Kallen Kōzuki

Kallen Stadtfeld (カレン・シュタットフェルト, Karen Shutattoferuto?) is a fictional and a major character of the Sunrise anime series, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Her birth name is Kallen Kōzuki (紅月カレン, Kōzuki Karen?). Ami Koshimizu won "Best Actress in supporting role" for her role as Kallen at the first Seiyu Awards in 2007. Kallen was also awarded 8th place in the 29th Anime Grand Prix.

Character outline Kallen is a Britannian-Eleven girl, who believes herself to be a Japanese person at heart and prefers to be known by her birth 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.[4]

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. 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.

As a running gag, Kallen ends up nude 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.

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.[5]

Character history

First season Kallen appears early in the first episode, driving a truck with C.C.'s capsule. 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 mechs. She sacrifices her mech to allow Lelouch to escape, despite not knowing who he really is.

After this incident, Lelouch's unfamiliarity with his Geass causes him to reveal knowledge of the Shinjuku incident to Karen, leading her to suspect him of being their unknown benefactor. Lelouch tricks her by playing a recorded message of himself on the telephone, drawing her suspicions off him by pretending to be the mysterious Zero. With the formation of the Black Knights and Zero's increasing number of victories over the Britannian forces, Kallen comes to greatly admire him, evident in her ecstatic reaction to her appointment as head of his personal guard. She even tries to assassinate Suzaku Kururugi after learning that he is the pilot of the Lancelot, believing it would benefit Zero's goal. The trust seems to be mutual, as Lelouch offers to reveal his identity to her when he notices her curiosity, though she declines.

Kallen in her Guren Type-02.After losing her Glasgow in a battle with the police, Zero gives Kallen the newly-developed Guren Type-02 to replace it. With its powerful radiation-emitting arm and speed matching that of Suzaku's Lancelot, Kallen becomes one of the Black Knights' most talented pilots, often facing off against Suzaku and usually proving an even match for him.

At the end of the first season, Kallen reveals her identity to the students of Ashford Acdemy 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 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 the only member who knows his identity and secret power. After C.C. awakens Lelouch's suppressed memories, Kallen confronts him, wanting to know if her faith in Zero is motivated by her own beliefs or a result of Lelouch's Geass manipulating her. Lelouch insists that her loyalty is her own decision. She seems to accept this, and still supports Zero, even though she prefers to see Lelouch and Zero as separate entities. She also desires to be in his inner circle as C.C. is, so that she won't be left in the dark about his plans; C.C. teases her about this occasionally.

During a battle with Britannian forces over the Pacific Ocean, Kallen receives an upgrade for the Guren Type-02, giving it flight capabilities and an upgraded radiation arm. With it she is able to destroy several Vincents, incapacitate Gino and Anya's Knightmare Frames, and even match Suzaku's upgraded Lancelot in single combat.

Abilities Kallen is a skilled Knightmare Frame pilot, rivaling the abilities of even the members of the Knight of Rounds. With the radiation arm of her Guren Type-02, Kallen can take down almost any Knightmare Frame in a single attack should they allow her to make physical contact. 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.