On August 10th of the year 2010 the Holy Empire of Britannia began a campaign of conquest, its sights set on Japan. Pockets of resistance appear throughout Area 11, working towards independence for Japan. Lelouch, an exiled Imperial Prince of Britannia posing as a student, finds himself in the heart of the ongoing conflict for the island nation. Through a chance meeting with a mysterious girl named C.C., Lelouch gains his Geass, the power of the king. Now endowed with absolute dominance over any person, Lelouch may finally realize his goal of bringing down Britannia from within!
Source: Code Geass Kissanime
About
Code Geass : Lelouch of the Rebellion often referred to as simply Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise, directed by Gorō Taniguchi, and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by manga authors Clamp. There are two seasons in Code Geass, each of which have 25 episodes.
Thoughts
Wow! I can't believe it's already been almost a decade since Code Geass first started. Code Geass is probably one of the most well thought-out and executed anime series I have ever watched despite its pretty straightforward concept. An exiled prince who met a mysterious girl and receive a mysterious power who then concocts an elaborate plan to bring down the Holy Empire of Britannia. But what makes this anime great is in its execution, its delivery and how they handle the main characters development. It's just amazingly done.
Quite honestly, I can't help compare it to "Death Note". The main character is an extremely smart anti-hero and a master strategist who believes in "the end justifies the means" morals but with the addition of mecha robots. Code Geass is mostly Lelouch's quest for revenge. At first, we see him as our hero as he tries to liberate Japan. But as soon as the story progresses, he starts to walk down the path of darkness. He starts to see everyone around him as pawns or a sacrificial lamb as a means to get closer to his revenge.
The series greatest strength is the psychological battles. There's no deus ex machina moment. Everything is all about careful and precise strategic planning. It felt like watching a very classy high level game of chess. Like Death Note, it is just fun to watch characters trying to outsmart each other. I'm not really a big fan of the mecha genre but it suits really well here on Code Geass.
Overall, I can say that Code Geass is definitely one of the animes one should watch in their lifetime. The psychological battles and the moral quandaries present in this anime makes it better than any animes out there. It's not simply about showing someones's revenge, but an anti-heros story his rise, his fall and his redemption. Added with the addition of mecha robots to those who wanted some action., what could you ask more?