Thanks to the wonders of online streaming it has never been easier to find new shows and animes to watch.
As well as all the new content made every day, fans now have easy access to the plethora of older classics out there as well. Unfortunately, with some older shows, and especially animes, it is not always easy to know where to start.
If you clicked on this article it is safe to say that you are interested in watching Code Geass. Perhaps you were recommended it by a friend or saw that it is a common candidate on many peoples’ top ten anime lists.
However you have reached this decision, rest assured you have made the right choice. It is likely that you went looking for the series and found not just episodes but a whole host of spin-offs and movies as well, leaving you asking the question “Where do I start?”
Luckily for you, this guide is here to provide an answer. In this list, we will be breaking down the different series, OVAs, and movies that make up Code Geass letting you know which ones you need to watch first and which can be saved for later, or skipped entirely.
We won’t be going into too much detail about what happens in each series or film. Instead, think of this as just a rough guideline to follow as you experience this incredible series for yourself, free from spoilers.
As with most great TV shows and animes, the best place to start your Code Geass journey is at the beginning. The first season of Code Geass is the perfect introduction to the setting and characters.
Delve into a world where Japan has been conquered and occupied by the Holy Brittainian Empire. A young Britainnian student by the name of Lelouch is studying in Japan and becomes embroiled in the rebellion.
Imbued with the strange powers of the Geass by a lady named C.C, Lelouch becomes a vigilante as he fights to protect his family and everything he holds dear.
That’s about all we can say without spoilers but suffice to say that starting anywhere else than the first season will leave you very confused. There are 25 episodes in total and you can watch them all on Netflix or Crunchyroll right now.
Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion R2
For some reason it is called R2 instead of season 2 but as you could guess the second series of Code Geass picks up exactly where the previous one left off with another 25 incredible episodes.
Sadly this season isn’t on Netflix but you can still find it on Crunchyroll and other anime streaming sites. Seeing as R2 is the thrilling conclusion to everything that happened in season 1 we won’t go into any details on what happens.
Just watch it and enjoy the spectacular finale as it was originally intended.
It may be that after you have watched both seasons, you will be completely happy with the ending and won’t feel the need to watch anything else. If so congratulations you’ve just watched Code Geass!
However, if you are hankering for more, the rest of this list is happy to deliver so stay tuned.
The Two Old Recap Movies
There are two batches of recap movies that recount the events of the first two movies, however, one set was made much later and takes place in an alternate universe.
Both of the original recap films are pretty hard to find, as they are only available on expensive Blu-rays without subtitles. If you have watched the main series the older recap films are largely unnecessary and the only bit you need to see is the ending of the R2 recap.
Without spoiling anything, the Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 special edition has a slightly different epilogue that will answer some burning questions you may have after watching the series. We’ll cover the newer recaps later on in this list.
Akito The Exiled
If you are looking for some new Code Geass content and aren’t interesting in recapping the events of the main series, your next stop should be the 2013 Akito The Exiled movies.
The five movies cover a separate plot that occurs sometime between Lelouch of the Rebellion and Lelouch of the Rebellion R2.
These films cover a lone survivor of a Japanese special forces unit called Wyvern and offer a new perspective on the war between Britannian and Japan.
Even though the events take place in between the two seasons, you should finish R2 before beginning Akito the Exiled as you won’t want to break up the masterful pacing of the original series. The five films in order are as follows:
The Wyvern Arrives
The Wyvern Divided
The Brightness Falls
Memories of Hatred
The Beloved Ones
The Two OVA’s
As well as the special edition recap movies we covered earlier there are two other OVA’s connected to the original series. Kiseki no Birthday depicts a terrorist attack that occurred at Ashford Academy while Lelouch was still a student.
Meanwhile, Nunnally in Wonderland is an odd story that is basically, as you may be able to guess, Alice in wonderland told through the characters and setting of Code Geass.
Both are one standard episode long and aren’t essential to watch. That said both of them are quite fun and if you need more Code Geass before you tackle the alternate universe movies then these short spin-offs will definitely provide.
The Alternate Universe Recaps And Resurrection
In 2017 Sunrise studios attempted to breathe new life into Code Geass with three movies that recapped the events of the main series named Initiation, Transgression, and Glorification.
These films are set in an alternate universe, with many unexpected twists and key differences to the original story. However, while there are some changes, the overall plot largely remains the same so don’t expect these films to shake things up too much.
Although they aren’t substantially different, these three films do build up to a fourth movie that actually continues the plot. The last Code Geass movie called Lelouch of the Ressurection was released in 2019 and continues the alternate universe storyline beyond the events of R2.
It is important to note that Resurrection is not continuing directly on from the main series. If you want to watch the latest movie and skip the other three recap films you certainly can but you may be a little lost.
If you do plan to do this it helps to at least read up on the main differences between the series and modern recap films before diving in.
Overview
So there you have it, all the Code Geass films and series as well as what order you should watch them in. We have tried to keep this list as spoiler-free as possible since this classic series is best experienced completely fresh.
Even just watching the main series without the OVA’s or recaps will be enough for you to see why Code Geass is so highly regarded and considered by many to be one of the best animes ever made.
