Code Geass: Renya Of Darkness is a manga Prequel to Code Geass.
Set in Edo-period Japan, the story follows a young man named Renya, whose life as a one-armed ninja-in-training is changed when his hidden village home is attacked. Meeting a certain green-haired witch, he accepts an offer of power to save his friends, but somehow gets a cursed metal arm instead. Also in play are mysterious creatures called ‘Knightmares’, a hidden princess, and a Britannian officer with a bizarre similarity to a future 11th Prince.
The manga ran from 2010 to 2013.
Tropes:
- Arc Villain: The assorted corrupt nobles, treacherous knights, and Knightmares serve as such throughout the main characters' journey.
- Big Bad Ensemble: The ultimate conflict is being driven by two Britannian noblemen: Dash and Lorenzo il Soresi. While Dash seeks Renya's pendants for mysterious means, Soresi wishes to possess it to have a hold over Dash and both come into conflict with the heroes from the start of the story until the last few chapters.
- Catchphrase: The Knightmare Water Boy keeps describing things as 'wonderful' (unless they aren't).
- Didn't See That Coming: Even C.C. is surprised when the contract with Renya goes awry.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After many trials and sorrows, Claire is successfully made Empress and ends the Civil War, with Renya and company becoming knights in her service, finally able to make a home for themselves.
- MacGuffin: The strange stone that Claire gives to Renya. It's one of a pair, meant to mark Claire as royalty. Both also serve as a power source for Dash's machine in the climax.
- Starter Villain: Isshin Sumeragi, the leader of the men who attacked the village. Also Mesh the Mish, the first Knightmare the main characters fight against.
- Small Role, Big Impact: The Immortal U.U. only appears briefly in Dash's flashbacks an might not even be alive in the present day, but it is because of him (first giving Dash a Geass, then something going awry when Dash takes his Code) that Dash exists as a threat, or has any motive to go after the cast.
- Succession Crisis: Britannia is in the middle of one (mixed with a Civil War) for most of the story, following the death of the current Emperor and his eldest child. Claire is the rightful heir (and the only one actually capable of being a leader), but some nobles have their own plans in place.
- Together in Death:
- The ultimate fate of Esteban and Talia.
- And Dash and Haltia.
- Villainous Breakdown: Victoria experiences one near the end after Lorenzo is effected by Shiori's Geass. She tries attacking everyone, calling all the Geass users and Knightmares 'aliens' and insisting that only real humans should decide Britannia's future.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Dash's ultimate goal turns out to be reviving his adopted sister Haltia after accidentally rendering her comatose with his out of control Geass.
