I love how the JLF are the patsies in this whole conflict. They’re getting dumped on all the time. Even though their antennae are probably evocative of some real traditional Japanese headwear, I can’t help but feel like they were designed to intentionally look silly (as I’m pretty sure those floppy strings aren’t doing anything helpful.) Snickering aside, I do think it’s cool how the JLF get their own mech models with their own specific style of combat in contrast to those of the others faction (melee vs. ballistic weapons.) Also, their giant mecha-katanas make me think of that other Zero that Rxanadu brought up, and that’s tops, because Zero’s a pillar of my MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 3 dream team.
Actually, I didn’t start thinking about the potential significance of the name “Zero” until you lunatics brought it up. If Guren evokes the nationalistic red in the Japanese flag, then I’m sure Zero must’ve been chosen for its allusions to the fighter planes and, perhaps by extension, the zero-like circle of the flag. If that’s the case, then the comparisons to V FOR VENDETTA run that much deeper, because a terrorist/freedom fighter named “Zero” battling on behalf of Japanese autonomy is probably as politically provocative as another rebel doing the same for England in a Guy Fawkes mask.
Ruminations on political symbolism aside, this was another stellar episode that hooked me on a level more visceral than usual. CODE GEASS does a great job of playing with your allegiances and flipping them up from episode. I’m definitely rooting for Suzaku the most, but when you put him against Lelouch and Kallen, I’m conflicted over who to cheer on. CC (or whatever her name is. They bleep it out, KILL BILL-style) pulls such a nasty trick on him, here, though. I was glad to see it backfire on her once Lelouch intruded on her witchcraft. Even though we get some hints at her own trauma in those flashbacks, she maintains such a cold, removed distance from all of this that it was amusing to see her get zapped a little.
Watch this episode "Battle for Narita" below, decide for yourself and then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
I've never really wondered why Lelouch chose the name Zero, but i recently read a fanfic that put out an interesting answer. The idea being that the Emperor fears nothing, so Lelouch chooses to become Zero, or nothing. I don't know if that's the truth, but it's an answer i really like.
Three years after first seeing this show and i'm still not sure how I feel about C.C. Part of me feels sorry for her, she's had a pretty rough time in her life. On the other hand, she's done some seriously messed up stuff in the past to further her own ends.
I LOVE your parts on the name zero. I had not thought of that AT ALL. I have an appreciation for this show on a whole new level now...
A design you will start to notice about the design of the KMFs in this series. The Britannians start to steadily look more and more like humans in armor, and the Black Knights and Japanese look more demonic. Again, the Burai Customs are just heavily modified Glasgows.
Goro Taniguchi wanted to design a protagonist that has not been seen in most anime series of this kind. Normally, the heroes are both physically at the peak and also intelligent. They thought to make Lelouch brilliant but weak and balance him with Suzaku who is incredibly well fit and not as bright. Everything about Lelouch's design says villain, but his actions and motives are that of the hero of the series.
Personally, I can't relate to what Suzaku is doing at all. Siding with a force that is performing genocide. Suzaku wants to change Britannia. While that sounds great, how many innocent Japanese are going to die waiting for him to change it? Another thing, you can't change an empire through popular opinion. You can only do that be unseating the emperor and taking his place. The emperor makes the rules and can change them on his whim.
You have Zero who is saying we will welcome all races and religions, then you have Charles the emperor who is trying to subjugate and discriminate against anyone who doesn't conform. It's not a hard choice.
As for CC, at this time in the series I was still confused about what her purpose is. She just seemed to be there like Ryuk in Death Note, but at least Ryuk admitted that he was there because it was fun to watch.
Plus, most of the Japanese are against harming civilians as well, remember when Kusakabe attacked the hotel? there was a brief scene of Tohdoh basically calling him an idiot at the JLF base.
A lot of people seem to think this and it simply isn't true. Shifting popular opinion against a government is actually far more likely to work than supplanting the ruler by force. Tyrants become tyrants specifically because they are very good at killing people--why would you get in a killing contest with them? A better strategy would be to undercut the apparatus they use to maintain control--in practice this means sewing discord, promoting noncompliance, etc., in the military and in the mass media.
@ninjadude no he isn't on Bin Laden's level...there are lower level terrorists, he is still a terrorists though (but then so was the original tea party). I mean a terrorist I would have supported but still a terrorist.
prepare for the season best episode (episode 14) i think it was very emotional episode
as i like shirley best of course
it was an interesting turn of events
looking forward to see what do u think of it