Official Site Update

[drakyndra.livejournal.com]

Just FYI, but the Official Code Geass website has updated.

Nothing about the new Gaiden, as far as I can tell (They aren't exactly chatty on that, are they?), but there's a brief thing about that Tales of Graces game with the Geass costumes, and the Renya manga now has it's own page, with descriptions of the main characters, and summaries of the first four chapters. And pictures and stuff.

Looks like Code Geass: Renya of Darkness might be the official English version of it's title.

Comments

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

...Welp, I pretty much just gave up on Renya then and there. Naked Kaguya? Really, manga? That's what Code Geass needed, more loli fanservice?

I assume they're ancestors since the Gino-expy shares Gino's last name. But I really don't get the point... identical ancestors seem like a hold-over from TV shows where different time periods feature enough for the starring actors to be re-cast as ancestors/previous incarnations. This is drawn! Why, beyond using visuals to tell the audience "this is X's placeholder" would they have identical ancestors? I don't look that much like my mom, let alone my grandmother, or my great grandmother!

[kusaja.livejournal.com]

Your mileage may vary. I don't particularly like it but that's not exactly uncommon within the shounen genre either. Even Dragon Ball started out as an incredibly dirty manga with a lot of objectively unnecessary fanservice, to say nothing of more modern works like the previously mentioned Bleach.

Moving on...I personally prefer to see several individuals having identical ancestors instead of just a Lelouch clone walking around hundreds of years before the original series. It makes what would be a rather unreasonable exception into an almost universal rule (which can be explained away through reincarnation or some other plot device). Yes, it's not realistic at all...but why is that such a bad thing anyway? It doesn't just happen in TV shows but also in a fair number of games and more than a couple of anime and manga.

This manga also seems to be focused on the least realistic aspects of Code Geass, including the power itself, and many of the pages have dealt with fights using greater or lesser degrees of supernatural skill. Bending or breaking the rules of genetics doesn't exactly strike me as something that would be particularly out of line.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

My problem is not just fanservice in general. If C.C. or Kallen's expy showed up in that state of undress I'd probably be annoyed but not upset about it. Kaguya, OTOH, is not a sexualized character in Geass, she's a young girl. I don't particularly appreciate the change. Also, this would not at all have ruined Renya for me if I liked it otherwise, just as Code Geass' or Dragon Ball's excessive fanservice was only a minor speedbump on my road to enjoying the series. This is just the straw that broke the camel's back.

I don't like the Lelouch clone either...in fact, his upsets me the most because as of now it makes the least sense. I think identical ancestors is a stupid trope, even if it is disturbingly common, because it's ridiculously unrealistic. Now I wouldn't be so bothered if I thought there was a good reason and, like with the fanservice, I would tolerate it if I liked the series otherwise. But I suppose if in the Geass universe reincarnation works such that descendants tend to look like ancestors, there would at least be an in-universe reason that wouldn't necessarily conflict with the anime, and I could deal with that.

This manga also seems to be focused on the least realistic aspects of Code Geass, including the power itself, and many of the pages have dealt with fights using greater or lesser degrees of supernatural skill. Bending or breaking the rules of genetics doesn't exactly strike me as something that would be particularly out of line.

Oh, don't get me wrong, identical ancestors is not the biggest problem I have with this manga. I just think it's a really stupid cliche and I don't like seeing it tacked onto the Geass universe.
I think the complete focus on the least realistic part works to its detriment only because it *exaggerates* the powers shown in the anime beyond the scope of what was in the show. I don't mind them elaborating on Geass, but drawing it further and further outside the realm of believability really isn't helping.

But as I mentioned in the other comment, I could honestly and happily put up with all of this stuff if:
a. I found Renya entertaining
b. I didn't have many pre-conceived notions of canon based on the original show
And really, it's far more a than b. If something's boring, I suddenly lose all patience for stupid or unbelievable things.

[kusaja.livejournal.com]

Fair enough.

I suppose we're looking at it from slightly to moderately different angles then.

It's probably been a bit easier for me to digest Renya, at least for the time being, because I've fully accepted that it seems to be going for the more ridiculous and least realistic side of Code Geass ...but I wouldn't rule out coming to hate it or, hopefully, finding a better way to look at the manga further down the line. We'll see.

Other than pointing out that said character seems to be a little older than Kaguya herself, which may or may not matter, there's really not much else to say here.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I will admit that the character looks older than Kaguya maybe and, at least, doesn't have that kind of moe-loli/sexualizing-extreme-deference problem that I see going on regularly in way too much anime. So I must give it points there.

Overall it seems like the divide is that I've essentially given up on Renya (although if I hear that it gets better, I would be willing to give it another chance) but you're still waiting for it to find its feet. I don't blame you for that.

Oh and also, I apologize if I've come off harsh. I'm just really disappointed in the Code Geass manga spinoffs (with the exception of the anthologies) and sometimes end up venting about it.