‘Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture’ Finally Declassifies First Trailer, Reveals Name Changed From ‘Z Of Recapture’ Due To Russia-Ukraine War
After three years of radio silence, Sunrise has finally declassified new information regarding their previously announced 10-Year Plan for the popular mecha series by unveiling the first trailer and release date for its upcoming four-part film, Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture.
Originally cleared for takeoff on December 2020 under the designation Code Geass: Z of the Recapture, Sunrise’s first trailer for the film made its debut on December 18th during a production presentation held as part of a special birthday celebration for series protagonist Lelouch Lamperouge.
Set in the same alternate universe as the previous compilation films Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion and Code Geass Lelouch of the Re;surrection, this direct sequel to the two films introduces audiences to two new protagonists in the form of “Nanashi Mercenary” Rozé (CV: Kouhei Amasaki – Fohl in The Rising of the Shield Hero) and his older brother, the highly skilled Zi-Apollo Knightmare Frame pilot Ash (CV: Makoto Furukawa – Tabito Karasu in Blue Lock).
To this end, at the time of this article’s writing, Sunrise has yet to confirm whether or not any of the franchise’s past characters, including C.C., Suzaku Kururugi, Nunnally vi Britannia, or even the aforementioned protagonist Lelouch Lamperouge will play a role – or at the very least make an appearance – in Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture.
Produced by Sunrise Studio, this new cinematic tetralogy will be helmed by director Yoshimitsu Oohashi (Kokkoku and Witchblade) and feature Noboru Kimura (Kemono Jihen and Solo Leveling) on script duties and characters designs from the all-female manga artist group CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura and xxxHOLIC).
Finally, The first part of Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture four films launches in Japanese theaters in May 2024. International screenings have not been confirmed at the time of this writing.
Regarding the name change from Z of the Recapture to Rozé , Japanese publication Comic Natalie (translated via DeepL) reports that prior to the trailer’s premiere, Code Geass producer Kojiro Taniguchi explained that the change was made due to the controversial usage throughout the ongoing Russo-Ukranian War of the single letter used in the original title.
Despite it not existing in the Russian alphabet, the letter ‘Z’ has become, per news outlet The World a “symbol that is being used to glorify the Russian invasion of Ukraine” and which many political analysts have likened the symbol to a swastika.
Further, due to this apparent equivalence, several countries including the Ukraine and European Union members Lithuania and Latvia have completely banned its usage within their borders.
As first detailed by Taniguchi during Sakura Con 2019, Sunrise’s 10-Year Plan for the series involves producing a decades worth of content within the popular mecha universe.
The plan’s ‘first phase’, the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection film, kicked things off when it debuted in theaters in 2019.
This release was followed by the ‘second phase’, which came in the form of the smartphone game Code Geass: Genesic Re;Code smartphone game.
This brings us to Rozé of the Recapture, which will serve as the plan’s fourth official entry when its final chapter eventually hits theaters.
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