#Ohgi Kaname

[alicent-vi-britannia]

12 characters, 12 story arcs, 1 theme

A few days ago, I tried to synthesize in a single word the narrative arcs of the Code Geass characters (at least, the ones I know they have) with the intention of extracting the theme of each one. I will briefly explain my conclusions. Or, put another way, what each theme means for each character. I'll leave Lelouch for last because he's the main character and his theme is supposed to be that of the series. We go from bottom to top.

Self-fidelity / Milly: "the girl who learned to be in touch with her own desires and chose to be true to herself to bring out her best version." I think the phrase explains it perfectly. Milly found happiness and she became more mature once she decided to stop serving her family's wishes and focus on herself and what she wanted to be and do.

Confidence / Ohgi: "the man who learned to trust himself to become the leader his organization and his country needed." Ohgi's arc is inspiring, if you take off your toxic fandom glasses and take his journey seriously. It is true that he made certain mistakes, but he always thought of the welfare of his people and his comrades. That was his main motivation and what led him to overcome his personal insecurities. I was going to make a comparison, but you guys won't like it and you'll attack me.

Happiness / Euphemia: "the girl who dreamed of a world in which all people were happy." This is the only arc that was cut short and did not come to fruition for reasons that I don't need to detail. Euphemia was a selfless princess without a purpose until she met her brother again and wanted to restore happiness to him, Nunnally and the rest of the Japanese.

Truth / Nunnally: "the girl who had to discover the truth to grow up to become the empress who could rebuild a new Britannia." She is literally blind and cannot see the world as it is, but as it should be (hence her idealism). She also can't see through her brother's and her friend's lies, until her determination and her circumstances push her to do so. It doesn't seem strange to me that the breaking of the seal coincides with the moment in which she learns the truth and decides to face it.

Justice / Nina: "the girl who had to seek justice for the murder of her beloved and her own acts and thus be a better person." Nina's arc is a revenge arc. Obviously. But the anime gives it a negative treatment, as Nina only gets worse with each new chapter. It's not until she understands all the destruction that her revenge can cause (in a literal sense) that she stops and reconsiders. The Zero Requiem gives Nina the opportunity to redeem herself and give justice to her beloved since the culprit pays for her crime. It's at this point that she begins to heal.

Honor / Jeremiah: "the man who managed to win back his honor after offering his loyalty to his enemy." The entire arc of Jeremiah revolved around honor. He believed that he had failed his empress and his prince, made a fool of himself on a live broadcast, was demoted and fell to the bottom. From there, he only lived to seek revenge. But then again, it wasn't the way. He only redeemed himself by putting himself at the service of a lord worthy of his loyalty: his enemy.

Humanity / Rolo: "the murder weapon that regained humanity from him through love." Another phrase that explains itself. Rolo had been used and manipulated his entire life as a tool. But when he created good memories and a sincere bond with Lelouch, he started to make decisions, think and feel like a human being.

Forgiveness / Shirley: "the girl who learned to forgive thanks to love." We find another arc of revenge. Like Nina, Jeremiah, Suzaku, and Lelouch, Shirley lost someone important to her, was overcome with grief and rage, and was tempted by revenge until she discovered that the killer was the man she loved. In the end, her noble feelings prevail and her love gives her the strength she needs to forgive.

Freedom / Kallen: "the girl who embraced her freedom became a hero who fought to liberate her country and the world." This is going to sound strange, but I barely realized that Kallen is who she is because she is free due to a fanfic that featured an anti-Kallen who was in many ways trapped. Kallen is a free spirit and performs as an autonomous individual. She chooses the friends she wants (be it Britannian or Japanese), she loves the man she wants, she champions the cause she wants, she has the value system she wants. However, there can be no freedom without equality, and Kallen and her people live in a society that promotes inequality. The freedom of some (the Britannians) cannot coerce that of others (the Japanese and even half-blood like her). So Kallen works to change the world to a place where everyone has full freedom. That's her motivation to grow up and become the hero her people and the world need.

Love / CC: "the girl who only until she received love from others was able to love herself." CC's arc ties directly to Lelouch's because they both express a nihilistic philosophy. In short, CC wishes to end herself and the world (through the Ragnarök Connection) because she considers her immortal existence to be meaningless and thus unimportant. Worse still, an immortal life implies eternal pain. Something she can't live with. But she wants to be loved, because all human beings cannot live without love. It is in the nature of the human being to give and receive love. Therefore, love will always prevail in the darkest moments. So, when Lelouch offers his affection to CC, she becomes more human and renews her will to live (see how her arc connects to Rolo's arc). Let's say that she transitions from a negative nihilism to an agathonism (that philosophy that it proposes that you have to enjoy life and help to live a pleasant life).

Peace / Suzaku: "the boy who was able to find peace of mind by creating a peaceful world." Without going any further, the lever that moves Suzaku throughout the series is "guilt". Suzaku feels guilty that he killed his father, he feels guilty that the Japanese are oppressed by the Britannians, he feels guilty that he failed Euphemia in his duty as a knight, he feels guilty that he can't protect everyone… Guilt, guilt, guilt. What is the opposite of guilt? We may all think of different things, but I'm leaving for peace because Suzaku didn't make peace with himself until he got the punishment from him and when did that happen? When he made sure to create a new world with Lelouch with the Zero Requiem, in which all his loved ones could live. No wars, no racism, no terrorism, no hate. In peace.

Will / Lelouch: "the boy who twisted the will of others found the value of the will of the human being and began to dream of tomorrow." It's very ironic. Lelouch's Geass is described as the power capable of bending the wills of others to the mercy of his own. As he progresses on his journey and interacts with other characters, he realizes that human beings actively seek happiness and persist despite adversity. They doesn't give up when they falls, but gets up and continues to fight. That is what it is to be human. Arthur Schopenhauer, in fact, said that the will was the essence of the human being. But I think that the approach of Lelouch and Code Geass goes more for nihilism in its most positive aspect. The one who proposes the destruction of everything to establish new values that allow the übermensch to live in freedom. "Emperor Charles searched for the past, you search for the present. But I search for the future. […]. Because no matter how much time passes, people will continue to search for happiness. People who struggle with sadness, those who seek the future. How everyone keeps wishing for happiness. Human nature is the reason I chose Geass and wearing a mask." This is the key to human survival. This is the meaning of life and what this series wants to teach you.

If you start to examine each of the arcs, you will see that they are all connected in one way or another (after all, they are concepts that appeal to the human condition). And, if you reflect carefully, you'll realize that the arcs of our two main heroes (Lelouch and Suzaku) correlate with the extremist views of Charles and Schneizel respectively (this was something I was planning to address in a discussion on CG antagonistic figures).

I hope you have learned something or found something interesting in this post. If you liked it, don't forget to support me with a comment and/or a reaction. I would really appreciate it as that will help the algorithm.

PS: Don't ask me to come up with an exhaustive analysis of the philosophies raised in this series. Although it may not seem like it, I have a hard time handling philosophy (I don't mind going overboard like I did here).

[lipid]

Sketches by Takahiro Kimura and RICCA, posted by RICCA on twitter

[fishychinen]

Yu Saotome as Kallen Kozuki in Code Geass: Knight of the Right Way - 「コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ 正道に准ずる騎士」

[rolorules]

By Beru/Bell.

[smthfunnyhappenedonthewaytor3]

Tamaki: Last time we were in a jam, we decided to strip our clothes off and try and convince them that we were filming pornography or something. Kallen: Oh my god. Tamaki: We're so dumb. Lelouch: I leave for one— okay. Suzaku: Welcome back, Lelouch! Lelouch: What is wrong with you people? Ohgi: We lost our moral compass, apparently. Lelouch: That is the most horrifying thing I've ever heard you say. We're in such trouble.

[90sgoth]

code geass: lelouch of the rebellion (2006 - 2007) ↳ stage 04. his name is zero

zero? as in nothing?

[incorrectcodegeassquotes]

[Ohgi shows up with Villetta at the school festival] Lelouch: They're fucking. [Kallen nods in agreement]

[rolotouto]

Official art #102 (merch)

From a Code Geass x Sanrio collab, which included different pieces of merch (t-shirts, badges, etc.) all using these designs:

Taken from the Sanrio News twitter account. Here's a bigger picture of Rolo:

Rolo's badge taken from Goods Republic. (Lost Stories PS: The Chinese Federation part was longer than in the anime, and as a result the story didn't reach Turn 13 yet, but there have been many "... *annoyed face*" moments from Rolo to Shirley, so her days might be numbered...)

[genesic-archives]

2★ Ohgi Card (Illustration by 筒 [Tsutsu])

[kcwells94]

I'm interested...

[fictional-birthdays]

Happy Birthday! (March 18th)

Cyber (Pop’n Music)

Simon Penn-Lachish (Final Fantasy Tactics)

Kaname Ohgi (Code Geass)

Winters Socalo (D.Gray-man)

Rei (Gintama)

Yoshiko (Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE)

Dom (Animal Crossing)

[alicent-vi-britannia]

The annihilation of the Japanese Liberation Front at the hands of Lelouch

Today I want to talk about one of the most despicable acts of Lelouch that is rarely highlighted and that is the destruction of the Japanese Liberation Front.

Why do I want to tell you about the destruction of the Japanese Liberation Front? Because this is one of the causes that led to the Black Knights' betrayal of Zero that is omitted (conveniently) by Lelouch's fanboys and this is a fact that should be part of a long analysis that I have pending on the same topic. Why do I say that it is conveniently omitted? Because Lelouch’s fanboys argue that the Black Knights should have trusted Lelouch due to Taizo Kirihara gave Zero his approval after seeing his identity and told the Black Knights to trust him since, in effect, Zero hated Britannia. And what does Taizo Kirihara have to do with all this? That the meeting between the Black Knights and Zero with him occurs in R1 episode 12, "The Tokyo Messenger". But the destruction of the Japanese Liberation Front takes place in R1 episode 13, "Shirley at Gunpoint." In other words, Lelouch's asshole revived Ohgi's suspicions right after they had been buried (and that's how it was until the moment of the betrayal: Lelouch did one suspicious act followed by another).

One way or the other. What happened in R1 episode 13? In broad strokes, Cornelia has deployed the Naval Order with the objective of capturing General Katakase ALIVE (I remind you that Cornelia assigned herself the mission of exterminating all insurgent groups in Area 11 in order to "cleanse" it for her sister, to whom she intended to give it to her) and the Black Knights have found out about this situation thanks to Diethard Ried (be careful in this dialogue because there are important nuances here!):

"Ohgi: Wait a second, Zero. I realize this is a request from Kyoto. I think we can definitely handle it. And I’m pretty sure that Japan Liberation Front would rather join with us than flee to foreign soil in all. But…

Zero: You are the one who brought us this information. Diethard, wasn’t it?

Diethard: That’s right. It is an honor that you’d meet me like this, Zero.

Zero: So, princess Cornelia’s going to deploy the Royal Marines on General Katase at the Japan Liberation Front, is that correct?

Diethard: Yes. The network was already poised to broadcast a special report on it.

Zero: Lieutenant General Tohdoh will never make it Katase in time. Which means that Japan Liberation Front has no military strength right now. Their only chance of escape is the liquid Sakuradite they’re carrying.

Ohgi: Which is why we should help General Katase escape instead of going after Cornelia.

Zero: Ohgi, who are we?

Ohgi: W… we are the Black Knights, Zero.

Zero: Then we have but one task. We will destroy Cornelia’s troops. And in doing so, rescue the remnants of the JLF. Tonight, we regain what was lost to us at Narita.”

Ohgi pleaded with Zero for the Japan Liberation Front asking him to rescue them as he was sure they could join forces (and after all, they are his compatriots and Ohgi is genuinely interested in the good of his people) and Zero agreed to the request reply that they would save the Japanese Liberation Front by defeating Cornelia.

However, Lelouch never intended to keep that promise and we can evidence that when he says: " Their only chance of escape is the liquid Sakuradite they’re carrying." Why does he say that? So that when the Japanese Liberation Front ship explodes, the Black Knights assume for themselves that they committed suicide so as not to be caught by the military force led by Cornelia. Lelouch is planting that idea in their minds from then on for that purpose, because he has already decided to kill the remaining members of the Japanese Liberation Front (I remind you that Lelouch went into the water in a diving suit to plant a Sakuradite bomb below the ship; see the conversation he has with Kallen in the dark later, Lelouch has the scuba gear right next to him).

And why has Lelouch decided to kill the Japanese Liberation Front? Because Lelouch preferred to use them as a distraction to catch Cornelia. That was his priority. Remember that at this point in the story Lelouch wasn’t interested in Japan (which does not mean that he didn’t plan to restore the independence of this colony, don’t twist my words). He was interested in revenge and wanted answers for the murder of his mother (which Cornelia could have). That is, the Japanese Liberation Front was nothing more than an army of (disposable) pawns for Lelouch.

In this way, the Black Knights are waiting, prepared to ambush Cornelia and fight to save their compatriots, and instead watch their Japanese allies burn alive.

Diethard corroborates that Lelouch used the JLF for his own purposes in his monologue: " It makes perfect sense! He want to cripple his enemy’s defenses using the Liberation Front as a living trap! He’s excellent materia, this Zero! He’s chaos incarnate! More, show me more of your genius! Let your ego engulf the world! Hahahaha! HAHAHAHA!"

Ohgi, for his part, is surprised by this and begins to suspect Zero and his motivations. He isn’t dumb as fans like to portray him (and better that way: there is no more nefarious resource than dumbing down the characters around to emphasize one's intelligence). Hence, he continues to investigate his masked leader.

Zero/Lelouch lied to Ohgi and betrayed him. He isn’t as good a leader as the fanboys make him out to be and no, Larry, I’m not questioning his competencies, but I am pointing out his dishonesty, selfishness and meanness. It doesn't matter if they work for me. It won't change the facts. Okouchi and Taniguchi paved the way for their army to (rightly) betray Lelouch at the right time.

Did they take that into account?

(This is the English translation of a post on my Spanish Facebook page dedicated to Code Geass. I'm uploading here some of my posts there in another language to spread them to people in other countries who may be interested. Excuse my horrible English.)

[lipid]

The Black Knights in the upcoming Code Geass musical

[incorrect-codegeass]

New Black Knight: I'm ready for my shift. Can you please tell me where I can find Zero's headquarters?

Ohgi: Yeah, for sure. You go down the hallway, you turn left at the tapestry, you look for a broken-down, stressed teenager looking like he's functioning on two hours of sleep and one working brain cell, and you follow him.

New Black Knight: And he'll take me to Zero?

Ohgi: That IS Zero.

[rolorules]

By Chaikama.

Tamaki has learned from Diethard that today is Rolo's birthday and wants to celebrate. Rolo first denies it, but it's no use. The Black Knights decorate the room with their reusable party kit and Rolo has to wear a sash saying 'Today's Main Character'. When he hears that Zero can't be there because he has something to do, he thinks: "Big Brother...!!! Could it be that you would do something for me?" He uses his time-stopping Geass to disappear, and indeed, when he gets home, Lelouch has just finished his preparations for their birthday tea (or coffee) and congratulates Rolo, asking him what that thing is he's wearing.

[smthfunnyhappenedonthewaytor3]

Tamaki: This can’t be good. Ohgi: Why does everyone say that when I walk into the room? Kallen: So you have good news? Ohgi: No.