I realize that I don't actually have anything of substance to say today. So, as is my wont when I find myself in need of space to fill and nothing to fill it with, I'm going talk about things that make no sense even to myself.
There's just something about Code Geass that fails to grab my attention. Now, normally I'd put it down to "well, this show isn't to my tastes", but I need to write something today, so I'll try to expound on this for as many words as I can. Well, it's not like I'm being paid by the word here. Or being paid at all.
Comparisons have been made between Code Geass and Death Note, whether fairly or otherwise. One reason I don't much like Death Note is simply because it's too dark; it features People Being Mean To Each Other, which, while a fairly naive and childish thing to drop a show over, is still a perfectly valid reason in my eyes. I'd rather not keep watching an anime I clearly do not enjoy, after all.
And Code Geass is… brighter. Happier, in some ways. Yes, people die in all sorts of horrible ways, but it's part of the War Is Hell message that's been around since the Gundam series. And there are scenes of a more peaceful life, in the school days events, and when the characters aren't actively out to kill each other. Lelouch does act a lot like Light Yagami, but he's slightly less psychopathic, and he does retain some semblance of humanity, in that he does care for certain people, like his sister.
Or something. I don't know, I'm not really that interested in Lelouch. Or Kallen. Or Suzaku. Or- actually, come to think of it, there are damned few characters in the show that caught my eye.
I suppose that's really the primary reason why I'm not that interested in Code Geass: I haven't yet found many characters that held my attention for more than a few scenes, that made me want to watch more of them, instead of wondering whether I'll be missing any story if I just fast-forward through whatever scenes they happen to be in.
C.C. is cute, but her personality doesn't really appeal to me. I've never been a fan of tsundere, and C.C. has that constant refrain of "I'm only using you as an accomplice, not an ally", made more pronounced with the recent Mao arc. I realize that this makes me a bit inconsistent, with my avowed love for Suigintou from Rozen Maiden, but Suigintou has the Dark Emo Angel thing going for her. C.C. has green hair and baggy sleeves, which, while cute in their own right, doesn't really have the same impact. The Pizza Hut thing is amusing, even though I've not seen as much pizza consumed in a show since the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Kallen's lack of appeal I find harder to pin down. By all rights, I should be going nuts over her, but, well, I'm not. She's not a bad character by any means, but she's just not that interesting, despite all her character development and such. The same goes for Shirley, I suppose.
The one meganekko I remember offhand, Nina, is unfortunately off-limits after episode 12. I have no problems with loving whomever you want to love, but this feels like it's getting to the point of rather creepy obsession.
As for the males, I'm not really the type to be swayed by GAR-ness, at least not usually. Lelouch is like a kinder, gentler Light Yagami, with added theatrics and a rather silly costume, but his mutterings about megalomania are just as off-putting. Suzaku is unfailingly polite, highly skilled, and really a very nice guy, but he has far too much angst for a single character to bear outside of a CLAMP production.
I suppose right now, the only reason I'm still watching the series is Cecile, and her interactions with Lloyd. I'm hesitant to say that I like watching Lloyd's various social faux pas and dedication towards the CAUSE of SCIENCE, since the last Mad Scientist in a mecha show I watched was the utterly detestable Gates in Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid, but Lloyd seems to be relatively saner, or at least not as prone to kill his subordinates on a whim. And Cecile is a good balancing influence, even if she applies the Akiko Minase school of Jam-making into onigiri.
And she's also not afraid to let her views be known. I think my favourite moment in the entire series so far is when she decks Lloyd a good one for making an insensitive comment, just as the screen fritzes out.
Loading ...
Entries (RSS)
Code Geass has elements that I like. And yet, like you, it utterly fails to grab my interest. I tried several times to watch it, hoping that later episodes would grab me, but it never did. Even thinking of it as a comedy failed. Well, its nice to know that I'm not the only one.
It's a show that tries to make everybody happy and, as is usual in those cases, can't possibly hope to accomplish that. So I understand where you're coming from. Sort of.
Then again….personally I'm more interested in this show than in something like Death Note (been there, done that…didn't like the way the manga ended), but even I recognize that it's merely an above average show, not a true masterpiece. It's a relatively fun ride, and since I'm not watching that many shows this season it's decent for me. Your mileage may vary.
I actually like CODE GEASS quite a bit. But I perfectly understand it's a show a that's easy like and easy to hate. The characters keep me attached to it, and I just seem to enjoy most of the events that occur in it. Your opinions on C.C. are nicely written. I only disagree on the opinion of her as tsundere.
I personally dislike Death Note (though I read all the manga just to see how it ended). Charaters are too static. And I agree with the point of "too dark" , and to me: it's too dark and too boring.
I agree with you that the show tries to please everyone. And I got tired of Death NOte. I liked the concept, but I think Avisch put it perfectly, the characters are static. Oh well, that's the joy of anime, there's usually something out to interest everybody