Kallen Kōzuki

Kallen Kōzuki (紅月カレン, Kōzuki Karen) is a main character of the Sunrise anime series, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. She is officially known as Kallen Stadtfeld (カレン・シュタットフェルト, Karen Shutattoferuto), and goes by this name at school, but prefers her mother's maiden surname during her revolutionary activities. Ami Koshimizu won "Best Actress in supporting role" for her role as Kallen at the first Seiyu Awards in 2007. Kallen was awarded 8th place in the 29th Anime Grand Prix, then 17th and 16th, respectively, in the following two.

Appearance
Kallen's most distinguishing feature is her bright red hair and blue eyes. In school she would have her hair combed down with her school uniform, but when fighting or in her own privacy, she would have her hair spiked up. When she is fighting in her Knightmare, she wears a magenta suit that zips up to her neck. Other times, she is seen wearing her Black Knights uniform.

Personality
Kallen has shown to have a rebellious personality as she is strong willed, short tempered, impulsive and quite feisty. Despite her tough attitude Kallen is actually quite sensitive and gentle, however after the death of her brother she doesn't show this side much anymore. Her brother's death has also affected her relationship with her father and mother, over time however she begins to renew her relationship with her mother and like her brother she becomes one of Kallen's reasons to liberate Japan; her relationship with her father, both before and after Britannia took over Japan, is never revealed, though she has referred to him as "dad" on one occasion, implying that their relationship is (or at least was) probably positive. While being both Japanese and Britannian, Kallen has the ability to live a normal life however she refuses to fully accept her Britannian side as it would mean abandoning her Japanese friends, people, and self; thus making her one of the few selfless character's in the series. On multiple occasions she has claimed that she hates Britannians, though that is clearly an exaggeration, as she has been seen caring about Britannian civilians on multiple occasions, a prime example being her visible concern for the Student Council during the Lake Kawaguchi incident.

Her relationship with Lelouch becomes one of the main focuses in her character development. While in the beginning Kallen dislikes Lelouch due to his arrogant attitude and possibly due to the fact that the Student Council thinks they're dating. As for his alter-ego Zero, Kallen hold a strong admiration to Zero due to his leadership and his beliefs in justice. After it is revealed to her that Lelouch and Zero are the same person she is left with the idea that he was using both the Japanese and her through Suzaku's words, in time however she learns that Lelouch's true intentions are noble and thus slowly develop feelings for him. Her loyalty towards Lelouch has been tested throughout the series as such when she was willing to die with him instead of living and betraying him, as well when she still retain her feelings for him even after he became an enemy of the world but oppose him because of the injustice he was causing and was shown how hesitant she was when she was trying to kill him. After finding out his plans, Kallen was the only other person besides Nunnally and Suzaku to shed tears for Lelouch and choosing to remember him not as the enemy of the world but as the man she loved.

Character Outline
Kallen is a young Britannian-Japanese woman, who believes herself to be a Japanese person at heart and prefers to be known by her Japanese mother's name. Her father is Britannian and her mother is an Eleven; her father comes from a prestigious Britannian family, which Kallen benefits from. She attends the Ashford Academy, where she is a member of its student council and is one of its most outstanding students. Her brother, Naoto Kōzuki (紅月ナオト, Kōzuki Naoto), with whom she had a deep connection, was a former leader of the resistance organization before his death.

Both Kallen's stepmother, a Britannian, and biological mother live with her in the same house, but her biological mother is employed as a maid and is often mistreated by both her stepmother and Kallen herself. After her biological mother is injured and later imprisoned for falling prey to the Refrain drug (which lets people think they're reliving the past), Kallen changes her views and decides to fight against the Britannian Empire not only for her brother, but to fulfill her new wish for a world in which she can live happily with her biological mother.

This aspect of her character contrasts the frail-girl image she uses as a public front. Kallen leads a double life as a normal Britannian student and as a member of a guerrilla resistance group against Britannia, which is later reformed into the Order of the Black Knights by Lelouch Lamperouge. In episode 3 it is revealed that she skips school regularly as a result of participating in terrorist activities and with an excuse of poor health. When she is in school, Kallen portrays herself as a weak-bodied high school student who obeys all of the formalities. However, her personality changes in to a very strong-willed and forceful one when she acts as a resistance fighter. When she feels under suspicion she often readies the knife that she conceals in a small pink pouch, showing what she will do to keep her identity secret.

As a running gag, Kallen ends up naked or immodestly dressed in front of other people on numerous occasions. Lelouch sees her naked after she pulls back a shower curtain in surprise in the third episode, Suzaku sees her bathing under a waterfall when they are stranded on Kaminejima Island, she is forced to dress as a Playboy Bunny at the start of the second season, and she walks in on a meeting between C.C. and the Chinese ambassadors wearing only a towel when attempting to complain about the previous situation to C.C. Another possible running gag is her relationship with Lelouch as they are set up in scenes where they almost kiss.

In an interview reported by the anime magazine Newtype USA, seiyu Ami Koshimizu talked about the difficulty of voicing Kallen because of the double life that her character led. Certain aspects of Kallen's character such as her girlish naivete and competitiveness made it easy for the voice actress to relate, even to the point of admitting that in some ways they act very much the same.

First Season
Kallen appears early in the first episode, driving a truck with C.C.'s capsule, and attempts to fight off Jeremiah's Purist Faction using a Glasgow. After Lelouch gains possession of his Geass from C.C., he takes possession of an enemy Sutherland and helps Kallen to escape the other Knightmare Frames chasing her. He further directs the remaining resistance forces, granting them a decisive advantage until Suzaku Kururugi uses his Lancelot to disable their knightmares. She sacrifices her own knightmare in return for helping her earlier against Jeremiah to allow Lelouch to escape, despite not knowing who he really is. She is able to escape after ejecting, meeting up with Ohgi and the rest of the resistance. However, the Britannian Military found where they were hiding. When the commander was just about to issue the order to fire, the Viceroy, Clovis la Britannia orders a ceasefire saving Kallen and the others.

After this incident, Kallen returns back to school for the time being. She returns back to class with a fake persona of a frail girl. After Lelouch discovers that Kallen, one of the terrorists he helped in Shinjuku Ghetto, attends the same school, he attempts to confirm his suspicions. Lelouch's unfamiliarity with his Geass however, causes him to reveal knowledge of the Shinjiku incident to Kallen, leading her to suspect him of being their unknown benefactor. As they both plan on exposing the other's suspicions, the Student Council throws a party for Kallen. During their explanation as to why, allows Rivalz to propose a toast. Shirley stating that they are too young for it, causes Rivalz to throw the bottle to Lelouch. With Lelouch having the bottle, Shirley attempts to retrieve it from him. However, the cork pops open spraying all over Kallen. Then, Kallen takes a shower and uses this situation to her advantage in order to find out if Lelouch really is Zero. Lelouch creates a cunning deception to ease her suspicions of his identity by playing a recorded message of himself on the telephone with the help of a Geassed Sayoko, drawing her suspicions off him. When the death of Prince Clovis is announced in the media, it is Suzaku who is accused of the murder.

After receiving the message from Zero, both Kallen and Ohgi decide to help him save Suzaku Kururugi who was falsely accused of murdering Clovis. Both have their doubts as the operation is going, but Zero uses his own strategy and his Geass to turn the situation in his favor resulting in them to believe in Zero.

Arthur, a stray cat, is later chased throughout the school grounds by the entire student body after wandering into the Lamperouge residence and escaping with Lelouch's Zero mask. Milly announced that the one who would catch the cat would get a kiss from any member of the Student Council. Suzaku and Lelouch were the ones that got the cat and got a kiss on the cheek from Nunnally. The Student Council adopts him and builds a cat house in the council room. Following this incident, Kallen along with the rest of the student body watches Prince Clovis' funeral on live. During the funeral, the Emperor of Britannia, makes a speech on the virtues of inequality and the social battle for evolution and betterment.

Following Lelouch's failed attempt at stopping the new viceroy of Area 11, Cornelia li Britannia, the Japan Liberation Front decide to act and in turn kidnapped Britannians in a hotel jacking. Unable to stand by, Zero decides that this event can be the starting point for a new organization. After saving the hostages, Zero uses the media in order to publicly announce the formation of the Black Knights with the core members present.

With the formation of the Black Knights and Zero's increasing number of victories over the Britannian forces, Kallen comes to greatly admire him. Later on, Kallen is seen back at her house and for the first time is shown her step-mother, Mrs. Stadtfeld and as well as Mrs. Kōzuki who has become a maid in order to stay with her daughter. During one of the Black Knights operations to stop the distribution of the drug, Refrain (Drug), Kallen notices her mother as one of the people using it. She attempts to save her using her Glasgow, but a corrupted member of the Britannian police force uses a Knightpolice in order to kill Kallen. Kallen then ensues in a battle with it and eventually defeats him. Afterwards, Kallen realizes the truth surrounding why her mother decided to stay with her all this time and promises her that she will take part in making a world where they can both live in.

After losing her Glasgow, Zero gives Kallen the newly-developed Guren Mk-II to replace it. As Zero decides to attack Cornelia in the Narita Mountains, all members of the Black Knights head to Narita. Kallen starts off the operation using the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger to start a landslide that will decimate the Britannian forces. Afterwards, Kallen effectively starts to destroy the remaining forces including most of the Purist Faction. She easily outmatched Jeremiah and dispatched Kewell with ease as well. She then moves on to her next checkpoint which is to trap Cornelia. She initially has the advantage and overwhelms Cornelia until Zero arrives to talk with Cornelia. As they prepare to capture her, Suzaku appears with the Lancelot in an attempt to save the Viceroy. Zero enraged that the Lancelot is again interfering with his plans orders Kallen to destroy. Kallen engages in a one on one fight with Suzaku having an advantage with the Guren. As they continue fighting, Suzaku is shocked at the power of the Guren, but is unwilling to give up. He fires a shot from his VARIS which in turn Kallen attempts to block with the Radiant Wave Surger. However, the ground beneath her gives away, causing her to fall and damage her knightmare. Because of this, Zero orders all Black Knights to retreat leaving the JLF to fend for themselves giving much discomfort to Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki.

Before the Black Knights begin their operation to rescue Tohdoh from his scheduled execution, Rakshata appears to meet Zero and give them the new knightmare models and suits. Kallen goes along with Zero to retrieve Tohdoh. After reuniting with the Four Holy Swords, Suzaku appears once again with the Lancelot in order to stop them from leaving. During their fight, reinforcements appear causing Tohdoh to issue the command to release the chaffsmoke which Kallen does so and retreats. Now that the Black Knights are growing, Zero announces the chain of command and gives Kallen the position of being captain of the Zero Squad which is Zero's personal force. Hearing that Suzaku is appointed Euphemia's knight, the Black Knights decide on what his fate shall be because of his rising popularity with the Elevens. Diethard decides to take his own course and hints to Kallen to assassinate Suzaku in order to please Zero. She attempts to assassinate him during his party, but is interrupted by Lelouch.

Afterwards, she is seen during the battle at Shikine Island in order to capture Suzaku. The plan goes wrong when Schneizel appears with the Avalon and fires at Zero and Suzaku with the Hadron Cannon. Later, Kallen appears to be alive and is found by Suzaku who arrests her for being a member of the Black Knights. The following day, Kallen and Suzaku run into Zero and Euphemia. The floor below them collapses giving Zero and Kallen a chance to escape with the Gawain.

At the end of the first season, Kallen reveals her identity to the students of Ashford Academy when the Black Knights occupy it as their base of operations, convincing the student council that they will not be harmed. When Lelouch abandons the battle to rescue his sister, Kallen follows him. She witnesses his confrontation with Suzaku and learns about his true identity, the massacre of SAZ, and his Geass power. She flees in shock rather than help Lelouch deal with Suzaku.

Second Season
One year later, Kallen is still part of the Black Knights. Along with C.C., she is one of the first members to know Zero's identity and secret power, having been brought up to speed by C.C. in the interim.

During the operation to kidnap Nunnally vi Britannia as she is being transported to Area 11, Kallen receives an upgrade for the Guren Mk-II, giving it flight capabilities and an upgraded radiation arm. With it she is able to destroy Gilbert G.P. Guilford's Vincent and the remaining two Glaston Knights flanking him, then incapacitate Gino and Anya's Knightmare Frames with a wide-range burst. Her battle with Suzaku is cut short when the airship carrying Nunnally crashes into the sea.

After this incident, Lelouch becomes depressed over Nunnally's involvement, since he can't bring himself to go against her wishes. When he nearly resorts to taking Refrain, Kallen steps in and talks him out of it. Still somewhat depressed, he tries to kiss her, but despite her feelings for him she backs out at the last moment and slaps him, insisting that he bears the responsibility for realizing the dream he gave the Japanese people. After Lelouch regains his composure and tricks the Britannians into exiling the Black Knights, she asks him why he came back. Instead of answering, he asks her to come back to Ashford Academy with him once their mission is finished, but is interrupted by C.C. before he can explain why. The two grew closer afterwards.

During the Black Knights attempted kidnapping of Empress Tianzi, Kallen is captured by Li Xingke in his Shenhu, having taken her Guren into battle, with Tamaki failing to do maintenance also failing to replace its energy filler. Lelouch visibly stunned, swears that he'll rescue her, though Diethard Reid suggests abandoning her as a casualty of war. Touched by Lelouch's words, Kallen calmly waits for him. After the High Eunuchs turn to Schneizel el Britannia for military support, she is turned over to Suzaku along with the Guren. She is sent back to a prison in Area 11, and subsequently transferred into a more comfortable solitary cell by Nunnally. She is even given a dress to wear. Suzaku approaches her after Shirley's death, intending to use the drug Refrain to find out if Lelouch has become Zero once again, but cannot bring himself to do it because he refuses to stoop to Lelouch's level. In retaliation, she beats him severely during their next meeting when Suzaku tries to apologize.

During the second battle of Tokyo, Kallen is rescued from captivity and returned to the Guren (complete with a pilot suit brought by Sayoko). Using the new Guren, she decimates the Britannian forces. Luciano and the Valkyrie Squadron are killed, as are an untold number of support units. She then fights Suzaku, easily breaking through his defenses and bringing him to the brink of death. In doing so, however, she activates his Geass command, forcing him to survive by firing the F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb. She dodges it and the bomb hits the government building, destroying a fair portion of the Tokyo Settlement.

After Kallen returns to the Black Knights and Zero's identity is revealed, she tries to defend him. When the others won't listen, she asks what she means to him, expressing a willingness to die then and there as long as it's with him. Lelouch, thinking that he had lost everyone he held dear to him refused to have her die with him and lies and calls her a tool, but then whispers that she should live on without him within earshot. She unsuccessfully tries to get the Black Knights to wait after their first attempt to kill Zero fails thanks to Rolo, and is left standing on the hanger floor when Rolo uses his Geass to escape with Lelouch. After Lelouch's escape, Kallen tries to protest how Ohgi and the others have discarded Zero so readily despite all that he has done for them, but they refuse to listen, still angered at the idea that they were merely being used as pawns. As the Black Knights move to assist with stopping the rebellion within the Emperor's forces, Kallen thinks to herself that Lelouch needs to live, as she cannot move on before getting an answer to her question. When Lelouch is crowned Emperor, Kallen and the rest of the Black Knights are visibly stunned.

Following Lelouch's declaration that Britannia will join the UFN, Kallen escorts him to the meeting, giving orders to the Black Knights beforehand to gun her down if she appears to be under the influence of Geass. Lelouch gets her to take the long route, giving them the chance to speak in private. Kallen recounts their history, then asks Lelouch what he intends to gain by becoming Emperor, as well as what she means to him. Lelouch remains silent, so she kisses him to show her feelings. When he doesn't react, she bids him farewell. Lelouch does the same once she can no longer hear him. When Lelouch takes the UFN leaders hostage, Kallen feeling betrayed and hurt, insists that she'll take Lelouch down personally, as she possesses the only Knightmare capable of fighting Suzaku's Lancelot Albion. However, Li Xingke orders her not to fight, fearing for the safety of the hostages.

After the Black Knights side with Schneizel, Kallen is stationed in the front lines. She breaks away from the main line to try and reach Lelouch, but is called back. When Lelouch detonates the Mt. Fuji sakuradite mines, Kallen and Tamaki shield the crippled Ikaruga from being destroyed by its crash landing. Kallen breaks into the Avalon and attempts to kill Lelouch, with tears in her eyes as she does so, but is stopped by C.C. Kallen easily defeats C.C. and, with the help of Gino, proceeds to the Damocles for a final confrontation with Suzaku.

After a fierce battle, Kallen manages to land a decisive blow on the Lancelot before losing consciousness. Gino rescues her while the Lancelot explodes. After the battle, she is taken along with many others who rebelled against Lelouch to execution, and then witnesses Lelouch's death by Suzaku disguised as Zero. Understanding Lelouch's plan, she screams helplessly as Lelouch was stabbed. However, she still stated that Suzaku was "Zero."

Two months after Lelouch's supposed death, Kallen has forgiven him since she understood his plan completely. She narrates about the changed world thanks to him. She is living with her mother at a Japanese town who appears to have recovered from refrain addiction. Kallen still attends Ashford Academy since Lelouch wanted her to return there, but has thrown away her frail cover, signified by her going to school with her true hairstyle and the Guren's key around her neck. She keeps a photo of Lelouch in the center of her picture wall in her room, smiling at it before hurrying to school.

Kallen's character poem "Yuukyou Seishunka" that came with the Code Geass Complete Best CD reveals she had fallen in love with Lelouch through her devotion to him and that if he had told her that he loves her, even if it was a lie, during their scene together at turn 22 where she asked him what she meant to him and why he told her to live on previously, she would have "followed him to hell". Knowing that she would do precisely that was the reason Lelouch remained silent, as he wanted Kallen to live on. She then declares that it wasn't just because of that she fell in love with him.

Her feelings were also hinted in Code Geass R2 Miraculous Birthday where the Student Council members experience Lelouch where she tried to make Lelouch praise her. At the ending, she cried, "Idiot, now I can't forget you even when I want to!"

Abilities
Kallen is a skilled Knightmare Frame pilot, rivaling the abilities of even the Knights of Rounds. She is acknowledged as the ace pilot of the Black Knights by enemies and allies alike. Her codename, "Q-1," references, in algebraic Chess notation, the Queen piece, the most powerful piece in chess. In Lelouch's assessment of the core members of the Black Knights, her "Combat Ability" score is 100 out of 100, matching that of Kyoshiro Tohdoh; she also has the highest Loyalty with a 100 of a 100. With the radiation arm of her Guren Mk-II, Kallen can take down almost any Knightmare Frame in a single attack should they allow her to make physical contact, and later models also have numerous secondary attack modes for mid- and long-range combat. Her Knightmare Frame is also incredibly fast, allowing her to fight on the same level as some of the most advanced Knightmare Frames in the series. It should also be noted that she was able to fight Suzaku on the same level even with his "live on" command activated. Outside of a Knightmare, Kallen displays superior fighting abilities, is highly resourceful, and she is apparently knowledgeable since her grades in school are top of the class despite frequent absences.

Lost Colors
In the video game spin-off, Kallen is one of the potential love interests. She asks to meet Rai in a hot spring. The rest of the student council comes in while they are talking, resulting in Kallen trying to explain the misunderstanding. Kallen eventually walks out.

In the Black Knights path, if Rai stops Princess Euphemia from following through with Lelouch's accidental Geass command (an alternate version to episode 22-23), Kallen shows a great deal of gratitude toward Rai for saving the Japanese. Afterwards Rai and Kallen continue to be faithful members of the Black Knights. It is even hinted that she likes Rai.

Code Geass: The Manga
The manga differs from the real series focusing on the Black Knights activities, in the manga Kallen is not present during C.C's appearance. Lelouch's first meeting with her is also different as she bumps into him at school.

Kallen protests at the school rather than at the settlement. She is also apparently Zero's only soldier as only she helps him, such as when they rescue Suzaku. She shares the same relationship with Lelouch in the anime with her admiration for Zero and dislike for Lelouch. It also hinted that she has a crush on Zero due to her extreme reaction when she thought Zero had come to save her. Also she was not with Ohgi and the other resistance members until the Black Knights are formed.

Nightmare of Nunnally
In the manga spin-off series, Kallen and the other Resistance members took advantage of the arrival of Nunnally's Mark Nemo Knightmare Frame to make their escape from Britannian forces pursuing them. When Kallen escapes from the rooftops after she was taken hostage with the other student council members in a hotel at Lake Kawaguchi, she witness the arrival of the Mark Nemo.

Suzaku of the Counterattack
In the manga spin-off, Kallen becomes a member of the Black Knights after Zero forms the organization, but has doubts about his methods after a Black Knight faction had gone renegade and orchestrated an attack, taking the lives of nearby civilians, including Lenard Lubie.

When Zero is planning to attack the Britannian Art Gallery with the goal of assasinating the Emperor who has arrived there, Kallen confronted him about whether it would be a trap and also commented that she would still follow him. Admiring her answer and loyalty, Lelouch placed a geass command on her that if anything would happened to him then she would lead the Black Knights. When the Black Knights took the Art Gallery hostage, she is confronted by Suzaku and was surprised that she's not only a member but a half Britannian-Japanese right after he left to stop Zero from killing the Emperor. After Lelouch was captured and accused for killing the Emperor, Kallen assumes leadership of the Black Knights as the new Zero and later leads the remaining Black Knight members to begin an assault on the Governer Building of Area 11, unaware that Lelouch is freed by Suzaku and are both planning to stop Schneizel.

Five years later, a 22 year old Kallen is seen walking on the street and still a member of the Black Knights and in contact, but while she was passing by, she suddenly saw someone who looks like a 17 year old Suzaku, which she thinks she's imagined it.