Leaving the theater after seeing the final chapter of Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture, I couldn't help but feel disappointed—not because of what I had seen exactly, but because of what could have been and perhaps should have been.
Let's break it down. I have no problem with what happens in Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture; no problem with who's involved; no problem with why things happen the way they do. My problem is how things happen. To be clear, I don't mean this in an in-universe sense, but in a metatextual sense.
A common complaint I've made about many anime over the years is that they don't give the audience room to breathe. Rozé of the Recapture is a case study, especially in this final chapter. This fourth film has its share of big, emotional moments—scenes of danger and tragedy, brilliance and triumph. Yet none of them have the time to resonate with the audience. As soon as one big moment happens, we're already rushing toward the next.
This includes everything from major fight scenes to major character deaths. They just don’t have the impact they should have. To the point where I would be absolutely shocked if Rozé of the Recapture wasn’t originally designed for a 24-episode runtime. Everything seems to be pointing in that direction on a narrative and structural level. And I’m deeply saddened that we may never see that version of this story.
Ultimately, Ash and Sakuya make a great pair of protagonists—and their character arcs are fantastic if not fantastic in concept and execution. Ash's life has been one of tragedy and betrayal—a struggle to find something to trust. In this film, he finally finds that in Sakuya. He can trust her to a truly terrifying degree—a point where he's willing to give up what makes him who he is if it's necessary to avenge himself, protect Sakuya, and save the world.
Meanwhile, Sakuya is constantly torn between the need to rescue her childhood friend, avenge her father's death, and do what is necessary for the people she is supposed to rule. Her experiences with Ash and her capture have shown her that her use of Geass is irresponsible at best, and downright evil at worst. Many people have died because of her thoughtless use of the power. She should have considered it a last resort, not a first choice. Yet even in this movie, she continues to use it when everything is running out—leaving her in a state where she basically doesn't trust herself not to use it in the future.
She's not like Lelouch, who can continue to use it for the greater good. Nor is she as noble as Leila, who can stop herself from using it through sheer willpower. So she makes a third choice—a choice that reflects her belief in doing better in the future, both as a person and as a ruler. All in all, her arc is a truly wonderful one—and one that shines despite the rushed nature of the storytelling.
Likewise, the climate threat we face in this film is pretty good, and does an admirable job of solving the “superhuman problem.” Basically, in the world of Code Geass, it’s hard to believe that any of the remaining pilots could match Kallen and Suzaku. So how do you neutralize them as a threat? Attack the entire world. No matter how powerful they are, they can only be in one place at a time—and each has things they naturally have to protect.
And this doesn't just apply to them. While all of our past heroes from various Code Geass anime and manga were able to fight and stand up to the genocidal machines they faced, that doesn't mean that ordinary people—even soldiers—could. Because of this, the crisis has real stakes and tension (even if the logistics behind it—i.e. secretly manufacturing hundreds of thousands of killing machines—are downright hilarious).
The biggest positive for this movie is the final mecha battle. It's probably the only thing in this movie that gets the time it needs to work well. Even better, it's a battle that's both intellectual and physical — Ash and Sakuya need to use their talents to their fullest to win.
It also looks great—and that's true of the entire film. Like all the previous chapters, the visuals are solid throughout. The music is also up to the standards of previous films—though it was let down by not using the opening theme during the final battle. That song continues to be memorable, and I didn't mind hearing it three times in the theater while watching it, especially with the subtle changes in the opening animation after the big story reveal.
In the end, I have mixed feelings about Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture as a whole. I loved spending time with Ash and Sakuya and thoroughly enjoyed their story. I really felt like it made the entire anime worth watching. That doesn't mean the anime as a whole is good, though. The pacing issues are so severe, especially toward the end, that they hamper not only the story but everything else. Only a handful of the supporting cast members get anything that could be considered a part—and even those who do get only the most basic development. At the same time, many of the plot issues could have been easily resolved if given the time. But when it comes down to it, this is what we're left with: a generally enjoyable but woefully flawed sequel to one of the most popular anime of the 2000s.