Previously on Code Geass R2: the UN resolution has gone south because of a senile tyrant and constant betrayals and infighting between allies! No, it's not politics today; it's just what this anime has come to in this hopeless mess of a story! With the infamous FLEIJA story upon us, let's open up the word salad title "Final Battle Tokyo II!"
After the tonally-inappropriate theme song, Zero addresses the Ikaruga to prepare for battle. To be honest, I wish I was playing that game instead.
Knowing what lies ahead, this will make Euphemia's demise seem trivial by comparison. Rather than merely rescuing Nunally, now Zero wants her arrested! That's nuts, even for this anime. They also plan to accomplish this before Schneizel and his reinforcements arrive. Not exactly Lord Nobunaga, fellas.
So, with Nunally and Kallen still in the imperial compound, Schneizel orders the Lancelot deployed. (Sighs) Believe me when I say that I have some choice words for what comes next. While they claim they're prepared to not have to activate FLEIJA, that wording immediately tipped me off to the outcome of this episode. Honestly: it's one of the biggest ways to tempt fate in media outside of making love in a horror movie, then getting killed by a blade-wielding nut job in a hockey mask.
Rolo is also still being planted among the military. Much like Shirley, I can't really joke about it; knowing what lies ahead.
Zero orders Rolo to have Nunally taken alive, and Suzaku comes to face him. Again, if they just kept the focus on the main conflict between Lelouch and Suzaku and kept the political theater in the background, maybe this would have been a better follow-up for me. That said, hopefully the remaster and third season will be better.
Jeremiah confronts Suzaku in the Siegfried, and this element is one I never really enjoyed as much as others. I never understood why people liked "Orange" so much. Personally, I prefer Rowsdower and his infamous jalopy.
Guilford is also still affected by the Geass, and it's still really fracking stupid. In the first season, the Geass was handled with care, and it was used relatively sparingly. Now, it's treated like the epitome of deus ex machina. Not as bad as the character in Future Diary, but it's close.
To be fair, the mecha action in this episode is actually not that bad. The animation and editing actually make it so I can tell what's going on. There are some exceptions, such as when Rolo kills some of the enemy soldiers; and when Lelouch seems to be doing a keyboard solo at the controls of his mech.
Moreover, actual damage reports of "40 million liters" barely register amid all the noise onscreen. Further proof is how Rolo actually plans to kill Nunnally himself, and Sayoko is in the building somehow. With everyone else fighting on the surface, Lohmeyer is also the only one guarding Nunally left. I cannot possibly understate how I would keep children well away from this woman.
Apparently, before Lohmeyer can have Kallen excecuted, Sayoko is rescuing her! Conveniently, not only can I not tell what's going in the story; but the darkened hallways also make it so the visual information barely registers! Almost seven years since I first saw this episode, and I still can't tell what the Hell just happened. Moreover, they've also brought her Knightmare Frame and flight suit. It would have been nice to see this being set up, but personally; I'm just glad she doesn't have to wear that godawful cocktail dress anymore.
The "Gefjun disturbers" are destroyed (there goes another plot thread in the trash), and with reinforcements from the Empire coming; the Knights of Round, led by Sir Bradley confront Zero in a trap with very unsubtle symbolism. Neon Genesis Evangelion: it is not.
As Kallen boards the reactivated Guren, the Emperor's flagship also arrives at the battle. Almighty bomb: this is another episode that has enough material for several; and it's crammed into this one! We still have another 10 minutes to go, too!
The Guren is not only able to free Zero from his bonds, but this also allows Kallen to confront Sir Bradley, the self-proclaimed "Vampire of Britannia." Yeah, and I'm Trevor Belmont!
As much as I dislike this episode and Sir Bradley, I do kind of like this swipe he makes at being given "permission to destroy the Guren." "Irrelevant: killing is all one should do on the battlefield!" OK, that's actually kind of funny.
Still, it's not enough, because Kallen thankfully grants my wish by flash-frying Bradley in the midst another winded speech that has less nuance than a Star Fox 64 boss death.
Suzaku then reenters the space, and Gino Weinberg asks "why don't we just enjoy this?" I most assuredly will not, and even with seven minutes left, that ship has sailed.
Cornelia also tries to escape from her prison cell, and before she cuts herself free; she's naturally positioned like she's posing for an overpriced body pillow. That's not just a joke: those things are real, and they make ones of male characters too. Really says something when the merchandise tie-ins are more consistent with fanservice than the actual show is.
So, the "final battle" touted is a total barrage of sight and sound that barely registers; and with no options left, Suzaku activates the FLEIJA weapon; causing the exact kind of collateral damage that they foolishly assumed they could avoid, with Nunally nowhere to be found and no doubt numerous casualties. All because of the "live on" Geass that Suzaku is cursed with.
In that flash of light that ends this episode, I realized that any chance of salvaging this anime ended up being quite literally shot down in flames. With another six episodes of this remaining, "Final Battle Tokyo II" is honestly the most misleading title since "The Neverending Story." Not even a somewhat funny line and some admittedly well-choreographed mecha action can save this episode or this anime. The series is all downhill from here, and my goal is to finish it before my retirement. I also have some stuff I've been wanting to do before I go see my father on the 27th, and I will do my next recap of R2 after I come back on August 6th. That will be all for now, I'm going to watch my usual Toonami tonight. See you, space cowboy.
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