Ichirō Ōkouchi’s Code Geass is one of the most renowned anime series that has taken the world by storm. The series made the viewers ardent followers of the show, as it featured strategic brilliance along with complex motivation that will keep the audience at the edge of their seats, making them anticipate the next move of the characters.
Naturally, the series was praised for having a well-planned and intricate plot that added to the dynamics of the characters and its thought-provoking themes. At the same time, Zero and C.C. had gained immense praise as the main characters of the show.
However, to the fans’ surprise, Ōkouchi-San had not planned either of the two to be the protagonists of the show. The plans for the anime were different, as Kallen Kōzuki was initially meant to be the OG protagonist, mainly for being one of the first characters to be made.
Ichirō Ōkouchi Had Different Plans for Code Geass
From thrilling action sequences to splendid character development, Ichirō Ōkouchi’s Code Geass has made the weebs fans of the anime. The show has featured numerous, well-layered characters that have received a massive following for having a goal that has been well-resonated by the viewers.
Surprisingly, Lelouch Lamperouge, or C.C. was meant to be the original protagonist of the show. During an exclusive interview with Animage via Tumblr, Ōkouchi-San, the creator of the series, remarked that his original intention was to “make of the main character one who would continue to move forward.”
He mentioned how, at times, Lelouch would stop as a character as certain revelations would come along his way. Surprisingly, the author stated that his plans were different and in the initial stage there was no “Geass yet,” and mentioned that none of the protagonists were drawn.
He said,
At the very beginning there was no Geass yet. Neither C.C. nor Zero were created then. The main character was an ace pilot, that was all.
Kallen Kozuki, one of the anime’s most notable ace pilots, exuded the same energy as the protagonist. This notion mostly arises from her being half Japanese and half Britanian and wanting people of both races to live in perfect harmony.
Nevertheless, the anime series turned out to be heavily successful, and Lelouch Lamperouge’s deviating motivations were loved by fans, making the title one of the biggest names to exist out there.
Code Geass Went Forward Despite Having Numerous Setbacks Presented Its Way
In the same interview with Animage via Tumblr, the author stated that the series had presented a number of obstacles during its time of production.
The show was meant to be aired at night. However, due to numerous unforeseen events, the timing had to be changed. The mangaka said,
We wrote the initial Code Geass script with the belief it would keep the same timeslot and would still be aired at night. So, when it was slated for late broadcasting, I had to renew my plans.
Ōkouchi-San remarked that significant changes were to be made to his show so that it would appeal to the target audience at a different time slot. Hence, the author and his team revised their plans.
Ichirō Ōkouchi and director Goro Taniguchi continued moving forward with the transformations, recalling, “Well, while it was difficult, we chose for the better.” As a result, this resulted in a shift in Lamperouge’s story as well. He said,
I think Lelouch did succeed. Despite having to face the whole world, he was able to go through until the very end.
Hence, it can be inferred that the success of the show was not easy. However, the collaborative nature and the tendency to overcome the hurdles presented to it made the show resonate with the mangaka’s vision, resulting in a rewarding outcome.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
