Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 is the beginning of the popular anime franchise. Created by Hajime Yatate, Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion is from the original story by Goro Taniguchi and Ichiro Okouchi. Featuring character designs by CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits), Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 highlights animation produced by Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop, Gundam Wing). As produced by Atsushi Yukawa (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Eureka Seven), Hiroshi Morotomi (Devil Lady, Eureka Seven), Takao Minegishi (Oh! Edo Rocket, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan), and Yoshitaka Kawaguchi (Overman King Gainer, Turn A Gundam: Earth Light), Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 is a darkly gothic anime series with plenty of action-adventure for anime fans. Featuring vocal performances by Jun Fukuyama, Takahiro Sakurai, and Yukana.

The world is a different place than it once was and the fate of the future is up for grabs. The land is over the rule of the Holy Britannian Empire. Japan is no longer known by its origin name and instead is now known under the name Area 11. The people of Japan are treated like dirt and not like human beings. Treated like mere pawns in a game of chess, the people of Area 11 are referred to as the Elevens.

Becoming a member of the Elevens when he is outcast to Area 11, former prince Lelouch Lamperouge (Jun Fukuyama) finds himself thrust into a new world. Lelouch was outcast to the land by his father after the passing of his mother. Now Lelouch decides it is up to him to take revenge and fight for Area 11 and he vows to his close friend Suzaku Kururugi (Takahiro Sakurai) to fight for the future of the Elevens. Later on, Lelouch meets the strange girl C.C. (Yukana) and gains the ability of the Geass. The gift of power that changes everything. The future will never be the same. Can Lelouch lead the way to a new tomorrow?

The character designs by Takahiro Kimura (Jungle Emperor Leo, Ghastly Prince Enma Burning Up) add to the sense of style on the series. The designs are excellent and the anime does a good job showcasing these characters. The anime manages to convey the characters in a compelling and artistic way.

One of the most essential parts of the production is the animation. The animation is one of the most vital parts of the series. The animation showcases stunning artistry with art direction by Yoshinori Hishinuma (Gakuen Alice, Scrapped Princess) and chief animation direction by Eiji Nakada (Turn A Gundam, Brain Powered), Seiichi Nakatani (Brave King GaoGaiGar Final, Planetes), Takahiro Kimura (Ghastly Prince Enma Burning Up, Dirty Pair Flash), and Yuriko Chiba (Berserk, Mobile Suit Gundam UC). The animation also highlights the chief mecha designs by Eiji Nakada. The team of animators bring their best to the table and work towards a production with stunning visual artistry. The animators make this series ambitious and well-produced in the world of animation.

The cinematography by Souta Ooya (Good Luck Girl!, Daily Lives of High School Boys) is beautiful and the series showcases a lush visual style. Ooya is a talented cinematographer and there is a lot of great style imbued in the production. These visual flourishes help to make the series stand out with beautiful art.

The series score composed by Hitomi Kuroishi (Last Exile, Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East) and Kotaro Nakagawa (Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Classroom For Heroes) is an enjoyable and serene part of the production. The music adds a lot to the series. The score works well with the action and adventure.

Written by Hiroyuki Yoshino (Magi: The Kingdom of Magic, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic), Ichiro Okouchi (Turn A Gundam, Azumanga Daioh), and Yuuichi Nomura (Comet Lucifer, Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters), Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 kick-starts the series and the epic journey. Exploring the dark concept with a sense of excitement and energy, fans of the series will be appreciative of the efforts of the screenwriting team. A solid start to the series.

Directed by Goro Taniguchi (Maria the Virgin Witch, Infinite Ryvius), Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 might not be a perfect home-run but the series has fun with its concept and the director has interesting visuals to offer audiences and a compelling sense of style. Fans of action anime series in dystopian and science-fiction-fantasy genres will appreciate it. Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 does a solid job beginning the trek.

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Funimation, Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high- definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release provides a solid high-definition presentation of the anime series. The animation looks crisp and vibrant on the release. Colors are excellent and are well-reproduced. The background art and line art are well reproduced. The Blu-ray provides excellent encoding, which is one of the greatest strengths of the Blu-ray disc format – providing an experience that is superior to streaming video service platforms. For videophiles wanting to eek out the best possible video quality, Blu-ray remains a great option. A solid encode by Funimation.

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound, and Dolby TrueHD 2.0. The Japanese audio selection comes with English subtitles. The series sound direction by Motoi Izawa (Case Closed, Black Jack) and Yasuo Uragami (Armored Trooper Votoms, City Hunter) is one of the best things about the production. The music sounds great and is well implemented into the soundstage. The lossless audio capably reproduces dialogue and sound effects. The surround sound soundstage helps to expand the score within the surround channels while creating a more enveloping audio experience and the clarity of the sound effects comes through well with the channel separation as well. A quality encoding by Funimation.

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1:

Stage 01 Audio Commentary

Stage 04 Audio Commentary

Stage 05 Audio Commentary

Disc 2:

Stage 08 Audio Commentary

Stage 11 Audio Commentary

Stage 14 Audio Commentary

Disc 3:

Stage 19 Audio Commentary

Stage 21 Audio Commentary

Disc 4:

Picture Dramas:

Episode 1 (HD, 4:05)

Stage 3.25 (HD, 4:23)

Stage 4.33 (HD, 3:36)

Stage 6.75 (HD, 4:02)

Stage 8.75 (HD, 5:23)

Stage 9.33 (HD, 4:12)

Stage 9.75 (HD, 3:09)

Stage 22.25 (HD, 3:52)

Stage 23.95 (HD, 5:34)

U.S. Voice Actor Interviews:

Johnny Yong Bosch (SD, 7:56)

Yuri Lowenthal (SD, 7:21)

Kate Higgins (SD, 6:16)

Karen Strassman (SD, 5:11)

Textless Opening Songs:

"Colors" Version 1 (HD, 1:32)

"Colors" Version 2 (HD, 1:32)

"Kaidokufunou" Version 1 (HD, 1:32)

"Kaidokufunou" Version 2 (HD, 1:32)

"Hitomi no Tsubasa" (HD, 1:33)

Textless Closing Songs:

"Yukyou Seishun Ka" (HD, 1:32)

"Mosaic Kakera" Version 1 (HD, 1:32)

"Mosaic Kakera" Version 2 (SD, 1:31)

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 kicks things off with an abundance of action-packed fun for anime fans. Audiences seeking out an entry point to the Code Geass anime franchise have found a good starting point. The anime series has ambitious animation and production values. The Blu-ray has impressive video and audio. The release also comes with a selection of bonus features. Recommended.