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Impressions:

This episode is probably the best so far, as we get to see more of Lelouch’s schemes at work. Although they don’t require that much thought, since he has such an ‘influential’ power, they are still interesting to see carried out. Of course, the expressions on everyone’s faces when Lelouch accomplished his goal were an expected highlight that any prodigy-type anime has. The animation and quality has not deteroriated at all, which I’m glad of. The whole deal with Lelouch and his costume was a bit of a showcase, which seems more like something the bad guy would do. I don’t see Lelouch as the bad guy here, as it is clear that the Britannians are the oppressors of the Elevens. Even though he is willing to kill whoever necessary, Lelouch has a good side to him. He deeply cares for his family and friends (namely Nanali and Suzaku). However, even though his motives are slightly selfish (as he’s doing everything for Nanali, the outcome will be in favour of all the Elevens. He also made it clear that he doesn’t as little civilian involvement as possible, so he’s not going to go on a rampage in the street, or take masses of people as a real hostage (and have the will to kill them if necessary).

So far there hasn’t been much mecha involvement, or CC. For the mecha part, we saw a brief one-sided fight involving Lelouch and Suzaku, which sparked a lot of people’s anger on how getting a new Knightmare Frame doesn’t mean the pilot will be able to pilot it expertly. Well, mecha is usually in science fiction, so there’s bound to be an explanation, and that’s exactly what we got this episode. Although it hasn’t been explained in detail, I can assume that Suzaku is somehow compatible with the special Knightmare Frame, and is able to achieve a higher synch ratio as opposed to other Knightmare Frames (NGE flashback anyone?) Nevertheless, I don’t like Suzaku very much because of his sense of justice. It is just so unfitting in a world of chaos and deception. I don’t really like those self-sacrificial types who believe everyone has a good side or something, unless it’s in a shounen anime. As for CC, it appears she will be getting more ait time next episode, which is good. Did she really die in the first episode? Maybe this is a different CC, since she appears to be engineered in some lab. It’s highly likely that she’ll come back no matter how many times she dies. I’m still not sure as to how intentional the Geass power is, and who invented. Was it that scientist who oversaw the construction of the new Knightmare Frame? Even the higher-up Britannians don’t know anything about it.

As for the character design, a lot of it is very similar to Tsubasa Chronicles. Some say everyone looks anorexic, which can also be said to Tsubasa Chronicles, though I am quite fond of the slimmer characters. We also get two look-alikes, Suzaku who looks somewhat like Shaoran, though you can clearly tell them apart. There’s also this other guy who looks like Kurogane. However, everyone in Code Geass looks more mature, which is a good thing. I’ve said before that I love the expressions that CLAMP comes up with. They’re all done in such extravagance and are very convincing. The pupil movement, fringing, subtle widening and narrowing of the eye, the evil grins – perfect! I guess the eye animations are pretty important since so much of the story revolves around Lelouch’s commanding eye, as well as the pupils of everyone who falls under his spell (which glow red). I do have one slight problem with the character design though, and that’s Karen’s hair style when she’s in frail-weal-sickly-school-girl mode. Although the hair does the job of making her look weaker than she really is, for some reason it makes her look…incomplete. I guess it’s probably because it’s too straight or plain; something like that. Ah well, you can’t have everything how you want them to be, I suppose.

Plot Outline:

- Suzaku is questioned due his conviction, though he denies killing Clovis
- Lelouch puts Nanaly into bed and convinces her that Suzaku is innocent
- Several things happen: the Britannian government ‘mounrs’ the death of Clovis (on TV)
- Te scientist laments the capture of Suzaku since he managed to pilot the new Knightmare Frame so well
- Karen and her comrades make their way the front carriage of a train, under the instructions of Lelouch
- They meet Lelouch in that carriage, but he is wearing a mask and cape
- He introduces himself as Zero and tells them that he will make the impossible possible, so they can trust him
- He plans to rescue Suzaku (which is pretty impossible)
- As Suzaku is brought down a main road to his execution, a large crowd of spiteful Britannians gather to jeer at Suzaku

- Lelouch and Karen drive Clovis’ personal car to stop the procession
- Lelouch reveals himself and the hidden chemical bomb (which is a bluff)
- This makes everyone around him a hostage
- Karen then drives the care closer to Suzaku so Lelouch can open a panel in his helmet
- Making eye contact with the leader of the Britannian government(?), he orders him to allow Suzaku go, which of course he does (though not without some conflict from the other Britannian guards)
- Back at the rebel’s base, the rebels acknowledge Zero’s work and the fact he pulled of something that difficult
- However, Suzaku decides to go back to his captors for reasons I can’t be bothered explaining
- In the end, Suzaku plans to reform Britannia from the inside, so it seems he is still on the Eleven’s side
- At school, CC approaches Nanaly while she is in bed

Preview:

Next episode – #5
More of CC?

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