The Psychological Masterpieces of 2006 

With classical hits like Black Lagoon, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club, etc. all releasing in the year 2006, we can’t really deny the fact that this year was pretty important for anime. Today, we’ll be talking about and comparing two of the most popular anime series of this year that are still hailed as must-watch psychological gems in 2022. Of course, I am talking about Death Note and Code Geass. 

While we are going to be comparing them today, let me just put this out there that I equally love both of these series! Both Code Geass and Death Note have won multiple awards, and you can’t really call yourself an anime fan if you haven’t checked them out. 

Death Note 

Death Note is actually more popular compared to Code Geass, and it is responsible for turning many normal people into die-hard anime enthusiasts. The plot of this anime series follows the story of a boy named Light Yagami, who one day finds a mysterious notebook called “Death Note.” Light soon discovers that any person whose name gets written inside this notebook dies a few seconds later. 

Seeing how rotten the world around him is, Light decides to use the power of the Death Note to kill every single criminal in the entire world. However, his decision to pass judgement on the wicked is not seen as just by the Japanese police and a genius detective known as L. 

While the plot of Death Note sounds pretty straightforward, the series is anything but. Throughout the 37-episodes, the viewers are always left with their eyes glued to the screen as the anime throws many complex and jaw-dropping plot twists at us. 

Characters, Art & Animation: 

Death Note introduces us to two of the most popular anime characters of all time, Light and L. There is not a single dull moment when either one of these geniuses is on your screen! The entire series can be described as a very interesting battle of wits between these two intellectuals that don’t agree with each other’s philosophies. 

The art and animation quality of Death Note is surprisingly super good. Produced by studio Madhouse, this anime has seriously stood the test of time and doesn’t look dated at all. Surprisingly, this anime from 2006, incorporates many of the animation techniques that are seen in shows released today. 

Death Note is the perfect anime for new anime fans as the story gets presented in a very realistic manner. This thriller gets you invested as soon as you tune in to watch episode one! Being one of the most exciting psychological stories ever written, Death Note definitely deserves its place in our hearts as a classic. Sadly, despite the popularity, we never received a sequel or a reboot. 

Code Geass 

 

While not quite as popular as Death Note, Code Geass is still one of the most popular anime series of all time with millions of fans around the globe. The story of Code Geass takes place in an alternate universe in which Britannia has taken over all of Japan and renamed it Area 11. 

Our protagonist in this story is a boy named Lelouch Lamperouge, a genius Britannian student that accidentally gets caught up in a crossfire between the Japanese terrorists and Britannian forces. Lelouch ends up getting in contact with a strange green-haired girl called C.C. She grants him the power of Geass. This power lets Lelouch command any person to do anything at all! 

The truth is, Lelouch is actually the son of the emperor of Britannia, and his real name is Lelouch Vi Britannia. Lelouch’s ultimate goal is to see Britannia in ruins and take revenge for his mother and sister. He also concocts a third identity for himself as the Masked Knight Zero in order to control the Japanese people. 

As you might’ve guessed already after reading this simplified summary of the series, Code Geass is a pretty complex anime. The show focuses on a lot of different characters as they work towards achieving their own goals. 

Characters, Art & Animation: 

The protagonist of Code Geass, Lelouch Vi Brittania, is actually the most beloved anime character of all time according to MyAnimeList. Lelouch also happens to be my personal favorite character! There are many other memorable and well-written characters in the series as well that you just can’t help but fall in love with. 

While the animation quality of Code Geass isn’t really bad, its art-style is something that can seem a bit odd at first. 

Overall, Code Geass is a wonderful psychological story that is definitely more complex compared to Death Note. Because of its complex premise, slow pacing and unique art-style, Code Geass is not an anime that I’d recommend to newbies in the anime community. However, it is a masterpiece that every psychology fan needs to check out.