Code Lyoko Episode 1 Review

[AeonFrodo]

So pretty much, I've been writing reviews for Code Lyoko episodes. I'd like to see what others think of it, as well as some general opinion/discussion about the episode in regards to the review. So I hope you guys enjoy it.

Code Lyoko Season 1 Episode 1: Teddygozilla

In today’s episode, we get introduced to our heroes, see Sissi and Yumi half-naked and XANA possesses a teddy bear and makes it one hundred times bigger.

For the very first episode of Code Lyoko, it did have a lot of experimentation and a lot of information had to be given to the viewers to try to make sense of this show. The Lyoko Gang already know about XANA, and were actively fighting against him. And the other kids from Kadic Academy were living their normal school lives and doing extracurricular activities.

Anybody who didn’t know about this show, or were given no knowledge of what the show was about, would think these kids were just normal kids doing school related items such as prom and working for the school newspaper. The concept schoolchildren who happened to fight against a lethal supercomputer A.I. can’t be established as a respectable thing as yet.

The episode strangely introduces the secondary characters at first, a bold move by the writers of the show. It does get props for the show not being entirely about the main five characters of the show, however it does focus on developing them too much over the main characters, a big flaw in the episode. However, they’re not bad secondary characters. Milly and Tamiya clearly have ambitions to become a news reporter and cameralady respectively, and Sissi takes the role of self-absorbed brat extremely well. Herve and Nicholas don’t get developed much and were just Sissi’s groupies. Funny they’re not girls though.

Speaking of the secondary characters, this episode is more about Milly than anybody else. But contrary to other episodes, she was spiraling down into sadness anyway. The stuff Sissi said was mean but it doesn’t mean all the older kids there are mean like her and her groupies. Even Tamiya was under the impression too and even thought Ulrich should’ve been nicer to Milly, even though he apologised and told her he was going to the prom with Yumi. Where’s their respect for Ulrich’s decision to say no?

Anyway, this leads into Milly sulking, which viewers would find later in the show that is a very Ulrich thing to do, in the garden shed. Apparently, she treats her stuffed teddy bear like a pet and talks to it, about older kids and how they talk down to her for being younger than them. It’s pretty normal for young kids to do that, but for an eleven year old?

The main characters of the show, Ulrich Stern, Yumi Ishiyama, Odd Della Robbia and Jeremie Belpois, they were not focused on a lot other than the action scenes and investigating what on Earth was going on. There was no explanation of how dangerous XANA was, what its’ powers were and how it could threaten their world. Not to mention that girl on Jeremie’s computer screen, Aelita, which the show didn’t answer why she was there in the first place, and why she was in danger from XANA. Either way, these kids were fighting against it for a good reason, so XANA was quite dangerous. Not sure why XANA thought possessing a teddy bear and enlarging it by one thousand would kill off the Lyoko Warriors, but sure, let’s just go with it.

Speaking of dangerous, when they were deciding about who goes to Lyoko after discovering the teddy bear, Jeremie was adamant that no one was to go by themselves excluding Aelita. However he ends up accepting Odd should just go and Ulrich to go and grab Yumi, effectively leaving Odd to go to Lyoko alone. So, is XANA really that dangerous?

The first impressions of Lyoko it seems like a barren world, especially because Odd heads to the Desert Sector first. However, there is Aelita there, who is a sign of life on Lyoko, as well as the monsters that appear later. The viewer gets shown that the warriors have powers, with Odd displaying his Future Flash power soon after the Krankrelats attack. It’s an interesting power, because it appears Odd can’t summon it himself, but it pops up randomly. So it isn’t overpowered either.

Anyway, the voice acting was quite funny for the episode too, in particular Jeremie’s and Odd’s. Jeremie sounded a lot like a girl, while Odd had a different voice actor than the other ninety five episodes in the show. Sharon Mann did state that she wanted to have Jeremie to have more of a French accent, but it didn’t sound French at all. Fortunately Jeremie’s voice does sound more masculine as the season goes on. Sissi also has a different voice actor for this episode, and she didn’t do a great job at empathizing the bratty child that she’s made out to be.

Finally, there’s a lot of… questionable scenes in it. For a show that’s targeted for seven year old children, it shows the possessed teddy bear spying/perving on Sissi only wearing her bra and underwear. While Yumi is shown almost naked and the viewer even sees her wrapping the second half of her towel over her body.

It’s a solid first episode, with a lot of development on the secondary characters. However, lack of focus on the main characters, sub-par voice acting and not a lot of explanation of Lyoko or why they are trying to save Aelita, it’s not exactly the perfect start for Code Lyoko.

Score: 5.5/10

Loose bits: At the very beginning, Tamiya is pointing the camera at Milly upside down. For a camerawoman, she seriously doesn’t seem good at her job, or it’s her first day on the job, but as the episode goes on, they did state they’ve done more ‘scoops’, so I’m leaning towards the former. That or she did some crazy handstand while pointing the camera at Milly.

After Milly runs off from Tamiya, Tamiya mumbles to herself that Ulrich could’ve been nicer to turn Milly down. Ulrich apologised to her, and even told her his reasons why he couldn’t go to the dance with her. How much nicer does she expect him to be?

If Sissi is really the diva she claims to be, why did she scratch her back? That’s a pretty unusual thing for a spoilt girl to do.

When they investigate Sissi’s messed up room, Odd quips in, “Not to mention the brain stimulator. She probably never figured out how to use it.” That could mean so many things, Della Robbia.

Also, when they are investigating Sissi’s room, they appear to be certain that it was a ‘short circuit’ that caused all the damage. Does that also explain why the wardrobe doors that have been cracked too?

When Ulrich investigates the school, there are giant teddy bear footprints near the gym, where Jim first saw it. Since the dance ends up being held in the gym and the bear does not return to the gym until the very end of the episode, why didn’t anybody notice them there during the day?

Odd shouts “impact!” when finally destroying the Megatank. That’s Ulrich’s line!

The XANA possessed teddy bear is on all fours when it enters the gym, as it’s going to hit its head on the ceiling. But when it goes for the killing blow on Ulrich, it stands up. Continuity issues?

Quotes: “I hope you’re proud of yourself.” – Yumi

“Oh, I hate them all! All of them! I hate every single one of them! I hate everyone in the world!” – Milly

Ulrich: If meanness is one of the qualities of a beauty queen she’ll get re-elected all right.
Jeremie: That’s true, but try to get Miss World to see that.
Odd: Hah ha! ‘Miss World’? ‘Miss in-her-own World’ more like it!

“If anybody is going out with Ulrich, it has to be me. I am the star, the diva of the school.” – Sissi

“Not to mention the brain stimulator. She probably never figured out how to use it.” – Odd

“You better watch out! I’m a black belt in Karate!” – Jim

Mr. Delmas: Now, are you sure this is your attacker?
(Jim nods his head)
Mr. Delmas: And you say he’s an expert in martial arts?
(Jim nods his head)
Mr. Delmas: I don’t think we need to contact the authorities.

“Gotta run now. It’s my moment of triumph.” – Sissi

“We are about to be attacked by a gigantic teddy bear!” – Ulrich

“Hah! I knew it! I saw it too! I saw the giant teddy bear!” – Jim

“A gigantic teddy bear, come on. Why not King Kong while you’re at it.” – Sissi

“Ready for a trip into the past Yumi?” – Ulrich

“When your brain gets another neuron or two, maybe I’ll go out with you too.” – Ulrich

“You better be recording this Tamiya.” – Milly

[Tsunamix]

After Milly runs off from Tamiya, Tamiya mumbles to herself that Ulrich
could’ve been nicer to turn Milly down. Ulrich apologised to her, and
even told her his reasons why he couldn’t go to the dance with her. How
much nicer does she expect him to be?

How about not thinking about himself and actually standing up for her by escorting her? If you think about it, it's a stupid excuse to begin with. 'No. I'm too old for you and I'm going with someone I have an on-off relationship with.'

[AeonFrodo]

The problem is that Yumi did not tell him it was totally fine that he were to escort Milly instead of her before Sissi was acting like a brat to Milly. Ulrich isn't exactly a mind reader, so he pretty much had to stick with Yumi or else he may risk having problems with Yumi. But to really add salt to the wound, Yumi tells him after all this had happened that he should go out with Milly and she didn't mind it. Would've been nice if Yumi whispered to him during the confrontation to help Ulrich make his decision.

It's a heat of the moment decision. Although, I do have to agree with you that the excuse he gave to Milly was pathetic. But it does annoy me that Tamiya seemed to expect him to nicer in a situation where they were dealing with a bratty Sissi.

[Atlas]

Excellent start. I had not noticed some of the things you had pointed out in the episode till now.

Of course the "I saw the giant teddy bear too!" line is one of my favorites in the series as well.

[Tsunamix]

The problem is that Yumi did not tell him it was totally fine that he were to escort Milly instead of her before Sissi was acting like a brat to Milly. Ulrich isn't exactly a mind reader, so he pretty much had to stick with Yumi or else he may risk having problems with Yumi. But to really add salt to the wound, Yumi tells him after all this had happened that he should go out with Milly and she didn't mind it. Would've been nice if Yumi whispered to him during the confrontation to help Ulrich make his decision.

It's a heat of the moment decision. Although, I do have to agree with you that the excuse he gave to Milly was pathetic. But it does annoy me that Tamiya seemed to expect him to nicer in a situation where they were dealing with a bratty Sissi.

He still could've gone with her. If someone's being picked on or victimized, you stick up for them despite the risks, it's called common sense. I guess I do kinda agree that Yumi should've made some kind of gesture to Ulrich right when Milly was asking him instead of telling him after. But still, Ulrich saw what was going on and he should've known the right thing to do without anyone telling him.

[Stella Luce 333]

Anyway, this leads into Milly sulking, which viewers would find later in the show that is very Ulrich thing to do, in the garden shed.

lol...I think this might be one of my favorite sentences of all time…

[Guest]

Anyway, this leads into Milly sulking, which viewers would find later in the show that is very Ulrich thing to do, in the garden shed.

lol...I think this might be one of my favorite sentences of all time…

Same, but it's soooo true. It's why I like William over Ulrich. William's the bigger man.

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