Code Geass R2 — Episode 12
The new Claymore
This is the most awesome Code Geass episode in the second season so far. No kidding. It has comedy, tension, revelations, drama, reunions, heart-warming moments and a cliffhanger all packaged into one convenient 24-minute episode. It just goes to show that the series only works when it takes itself half seriously.
Summary
Random fanservice never gets old
Milly is graduating from the academy and decides to hold a special event as her last act as the student council president. It involves silly-looking hats, Lelouch getting chased by the entire school’s population, and Sayako the super maid ninja.
Where do the spotlights come from? I don’t know
Yes that’s right, Sayako is apparently a fricking ninja, for real, belonging to the Shinozaki-ryuu. Her real profession is being a bad ass bodyguard, which was the reason why she was hired by the Ashford family. This explains a lot.
Sayako’s l33t ninja skillz
During Lelouch’s trip to China, Sayako was instructed to help manage his personal relationships in his place. This was apparently a terrible idea, because she managed to hit on every single girl in the school and arranged for hourly dates with different girls, which Lelouch must now attend to.
Lelouch’s schedule is the envy of his peers
And not only that, he also has to fly to China in Shinkirou in between dates to meet politicians and shake hands. This means that Shinkirou probably has a cruise speed that is higher than a Boeing 747’s.
Oh Xingke, you tool
Shirley is seriously pissed off at Lelouch’s new playboy personality. Add that to Milly’s special event: Hilarity of colossal proportion ensues.
I like her new hair style
Meanwhile, Cornelia makes a reappearance. She is out to seek vengeance against the powers of Geass that took her sister’s life, and her search has led her to the secret research facility known as the Temple.
Technically, a map only needs around four to six colours
The rest of the Britannia family on the other hand is busy plotting a land grab on the fragmented Chinese Federation through gunboat diplomacy.
Thoughts
This episode is brilliant because it is a synthesis of everything that makes Code Geass great. The battle of tactics between Lelouch and Milly is almost a self-parody of the series. And despite being a largely light-hearted episode, it also manages to squeeze in enough foreshadowing and short snippets to set the audience up for the next great Mass Emo Kids Event.
Hint: It involves Shirley and Mr. Orange’s new power. I foresee great tragedies ahead.
Screencaps
Deeply confused but clearly enjoying the moment
A female assassin prepares to ambush Lelouch
“Why is Lelouch out dating girls when he has me?”
A new character of pure evil
Oh great. Another loli
Poor Kallen T_T
Ashford Academy…
…has a lot of…
…cute girls
Lelouch is surrounded by the opposing gender
Oh what the heck. That girl is totally Jun Watarase!
Douche bags
This only happens in porn
The loli with no common sense
I realized that I don’t understand how Shirley’s hair works
“You are all under arrest for wearing extremely short miniskirts.”
I just realized Zino had plaids, wtf
C.C. was here?
Damn. When the episode is actually entertaining and fun, I have nothing much to say. :(
July 1st, 2008 at 5:49 am
“This episode is brilliant because it is a synthesis of everything that makes Code Geass great. The battle of tactics between Lelouch and Milly is almost a self-parody of the series. And despite being a largely light-hearted episode, it also manages to squeeze in enough foreshadowing and short snippets to set the audience up for the next great Mass Emo Kids Event”
That’s so true! I couldn’t have said it better. DM your comments are just SPOT ON! この感じです。
…and…”C.C. was here?” ROFL…She’s no where…is it the first time? I don’t coun’t, but…she’s usually around.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:21 am
Great episode because it felt so complete. Still I agree with blue. Geass used to have an amazing core plot and it “serious” episodes were so much fun to watch. Hopefully the quality of this episode will continue over into the next one and the larger plot with geass.
I wonder if the reason people think r2 is so bad is because R1 was just an excellent anime.
Question… didn’t Shirley and Lelouch really resolve the issue last season before he geassed her? She had come to terms with it after Mao threatened…. Don’t know.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:03 am
@Rololita: pizza
@Sabu: I suppose, but that doesn’t change the fact that Lelouch erased her memories against her wishes. anyway, she doesn’t seem to be brandishing any sharp objects, so i guess nothing too much will come out of it
I find it very interesting how Shirley seems to get her mind screwed around with by the characters
July 1st, 2008 at 8:27 am
Where’s my wife C.C. :[[
July 1st, 2008 at 10:59 am
Wrathos: Yeah, that’s pretty much the main reason I didn’t really like the episode. Watching that scene with Shirley at the end made me feel like I was reading a bad and cheesy fanfic. I’m sure that what Lyzander said was correct (”Happy to see Shirley getting some love… Although alas, it would certainly seem its only as a setup for her exit.”) but I think they could have made it a bit more convincing! :P Ah well, next episode should be picking up the pace.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Damn! Sayoko set up Lelouch with the SAME number of wives his dad has.
He had a chance to match Charles’ harem, but he blew it…
July 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
@Sabu: I think geAss concept changes here,its a really powerful hypnosis then, or the canceller was a new type of geass?
or it reachs its time limit ??
July 1st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Kuro: Exactly, Lelouch has been trying to beat the Emperor on military might and the research on Geass. Why doesn’t he try to win him in terms of harem?
July 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Wrathos: Lelouch likes Shirley, it was obvious from the first season, therefore he blushes.
Kallen has a crush on Lelouch but he don´t answer her feelings, thus he doesn´t have to blush when she´s ontop of him :p
CC, well she is the immortal witch, a partner in crime and whatnot. But no lover, even though you can see some parts of these seasons that could mean that CC likes Lelouch.
But just my thoughts.
In general I have to say lots of lulz from Sayako´s handling with Lelouchs personal life, but not so good when it came to being Lelouch… poor guy.
Quite fun to see the Knights of Round getting attention like that :)
Wonder what Nunally will do with Kallen or vice versa. Yet another person who will go to Ashford academy maybe :)
July 1st, 2008 at 6:41 pm
manga: I have to disagree, Lulu not blushing in that scene with Kallen could mean anything. I think it just means that they’re that comfortable around each other. And besides, he did better than that - he asked her to return with him when everything was over. As for C.C, one can say that there’s a lot of sexual tension between the two.
Sunrise wants to keep everyone guessing until the end, which is why the three girls get more relationship development at, well, separate times. Lulu *officially* getting with Shirley this early on probably means that it won’t last long. :/
July 1st, 2008 at 9:49 pm
@andreas: “Why is his geass blue…it has to be orange?”
Was it orange? It was red, I believe. But more importantly, I’d say I wouldn’t care much about it other than to help viewers distinguish which is which. After all, it’s not like the characters themselves (aside from Geass company, that is) could recognize which power is activated, if they are even aware or know of it.
@Sabu:
I think we’re off to a much more complicated series now… I mean, the variety of Geass powers already presents a lot of possibilities and here we first get to see canceling… I believe they (including Lelouch) would get pretty messed up from now on, like “Could I Geass him again now?” and stuff like that. I don’t want to think too deeply about it, though, at least not yet.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:36 am
“Was it orange? It was red, I believe. But more importantly, I’d say I wouldn’t care much about it other than to help viewers distinguish which is which. After all, it’s not like the characters themselves (aside from Geass company, that is) could recognize which power is activated, if they are even aware or know of it.”
dude, you didnt get me. he’s ornage-kun man, his geass needs to be orange.
and yes the other geass’s are red.
anyways, da zero obviously collects a loli harem so he has no use for those gathered by sayoko :D
i’m still confused about wether or not Kallen knows lelouche is a prince. if she doesnt, she’s dumb like hell.
well the next ep will clear that up since it’ll probably contain the dialogue between kallen and nunnally.
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:20 am
“i’m still confused about wether or not Kallen knows lelouche is a prince. if she doesnt, she’s dumb like hell.
well the next ep will clear that up since it’ll probably contain the dialogue between kallen and nunnally.”
It also begs the question of whether Kallen knows Lelouch is keeping his memory restoration under wraps at the moment. He *might* have told her about it and she *might* have worked it out on her own, but then again she might not, which could possibly bring a swift and unfortunate end to Lelouch staying at Ashford. Probably unlikely to happen considering the series as it is, but a possiblity. It’s fine if Kallen mentions it to Nunnally, but the crazy bitch assistant woman would go running to Suzaku.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:06 am
Rewatched the episode, and picked up on a rather hilarious detail (which I’m surprised DM missed).
When Lelouch disembarks at the aquarium, watch as Sayoko removes the mask and wig.
Sayoko is still wearing the maid-headband-thing underneath the wig!
xD
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:05 am
Nice episode, I kind of prefer more tension on the plotting and counter-plotting and the serious episodes, but the foreshadowing is not that bad. I wonder if all animes use the mysterious-ressurection power as twists. lol Cornelia