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Anyone who's watched the original Code Geass series knows about its prevalent chess motif: Black vs white. Terrorist vs soldier. Rebel vs loyalist. Japanese vs Britannian. Ends vs Means. Akito the Exiled is about the grey area between black and white, the people who live in the cracks of the chessboard as it were. It takes place in the year between the failed Black Rebellion, and Lelouch's reawakening as Zero. The "Elevens" in Akito chafe under European rule as badly as their counterparts chafe under Britannia's, but they give equally short shrift to the Black Knights. To characters who have never been to Japan, Zero's rebellion has little meaning. They have their own problems closer to home, and they'll fight with their own power. They're not looking for a hero. A good deal of subtle irony is utilized in the storytelling, especially to those who are familiar with the original anime. In some ways, it's Code Geass with a reality check. Akito Hyuga has a rather cynical, even mocking view of the world. Unlike Lelouch or Suzaku, he has no overreaching ideal he's trying to prove; he's a soldier, only concerned with getting the job done as efficiently as possible. (And it seems he doesn't look Asian in-universe. A nice bit of Lampshade Hanging on character designs, perhaps?) Leila Malcal, an orphaned Britannian ex-pat, is smart, with good intentions, but has to actually prove herself to the new recruits. She gains experience, and her belief in humanity's goodness winds up being her greatest strength, but it also gets her used and places the squad in a fight to the death. Unlike Euphemia, a kind heart and a strong will are not enough to protect her from the machinations of the unscrupulous, or to mollify the opponent. The new recruits - Ryo Sayama, Yukiya Naruse, Ayano Kosaka - are the remnants of a street gang. Compared to the early efforts of the Black Knights, they're terrifyingly effective - they've grown up in the darkness of the underworld, of mafia and gangsters, fighting to stay alive. As a result, they're suspicious of any authority, blasé over violence, and familiar with treachery. Yukiya's backstory also works in a hit on the vicious bullying that can happen among Japanese youth. Shin Hyuga Shaing is suave, classy, and coldblooded. He's also intelligent and manipulative, with a private agenda that doesn't become truly clear until the final episode. It's as if Schneizel were Zero. Shin tricks and beguiles those around him to get what he wants, deduces the truth about the Empire's new tactician, and delivers a personality assessment to Suzaku that seems to hit a little too close to home for the newly minted Knight of Seven's comfort. Seemingly unstoppable, it turns out Shin's greatest weakness is his own belief system... Though darker and grittier than the original, Akito the Exiled is hardly bleak. Rather, it's a story about survivors. If Code Geass was "high" politics, focused on the players who command the armies and move the pieces, than Akito is about the pieces living on the battlefield, who are nevertheless people with their own lives, striving simply to live another day, for their comrades and a chance for a home. And who truly deserve that happy ending. This set has all 5 episodes (each about an hour long), on both Blu-Ray and DVD - 2 Blu-Ray discs, 3 DVD discs - with both Japanese and English audio, and English subtitles. The special features - commentary on two of the episodes - are only on the Blu-Ray discs.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Great set of dvds for a great price!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Plays for hours. Nice game
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Item arrived on time.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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