the Code Geass anime and how a few decisions prevented it from going down the same path as One Piece.
The transition of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion to R2
Code Geass anime first released in 2006, and the sequel followed up shortly after in 2008. The first season of the anime laid out the narrative, introduced the characters and the conflict. The anime gradually introduced the political themes and the plot thickened with every revelation. The season ended with a huge cliffhanger, and fans were left waiting to find out what happened next.
Season 2 started with some massive changes. For instance, Lelouch had a brother instead of Nunnally. The introduction of R2 initially confused fans, as there were many new characters and the old ones underwent some massive changes. The pacing changed drastically in the second season as compared to the first one.
The progression in the second season was somewhat rushed, as most of the major events were shown but not fully explained. While fans initially found the rushed pacing off-putting, their qualms were resolved with what’s considered one of the best anime endings of all time.
Code Geass avoided the One Piece mistake to keep up with the momentum
The issue with the pacing was a result of some difficult changes made by the anime director Goro Taniguchi and his team. Taniguchi shared during an interview (translations via Tumblr) the reason behind the rushed pacing of the sequel season. They had planned some extended scenes to explain character interactions and answer all the questions fans had.
However, if they explained everything, the anime would have been extended unnecessarily. What was conveyed with a single episode would have taken three episodes. This made the director think about the reception if they went down that path, he said:
“A detailed following of Zero’s actions” were also considered. An escape route was even decided, and used in the newscast at the beginning of ep 9.
Just by explaining this all, will the viewers be pleased?
With One Piece, the biggest struggle that most fans have is the length. Code Geass wouldn’t have crossed the thousand episode mark even if there were more episodes. However, the less number of episodes make the anime perfect for beginners as well as those who are looking for a well-explored intricate narrative.
Moreover, fans initially had some gripes with the story not being as coherent as the first season. If the makers dwelled on every interaction and event, this problem would have been even more pronounced. So, in a way, the limited number of episodes worked wonders for Code Geass.
Code Geass is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
