Sunrise.
The producers of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED gathered for a meeting.
"We lost the Newtype reader poll. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion beat us for Anime of the Year, and Lelouch and C.C. took the Top Male and Female Characters of the Year awards. If this keeps up, when Lelouch Season 2 premieres, won't our Gundam SEED be overshadowed?"
"I doubt it. Lelouch is a late-night anime, while Gundam SEED airs during prime time. I refuse to believe a prime-time anime can't outperform a late-night one."
"Exactly. The Newtype poll doesn't mean much. It just shows that Lelouch fans are more enthusiastic about participating in these polls."
"I think the main issue is that our Gundam SEED aired in October, giving it too little time to build a solid fan base. By next year, when Newtype readers vote again, I refuse to believe our animation will still lose to their Lelouch."
"Regardless of anything else, our viewership numbers are definitely unbeatable. A late-night anime, even if it's moved from 11:30 PM to 11 PM, could never reach a 6% rating."
"Speaking of which, that Lin Zhiyan is truly foolish. Delaying the broadcast by a few months could have elevated his show from late-night to prime time, but he refused. If it were me, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second."
"Who knows what he's thinking? Maybe he actually believes competing head-on with our Gundam SEED isn't a bad thing. From what we've seen so far, both shows' popularity and buzz have indeed increased, so it doesn't seem entirely detrimental. But things might change when his Lelouch second season premieres. Plus, DVD sales and award nominations will inevitably clash."
L.S. Production, President's Office.
Nanase Mayumi, holding a Newtype magazine, stood beside Lin Zhiyan, her excitement palpable as she exclaimed, "Senior, our Lelouch is beating Gundam SEED in all the reader polls! It feels like we might actually win in a head-to-head competition!"
"That's hard to say," Lin Zhiyan replied, shaking his head slightly.
He had seen the poll results in Newtype—indeed, Lelouch was leading in every category. But Gundam SEED was close behind, with similar vote counts.
Next year, Lelouch Season 2 would only air until June, while Gundam SEED would continue until September. By then, the outcome of the Anime of the Year and Top Male/Female Characters of the Year awards would be uncertain. Gundam SEED had a strong chance of claiming the top spots.
Moreover, Newtype's reader polls didn't fully reflect an animation's popularity. Even if Lelouch was currently winning the polls, no one could be certain whether its overall popularity truly surpassed Gundam SEED.
"By the way," Lin Zhiyan suddenly remembered something, "have we submitted the first episode of Lelouch Season 2 to the TV station?"
"Mm-hmm," Nanase Mayumi nodded. "It's already been submitted."
"That's good. Then all we need to do now is wait for the second season to air."
"Right."
Without any delays, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Season 2 aired according to the original schedule, premiering on January 4th, 2003, at 11 PM.
In December 2002, L.S. Production had already begun promoting the second season, releasing trailers, opening themes, and ending themes one after another. With only half a year since the end of the first season, and fueled by the heated debates with Gundam SEED fans, the anticipation for the new season had already reached fever pitch during the month leading up to its release.
Everyone was eagerly anticipating it.
Then, after the New Year, while students were still on winter break and hadn't returned to school, and many office workers hadn't yet returned to their jobs, Code Geass Season 2 debuted.
"The Black Knights, who once shook Britannia alongside Zero, are now reduced to a few of us. Yet, despair is not yet inevitable, as long as Operation Swallowtail IV succeeds."
"Yes."
"My apologies, everyone."
The title of the first episode is "The Day the Demon God Awakens." A brief segment before the opening sequence provides some context for the outcome of the Great Tokyo Battle at the end of the first season.
Without a doubt, the Black Knights suffered defeat, leaving only a handful of scattered survivors. However, C.C. remains alive and still within the Black Knights.
The remaining members of the Black Knights plan Operation Swallowtail IV, though the specifics of this operation are not revealed in the opening sequence.
After the surviving Black Knights drink their farewell wine and smash their cups together, the scene shifts to the male lead, Lelouch.
He is alive, back at school, and continuing his role as the Student Council's vice-president.
What puzzled countless viewers was that Lelouch seemed to have lost all his memories of Zero. He showed no awareness of his former identity as Zero, instead acting carefree and nonchalant, much like he did in the first half of the first episode of the first season.
Additionally, a new teacher had appeared at the school: Villetta.
This Villetta was the woman whose Knightmare Frame Lelouch had stolen using the King's Power in the second episode of the first season. Later in the first season, she told Shirley that Lelouch might be connected to Zero. When Shirley realized Lelouch was Zero, she shot Villetta, who was also the one who was hit.
Initially, Shirley believed she had killed Villetta, which weighed heavily on her conscience. However, Villetta hadn't actually died; she had only lost her memories. She was found by Ougi, an important member of the Black Knights, who took her home and lived with her.
By the end of the first season, Villetta regained her memories, severed ties with Ougi, nearly killed him, and then returned to the Britannia side.
Now, as if nothing had ever happened, as if she knew nothing, Villetta, Lelouch's teacher, seemed completely out of place.
Even more puzzling was Nunnally's complete disappearance from school life. Her entire existence had been erased; even Lelouch no longer remembered her. In her place was a boy named Rolo, Lelouch's younger brother.
As Lelouch's physical education teacher, Villetta ordered him to attend tutoring. Lelouch skipped it, having Rolo drive him away from school on a motorcycle to a gambling den.
During the ride, Lelouch pondered:
"It's been nearly a year since Zero's rebellion, the Black Rebellion. Area 11 has settled down completely. At the time, there were all sorts of rumors, and my brother and I even considered returning to Britannia..."
"Area 11 lost because we lacked strength. If we'd just obeyed, we wouldn't have been demoted to a compulsory education zone."
"Zero... How foolish. No matter what you do, you can't change the world."
This brief passage, spanning only a few minutes, is packed with suspense and information.
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