Code Geass Episode 1: Discussion!

[gods-debris.livejournal.com]

Sorry for posting this so early. I just know I will not have time all day on Thursday (well, technically where I am it is Thursday...). This isn't the normal for me--I'm your standard stay-at-home girlfriend at the moment--so this won't happen frequently. I'm so excited for this! I hope a lot of people participate. I'll check the comments Thursday night if I can talk my mother into letting me borrow her computer. :)

For those of you who haven't gotten the episode yet, check out the information I posted here. Anyways, onward!



Code Geass Episode 1: The Day The Evil God Was Born
We are reminded once again what happened to Japan and the power of Britannia—how they were able to invade and take over Japan with their new weapons called Knightmares, and how Japan was stripped of its culture and name; and renamed Area 11.



Once again we're thrown into the world of Code Geass with a melancholy Suzaku and a vengeful Lelouch!


How can you say no to that face?! (Lelouch's)

Lelouch always seems to carry himself in a different way from others. He's confident, charismatic and seems to know exactly what to say as far as speeches go. I feel we really get a taste for his character when Rival asks him why he moved his King first in the game of chess he had between the noble: "If the king doesn't move then his subjects won't follow."

While Rival and Lelouch are on their way back to school they're almost run over by Kallen who is part of the terrorist group against Britannia. I always somewhat felt that for a terrorist group they were awfully generous to swerve so they didn't hit them. I always imagined that a terrorist group on a mission would have no time to be merciful to those who got in the way of their plan, but it left a nice opening for Lelouch to run to the rescue and get caught up in the action.



You know, did Rival not see Lelouch climb onto the truck? Did he not see him fall into the opening on the top? Did he not see the truck drive away? If he saw all that, why does he stand around shortly after yelling for him and reminding him that they have to get back to school? C'mon, Rival. I know you're not that stupid!


There is so much win in these pictures... Anyone else happy for Spinzaku?

It's nice to see Lloyd doing what he does best which is sticking his nose into everybody's business while looking for data. I imagine him doing crazy silly things while yelling, "FOR SCIENCE!" In the end they didn't have a pilot for Lancelot... so what happened to the previous pilot they had lined up? Did I miss something?

Suzaku and Lelouch meet up again, but under interesting terms. Suzaku is now part of the Britannian army! It's nice to see that Suzaku is still putting others before him (covering Lelouch's face with his air mask when C.C.'s capsule opens up). Suzaku even ends up taking a bullet for Lelouch because he refuses to shoot him.



Also, you know, I love Shirley but there are times she can be pretty annoying. Could she have picked a better time to call? I guess it can't be expected to silence your phone when you are trying to dodge being caught. I like it because it's the human error. It makes Lelouch seem more human.



When Lelouch receives his power and uses it for the first time he seems surprised by his own actions. One of the many themes throughout this series is lies and the lies people tell. Lelouch tells us from that day on he's been lying to himself. I wonder what Lelouch is telling us this.



Lelouch, it's good to have you back.

Comments

[kusaja.livejournal.com]

This was a fun read, but...I actually like the monologues. ;)

And in retrospect, I tend to think that what C.C. says makes plenty of sense even if it's still rather vague and metaphorical.

After all, what does she actually want from Lelouch at this point (death) and what's supposed to be the cursed fate of all those who gain Geass (immortality, unless they find someone who gives them death)?

For all the jabs at Sunrise not explaining everything, I think those parts of the puzzle fit reasonably well after all.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

I thought the monologues were inappropriate in the first episode. Back before I knew or cared about these characters I didn't really want to sit and hear a big info-dump from them; even now, knowing and caring about the characters and the storylines, I find my attention kind of wandering a bit during the monologues because it feels like the writers are trying to cram in a little too much information and foreshadowing.
But it's just personal taste, really. I don't like vague riddles. I don't like long speeches. C.C.'s fit the atmosphere of the Geass contract granting "ceremony" so I don't think it was necessarily a poor choice, I just know I've watched this series three or four times through and I still barely get exactly what she's talking about.
But that wasn't meant to be a jab at Sunrise. I will mention them by name when I bitch about them doing things I don't like and not explaining things.

[kusaja.livejournal.com]

Indeed, that's a matter of personal preference. I like monologues when they reveal, if not at the time then in retrospect, something about the characters who are engaging in them. Like, say, about Lelouch and C.C. in this case.

I suppose, in a way, I actually think we could have used a few more monologues later in R2 in order to foreshadow or explain a couple of things that weren't addressed elsewhere in the story, such as what you've pointed out here (and many more things to come, I'm sure).

It's a bit of a double-edged sword though. I don't mind having more fodder for discussion and speculation, even after everything has been said and done.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

I like monologues when they reveal, if not at the time then in retrospect, something about the characters who are engaging in them. Like, say, about Lelouch and C.C. in this case.

Another personal preference difference, I suppose. I feel like I should be able to understand what the characters are saying for the most part even on my first watch-through. I don't mind foreshadowing, I don't mind things being thrown in that are far more meaningful on multiple watch-throughs. But I don't really like long riddles that make no sense until you see the entire show and then piece it together. Partially because if it makes no sense I tune out, and even if I don't, I don't really remember it a year (or more) later when I finally get my answer. (Also, length is important here: the occasional scene where Charles says one sentence about "the Ragnarok junction/connection" or "we're going to kill the gods" makes no sense to me, but it's short enough that I can remember that he said it when the answer finally comes many episodes later.)
I'm also not saying that monologues/speeches - even really long speeches - don't have a place. Sometimes I love them. I just dislike them when I don't understand them and find myself bored or distracted because this character has been talking for a while about something that's not going to make any sense until I see an episode aired months and months in the future.