On Versions of Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion

 

I frequently complain that sequels often do not live to the level of the original and sometimes become a complete failure. Reasons for that could be change in creative team and many more.

However, there is one other malaise that affect some shows out there. Particularly my all-time favorite masterpiece Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion. The name of this malaise is different parallel versions that are sometimes even called the same way, but in actuality are rather different products with different content and substance.

Original Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion was a TV series. The series had two seasons, each 25 episodes long. Second season is called: Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2. Total that is more than 1000 minutes long of content. So far so good. This is the version I have watched and gave it 10 out of 10, the only show I rated that high out of more than 300 that I watched and 50 more that I dropped.

That however is not the only version of Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion out there. There are also three full length feature movies that ostensively retell the story in a different format. There are Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch I - Koudou, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch II - Handou and Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch III - Oudou. Each are just 2 hours and 15 minutes long. Together that barely over 400 minutes long. The original content was somehow shrunk more than half. Despite that they apparently added some extra scenes here and there as I occasionally stumble upon Code Geass scenes that clearly could not be found in the original TV series.

There is a 1 hour video on YouTube that outlines all the differences between the original TV series and the trilogy movie only. He took one hour to outline it and still missed a lot of stuff that was removed. So watch the original TV series yourself.

However, the trilogy above is not the only truncated version out there. There is another even shorter version. Now just two feature movies instead of 3. One is Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch Special Edition - Black Rebellion and another Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 Special Edition - Zero Requiem 230 or so minutes of content.

All that is without mentioning 5 movies of Akito the Exiled, Re;surrection or Rose of Reflection and many other spinoffs of Code Geass franchise. If you search MAL, it will give you dozens of different individual shows. 

In a show so full of details where small details are important to understanding the whole that is just a wasted effort at best, a crime against the original at worse. The latter is a likely case as the short version is not just short, it adds ne scenes and retconned content in certain significant ways.

Needless to say, that this should not be considered an appropriate replacement to the original series. However, people actually tried to use content of this truncated trilogy to refute my claims that were based on the original TV series. I wonder how many have seen only the truncated version and have distorted view on the whole show, by now they could be majority.

I personally did not watch either of movie version, however I did watch and rewatched the original series many times. They are great and I can recommend it. However, make sure you watch the original version and not the truncated movie one.

Other shows that suffered similar fate were Puella Magi Madoka Magica. They also retold the original 12-episode series in two feature movies. I watched the series' first, so I did not watch first two movies, but I watched the third and final one and it was horrible mess that destroyed everything I so liked in the original.

There are probably many other shows that suffered similar fate. This is truly unfortunate. Because of that always make sure that you watch the right version of the show. Without it you have chance to stumble upon producer and agenda interest cut special editions that butcher the original in horrible ways.