Code Geass: Akito the Exiled-Episode IV: From the Memories of Hatred (2015)

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General		Extras
Category	Anime	Trailer-Japanese PVs Trailer-Japanese Trailer Trailer-x 4 for other anime
Rating
Year Of Production	2015
Running Time	57:56 (Case: 60)
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Kazuki Akane
Studio Distributor	Madman Entertainment	Starring	Maaya Sakamoto Miyu Irino Satoshi Hino Yoshitsuga Matsuoka Yoko Hikasa Masaya Matsukage Jun Fukuyama
Case	Alpha-Transparent
RPI	?	Music	Ichiko Hashimoto

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English (Burned In)	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Code Geass: Akito the Exiled Episode IV: From the Memories of Hatred (Code Geass: Boukoku no Akito 4) is the fourth of five episodes that move the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion story to Europe where the nations of the United Republic of Europa are still holding out against Euro-Britannia. These are the links to the reviews of the first three episodes Episode I: The Wyvern Arrives , Episode II: The Torn-Up Wyvern and Episode III: The Brightness Falls.

     Leila (Maaya Sakamoto), the daughter of a Britannian noble who defected to Europa, from her castle fortress has ordered her special “Wyvern” Knightmare unit (W-0) comprising of the despised and expendable Japanese exiles Akito (Miyu Irino), Ryo (Satoshi Hino), Yukiya (Yoshitsuga Matsuoka) and Ayano (Yoko Hikasa) on a special mission deep over enemy territory which ends in a fiery explosion, after which the entire W-0 unit disappears. Meanwhile General Smilas (Unshou Ishizua) has asked Leila to help calm the Paris riots caused by the misinformation spread by the military advisor of the Euro-Britannian forces, Julius Kingsley ( Jun Fukuyama). But Leila is being betrayed, both by General Smilas and by someone within her own staff, and matters come to a head when a powerful Britannian force led by Shin Hyuga Shaing (Masaya Matsukage), leader of the Order of Michael and older brother of Akito, attack Leila’s headquarters in overwhelming numbers.

     From the Memories of Hatred is a strong and compelling episode which is beautiful to look at with its lovely vivid red, yellow and blue colours, as well as the greens of the forest and the grey and white of the snow. It begins immediately with a Knightmare action sequence which is frenetic, explosive, loud and colourful and then continues through betrayals, political machinations, double dealing and more battles, but it still takes the time to reveal more about Shin’s demons and his intentions, leading up to what I imagine will be a final confrontation with his brother in the final episode of the saga Episode V: To Beloved Ones which has been released by Madman and which I will review on this site shortly.

Video

     Code Geass: Akito the Exiled Episode IV: From the Memories of Hatred is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, the original ratio, and is 16x9 enhanced.

     This is a nice looking print. The pastel colours are quite beautiful with the greens and blues of the sky and water. The reds and yellows of gunfire and explosions are deep and vibrant, the sunflowers look stunning and the winter landscape of snow and trees are nicely grey and white. Blacks and shadow detail are good, brightness and contract consistent.

     Marks are absent and the print copes well with the fast action sequences although there is line shimmer during the end titles.

     It is anime so lip synchronisation is approximate but generally it is not too bad.

     The English subtitles are in a clear white font. They are easy to read and do not contain errors but are burnt in and cannot be removed for speakers of Japanese. In the subtitles the W-0 unit becomes wZERO.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is a Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 track at 448 Kbps.

     The dialogue is clear. The surrounds and rears are utilised for music, gunshots and impacts during the Knightmare fights, plus rocket and aircraft engines. The sub-woofer provided appropriate support to the crash and thump of the fighting machines, the engines and explosions.

     The score by Ichiko Hashimoto was effective, although I do continue to find the jazzy trumpet during the action scenes intrusive.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Japanese Trailer (1:17)

Japanese PVs (0:45)

     Three TV spots for the series and the Blu-ray / DVD release.

Trailers

     Trailers for Samurai Flamenco (1:40), Infinite Stratos (1:40), Gurren Lagann Pierce (2:12) and Blade Dance of the Elementalers (1:37).

    There is not at present a DVD version of Code Geass: Akito the Exiled Episode IV: From the Memories of Hatred listed in either Region 1 US or Region 2 UK. There are Region 2 Japanese and Region 2 Italian releases but neither is English friendly.

     Code Geass: Akito the Exiled Episode IV: From the Memories of Hatred is a powerful and complex episode of this Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion spin off which provides more background about Leila, Akito and Shin and nicely leads us into the final episode.

     The video and audio are good. Extras are minimal, but there is nothing English friendly available in other regions.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall