This is a very long post.
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| One of the best things about GC is its art. But not their character design. |
Guilty Crown is a...Love It or Hate It show to say the least. Critics strongly criticized the weak characters, incomprehensible plot (not to mentioned how rushed it was), and its pure delusion of grandeur. It has an inappropriate awkward use of fanservice.
The pictures and bold underlined letters will be in sections. I'll
try to keep it spoiler-free.
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| *cringes* |
While my criticisms are pretty much the same, I couldn't help but cringe at the sight of such potential wasted. My number one pet peeve is the waste of potential a series actually have. See my rants on
Elementary on previous entries.
The plot itself tilts heavily towards
Code Geass and soon enough
Neon Genesis Evangelion. They are trying to bring themselves some depth but the bad writing doesn't prove its capabilities. It's a bad mesh of both series.
Code Geass
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| Suzaku, Lelouch, and Akito respectively |
Code Geass knows its world is weird and over-the-top (see the hamminess of a lot of characters) and I appreciate that because it doesn't try to take itself seriously to a degree. The writers know the world takes place is an alternate one and thus the world can be as wacky as it.
Guilty Crown starts off with an emo teen with no confidence, so weak-willed he's easily manipulated by his enemies and friends alike.
The reason why
Code Geass works and
Guilty Crown didn't is because the character we came to know in the former series stemmed from family and motivated his goals. He has the power at his will and control others at his own mental expense and tragic results.
Guilty Crown does not work because he did not bring together as his name intended. He is no Yusei Fudo (I know that
5D's is a reconstruction of the
Yu-Gi-Oh mythos but allowing such plot twist to waste away...). He's an innocent involved in this no matter how much his backstory says otherwise. His connection to the Void is nonsense. Even the Void itself is idiotic because how the hell people knows that such a disease work enough for it to have treatment in a decade. Geass remained a secret for so long.
He's an innocent caught up in all the mess much like Lelouch. He was suddenly thrown into an escalating mess. Shu is just an innocent bystander before he was even born. Lelouch was caught up in the mess since he was a kid and he did not know it.
The blatant supposed rivalry of Gai and Shu is nonsensical. It's so sudden that I hardly believe it to happen. I know from his point of view, Gai is awesome and charismatic but from a self-induced "no-friends" Shu is too forced. It doesn't flow naturally like Suzaku and Lelouch. Gai is forcing Shu into the mess. Yes, Shu has the power and be useful but the plot makes it seem like Shu has to do it for the world's sake but he had his own chance to see the world in a whole new perspective but chooses to remain out of trouble. Why? We only get moping and even gets moping when he was called an insult in
jest from a friend. We never knew him beyond his moping and it doesn't help that most of his development is forced. No matter how 'kind' he is, he's forced to look up to Gai. Why? Gai had earned the admiration but what did Shu did beside following his plans? I understand why he's jealous but for god's sake all we are shown is just moping he's not good enough when we could see him more than just a moping character. Not even Shinji Ikari mope this much. Suzaku and Lelouch works because they are doing it for a reason. Their ways to see light in the brutal world is radical and it proves by their extreme methods.
C.C. and Lelouch are bounded because the latter does not want to die. And it's a rash decision nonetheless. Inori and Shu is so unbelievably forced. Both situations have near-death experiences and mastered their skill easily. Except C.C. and Lelouch has a lot of chemistry unlike Shu and Inori. They balanced each other out. Shu and Inori did not work together well. It's so forced that I am expected to feel sad for him when he realized that Inori honey-trapped him into joining the Funeral Parlor. The romance is just too forced. It was expected from the beginning the two would be love interests. However, what we only get from the both of them is just that they are nice to each other and not get to know each other's flaws and virtues. It's hard for me to take their romance seriously.
By the by, I would choose Lelouch over Light over any day. At least, Lelouch knows he cannot turn back on his horrible deeds, embracing himself as the freaking
Devil. On Light... To quote JesuOtaku on Formspring, "ugh, do his world a favor there, I'm sure he would approve upon reflection," Light did not turn back on any of his actions or hesitate unless they are with his family (but even then...). He did not regret his actions at all if the ending is any indication.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
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| Just watch the Mind Screw Chart of Insanity. |
Evangelion was originally a typical mecha anime until it devolves into a psychological cosmic horror apocalypic dissertation. Though the former's writing is decent, the latter is a great piece of writing. Both series had top-notched pacing and suspense for the viewer to keep going.
My biggest beef with GC is with the
character-driven plot. The characters were meant to drive the story but when the characters are so bland the plot very questionable and rushed, it's hard to believe the story would work. There is one development there and then that just doesn't fit well in the dynamics. They are trying to squeeze it all in twenty-two episode timeslot with
Code Geass R2's plotline.
Evangelion is very influential as there are Rei, Shinji, and Asuka expies. Some anime didn't take Eva route but they did take the disturbing and psychological route.
Yu-Gi-Oh GX took this direction in S3. Breaking Judai in that season made a large impact because all this time he had been fighting for his life with a children's card game.
Shinji works and Shu doesn't because Shinji lost everything (mother died, father left) and had not grown up with love and encouragement. Even with Misato and his natural talent piloting his EVA, he hates it. Shu on the other hand had not lost everything. He blocks everything therefore he should be able to build a happy life. Ignorance is bliss after all. Meeting Inori shouldn't make him remember bits. I don't know if Shinji genuinely love Rei or projects his mother's love but it defines just how unloved he felt. Shu grew up with love if his harem and his stepmother was any sign of it. His father do love him but he died and Shu kept loving his deceased father...as far as I could gather.
Inori was supposed an another Rei expy. She's emotionless that her backstory doesn't help. Rei is the way she is because she believes herself to be expendable. Inori is too important, she knows. In the opening or at least its first few seconds, Inori has more emotions than that. She's capable of emotions if we can allow her uneven actions. I understand stoicism but the emotionless doesn't seem right on that face if she does have emotions she can act on. It would actually be subtle if she knows that she is just a vessel for Mana. Her singing are commonly seen as some kind of spell.
Her expertise of guns didn't even fit with her personality. Why she decided to have the best of marksmanship? Is she trying to reassure herself that she doesn't have blood in her hands?
Ayase was quite an interesting figure if you ask me. She's a strong character (well as strong as GC can give us) but wheelchair-bound. That makes her fall to harassment a lot because that. She's the more human of the characters and I feel for her more than any character. She's trying to be strong yet she had to accept that she's not as strong as she wanted to be. Her Void is just stupid. Why not make a wheelchair-bound machinery and let her kick butt? She's strong and the wheelchair may be her obstacle but it's also her strength. I hate her liking Shu and Gai. I actually prefer her just going off and meeting other people, preferably those who wasn't in the Funeral Parlor mess. Normalcy would do well with her. She's not a Blood Knight.
That's as far as I can go with praises.
The Adam and Eve plot is just stupidity beyond belief. I would understand if they will 'cleanse' the world of the Void or rebuilting the world in their own favor but nothing was explained clear enough for me to understand. Daa'th might have said then and there about the Adam and Eve plot that I doubt that the GHQ knows the true details.
Daa'th would work better as the bigger bad, manipulating GHQ and all that. His station in the entire scheme is implied yet it utterly failed. He has reasons he could carry through without a second thought unlike a human being. Segai and Keido didn't really work because their motivations just doesn't work (okay, maybe the former...).
Evangelion works because it uses our suspension of disbelief quite well. The plot works just because. GC just doesn't work as well.
Characterization and Development
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| Theoretically, the death should push Shu to become a kind king, not send him down the slippery slope. |
They try to make the characters as realistic as they possibly can or as close to a marker as they can. Most characters aren't that realistic, being idiots that they are.
Shu, the protagonist, is a mopey angsty teenager who is so socially awkward and bland I wanted him to make him see Shinji Ikari for psychotherapy lessons. Shinji Ikari is someone I can understand right from the start and his angst is something I can excused. I do like
Evangelion (I cannot believe a majority of my school's anime club do not know NGE, knowing how influential it was and I would gladly watch dubs unlike them because they wouldn't be able to watch anime if it wasn't for dubs no matter how terrible it was) and
Code Geass (while it has some flowing drama issues and other problems, it's not all
that bad.). I could see a lot of shoutouts from both series into GC.
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| "I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away..." |
He doesn't do anything but act like Shinji, maybe even worse. Inori is a failure of a Rei Ayanami expy. Gai has the charisma but the backing of stupid plot and stupid side characters, his character was dragged down with it all. I do like Jun, Segai, Dan, Ayase & Hare and perhaps
guiltily Tsugumi and Daryl. The only consistent characterization is Dan, Segai, Ayase, Hare, Daryl, and Gai. Maybe Mana and Daa'th.
The characterization is at best forced and at worst satellite. The Class Representative (I can't recall her name) is only defined by her crush on Yahiro. Inori has such a change of personality (first she's the stoic, then she's emotional, then she has C.C's characterization of all sudden) that I just settle down and watch her uneven actions. Arisa, of all her real insecurities, is just a bitch (she thinks she's in love with Gai when she's not.) Her grandfather, as cool as he is, is only defined by that. Yahiro is just polarizing to me.
Dan Eagleman, a satellite and static character, may be the only character aside from Ayase to be interesting. He's hilarious. Dan may not be well-developed but he shows lots of emotions and prove himself to be good, showing more than just being a "bad guy".
Shu has very forced character development. All of a sudden, he went all strong when it shows just how mentally weak he is. He just clung to Inori especially when he slipped off the slope. He's badly written and doesn't come off as a true character. He was meant to be the Heart of the Funeral Parlor, asking questions about morality and casualties. His kindness was his strong point. It would have been best shown if he at least show kindness to other people outside of his friends. He's shy yes but he should at least help those on the street. We were never shown anything beyond moping and the morality Shu has as a person. We only knows he mopes and he clungs to people close to him because we know it makes him strong to be close to friends. Friends we never seen him interact friendly beyond just moping.
I know Shu isn't the only weak-willed character. Hell, in Gosick, the main lead was weak-willed but we are shown more than just his weak will and understand more about him. Shu never actually developed beyond his original characterization of moping angst.
Inori's character goes all over the place. Inori was never developed enough and her character development is very forced. We never knew her more than just a blank slate. We never knew the implication of any kind of other personality traits or what she truly was. We just never knew her beyond her silence.
Gai could have been a good character but he too failed. He has the motivation to be with the one he loves but we never knew him beyond his goals and seriousness. We learn so much about Light and Lelouch's personalities and there really are more than just meet the eye.
Most characters aren't really developed enough even though sometimes I can understand their motivation. Like the rest of the characters, we never knew much about them with the exception of Ayase and possibly Daryl. Sure Dan and the other characters aforementioned aren't developed enough but they're consistent.
Most of the so-called character development are mostly 'deus ex machina'. They give us cool scenes and unfortunately a delusion of grandeur. It's best shown in season 1 penultimate episode. All are big and large that we're supposed to be in awe. The animation is very well-done in this series which I'll admit.
Side characters became convenient and sometimes to the point of idiocy. The best example is Souta. I don't need to say anything else, don't I? They were pulled into the mess because they're associated to Shu. Like Shu, they are just there watching from the sidelines until they are forced into the battlefield.
The series is mainly character-driven with Shu, Inori, and Gai. When the story is mostly this, the story is just rushed with a timeslot that wouldn't be able to squeeze in more development.
Code Geass had been expected to fail since the beginning with no executives giving a damn about it. They originally request 50 episodes but then they have to squeeze details in 25. Here's the thing: The characterization isn't forced, the development is decent, and very good pacing.
Guilty Crown has none of these.
Void
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| She moans when he pulls out that sword of hers. |
Void sounds promising if used well. The premise of such a thing had been used before in many other works. It would presents the mind or wish of the character into weapons. How would the characters feel that their heart in a sense is used as a weapon so carelessly?
In the series, the writers didn't examine it.
Shugo Chara! used dreams therefore they are not harming themselves. They are
growing. They were in no way harmed. However, this is placed with growing oneself. That was the highest point of SC: their subtle character development. This is a magical girl series (a genre I enjoy) so they don't tend to go into details of the ethics of that. However, when an X Egg is destroyed, another would be born with it. A Void cannot be reborn.
Void was meant to represent their inner self and could change if there's any sign of character development. Not forced character development.
It will make sense if Lost Christmas actually mutates the Japanese lending them into crystalized bodies.
The characters' Voids are too convenient. All the weapons are almost too useful. And measuring one's Void is just pointless. They can test its strength but to measure one person by its Void is stupid beyond belief.
The Void Genome is supposedly called the "Power of the King". Look, it makes sense in
Code Geass; C.C. wanted to be loved like an idolized queen, Lelouch's word is law, Charles's Geass is to rewrite memories much like kings rewriting history, Mao knows what people are thinking like a monitoring king, Marianne's was to live ideals through a successor, and there's a power to control people like puppets through bureaucracy. Geass was to ultimately become immortal much like how a ruler become immortalized in what they had done.
Yeah, you get it.
It doesn't make a single sense in this one. Why "Power of the King"?
Is it using people like expendable tools? It sounds like a king...except it's handed to the wrong person. He doesn't have anything to be a king. I definitely agree with Gai on that respect.
There are weapons in each person (even harmless ones) but it's just made for either rule of funny or drama (EP 15, people!).
There are no laws dictating the Void. A
high school student who can put up a rule is so ridiculous. If I was there and in the student council, I'll practically snap at them what gives them the right to set rules on an unknown ability. Not even Shu's father know about the true extent of the Void. He may made up some theories but those are theories, something that can be
changed.
How in the holy hell does the "Power of the King" work enough for a Student Council to dominate? Yes, they need to protect themselves and all but it's pretty stupid that they need an entire system to dictate their actions with a Void. They do need to learn how to control their Void, each special to its own use. The only good thing is that because they are free, they revert back to their animalistic instincts, going towards murder and harassment.
They didn't go towards the "Child Soldier" route. They implied it but they just went towards the dystopia. I like the dystopian genre (heck one of my favorite books of all time is one). I like it when they apply it correctly.
Guilty Crown was at the start of a dystopian Japan under the rule of the GHQ. The GHQ is an outside interference trying to help even with their means. Such an example would be the Afghan War with various countries from US to Britain.
Children fighting against a large system based on their naivety is such a good promise for psychology. They don't know the true details unlike the convenience Gai has. It was examined in
Evangelion; however in that case, it's the fact that
everyone is broken. Not
everyone is broken in GC but they are exposed to warfare and bloody skirmishes. They are forced to give up any likelihood of a happy future if they do not survive.
Plot
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| I hope you two have a happy life together. |
While I found the whole Adam and Eve thing completely idiotic, the premise sounds very promising even if the beginning was a downgrade version of
Code Geass.
It's promising because the people of Japan are undergoing sickness and need the help of other countries, especially those prominent in medicinal research. As bizarre is the Void is, it will only affect the people of Japan since it did imply that Lost Christmas only impacted Japan and nowhere else. Countries will have to interfere to help the country get back on their feet again and try to discover the cause of the Void. By the way other countries react to Lost Christmas, most would try to help just why their body is crystalizing and people just disappear when they die.
Unlike
Code Geass, the universe is trying to take a reality-grounded place which just doesn't work. People know that CG doesn't take itself seriously.
Much. For the sake of God, there's episodes dedicated to
save a cat and making a huge pizza with a
mecha. How cheery and hopeful that series was? (Well yeah, it is hopeful and bittersweet in comparison to the absolute downer
Death Note was)
We are expected to believe all these things to be taken seriously. As long as they take a different angle or bring something new into the mix, then we would be able to take it seriously to a degree.
While there are rebellions to regain one's true identity (see Vietnam and North Korea), it just doesn't work in
Guilty Crown. The rest of the world interfered with Japan because Japan is in need. Sure their rules are totally different from Japan, but as long as they kept the people safe from the genome they can do it under the Japanese say. They were trying to help justifying Segai's words. They have to resort to means to make sure the disease doesn't spread. As cruel as the methods are, they are trying their best.
The rebellion is just complete nonsense. Gai is only looking towards the pieces and how the hell the GHQ knows about it is something I don't see. How do they know the pieces would cause an apocalypse? Daath might be an answer to them but even then they don't know the true extents of it if they trusts a mysterious waif. I know they are trying to play with the grounds of vices but I think these smart people would know who to trust. Would scientists trust a supernatural being that goes against their very scientific mind? They are too logical. Some might be open-minded but logic tends to win out in the end.
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| Grand yet so...dull |
The series gave us the notion of delusion. There are so many shots of grandiose, failing to living up to itself as a grand anime it was hyped to be with Supercell and the minds behind
Death Note and
Code Geass. Please read Behind the Nihon Review's
Rescuing Stranded Scenes in Guilty Crown for better information.
The plot twists are completely exasperating. For the sake of any deity out there, there's a Wham Episode page dedicated just for this series. Plot-wise, they didn't develop enough to actually shock us. That's the problem: it didn't develop enough. It only meant to drive the plot, not the characters. It examined what happened but it's too sudden. The series is character-driven. The characterization and plot are clashing at each other to tell which point of view should be taken. Some of the plot twists aren't even hinted beforehand. M. Night Shyamalan, no matter how bad he is right now, at least used plot twists when it makes sense.
They didn't explain anything about the Endlaves. So it's basically a robot you control with your mind? They didn't put more information and just leave it as that. Could they at least explain that? I don't get it.
All in all, the narrative is very awkward and pacing is so quick we don't have a chance to understand the characters as their own characters. The plot segued into a new plot point without giving the other point they established earlier any kind of closure or carry over
with the new plot point.
Anime and other works had done this before, shrugging plot points away for new ones and not giving any damn about their previous plot points. I am not saying
Guilty Crown is the epitome of bad writing. In fact, the series had loads of potential we could develop on if they take the time to immerse ourselves into the world and their characterization. Sure the series is badly written, but there are times it could've been good writing if its wasn't for the plot twists and the lack of actual real development in the characters.
We never had the chance to know the characters. Yes, we are shown their traits but did any of the traits developed beyond just part of their personality or learning more about them? The characters are static in their actual development. We never know beyond their established personalities. People are multi-faceted.
I know that not all anime or all works had to be strong in plot and character development.
Guilty Crown is not the only one who had not very strong development. Look at
Masters of Martial Hearts with their crude plot and lack of character development.
Guilty Crown is not the best of plot and character development but hey, don't we all view on narrative, pacing, characterization, etc are subjective even though those are objective reviewing basics?
What I do understand is that the series think they are bigger than they are. Again, plotting and character development may not be the best but they obviously think it's some kind of epic story with large expansive grounds.
Themes
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| Dance, you fiend!!! |
Guilty Crown lack a certain focus... a central one. I wasn't even sure what the series was aiming for. Below are just guesses on what the main theme supposed to be. GC doesn't have a core to tell the story. The plot twists and turns without any idea where the hell is going.
Code Geass R2 may have the same problem (the plot twists and some stupidity involves, yes) but I'm more forgiving because it had a central focus: Lelouch and his goal to create a world for his sister and basically everything
Code Geass has
Guilty Crown doesn't.
It's hard for me to see what they are trying to say. It's hard for me to even pick apart any kind of implication of themes. However, could anyone tell me what the themes might possibly are?
I don't really hold the book of criticism. Hell, I don't
Some of the themes I believe is in here:
Humans as Weapons;
Growth;
Humans as Weapons: That touched upon this somewhat. Since this is wartime, soldiers are believed to be expendable; the more you used, you don't have to worry because there are reinforcements. This time, it was the point of using the human's metaphorical heart as a weapon. If the Void is destroyed, then they'll die. Shu was reluctant to use such a thing to defeat the people, knowing the ethics. However, it was throw out of the window. They are willing to be used even if it meant dying.
Growth: Even though it's less than pleasing to see such failure of it, nonetheless it's still there if not rushed. Shu became a strong leader, attracting the people although he was always manipulated. Gai reunites with Mana twice, giving all it takes to be with his love. Arisa let love get the better of her. Tsugumi was let go of her shyness which I still don't understand. Inori grew to be loved and be human. Yahiro learned that his manipulative ways destroyed his life basically.
Culmination
The series just failed to live up to its hype. The story is nonsenscial since the very beginning, the characters are as dull as a brick, and it's a failure.
I wanted to like it at first when I heard about it. Why not? Having Supercell, the writers of Code Geass and Death Note... What could possibly go wrong?
My brother told me not to watch it but my curiousity got the better of me and yeah....
It's not the worst anime I seen and again, looking back it doesn't seem that bad in comparison to some of the worst anime in recent years. School Days and Master of Martial Arts are still battling for that title. I think that title on that year was a little too harsh. The series just generate unintentional laughter.
For the rewatchability, well, I will give it a yes for those who just want to watch anime for the fun. Just watch and decide for yourself if it's good or not.
The music is great though.
I judged something based on different standards.
This is my opinion and please don't bash it. I'm only stating my own perspective on this particular work. I tend to ignore Fandom Rivalry, Flame Wars, any Internet Wars of any kind. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you send a Flame over my opinion, expect me to ignore your comment.
Respect the opinions of others no matter how much you want them to like what you want.
How we reviewed is completely subjective even though standards of critique is objective. There are no bad movies or good movies. We can acknowledge their impact on society and ambition but something we like or don't like is up to us to decide.
