Jeoffrey

Nevertheless, it's not a very exciting series, there is quite a lot that I want to write about it. Let's start with the production values. Animation-wise, it's nothing special, many monsters are computer-modeled and it doesn't look that great, it's not a complete disaster (this season, I have seen worse), but the impression that I am looking at something unnatural, that sticks out of the frame when it moves, is present in certain scenes. The effects are weak, especially explosions accompanied by flames look tragically bad. On the other hand, I guess I can understand it a little bit, considering how big battles and how numerous armies the creators are trying to get into the shots occasionally and I connect it with the fact that there probably won't be a very high budget here. But understanding something doesn't mean I like it, and unfortunately, it doesn't help those battles and the impression of them at all. As for the music, Kota Jamamoto did quite a decent job. The accompanying music was well chosen, fit into the scenes, and occasionally managed to lift the impression that the animation lowered for me. In short, a nice fantasy soundtrack for me, but it undermined probably the most boring rock opening I've heard this year, and even the ending was like a stunned fish for me. Sure, both can be skipped with peace, but when I consider that on one hand, I have very successful accompanying music and on the other hand, both title songs are totally out of place and boring, it's quite a imbalance. As for the characters, there was probably only one that visually appealed to me, just because I have had a weakness for girls with pointed hats since I was fifteen and the times of Dark Magician Girl. As for characters and their behavior, no one caught my attention here. The main hero seemed boring to me, the girls around him too, including small / big demon lady, the comic element Dziron was mostly awkward... But okay, in the end, perhaps the knightess Alistair was a bit interesting, but the author quickly threw her overboard, and maybe the general Et Ludré, although it was only a matter of one or two episodes - although unlike the mentioned knightess, with the general it seems that the story will definitely continue in the future. And as for the story itself, it was like on a seesaw. Sometimes there were parts that slightly interested me (for example when the author tried some strategy), but there were more that were just classic clichés or boredom. In the end, I have a slightly below-average anime, in my opinion, which I am not sure if I am interested in continuing, simply a 4.4/10.

Yes, Your Majesty. Alright, I’ll admit, this latest Code Geass continuation worked for me in the end. Like I mentioned with Lelouch of the Resurrection, I just don’t get why anyone felt the need to follow up on what was already such a perfectly wrapped-up story. The original finale was one of the best anime endings I’ve seen, and with all these sequels, it feels like its impact is being watered down. Especially here, where we find ourselves back in almost the exact same situation as the beginning. Neo Britannia is behaving just like the old Britannia, and it’s painfully similar to the original series. The only takeaway from the opening was the reminder that humanity seems to love repeating its mistakes—plenty of real-world examples of that. Once again, we’re fighting oppression, the main character unknowingly holds a crucial role, and there are tons of twists and reveals—some excellent, some a bit questionable. That "Palpatine-esque" reveal of the main villain's identity? Yeah, I could’ve done without that, even if it wasn’t as ridiculous as it was in Star Wars. But, looking at the story as a whole, I was pretty entertained throughout. It kept me hooked, threw in some surprises, and overall delivered on the narrative front. So, credit to the writers where it's due. With only twelve episodes, though, the show didn’t have much room for deep character development. It was just enough for the main players, while the supporting cast mostly echoed characters from the original series, making it feel like we didn’t need much more from them. I did enjoy the cameos from key figures in the Code Geass universe, including those from the Akito films—it was nice to catch up with them. Animation and music? On point, as expected. Given that this was also meant for the big screen (hence the movie version), Sunrise really delivered on those 2D mecha (Knightmare Frame, of course) battles. That vibrant, smooth action sequence in the final episode was a real visual treat. The ending hit harder than I expected, though I kept thinking it would've been more impactful if there had been more episodes to flesh out the relationship between Sakuya and Ash. Still, it was a solid and emotional conclusion, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Lelouch’s saga. All in all, while this isn’t the legendary Code Geass of old, it held its ground. A decent 7.2/10 from me.

An intriguing short film that doesn’t rely on dialogue at all, featuring only a single song, yet it still manages to convey a message. At first, I found myself just watching the repetitive scenes, unsure of their purpose (I’m still not sure what the deal was with all the smiling face emojis), but as the film gradually built up to its finale, it started to click. That slow build-up really makes the ending hit harder, especially as it ties together some of the film's themes around the title and the floral imagery. Visually, the animation style was quite charming, and the one chosen song fit perfectly. I might not have fully grasped all the symbolism, but even so - 7/10.