Interview de Taniguchi !

Reading Taniguchi’s interview in the recently published Code Geass Roman Album really depresses me. Taniguchi = Lelouch, indeed. Code Geass has been one long string of “NOT AS PLANNED D:”s for him and the production staff. Apparently the decision to give R2 the new Sun5 slot (Takeda Seiji’s idea, after rejecting the original Lelouch of the Rebellion?) was more of a curse than a blessing to Taniguchi, because his plan had been to continue where things left off in episode 25, which would have been possible had he been allowed to keep the same timeslot in October 2007. Producer Kawaguchi wasn’t exaggerating when he said in the early R2 promotion articles that the Code Geass team had to throw out all their existing plans for season 2 and start all over because of the new timeslot.

Might explain the decision to cut Suzaku’s relation to the Geass (which was supposed to have been something deeper than just “he has the potential”), Kallen’s father (and Naoto?), and Cecile’s relationship with Suzaku, among other things.

Also, Taniguchi was seriously considering leaving the anime industry as a form of apology to the fans when it turned out that production was way behind schedule and they had to use up two slots for recaps. Season 1 was supposed to have ended with episode 23, but fortunately there was enough fan support for the Sunrise execs to greenlight episodes 24+25. The episode 25 ending is the ending Taniguchi planned to show from the very beginning; according to him, he once thought of using it as the opening scene of Stage 1 (which would have made the whole of season 1 one huge flashback; I think that’s actually pretty cool)

Taniguchi planned the season 1 ending with the firm belief that he could jump right back into the story 6 months later and tell the story to the same audience, so when he was informed of the new timeslot, Taniguchi was completely crushed. He was asked to write a short message to his fans for the special screening pamphlet back then, and apparently all he wanted to write was a letter of apology, which wasn’t allowed. Neither was he allowed to explain the situation to the fans, which is understandable from a Sunrise exec point of view, but not quite fair towards Taniguchi, IMO. When his colleagues reported back from the special screening (which Taniguchi did not attend) and spoke of the audience’s “Ehhhhhhhhh!? D:” reaction to the ending, Taniguchi’s reply was: “You think I don’t know that!? Don’t make it sound like it’s something to be happy about, you moron!”. Seems like he was really unhappy about things then XD

Some of you might remember Taniguchi’s cameo in Bamboo Blade; apparently he talked about his unhappy situation with his friends Kurata Hideyuki (scriptwriter for GunxSword and Bamboo Blade; Taniguchi “killed” him in Stage 10) and Saitou Hisashi (director of Bamboo Blade, animation director for Infinite Ryvius and S.cry.ed). After that, “Taniguchi” appeared in Bamboo Blade announcing he will retire from the anime industry after his next project. Taniguchi remarks in the interview: “They totally read my mind, back then.”

It’s kind of sad that we’ll never see the original Code Geass story as Taniguchi envisioned it. And he doesn’t seem to have any confidence in himself as a director; to him, all his projects might very well be his last. I just hope things will work out better for him in the future. At the very least, studio execs (Suzaku?) should stop screwing with his plans ><

concernant kaguya:
[Interaction With Tianzi]
Tianzi, the leader of China, is actually a lonely girl. Also called "merely a figurehead" and isolated by the Kyoto 6 in the past, Kaguya understands Tianzi became Tianzi's first friend.
"It's not a political problem, it's a matter of love!" Kaguya supports the love between Tianzi and Xingke. Their will moves the world.

[interview]
Supporting the Black Knights as Zero's wife and leader of Japan, hidden under her pure smile, is her deep and passionate love for Japan.
Fukuyama: I think she's the only person who won't be shaken by the fact that Zero is Lelouch. She's like "as long as Japan can be taken back, him being a Britannian prince is also okay". She is the type that makes judgements based on the essence.
Ōkouchi: She is also a person tied down by her position. Therefore I think she can understand the reason why Lelouch has to live under all kinds of masks.
Fukuyama: She's the generous type of woman that can tolerate lies, right?

concernant rakshata:
Ōkouchi: Her stance is never blurred. She's a grown-up who can draw a clear line between what's important to her and what's not. (彼女はスタンスが、まったくブレていないひとで、自分にとって大事なものと必要でないものをしっかり線引 きできる大人なんです。) Therefore, knowing Zero's true identity doesn't change her stance. She's a person that can accept him.
Fukuyama: Even though the Black Knights are said to be "allies of justice", she makes mechs by her own way. A Knightmare with huge claws looks totally like an ally of evil. *laughs*
Ōkouchi: Rakshata started out as a researcher in medical cybernetics. Her goal is different from Lloyd, who is merely in love with mechs.
Fukuyama: Seems like she can handle Jeremiah's maintenance as well. *laughs

concernant kallen
Ōkouchi: Lelouch and Kallen's relationship changes after she knows Zero's identity.
Fukuyama: Well, honestly, to Lelouch, I don't think Kallen will become a love interest. *laughs* Kallen is the type that doesn't worry too much. She stands up and acts right away. When she needs an answer she asks away. I think she's a totally different type from Lelouch.
Ōkouchi: Well, Lelouch is the type that worries too much. *laughs* Kallen also has two roles, Stadtfeld of Britannia and Kozuki of Japan, which she played separately in an awkward way. While Lelouch is using lies to play the role of Zero and a student separately, she's not lying in either of them.
Fukuyama: Like what Kallen said in season 1, "this character setting is so wrong for me!" (in Stage 3) *laughs*

Concernant Rakshata et Kaguya, elles s'en foutent de l'identité de Zero...L'une a compris qu'un prince britannien pouvait tout changer...Comme quoi, les autres membres de l'OdcN, ils n'ont rien compris...

Concernant Kallen, désolé mais pas de LuluxKallen.