Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture Promotion
What’s the best mecha anime of all time? Well, the idea of best depends on everyone’s perspective, but it helps that there are many great mecha anime. Name most incarnations of the Gundam franchise? Most people will accept it. Neon Genesis Evangelion is an all-time classic, even if the ending was confusing. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is legendary for being so awesome, they might as well have a picture next to the word in the dictionary. And while Gurren Lagann is one of the GOATs, I only consider it the second-greatest mecha anime of all time. The number one title should be the late 2000s epic, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
I found Code Geass when I was in high school, and I wound up becoming obsessed with it for a good, long while. It was unlike any anime I had seen. The fight for freedom against an oppressive empire. The exiled Prince turned rebel with psychic powers leading the rebellion. The complexities as Lelouch proceeded to do morally questionable things for questionable reasons. I loved Code Geass. It was one of those stories that only happens once in a generation. It’s Dune, if Dune were a mecha anime. And that makes it so awesome! So imagine my surprise when I learned that we would be getting a sequel series set in the alternate timeline of the compilation films? Given how amazing Code Geass is, one would think this would be one of the biggest things of the Summer 2024 season.
It’s not. I looked on Twitter and more than a few people didn’t even know that another Code Geass anime was coming out. And the reason why is because it’s not on the big anime streaming platforms. It’s stuck…with Disney+ and Hulu.
Time for an intervention. This is Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture.
Britannians Refuse to Learn their Lesson
Seven years have passed since the events of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Ressurection. The Holy Britannian Empire is gone, replaced by the more benevolent Principality of Britannia, while the world remains at peace. However, not everyone from Britannia will adjust to the new reality. Four years earlier, remnants of the Empire, calling themselves the Neo-Britannian Empire, invaded Japan and conquered the island of Hokkaido. Using a high-tech barrier built to keep them out, the Neo-Britannians turn Hokkaido into a prison for the Japanese people, free to abuse them as much as they want.
All is not lost, though. A resistance movement has hired a pair of Britannian brothers, Ash and Rozé, known as the “Nameless Mercenaries.” Between Ash’s skill behind a Knightmare and Rozé’s strategic planning., the two of them might be enough to free Hokkaido.
In a nutshell, this series is a microcosm of the original Code Geass meets Ghosts of Tsushima. Don’t believe me? A foreign power invades an island part of a larger island nation, and elite fighters who call it home must set it free.
For the record, Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture is technically not a series. It’s being released in four acts between May and August of this year in Japan. Worldwide, though, it’s been broken up into twelve episodes.
Not Exactly Groundbreaking for Code Geass
Beyond that, though, the series isn’t breaking any new ground regarding Code Geass. As I said before, the series’ plot is a smaller-scale version of the original anime. The main protagonists can even be considered copies of Suzaku and Lelouch, but with their personalities reversed. Ash is the stoic and ace pilot in a Knightmare Frame, while Rozé is the more outgoing and the brains. Not even the Neo-Britannian’s have anymore substance to them; most of them are as racist and imperialistic as ever.
Some might consider this series unecessary since it’s not adding anything new to the franchise. However, I don’t care. Code Geass is one of the best anime I’ve ever seen, and I’m just happy that we get to have more of it. And if it does well enough internationally, then Sunrise might decide to give us some more spin-offs.
There’s just one problem: poor distribution.
Why Does Disney Get this Awesome Series?
For reasons I cannot fathom, Rozé of the Recapture is being distributed internationally by Disney, of all companies. If you live in America, you can watch on Hulu. Anywhere else outside of Japan, Disney+’s “Stars.” And none of that makes sense. Disney isn’t exactly the first company people think of when distributing anime. Nor is Hulu the go-to platform for many people looking to watch new anime. They have plenty of it, but most people these days watch it on streaming services like Crunchyroll.
The worst part is that Disney doesn’t seem to be putting much effort into promoting the series. As a result, it looks like it might end up flying under many people’s radars. I barely heard anything about it in the months leading up to its premiere. That’s not good!
That’s why I’m writing this. I’m putting out a call to arms for all fans of Code Geass, Sunrise, and Mecha anime: go out there and spread the word about Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture. Make sure more people know about this series. Do not let it fly under the radar because it’s stuck on Hulu! And if you don’t have Hulu or Disney+, hopefully, find somewhere else.
