Code Geass Vs. Death Note

Code Geass and Death Note are two anime that are often compared with each other. So, i'm gonna take a look at them both together and see what series is the better of the two.

From left to right: Code Geass - Lelouch, C.C, Suzaku. Death Note - L., Light, Ryuk.

The main cast is also often compared. Death Note has Two Protagonists. The Anti-Hero main character, Light Yagami and the and the actual hero of the series, who is portrayed as an Antagonist, L. There is another major character named Ryuk, who is a Death God. He is the one responsible for giving Light his Death Note. Code Geass follows three characters, The Anti-Hero Protagonist of the series, Lelouch. His childhood best friend turned enemy, who is portrayed as an antagonist, Suzaku, and the girl who gave Lelouch his Geass, an "Immortal Witch" named C.C.

Let's take a look at the plot's now. We'll start with Death Note.

Death Note follows Light Yagami. A young adult who is ready to enter University, who hates the current world full of crime and corruption. One night however, A Death God, named Ryuk, drops his "Death Note". A notebook that will kill anyone who's name is written in it. He then uses this notebook to try and become a God and change the world, into a crime free world, under the alter ego of "Kira".

Code Geass follows Lelouch Lamprouge, a.k.a Lelouch Vi Britannia, an exiled Prince of Britannian decent who lives in the recently conquered (By Britannia) nation of Japan, now renamed area 11. The world is constantly at war thanks to Britannia. Lelouch wants to change the world into a more gentle place for his younger sister Nunnally, who is both blind and crippled, and is given a power from an "Immortal Witch" named C.C known as Geass. His Geass allows him to make anyone obey any order he gives once. With this along with something akin to that of a Terrorist organization he formed known as the "Black Knights" he sets out to crush the Britannian Empire.

The Kira Investigation Team (Minus L. And some other guy)

There's a bit more to each of the plots:  In Death Note there is L. A world renowned Super Detective, who takes up the "Kira" case, and along the path befriends Light.

A part of the Britannian Empire that is in Area 11, they are the one's who pursue Lelouch most of the series. (Including Suzaku)

Code Geass has Suzaku, a childhood friend of Lelouch, who just likes him wishes to change the way things are, but has instead become an Honorary Britannian (He was Japanese) and join the Military, to change the system from the inside and defeat Zero.

Typical Death Note fight scene (Note, they are in totally different places.)

They both have very similar plots, but both have very different ways of executing them. Death Note follows Detective's trying to catch Light in battles of wits, whilst in Code Geass we see the Military trying to take down Zero and the Black Knights, which is usually done in Mecha Battles. This however is usually all instructed by Lelouch's genius and strategy, making them much more interesting to watch then Light and L yelling at each other.

Typical Code Geass fight scene

The main characters themselves are what i want to look at next. As this is one thing that is ALWAYS compared. Lelough and Light may seem similar; But they are nothing alike. Lelouch isn't as self absorbed as Light by far, for starters. Light is using his Death Note to kill criminals because he thinks he is a God and that he alone should rule a world free of crime, whereas Lelouch fights to crush the Britannian Empire to change the world for his younger sister, who wishes for a gentler world. This itself tells us how very different these two characters are. Light thinks he is able to take down the world on his own, whereas Lelouch knows he must rely on the Black Knights to assist him. Whilst they both take on an alter ego, Kira, the cold blooded murderer and Zero the hero of the Elevens. In the end, Lelouch is a much more likable character then Light.

Left - Lelouch with his Geass. Right - Light with his Death Note

Left - L. (Death Note) the series Antagonist. Right - Suzaku (Code Geass) the series Deuteragonist

Left - C.C (Code Geass) the series Tritagonist. Right - Ryuk (Death Note) A Major character in the series in a similar role to C.C

Each series also has their own distinct style of music. People who are more into heavy metal music will enjoy Death Note's music more, anyone other then that will enjoy Code Geass' godly music more. Both of them have nice music, though.


So, here's my comparison for the series:
  
Plot: Code Geass
Music: Code Geass
Characters: Code Geass
Hype: Death Note

In the end, no matter how i compare the two of them Code Geass is a much better series. The only thing Death Note has that is better then Code Geass is killing off characters you'll have come to love. They are both decent series, but while Death Note may seem more popular, Code Geass is, in the end a better series.

Of course, this is all my opinion, but i am looking at things from a neutral standpoint for this comparison.