| Lelouch vi Britannia | |
|---|---|
| Code Geass character | |
 Lelouch wearing his Zero costume | |
| First appearance | "The Day a New Demon was Born" (2006) |
| Created by | |
| Voiced by | Japanese
English
|
Lelouch vi Britannia (Japanese: ルルーシュ・ヴィ・ブリタニア, Hepburn: Rurūshu vi Buritania), whose alias is Lelouch Lamperouge (ルルーシュ・ランペルージ, Rurūshu Ranperūji), is the main protagonist of the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. In the series, Lelouch is a former prince from the superpower Britannia who is given the power of the "Geass" by a witch known as C.C. Using the Geass and his genius-level intellect, Lelouch becomes the leader of the resistance movement known as The Black Knights under his alter ego Zero (ゼロ) to destroy the Holy Britannian Empire, an imperial monarchy that has been conquering various countries under the control of his father.
Besides Code Geass, Lelouch has appeared in multiple related adaptations; in Nightmare of Nunnally, the protagonist has become a superpowered human combined with C.C.; in Akito the Exiled, he is a strategist brainwashed by his father as a supporting character; and in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection (2019), he is leading his forces in an alternate sequel to the original television series. He is also present in video games based on the series as well as crossovers such as Super Robot Wars, which depict alternate scenarios for his role in the Code Geass series while still piloting his mecha, the Shinkirō.
Inspired by the tokusatsu series Kamen Rider, director Gorō Taniguchi created Lelouch with the idea of having an evil protagonist who would appeal to the audience. Lelouch was designed by a group of manga artists called Clamp, who aimed to create a stylish and visually appealing character. Taniguchi handled the character alongside writer Ichirō Ōkouchi. Ōkouchi and Taniguchi agreed on the film Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection as his final appearance in the franchise. He is voiced by Jun Fukuyama, and his younger self is voiced by Sayaka Ohara. In the English dub, he is voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch, and his younger self is voiced by Michelle Ruff.
Lelouch has been recognized as one of Japan's most popular characters during the time Code Geass aired, appearing at the top of several polls. Publications for anime and manga saw Lelouch as an interesting character, and his character arc brings major depth, especially when being compared with his rival and friend Suzaku Kururugi. His voice actors, Fukuyama and Bosch, have been praised for their work as Lelouch's voice.