In which case, and since the main story trudged on without Shirley anyway, it made little to no difference. And I don't see it as so much trouble since she was prior to her death the thing that tied Lelouch to his school life in general up to that point anyway, and they just kept/utilized that aspect. Except again, they're recap movies telling the essentially the same story, not a retelling or creating some alternative version of it, so again to me that's just ass covering trying to distinguish the two in order to create an excuse for a sequel to essentially the same thing. And I haven't seen/don't know of such differing circumstances that allow for Lelouch to come back in the movies but not in the anime at this point Dann, I actually just brought up that line from Marianne in R2 that says she might have been able to come back already to disprove that. I'm fairly certain I remember that they weren't even initially planning for an R2 when it was first announced and had a whole other finale for Season 1 lined up before scrapping it for the eventual cliffhanger episode.

Meh, it just says to me they're not a priority for Funimation especially since they're releasing the sequel film before any of them. And wait what about Steve Blum? He voices the damn clones for the various Star Wars cartoons, and there's even a new season of Clone Wars coming, there's no way he's out of the VA business (Troy's still in video games with The Last of Us 2 as well). And you can just get Matt Mercer for Schnizel if you really need to... Anyway, I might not like Netflix because of DareDevil's cancellation but at least I can look forward to the Violet Evergarden film for 2020 with none of these hassles.

That I think would be enough to justify turning fans off for either of them I think Dann. Plus the whole mind control angle was kind of stupid sounding for an enemy. And yes manga's are nice but they don't really count either given how flexible Sunrise can be with their animations nor will we see something like that in mass to sell the states on if they couldn't even get an animation for Japan. Anymore then I think Char's secret love child with a random staff officer in that Haman Axis manga would be confirmed, or how I love the Johnny Ridden gundam manga but most people are gonna ask 'who?' because of how obscure his source material is.

That's like saying Jeremiah doesn't have Geass related powers just cause he's half machine and artificial Dann, or that Rolo isn't because his Geass was fake. It's pretty clear Geass related matters have permeated throughout Jirikstan in general and that special suit of white blonde bears a lot of resemblance to the neural system of Jeremiah's Sigfried btw so I'm gonna say it's pretty likely Not to mention their leader the blonde lady started asking where the collective unconscious was... I'm not saying Lelouch predicted some Geass nation would rise up and challenge his peace, but from a strategic standpoint the flaw in his plan was obvious to even us where ANY outside power could threaten to tip the balance of his peace and the lesson he taught could be forgotten overtime, so I'm having a hard time thinking he didn't see that either. I didn't say it was definite but his interrogators have him unmasked and the blonde guy even shouts his name so it doesn't take a genius to unravel the lie of the Zero Requiem from there, especially since they do seem to be geass related antagonists. Who, Suzaku or Lelouch? C.C says she still has a promise she made, so if it's Suzaku yeah keep him in the dark but the only promise we know of now is her's with Lelouch so I'm skeptical he isn't involved in his own resurrection.

Sorry for the double post on this one, will cut it down again hopefully after this.

Figured as much, hope you get a bit of a break now that the holidays are nearly upon us and get a chance to binge I'm really interested in Kaguya actually and have it saved to read at some point. Hmm? If you're talking about Altair: Record of Battles or Kono Oto Tomare I thought I told you about both series awhile ago? Oh oh, and I've been really into this new series by the author of Seikon no Qwaser called Shinju no Nectar, it's like an incoporation of Seikon with Gunka no Baltzar so I think you'd really enjoy it if you got the chance. You want me to PM you links for all three of these series I've recommended?

EDIT: Oh, and I finally started reading through The Promised Neverland series which is also getting its own anime. Really addicting one, I like how it balances youthful hope and optimism with gritty and dark realism as well

Well that's the thing, Shirley's whole purpose was to be the face of the tragic consequences of ones actions, take that away and you take away the meaning of her existence, thus when they couldn't do the Mao Arc in the movies she becomes unnecessary. They were stuck with Shirley in my view, not that they had any plans to really incorporate her. And I would agree with you if they had really reinvented and retold the story from the anime, but they didn't, and now they had to come up with an excuse to walk back their previous comments a decade ago in order to make a sequel happen, like say when they had to scramble making R2 after Season 1's success just blew away their expectations.

It seems a bit unlikely they could get the entire dub cast after 10 years here in the states, but we'll see what funimation decides I guess, I feel like it'll only be subs however given the quick turnaround for a theater showing in the states and maybe a dub version for the DVD release but again we'll see.

What? I'm pretty sure most of the actual fans hate or are critical of the UC when it doesn't involve Zeon, at least here in the states from what I've seen and I feel like all the recent productions of the UC from Japan reinforce the notion that they're just not popular or at least as popular.

The way he was able to analyze Suzaku's Geass data to me is a pretty good indication. Well that's why we're gonna go to the movie, to find out their goals Dann You mean that pink area that incorporated Iran and Iraq? Yeah that might be it I suppose, though I was thinking based on Jirkuztan's name they'd be more in Central Asia but eh. Oh c'mon Dann, you don't know that this isn't part of Lelouch's plan to begin with in case something went wrong and if these Jirkuztan's have already acted then peace is already broken. And I don't buy that, it's said while he's piloting his Knightmare against the Jirkuztan attack and by this point they know everything about him and Lelouch's lie so he could easily be talking to them. C'mon, it's Lelouch, he always accounts for every scenario and I'm sure he saw the flaws in his plan as well which is why I always held out that he was alive or going to come back at least

Actually I went back to rewatch R2 and Lelouch had this exact same phonecall with Rivalz. Btw the movies incorporated Ohgi punching Diethardt out which was never onscreen in the anime I believe but we saw evidence of it still in R2, so yea reverse offscreen theory support for Mao happening on my end . I also caught a line by Marianne saying Charles had preserved her body, because it was apparently possible for her to comeback someday as long as it was intact so that might be where Lelouch got this idea from... Well I never disputed that either just that it's more of a sidenote thing to just incoporate Shirley at all, since Jeremiah could have easily done it by himself. Well again I just noted in R2 he called Rivalz instead and had him give his goodbye message to Milley/the rest of the Ashford cast so I don't see it as anything special with Shirley in that case and something he was going to do regardless of who was on the other end back at the school. Bah, it's under the same company and umbrella story so I feel good Akito is a precursor for the direction of Re;surrection Lelouch rejected A LOT of things about his father yet he ended up emulating him in almost every way, so I wouldn't call it being out of character but being true to his own nature And c'mon, even if he doesn't intend to he IS flirting with the ladies since they keep falling for him Nah, I don't think Lelouch would ever settle down like that and drag Shirley further into this for one thing anymore then he did Kallen, C.C's really the only one fit to remain at his side through his long struggle I can see Suzaku just sticking with Nunnally and Britannia as her/Lelouch's Knight again while Lelouch goes vigilante style as Zero to patrol the world in general

It's definitely not at the end of the film, he was ridding that rail at an orange farm which to me screams Suzaku was there to help Jeremiah (who looked like he was getting zapped alongside Anya in that promo) and if you're speculation about Jeremiah taking Lelouch's body is true then it makes sense to incoporate that. Again, you should be getting those plans together and making changes in the drawing board room, not when you've already fully colored and animated the scene in my book, and it would be a big chunk they did animate only to cut out if Suzaku is at Jeremiah's orange farm in that scene.

Except how it didn't change anything within the main story you mean <_<

I just can't manage it with my clumsy fingers unfortunately. I can't even do it now until my crown molding finishes anyway. She was basically a cameo in the actual movies, again I think that's just to help setup things for C.C later on, not because Shirley herself will play an important role afterwards. Exactly, again you're either a fan or you're not if you're watching this movie by this point. Pfft, this is why I'm ignoring this whole 'difference' aka covering their ass they have between the two mediums, because it really doesn't make a difference. Well when I mean Code Geass I basically mean Lelouch cause again, he IS this franchise basically

Cool Cool, though I expect Resurrection will be more like somwhere around May or June in the States probably.

I Still, STILL have hope that with the recent moves by Sunrise they're willing to decanonize and rewrite certain things from the UC timeline (Looking at Origin as an example).... So PLEASE get rid of Victory and F91 Sunrise, I'm begging you

Well that white blonde guy in the wheel chair HAS to have Geass related powers as well I feel, and this entire nation of Jirkustan seems very connected to Geass in general, given the words of their leaders. I have no confirmation of this but the subs have had some weird summaries where it seems like Jikustan also withstood previous Britannian invasions in their translations as well, if that ups their threat level for you. I very much doubt that's the case, it seems more like they're trying to track C.C down and find their way into the World of C which is why they captured Suzaku and Nunnally in the first place, C.C's not gonna be the one to break Lelouch's peace I feel. Again though, this movie just showcased the flaw with that finale I feel, that others could simply ignore or forget the lesson Lelouch died for and ruin his peace after he was gone and he has to know that, so he NEEDS a contingency I always felt. Well sounds good, let's see the reception for the movie and where they take it from there then.

Hmm, seems like I misread the translation then, I thought he called to ask her a favor. Also rewatched the C.C scene, I think it was just to come clean about everything as you said but it was meant to soften the blow of his own death later on because it looked like she was leaving the country with her travel bag. I could also justify his phone call to just Shirley as Jeremiah telling him she was aware of everything unlike his other friends rather then any serious romantic attachment, and he needed that connection with his old life for a brief moment before saying goodbye to it by cutting it off and taking the plunge. Again, just something for Shirley to do I guess being that cheerleader as always. Pfft, If freaking Akito gets a happy ending with his romantic partner I feel good about that coming about here with at least C.C and Kallen getting featured, and a maybe on Shirley. Uh, I think you forget who Lelouch's father was Dann, and even these interview links you gave had Lelouch kind of flirting about outside of that whole siscon obsession of his (which I felt got canceled out once he put the Zero Requiem above even her). Not if C.C is still around to accompany him But it makes more sense in terms of Lelouch's need for atonement if that happens, making Suzaku do it all was always unfair of him too.

And it may be, but he has had separate pilot outfits to his actual uniforms outside of piloting before Maybe some tweaks can be done but if you're gonna reach the point of fully animating those scenes then you're very reluctant to let them go after all that time and labor I feel. Didn't they try that with the Renya manga? Even the past gets kind of tainted given C.C's immortality, so yeah full AU probably the best if you branch out at all

Basically covering their ass to justify keeping Shirley around at all I think, this isn't that different from their anime relationship status honestly. Gonna stick to my guns and say it's not gonna matter here anymore then it did then. Thanks for the links though.

They usually do it seems so probably, maybe? We'll see I guess. Anything else you're following btw? RWBY's new volume is out and I've gotten really into Goblin Slayer recently. Plus any chance you checked out Altair, preferably the manga? I really do think you'll enjoy that politics and military aspects of that one plus the world building Dann. Kono Oto also has an anime coming out next year I'm looking forward to as well.

Aka covering their asses like I said, they wanted to appear to remain with their 'integrety' previously but the allure and demand from the fanbase for this franchise was just too great so they covered their ass to rewrite the story. I can clearly see that and since again things are so damn negligible I'm gonna freaking ignore their BS excuses and just treat it as the true sequel it really is but they just won't admit. Same with these previous interviews where they kept asserting Lelouch is a true virgin, but now he's dating Shirley here? Who gives a crap about what they've said or done before honestly given how they always have to walk it back now? I'll only believe what I see they actually commit to animation at this point. And like I've said before I don't see any reason to distinguish the two stories since they essentially tell the same story, it feels pointless and again like they're covering their asses because they're walking back on what they've said before. Meh to it in that case, especially so close to the release in theaters in NA, I don't see any advantage and if Funimation doesn't I think it just indicates a lot of the changes really are negligible and won't be a factor in Re;surrection, including Shirley. We'll see soon enough though

That's pretty far in still regardless. I tracked that down actually since I didn't know about it before, their date was in a drama CD in fact and I'm glad I saw it. Hopefully there's more to come as the main story progresses, thanks for letting me know!

No worries man, I almost did the same thing with your initial post before that one and had to cut a few characters just to make that portion fit. I think we've gone over enough of the same talking points that we can condense them back down in the next round though

Well I do too, though I skip on flossing and only did mouth wash erratically, but take a day to schedule one with a good steady dentist to go to in case of an emergency, I had to scramble finding one myself. I did say minus Shirley who we don't even know if she'll play a major role in the next movie anyway and could be easily skipped, and yes there were a few lead ins but nothing that couldn't be fit within the anime series itself. That works for the Japanese but I think it's a waste of time for the american audience who either have or are watching the anime or not, nobody from the states would waste money and time just to watch recap movies by this point I feel. And again the changes are so negligible between the two I really doubt they'll make a difference for the English audience. Aka what I call covering their ass because Sunrise always knew how much of a cash cow Code Geass is and wanted to bring Lelouch back no matter what kind of BS they had to come up with I doubt it, maybe like a brief C.C intro as they did in the other seasons but that'd be about it, again you're likely either in the series or not by this point, and on Japan's side they already did that with the recap films as is.

Sweet, much appreciated. I keep forgetting that Broly is so close to release here in the states

Speaking of filmish series you managed to catch anything from that Gundam NT release? It's supposed to feature a lot of cameo's from the Unicorn cast as well so I'm more interested in seeing it and the fallout from the Unicorn series in general now and hoping/PRAYING a change happens in the UC status quo after all. The fact that we keep coming to the same problems with the Federation time and again is what started pushing me to support Zeon after all... <_<

The fact that there are so many Geass users on the other side kind of makes me think the opposite, that we need Lelouch to balance this particular scale. Otherwise I don't see how Suzaku would have been beaten in the first place if it wasn't necessary and based on the trailer his backup in Kallen, Sayako, and Lloyd aren't helping much. We wouldn't need a sequel if that was the real answer I feel where after leaving them with everything they couldn't maintain Lelouch's peace after only two years I feel, but we'll see. Pffftt, ten years later and they still haven't given the farnchise a proper finale? I'll only trust what I see from now on thanks, otherwise I'm not betting on Sunrise letting this property go anymore then they would Gundam at this point

I'd agree if it was a true AU with a wildly divergent timeline, but again the changes are so negligible and the main story essentially the same I don't personally see the point in treating them differently now. I mean I don't disagree with that assessment either if you are going to cut that content since Shirley dying would be confusing without it, but I'm just saying I don't also think my headcanon of it happening offscreen would be necessarily conflicting either and that Jeremiah telling her to back off would still work in terms of a change Also what about C.C bringing Shirley into this? Lelouch was the one who had her and Jeremiah get in contact and deliver his message to C.C. after his death from what I recall of the movie's last ending. It feels like it being the only one I can recall between those two, and c'mon if there is a time to shoot for a happy ending it's now after ten years of waiting Dann He and Shirley didn't even really meet or interact directly in the movies, it's too weird I think if he did now for anyone, anime or movie fan at this point so again if she does get there it's gonna be full blown harem given how Kallen and C.C. got far more involved in the mix that is Lelouch's life. Blah to that, given the flaw of the Zero Requiem plan where the his peace doesn't last without someone capable to policing it I'm still hoping/banking on Lelouch getting immortality to watch over his peace provided he does come back for good.

Well the desert stuff is clearly at the beginning portion of the series and Suzaku clearly gets captured at the start, if he successfully breaks out I can see him re-donning his Rounds outfit alongside his obvious re-piloting of the Lancelot again. And things like the purple Shinkiro and the Black Knights reunion barbacue, and the explosion in the busy streets still show up is what I'm saying, so again I'm not going to count anything out until the movie comes out and I see it for myself. We've seen them trying to branch out the franchise without Lelouch at the center Dann, like Akito, while nice they really, really don't attract the same kind of attention and I think it's time we just concede that instead of trying to force it otherwise. Eh I wouldn't mind that, if it was a true AU starting completely from scratch but if it's still based on this same setting/world then you can't escape Lelouch's shadow in the end, anymore then say you could escape Char for example

Yeah, well let my experience be a lesson to you about that, find time to at least do your yearly and you hopefully won't have the surprise I did. Oh, well I'm not, releasing the rehash films is just a waste of money considering how little they actually change, but a sequel/new content WILL make money and generate interest so if I was Funimation I'd have just treated this as a direct sequel to the series as well itself minus Shirley. It looks like a rather crazy one from what the recent Broly teaser releases have shown, so I'm alright with that especially in a movie where plot gets condensed anyway.

Wait what, tickets are already on sale? When and where did you get them to see cause I'd like a link if possible Can't take the day off on the showing I take it? If he was a DBZ character yeah I'd be worried but again, Lelouch's greatest tool is his mind and that requires at least SOME set up especially if he just comes back from the grave and needs to get up to speed This is not a dig at C.C, she's my favorite female character of the series and one of my favorites in general, but just me stating a fact that she like so many others can't measure up to Lelouch. She kept the BK going yeah alongside Kallen and Urabe I remind you, but even then just barely surviving and knowing they needed Lelouch back to ever turn things around. And yes Lelouch took her council seriously, but it was usually about moral psychological things related to their endgames and about the nature of Geass, she doesn't have the mind to create the strategies needed to execute getting to those goals/objectives she helps Lelouch to define for himself in the first place, nor does she have the physical ability of Suzaku and Kallen to make up for it. I see you're still a bit too pessimistic there Dann Again I just don't think we go so far as to redefine the canon so Shirley lives but Lelouch doesn't and C.C still talked about the promise she and Lelouch made and that she would keep pursuing/waiting for him to finally fulfill it at the end of the last movie. If he goes then I think she will too, but otherwise if he stays I feel strongly then that C.C will as well, that it's either both or none by this point. If it was just some still image then I'd agree but that promotion had full animations with some still appearing in the more recent trailers too, seems too wasteful to put it aside after already animating it so I think it's too early to discount anything. I don't personally see that, coming back to life like Jesus in general is what I would consider the birth of a new legend even after all his previous miracles, and let's face it Lelouch IS the Code Geass franchise

Makes it even more pointless then now that you bring that up. And a lot of the stuff with Shirley in general has generally seemed a waste of time so again I would not be surprised if she gets cut, at most she gets some weird tie-in with Jeremiah I'm betting. And with him still smooching both C.C and Kallen? Don't think so at all personally, so if Shirley gets involved at all on that end then it's going full blown harem with Lelouch is what I'm betting on by that point. From a movie perspective sure, cause of the condensed plot but a lot of stuff in general in the movies had to get cut yet still happened offscreen regardless and I don't see the harm in keeping Mao in that offscreen with the only real substantive change being Jeremiah telling Shirley to keep out of it. I mean there's REALLY no point in a continuation to essentially the same storyline in my book if it doesn't count so we might as well say they are the same, especially as likely all future spinoff media for Code Geass will be from this iteration from now on. Lelouch will always live for me regardless, but now the rest of the whole world will know it as well, given how Funimation is treating the releases with only the Re;surrection movie being officially imported which shows I think, that they agree with me

Hopefully it kicks more butt, but we'll have to see. The main differences will be if we see any substantive new abilities for either knightmare as I said.

Yeah, and it doesn't rub me the wrong way like Naruto and and lot of the older shounen's have by comparison by making consistent progress both abilities wise and narratively speaking I feel. My favorite character is probably Todoroki who I'm shipping pretty hard with Momo btw

Be sure to get your regular checkups at the dentist then, I let it languish a few years and this was the result I still think among its english fans those that like it will still like it, I mean I run across enough new reaction series on youtube to note some popularity still here in the states at least. Anyway, looking forward to said new Broly film regardless, looks much more interesting and built up/written out then the previous ones plus Goku's getting a bit of a rewrite on his backstory as well to include that one manga short about Bardok and Goku's mom.

Hmmm, not the worst road trip if you're really desperate between the two cities if it comes to that I mean, but yeah hoping things work out for you. Again, though, Lelouch's greatest weapon is his mind and if he has to come back to save the day he's gonna need at least some time to think up and set up a plan I feel. Again, I just don't think C.C has the mind or ability to be Zero, especially if Suzaku of all people can't keep it up either, the whole point of Suzaku's fall in the movies to me is just to showcase that no one else can truly be Zero except Lelouch, but we'll see I suppose. If Lelouch dies again I can see C.C. dying to join him, but if he lives I see her heeding his advice about living rather then just accumulating experiences etc and them keeping their promise to each other regarding happiness and smiles etc. I feel I'd be more surprised if there weren't since this is Lelouch we're talking about and he's all about the contingencies Well I don't see how since I recall seeing him in his Knight of Round outfit during the first promo video from a year ago, plus he's going back to Lancelot Albion again so... I'm thinking the jig will be up regarding that anyway.

That bit about them dating is just dumb/inconsequential (and even dumber and more inconsequential then her death was in R2 which I thought was a waste to begin with btw) and I didn't notice that at all in any of the new scenes in the movies, I'm hoping they just forgot and cut it in this Resurrection (hell Shirley can just not appear for all I care to reconcile both movie and anime series followers so we don't have to deal with it), especially since both C.C and Kallen's romantic feelings are still so blatantly obvious for Lelouch and his own receptiveness towards them as well. Personally Imma stick to my headcannon, Mao still happens but the only thing that changes is that Shirley heeds Jeremiah's advice in the movies and stays out of it, thus avoiding Rolo. And my headcannon has been paying off after all given Lelouch seems to finally, hopefully, be making his return

They seem fine and very similar to their last iterations, some minor changes like the blue breast plate for Lancelot but otherwise we'll have to see if there are any substantial changes when they go into actual action.

In the meantime to brighten up the mood I've recently gotten into My Hero Academia at last over the past few months. It really is topping all the previous shounen action animes for me right now, how about you?

Thanks, it's good talking with you again. And they're definitely not fun, still have one last dental appointment in January too to finally fix everything up... <_< And true, that is rather risky though CG has a pretty hardcore cult following so it's still possible, though they might limit the release in comparison to Dragonball. Also I hope the Broley retcons finally means Super is cutting out GT while we're on the topic

I thought you were near a major city btw, so hopefully that increase the chances for you? I'm only slightly worried on my end in NYC, they usually have one or two theaters that do it like that one Naruto movie I recall a year or two back. I'm going to be optimistic and say he comes back at the half-way point, but he is definitely coming back IMO. And while it's possible that Zero is someone else I don't think it's C.C. The premise of the movie to me is that it's establishing no one else can take Lelouch's place and keep his peace, as is the case with Suzaku's fall right now, and C.C. doesn't have that ability either. But anyway my point is they can't use Lelouch's name in the title and not have him show up, and if they need him to show up then the situation has become a serious problem he'll need time to resolve, so I'm hoping for either a half or at least a third of the movie screentime from him... And this also goes back to a fundamental problem I always thought Lelouch had to plan for in case the Zero Requiem's memory started to eventually fade after he was gone, he really couldn't just leave it all to Suzaku to juggle, and my prediction was right given the mess he ends up in during this movie. Plus I'm fairly confident Jun Fukuyama is not being paid just to do lines for those damn recap movies . I mean they rewrote Shirley back into the universe for pete's sake, how can they leave Lelouch out in his own series? Glad Shirley's alive btw, though that's the only retcon from the movies I accept (aside from Lelouch's return of course) given how minor all those other changes were in it and stupid time compression's

Oh appreciate the links, they're informative. Some of this looks like it was cut though, like that side-story about Black Albion. Previous trailers showed Suzaku piloting a purple and gold Shinkiro as the new Zero, and the Albion 2.0 in its usual colors albiet with a blue chest piece.

Hey Dann, sorry it's been awhile yet again Managed to finish my Paralegal studies in case you were wondering, and then resolved my dentail emergency troubles (damn root canals truly are the pain in the ass people say they are ). So I thought I'd stop by finally because of the recent Code Geass R3 trailer and some news that comes with it, like the movie premiering here in NA in 2019. Wanted to know if that makes you as excited as I am now, cause I'm gonna be busting my hump trying to get tickets ASAP. Anyway, here's the link with the trailer just in case you hadn't seen it. Hope to get your thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeiBsQkdUMM