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Code Geass Watching Order: Where to Get Started

Written by Tamara Lazic June 15, 2024

Ever wanted to get into the Code Geass franchise but didn’t know where to start? It has been almost 20 years since Lelouch and C.C. first appeared on our screens and the series is still going strong with printed content, games, and even a new anime. Z of the Recapture debuted in Japanese theatres earlier this year; two of four acts are currently showing and the episodic version is coming to Disney+ in less than a week.

If the new anime piqued your interest but you feel intimated by the sheer amount of entries to the Code Geass and don’t know where to start then we have just the right thing for you. Below you will find a table with all the relevant entries to the anime side of things. Keep in mind Oz the Reflection, a manga that takes place roughly around the same time as Akihito the Exiled, exists but doesn’t have an anime (it has a short picture drama). DVD specials, including flash recaps and short picture dramas that do not add new content, were excluded.

Bolded parts refer to the main storyline that you should not miss and the colors indicate which entries are connected. Overall, the franchise isn’t too complex, it’s just a bit overwhelming.

Code Geass Watching Order

Year	Title	About	Notes
2006-2007	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion	The first season of the TV anime	Black Rebellion (Recap Movie); also has a 2-episode recap OVA
2008	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2	The second season of the TV anime	Zero Requiem (Recap Movie)
2010	Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday	OVA	DVD Special
2012	Code Geass: Nunnally in Wonderland	OVA	DVD Special
2012-2016	Code Geass: Akito the Exiled	A new story set between the two seasons of the TV anime	Collection of 5 one-hour episodes
2017	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion I – Initiation	A retelling of the original anime with new context and scenes	Movie
2018	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion II – Transgression	A retelling of the original anime with new context and scenes	Movie
2018	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion III – Glorification	A retelling of the original anime with new context and scenes	Movie
2019	Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection	Continuation of the Glorification movie, completely new content	Movie
2024	Code Geass: Z of the Recapture	A new story focusing on new characters, set after the original series	Theatrical and Episodic Versions

Additional note regarding the Initiation, Transgression, and Glorification movies: while they do seem like recaps, these movies change the way some key events played out in the original series and change the ending. They set up the stage for Re;surrection, which builds on the alternative ending and creates a new timeline.

Z of the Recapture and the Original Code Geass Series

How do we know that Code Geass: Z of the Recapture takes place after the original series? Nina Einstein, known to those who watched Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (mainly for the infamous table scene), also appears in the Z of the Recapture. According to the character introduction sheet, she is a scientist dispatched by Black Knights to try and stop the F.L.E.I.J.A. weapon she created.