Code Geass

About

Code Geass, also known as Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ Kōdo Giasu: Hangyaku no Rurūshu), is a 2006 Mecha anime series produced by Sunrise. Since it originally aired, the show garnered a significant fanbase, especially online, spwaning a number of fan works and derivatives.

History

Code Geass originally started out as a 25 episode anime series created by the studio Sunrise, also known for their work on other mecha anime series such as the Gundam franchise. The show originally ran from October 5, 2006 to July 28, 2007 in Japan, but was also later picked up by Adult Swim and premiered on April 27, 2008. A second season, titled Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 also aired from April 6 to September 28, 2008, and later premiered on Adult Swim on November 2 of the same year. The series also spread to a variety of other media in response to the popularity, spawning a number of manga adaptations, and series of Light Novel adaptations, as well as a video game adaptation for the Playstation Portable and Playstation 2.

Premise

The Code Geass series takes place in an alternate timeline, where there are three major ruling forces, Britannia, The Chinese Federation and The European Union. The series follows Lelouch Lamperouge, and exiled Britannian prince, who is sent to the newly conquered Japan along with his sister, after the murder of their mother and father, causing him to vow revenge against the Britannian empire. Several years later, Lelouch gets caught up in a terrorist attack, but is saved by a girl of the name C.C., who gives him the power of 'Geass', which allows him to control anyone he desires through eye contact. Using the power of Geass, Lelouch sets out to destroy the Britannian empire, becoming the leader of a resistance movement known as The Black Knights under his alter ego Zero.

Reception

Code Geass has received critical acclaim worldwide since it's original creation. As of August, 2008, it is estimated that around 900,000 copies of the series has been sold in Japan alone, with the second season being the fourth best selling anime DVD and Blu-Ray disc in Japan according to Amazon. The series has also received numerous awards for the show, such as the best TV anime series award at the 2007 Tokyo International Anime Fair, as well as the most popular series award at Animage's 29th Annual Anime Grand Prix. Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network also described the series as having "the skill and energy to carry viewers over the top with it, where they can spend a pleasurable few hours revelling in its melodramatic charms."^[1]

Online Relevance

In North America, Code Geass is licensed by Funimation, and is available for streaming on their website. The show has gained a large online following on many sites, including on Tumblr^[2], Reddit^[3], 4chan's /a/ (Anime and Manga) board^[4], Fanpop^[5], My Anime List^[6], and DeviantART^[7]. There are numerous sites that provide episodic information about the series, such as the Code Geass wiki^[8], TV Tropes^[9] and Anime News Network^[10]. In addition, the Code Geass Facebook page also has over 250,000 likes^[11].

Fandom

The Code Geass series has spawned a significant online fanbase since it’s creation, which has created much fanart and fanfiction. On the Japanese fanart site Pixiv, there are over 8,000 images tagged under “ルルーシュ”^[12], as well as over 4,000 videos on the video sharing website Nico Nico Douga^[13]. On DeviantART, there are also over 80,000 images tagged related to the series^[14], as well as over 6000 stories on Fanfiction.net^[15].

Related Sub-Memes

United States of Japan-pan

United States of Japan-Pan refers to a series of MAD remixes based around the Code Geass anime. These remixes were considered one of the most famous MAD resources, contributing to the popularity of MADs, but were soon taken down by the show's copyright holders.

Spinzaku Kick

Spinzaku Kick is a meme based on a spinning kick performed by the character Suzaku in the first season of the show. Due to the impossible nature of the kick, the scene gained notability online, spawning many fan parodies.

Search Interest

External References