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code_geass2008-01-31 11:01 pm
spaleween.livejournal.com) wrote in code_geass2008-01-31 11:01 pm
Entry tags:
Two cents
First off, I like this anime because it involves war, political intrigue, friendship, and betrayal. Then I was miffed at the stereotypical characters--bad protagonist, heroic antagonist/best friend/greatest enemy, sexy and mysterious girl with mystical powers, helpless sister, megalomaniac king.
And then, as other LJ people have mentioned, they're not stereotypical after all. They're not completely good/bad people...most of them anyway.
There were two things I hated: (1) the Pizza Hut product placement, but this has already been beaten and murdered in other posts so I won't do it, and (2) the god-awful deus ex machina.
And then, as other LJ people have mentioned, they're not stereotypical after all. They're not completely good/bad people...most of them anyway.
There were two things I hated: (1) the Pizza Hut product placement, but this has already been beaten and murdered in other posts so I won't do it, and (2) the god-awful deus ex machina.
There were plenty of deus ex machina in Code Geass (read: V.V.), but what annoyed me most was when Euphie dropped out of nowhere and into Suzaku's arms. Somebody explain to me why a princess would drop out of nowhere? Ah, *forehead smack* convenient plot device...of course.
Many people don't like Euphie because she's a Lacus clone. I initially agree. But when she became a killing doll, I liked it. She became one of Lelouch's many accidental pawns in that last-8-minute chess game of his. This confirms Euphie's purpose in the series: convenient momental plot device.
Now Nina. Everyone is creeped out. But I like it that there's a one-sided-stalker-worship-dirty-love going on with Nina. She never really had anyone care for her before, and here comes this radiant glowing princess that values Nina's life so much that she's willing to exchange her life for hers. Nina is so awestruck because no one ever does this for her before that she entrusts her never-ending and never-wavering loyalty and devotion to her. Someone actually treasured her, in Nina's view. So the girl who was never appreciated before becomes obssessed with the radiant princess because she's afraid no one would appreciate her life again. I kinda understand it.
Suzaku. Agree with the initial Kira-clone impression. Agree with the later omg-he's-actually-two-dimensional-because-of-that-patricide impression. I truly appreciate characters who are not one-dimensional. I don't like perfect characters. I like it that he's a contradictory character. I like it that he's trying to convince himself of doing the right thing, justifying himself of his father's murder. He's haunted by all the bad things he did, but he still weaves the illusion onto himself that "this is for the good". He has a mask, just like Lelouch's Zero, but Suzaku's mask is harder to remove as it's from childhood. I agree that he keeps repressing all that emotion. Once, he managed to let a bit out in front of Lelouch, but that's just a bit. His guilt is slowly eating him and he doesn't notice it. Euphie was, once again--convenient plot device--, the trigger to release all that pent-up emotion since childhood. He doesn't care anymore. He doesn't care that Nunnally is in danger. He doesn't care that Japan is in complete chaos. He doesn't care that Lelouch is his best friend. He doesn't care. All he cares about is killing this guy, riddle him with bullets and make sure he's DEAD.
I haven't read Suzaku of the Counterattack, you see.
A favor? Would anyone mind doing a character sketch of Suzaku? I really want to understand him more.
Many people don't like Euphie because she's a Lacus clone. I initially agree. But when she became a killing doll, I liked it. She became one of Lelouch's many accidental pawns in that last-8-minute chess game of his. This confirms Euphie's purpose in the series: convenient momental plot device.
Now Nina. Everyone is creeped out. But I like it that there's a one-sided-stalker-worship-dirty-love going on with Nina. She never really had anyone care for her before, and here comes this radiant glowing princess that values Nina's life so much that she's willing to exchange her life for hers. Nina is so awestruck because no one ever does this for her before that she entrusts her never-ending and never-wavering loyalty and devotion to her. Someone actually treasured her, in Nina's view. So the girl who was never appreciated before becomes obssessed with the radiant princess because she's afraid no one would appreciate her life again. I kinda understand it.
Suzaku. Agree with the initial Kira-clone impression. Agree with the later omg-he's-actually-two-dimensional-because-of-that-patricide impression. I truly appreciate characters who are not one-dimensional. I don't like perfect characters. I like it that he's a contradictory character. I like it that he's trying to convince himself of doing the right thing, justifying himself of his father's murder. He's haunted by all the bad things he did, but he still weaves the illusion onto himself that "this is for the good". He has a mask, just like Lelouch's Zero, but Suzaku's mask is harder to remove as it's from childhood. I agree that he keeps repressing all that emotion. Once, he managed to let a bit out in front of Lelouch, but that's just a bit. His guilt is slowly eating him and he doesn't notice it. Euphie was, once again--convenient plot device--, the trigger to release all that pent-up emotion since childhood. He doesn't care anymore. He doesn't care that Nunnally is in danger. He doesn't care that Japan is in complete chaos. He doesn't care that Lelouch is his best friend. He doesn't care. All he cares about is killing this guy, riddle him with bullets and make sure he's DEAD.
I haven't read Suzaku of the Counterattack, you see.
A favor? Would anyone mind doing a character sketch of Suzaku? I really want to understand him more.
Re: Some mighty big claims you got there
However even if a 17 year old Suzaku canonically looking back thinks he went into the argument contemplating patricide, he was still 10 at the time and I just don't feel like a 10 year old has the mental faculties to think through this choice.
I do agree that everything is shades of gray, but I think it is obvious from the amount of guilt he feels that Suzaku does not really think this was the right choice.
I see the love as more maternal because of her last request for Suzaku to stay in school and from the way she demands Suzaku love her and the unconditional love she gives to him. She is in effect trying to bolster his self-esteem. It also then makes a lovely mirror and counterpoint to Marianne's death when Lelouch was a child.
What is a reasonable amount of time to effect change? I think to Suzaku if more people felt like him, then things would be more likely to change and I think he felt one person could make a difference. And yes, I think he did envision himself as a martyr and he might have been deluded, but that's not the same as being a hyprocrite.
I would argue that until Lelouch kills Euphie he is not even necessarily working to destroy Zero. I mean he does work with Zero to fight the Chinese Federation backed terrorists (it is isn't it?) in that one episode. And after Euphie's death, well I think it's really hard to blame him for wanting to destroy Zero.
I think that "good guy" facade is a part of him and I don't think it's selfish to want to be that person. To me, his selfishness is in wanting to die and not thinking about what that means to others. It's the one example of him wanting to take the easy way out to me.
To me, Japan has always been an overriding presence in his life. One dumb illustration, is Geass opens with Suzaku helping Lelouch to a lookout so they can view Mt. Fuji, the symbol of Japan. I think it doesn't just illustrate their friendship and their innocence but also the importance of Japan to Suzaku.