Anime is a Japanese art form that has made it across the seas to the United States and all over the world. As the name implies, it is an abbreviation of the Japanese word for animation. The style is characterized by vibrantly colored graphics, deep, complicated characters with big eyes and outlandish story lines. This Code Geass anime review sums it up nicely.
The series can possibly be described as a dystopian Hunger Games, meets Orwell's 1984, meets The Wonder Years. Considering the fact that a powerful race of androids named the Knightmares are key to the story, you could probably add Terminator to this mix. It's fun and different and should be labelled with a warning that one gateway episode may encourage binge watching.
The DVD and blue-ray discs together sold more than one million copies. The show ran for two seasons, in 2006 and 2007. It was shown for two years on the Cartoon Channel. Both years, the show won awards at Tokyo's international anime fair. It was also made into light novels and manga, which were produced in the USA.
The series is dystopian because the story line centers around Area 11, what used to be Japan until the Holy Britannian Empire ran roughshod over it during its invasion. The residents of Area 11 are called "Elevens."
In the Hunger Games, the underclass dwell in District 12 of Panem. In Code Geass, these are the Elevens, who life in Area 11 of Britannia.
The Code Geass parallel with George Orwell's "1984" refers to the presence of three super powers. In CG, these were the European Union, the Chinese Federation and Britannia. In the Orwellian dystopia, the three intercontinental superstates were Oceana (previously called Britain, or England), Eurasia (USSR plus the spoils of its invasion of mainland Europe), and Eastasia (the combined regions of Southeast Asia and East Asia). This is too close to be coincidence and suggests that someone at Sunrise involved in the creation of the series was influenced by Orwell, possibly writer, Ichiro Okouchi.
The final parallel, "The Wonder Years", takes note of the protagonist, Lelouch Lamperouge, the exiled Britannian prince. He starts out as your typical idealistic young college student. At almost the exact same moment as he receives his Gaessian power to command anybody to do exactly as he wants by just making eye contact, it becomes perfectly clear why the first episode is entitled, "The Day A New Demon Was Born."
You really can't help getting hooked and Code Gaess anime review is as good an example of anime as anything to cut your teeth on as you explore this engaging medium. If nothing else, give a listen to the zippy theme tune, which sounds like it would be at home in a Neopet promotional cartoon, but bears lyrics such as, "with undisguised frustration, feeling lost, feeling anguished." The song, at least, has a happy ending. To discover if the series has an equally happy ending, you will have to watch it for yourself.
The series can possibly be described as a dystopian Hunger Games, meets Orwell's 1984, meets The Wonder Years. Considering the fact that a powerful race of androids named the Knightmares are key to the story, you could probably add Terminator to this mix. It's fun and different and should be labelled with a warning that one gateway episode may encourage binge watching.
The DVD and blue-ray discs together sold more than one million copies. The show ran for two seasons, in 2006 and 2007. It was shown for two years on the Cartoon Channel. Both years, the show won awards at Tokyo's international anime fair. It was also made into light novels and manga, which were produced in the USA.
The series is dystopian because the story line centers around Area 11, what used to be Japan until the Holy Britannian Empire ran roughshod over it during its invasion. The residents of Area 11 are called "Elevens."
In the Hunger Games, the underclass dwell in District 12 of Panem. In Code Geass, these are the Elevens, who life in Area 11 of Britannia.
The Code Geass parallel with George Orwell's "1984" refers to the presence of three super powers. In CG, these were the European Union, the Chinese Federation and Britannia. In the Orwellian dystopia, the three intercontinental superstates were Oceana (previously called Britain, or England), Eurasia (USSR plus the spoils of its invasion of mainland Europe), and Eastasia (the combined regions of Southeast Asia and East Asia). This is too close to be coincidence and suggests that someone at Sunrise involved in the creation of the series was influenced by Orwell, possibly writer, Ichiro Okouchi.
The final parallel, "The Wonder Years", takes note of the protagonist, Lelouch Lamperouge, the exiled Britannian prince. He starts out as your typical idealistic young college student. At almost the exact same moment as he receives his Gaessian power to command anybody to do exactly as he wants by just making eye contact, it becomes perfectly clear why the first episode is entitled, "The Day A New Demon Was Born."
You really can't help getting hooked and Code Gaess anime review is as good an example of anime as anything to cut your teeth on as you explore this engaging medium. If nothing else, give a listen to the zippy theme tune, which sounds like it would be at home in a Neopet promotional cartoon, but bears lyrics such as, "with undisguised frustration, feeling lost, feeling anguished." The song, at least, has a happy ending. To discover if the series has an equally happy ending, you will have to watch it for yourself.
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