About “Code Geass” in a few words:

Code Geass is a popular Japanese anime series that takes place in an alternate universe where the Holy Britannian Empire has conquered Japan. The story follows the journey of Lelouch vi Britannia, a former prince who gains the power of Geass, allowing him to command anyone to do his bidding. With his newfound power, Lelouch seeks to overthrow the Empire and create a better world for his sister and those he cares about. Along the way, he meets a diverse cast of characters who aid him in his quest for revolution.

Meet the characters from Code Geass

Lelouch

Oh man, Lelouch is the ultimate schemer — brilliant, dramatic, and completely obsessed with control (like seriously, chess on steroids). He talks in these long, theatrical plans and then somehow makes them work, which is both terrifying and irresistible to watch. Deep down there’s this ridiculous soft spot for his little sister that makes him do things you’d never expect from someone so cold-hearted — also he claims he hates sweets but is definitely hoarding snacks in his coat. He’s the kind of leader who will deliver a monologue and then quietly fix a broken toy, which is both contrived and somehow perfect.

C.C.

C.C. is the immortal enigma who lounges through apocalypse-level drama like it’s a Tuesday — aloof, sardonic, and forever munching on pizza or rye bread or something ancient, who knows. She refuses to explain herself, which makes her about a hundred times more interesting; she’s both a mystery and the person who knows all your secrets. Occasionally she’s oddly childlike and then suddenly centuries-old-grim again, which is confusing but very C.C. — don’t trust her poker face. She’s the quiet engine behind a lot of the plot, eternally chill and secretly attached in ways she’ll never properly admit.

Suzaku

Suzaku is the idealistic, painfully earnest knight-in-training who believes rules can fix everything and keeps punching moral dilemmas until they behave. He’s unbelievably skilled and disciplined in battle but also embarrassingly soft with animals and tiny children — like, hardcore justice meets warm fuzzy socks. He wants to change the system from the inside and keeps tripping over how hard that actually is, which is somehow noble and frustrating at once. He’s the “I will do the right thing even if it kills me” type, and you can feel his brain doing somersaults when things get messy.

Kallen

Kallen is the firecracker rebel pilot who kills it in a Knightmare and then goes to class pretending she’s all prim and proper (glasses on, boss mode off — classic double life). She’s fierce, stubborn, and has this adorable soft spot that sneaks out at the worst possible times, like she’ll start a revolution and then cry over a cat. Also, she’s got that “I’d punch you for justice” energy but will also spend an hour fixing someone’s hair — total contradiction, love it. She’s the heart-and-fist of the resistance, loud, proud, messy, and impossible to ignore.

Rivalz

Rivalz is the lovable, slightly dopey best-friend archetype who lives for snacks, naps, and helping his pals not die — mostly incompetent but somehow indispensable. He’s so charmingly average that you actually want him cheering in the background, waving a flag, and getting in trouble for eating someone else’s lunch. He’ll bumble through big moments and then accidentally say the one thing that calms everyone down, which is pure accidental heroism. Basically comic relief with a backbone — loyal to a fault and totally underrated when it counts.

Lloyd

Lloyd is the brilliant, adorkable mad scientist type who treats mechs like babies and paperwork like sacred art — eccentric and utterly obsessed with engineering. He flits around making offhand remarks about beautiful designs and then drops a terrifyingly logical observation that makes you reevaluate everything, which is equal parts brilliant and disturbing. He’s outwardly polite and oddly theatrical (very fond of bowing or sipping something in a dramatic fashion), but don’t underestimate how ruthless he can be about progress. Think chaotic curiosity with a lab coat and a dangerously cheery smile.

Kaname

Kaname Ohgi is the scrappy, soulful leader of the underground resistance who manages chaos with coffee, grit, and a surprising amount of patience. He’s rough-around-the-edges, full of scars (literal and metaphorical), and more intuitive about people than he lets on — like a dad who’s also perpetually sleep-deprived. He can be soft and goofy one moment and terrifyingly pragmatic the next; he doesn’t want the spotlight but will absolutely throw himself into it if it protects his friends. Basically the group’s moral center with a slightly messy life and surprisingly good taste in bad jokes.

Milly

Milly Ashford is the glitter-bomb of a student council president who runs on chaos, parties, and a total lack of respect for authority (in the best way). She’s theatrical, gleefully manipulative, and treats the whole world like a stage — adorable and terrifying simultaneously. She’ll giggle through upheaval, throw a prom that doubles as a tactical maneuver, and then dotingly tuck a blanket around someone like she’s your weirdest aunt. Unpredictable, fun, a little cruel sometimes, and always unforgettable — bring confetti.

Cecile

Cécile is the calm, practical heart of the circle — patient, quietly competent, and somehow the person everyone confesses to at 3 a.m. She’s gentle but not weak; she gives the best level-headed advice and can turn a chaotic situation into a functioning plan with one soft suggestion. There’s this warm, maternal vibe about her, but also a surprisingly stubborn streak that shows up when people she cares about are threatened. She’s basically the friend you call when you’re panicking, and she answers like it’s her favorite hobby.

Villetta

Villetta is a complicated cocktail of ambition, jealousy, and hidden tenderness — starts icy and sharp, but under pressure she softens into this fiercely loyal, slightly unhinged protector. She swings between “I will obey the empire” and “I will personally stomp anyone who hurts my squad” — very dramatic mood swings, in the best soap-opera sense. Often intense in tea-and-soldier ways, sometimes unexpectedly domestic (like would bake to cope? maybe), and absolutely not someone you want to underestimate in a fight. She’s got mama-bear energy but also a flair for melodrama, which keeps things interesting.