Recap: Love Attack

Hello, everyone. Forgive the lateness of this recap, but between my screenwriting class and ittermittent technology problems; my hands have been full lately. Nonetheless, one of my main goals before my retirement is to finish my look at Code Geass R2. We're at the halfway point, so let's pick up where we left off and open up "Love Attack."

While I'm once again thankful there's no flashback introdump, there's still a major problem with clunky exposition as Lelouch discovers the Black Knights are on the school council. That's bad enough, but at least we're at the last of these unnecessary festival episodes.

Also, much like I was last time, Lelouch is horrified by what Sayoko did to Shirley disguised as him. Maybe not in my top ten infamous moments of this anime, but it is a reason why I'm reediting my content; messy online drama as of late be damned.

As Villetta tries and fails to explain further, they lament what's going on with the Black Knights will have to wait. Heaven forbid we actually have plot development instead of inane comedy! If Milly even tries to tell me that "sometimes life has these filler moments," I'd tell her to go fuck herself. Why can't she board it?

Lelouch then discovers he has 108 dates set up for tomorrow, and there's even a shower scene that I am glad to omit even disregarding everything else with Shirley. Knowing what comes next, I can't really joke about it.

In addition to forgoing my usual use of screenshots, I am once again skipping the opening so I can get done with this quick and move forward with my plans.

So, thanks to Sayoko's over-zealous day planned for Lelouch, we breeze through his whole itinerary in just one minute of screen time, leaving Shirley fuming about nearly being stood up for a midnight movie. Again, not going to joke about this. I will state that I am getting my ticket to the Infinity War soon, and I don't think that will potentially melt my brain.


Anya then confronts Lelouch with a childhood photo of him from the old country. Okay, I've been looking for this Code MENT clip for a while.

Oh goody: more inane bullshit about commoners that study in castles and black market chess! Gino, Rivalz: fuck off.

I haven't even gotten to the real meat of this episode and this is already giving me a headache. Certain events as of late haven't helped either. Regardless of how late this is, I am getting this done so I can finish my work on it.

Now we're really getting to the deep shit: it turns out Milly is intentionally repeating her senior year just to keep up the nonsense she has done before. That was funnier in Dazed and Confused, to be frank. As if this wasn't bad enough, it turns tomorrow is the last festival: Cupid day! Oh dear, here we go.

The object is to take a heart-shaped pink or blue hat, and those who keep theirs at the end of the day are mates. That already sounds stupid, but it gets dumber as these festivals often do.

A scene with the main plot?  Heaven forbid something interesting happens: we need more on this nonsense hat game! I'd rather play Hong Kong 97.

Apparently, at the same time Suzaku is sitting out the ceremony (lucky bastard), Cornelia is still trying to avenge Euphemia's death; somehow. Honestly, it's astonishing how what should be a straightforward continuation is bogged down by more convoluted plotting than a DC movie, and I actually like those.

Honestly, hearing Lloyd talk about "maturity" is about as valid as a check forger wanting to be a doctor, lawyer or pilot. Really hoping the remaster or R3 kills him off.

Ten minutes in, and in addition to Nunally and Lohmeyer apparently letting Kallen go (there goes another plot thread down the toilet), Lelouch is in a foul humor about not being able to "smash the world" because of Cupid day. Not even going to touch the dumpster fire that would disprove that. I submit you could have made his character motivation compelling and consistent like Erik Killmonger, but why would you do something silly like that?


As the festival is about to begin, Milly does indeed say "sometimes you need to relax." As I said before, here is what I said to that muff garbage Lohmeyer a while ago in response: lady, with all due respect; go fuck yourself.

Regarding Lelouch "not wanting to drag Shirley into this," knowing what comes next; I'm just going to get this over with.

As if the logistics of this hat game weren't stupid enough, Rivalz is involved AND Milly puts a bounty on his hat! MORE plotless nonsense?! You really shouldn't have, no sarcasm intended!

Honestly, that's all the second half of this episode is for the most part: what actually is trying to continue the story is taking a backseat to the president's adolescent power fantasy! Also, the idea of Lelouch telling Sayoko she'll "break his character" is laughable given how flagrantly this anime has disregarded it.


Not even one episode without fanservice, Taniguchi?! I don't want that "glamour squad" anywhere in the remaster or R3. Also, there's really no point in saying "Anya has no common sense" when that's the most uncommon thing in the world right now. You'd have a better chance of finding kyber crystals than someone who has any these days!


Again, I'm not touching Shirley seemingly coming onto Lelouch in the library; especially with what's coming next.

So, apparently Shirley just gives Lelouch her hat; and the two apparently win the contest. We then close on Milly apparently ending the halfway point becoming a weather girl. What a fracking tease.

This should have been an expansion on the original. A natural evolution showing the next stage in the conflict and examining deeper social issues. A greater examination of the lines between heroism and vigilantism. Instead, we get a friggin' ten-year-old helping the empire; an overlord with superpowers, a maid being turned into a superhero, characters I already hate being given more screentime, elite warriors making fights needlessly one sided and ruining schooltime, a once-confident chessmaster being turned into a whiny crybaby who wastes his powers on complete strangers, AND A STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT STAGING HAT GAMES! GAH!

Seven years since I first saw this episode, I still feel this way about the series and "Love Attack." That's why my next major project for this blog is to be done with the series before my retirement. Regardless of how I feel about R3, I want to be done with this series and move on.

Given how this turned out, hopefully I will be able to get you the next episode before too long. That's all for now. Bang.