Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II: Transgression (Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch II – Handou) is a 2018 original theatrical anime film directed by Gorou Taniguchi and written by Ichirou Oukouchi, and animated by studio Sunrise. The film was theatrically released in Japan on February 2018, and is the second of three in a compilation series recapping the events of the 2006 television series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
Brief Unboxing Note:
This unboxing was first posted back in December 2019, however I had decided to go back and provide improved photos as well as additional context so that it is more accurate.
Background:
“Having racked up numerous miraculous victories against the odds in his quest to end their tyrannical reign across the globe, Lelouch Lamperouge – via his anonymous public persona of Zero – has shocked the empire of Britannia to its core. From humble beginnings, Zero is now the leader of the Black Knights, an increasingly powerful para-military organisation with the equipment and tactical nous to match even Britannia’s finest.
However, there are still plenty of hurdles in Lelouch’s path… not least close friend turned rival Suzaku Kururugi, whose own abilities also appear to be reaching their zenith. With more unexpected arrivals and appearances as the conflict between Britannia and the Black Knights intensifies, the ability of Lelouch to navigate this increasingly complex game of chess – and the sacrifices he’s willing to make – will be tested to the limit.”
Plot Synopsis via Anime Limited, December 2019
As previously discussed in the unboxing post for the first film Initiation, the movie compilation series, simply known as Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Trilogy, essentially compiles all 50 episodes across three feature-length theatrical films with about 7 hours runtime in total. The biggest attraction to the film series was the idea that it would redo the conclusion of the original series.
That being said however, the films were reportedly pretty messy and that is mainly true to its second film – Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II: Trangression. It adapts the remaining episodes of the first season, and somehow manages to blitz through all the way to the first 16 episodes of the second season known as Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2. While new scenes were included, there is a lot of missing context for the events that occur throughout the second season.
It got to a point where in Japan, studio Sunrise had to offer viewers a booklet to explain the missing gaps in the story. That booklet was unfortunately not included in the UK & US Blu-ray releases, so you’ll have to rely on your extensive knowledge of the television series before watching the film.
Regardless, the films are not newcomer friendly in all honestly and is best suited for those who had watched the original series and wanted a refresher in general in preparation for the recent film Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection, which takes place in the same verse as the film trilogy.
For the home video release, UK distributor Anime Limited acquired the rights for the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Trilogy this time around, and released the films separately as at the time it had no other English release. In a shocking pikachu move, Funimation managed to release the whole trilogy in one collection not long after Anime Limited released Initiation. For some reason, it took Anime Limited just over a whole year to release the second and third films.
In another surprising move, which is probably Anime Limited’s best luck at this point, is the fact that Funimation did not provide an English dub for the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Trilogy. Though saying that, Anime Limited wanted to maintain consistency and keep the releases separate but matching at the same time.
Collector’s Edition Contents:
As previously mentioned, Anime Limited released the films in the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Trilogy individually and as collector’s edition sets that mirror the distributor’s style for their releases. Though it does not share a digipack because it is a single disc release, the overall look is pretty decent in general.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II: Transgression offers a rigid box and inside an Amaray case housing the film. The physical contents include a fold out poster and a couple of art cards to go alongside the set.
The artwork is free of any information or BBFC content and the info sheet covers the information and specification like previous Anime Limited releases. The collector’s edition Blu-ray has 1000 units printed for an SRP of £34.99. There is currently no word on how a standard edition Blu-ray will be handled, whether as a complete trilogy set or not. Don’t expect a DVD release either. I pre-ordered the film during its early bird for £19.99.
Physical Contents:
- Rigid Box with Amaray packaging and clean artwork
- Info sheet for specification and BBFC description
- 8 Art Cards
- 34x40cm Fold-out poster
On-Disc Contents:
Distributor: Anime Limited
Released: 9th December 2019
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II: Transgression contains the entire film on a single Blu-ray disc. The encode and authoring were done by Funimation, as Anime Limited took too long to release the film to the point where it made sense to simply re-use the US masters rather than make their own. The audio options available for the film include Japanese with English subtitles.
The white subtitles are locked during playback, and the regions are locked to B for Blu-ray.
Blu-ray Specs:
| Languages | Japanese |
| Audio | Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 |
| Video | 1080p High Definition Native format 16:9 aspect ratio |
| Region | B |
| Subtitles | English |
| Locked Subtitles | Yes |
| Discs | 1 BD-50 |
Blu-ray On-Disc Extra Features:
No extras included on this disc
Unboxing Photos:
Final Notes:
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II: Transgression is available to order through multiple retailers across the United Kingdom, but is close to selling out. You can order the collector’s edition Blu-ray on Amazon UK.
(Disclaimer: Amazon links are also included when available. They are affiliated so if you decide to order them, I’ll earn a small percentage if they ship which will help me with any hauls or small bills.)
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