OVA
Description
Gran Kirkwayne is a minor antagonist in the sequel series Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture. He serves the Neo Britannian Empire as the "Schwarz Pawn" (Black Pawn), a low-ranking member of the imperial knightly order known as the Einberg. He is the younger brother of Greede Kirkwayne, who holds the position of "White Pawn".
In terms of appearance, Gran is a young man of average height with a stern face. His most distinctive features are his bright red hair, which is styled in spiked tufts on top with longer locks at the front. He wears the standard white military uniform of the Neo Britannian Empire, which is adorned with gold accents, a high collar, and shoulder epaulets, marking his noble status. His specific uniform features dark green on his high collar and sleeve cuffs, distinguishing him from his brother.
Gran's personality is defined by extreme sadism, arrogance, and a virulent form of Britannian supremacism. From a young age, he developed a deep and violent hatred for the Japanese people, whom he derogatorily refers to as "Elevens" or "livestock". He takes genuine pleasure in oppressing, torturing, and executing civilians, treating acts of mass murder as entertainment rather than military duty. Despite this brutal facade, Gran is fundamentally a coward. He lacks genuine combat experience and courage, preferring to command from a safe distance while using his subordinates as shields. When faced with a competent enemy or real danger, his composure quickly crumbles into panic and irritation.
The background of Gran and his brother is tied to the old Britannian royal family. Their noble family originally came to Japan as part of the retinue of Princess Sherry me Britannia, the mother of Sakuya Sumeragi. Even in Hokkaido, which was a special zone where Japanese citizens had comparatively more rights, Gran and his brother indulged their cruelty, freely harassing and killing the local population. Four years before the main story, following the fall of the original Britannian Empire, a splinter faction known as Neo Britannia invaded Hokkaido. The Kirkwayne brothers betrayed their liege lady, Princess Sherry, and her family, aiding the invaders. They personally chased the young princess Sakuya and her friend and body double, Sakura, through the snow in their Knightmares, eventually capturing Sakura by mistake. For this act of betrayal, they were rewarded with positions within the new Neo Britannian hierarchy, though their low rank as "pawns" reflects that they are seen as useful but ultimately disposable tools by their superiors.
In the story, Gran and his brother serve as the first significant antagonists, functioning as starter villains to establish the cruelty of the Neo Britannian regime. They control the Kirkwayne territory in Hokkaido, where they use "anti-terrorism" as a pretense to continue their systematic slaughter of Japanese citizens. Their campaign of terror is personally significant to the resistance group the Seven Shining Stars; for example, Haruka Rutaka, one of its members, lost her entire family to the Kirkwaynes' brutality. Gran's key relationships are primarily with his brother, Greede, with whom he collaborates in ruling through fear, and with Sakuya Sumeragi, the princess he betrayed, who later orchestrates his downfall.
Notable abilities are limited. Gran is the commander of a Knightmare Frame unit and pilots a custom unit called the Levatein (or Levirtein), a machine equipped with two large swords. However, his actual skills as a pilot and commander are mediocre. He has never faced an enemy of equal or greater skill and relies entirely on overwhelming force and numerical superiority. In his final confrontation with the mercenary Ash Phoenix, Gran is easily disarmed and outmaneuvered. As his squad is destroyed, he panics and launches a desperate, uncoordinated attack. Ash counters by seizing Gran's own swords and using them to pierce the cockpit of the Levatein, resulting in Gran's death. His final moment is one of terror and helplessness, highlighting the hollowness of his sadistic posturing when faced with true consequence.
In terms of appearance, Gran is a young man of average height with a stern face. His most distinctive features are his bright red hair, which is styled in spiked tufts on top with longer locks at the front. He wears the standard white military uniform of the Neo Britannian Empire, which is adorned with gold accents, a high collar, and shoulder epaulets, marking his noble status. His specific uniform features dark green on his high collar and sleeve cuffs, distinguishing him from his brother.
Gran's personality is defined by extreme sadism, arrogance, and a virulent form of Britannian supremacism. From a young age, he developed a deep and violent hatred for the Japanese people, whom he derogatorily refers to as "Elevens" or "livestock". He takes genuine pleasure in oppressing, torturing, and executing civilians, treating acts of mass murder as entertainment rather than military duty. Despite this brutal facade, Gran is fundamentally a coward. He lacks genuine combat experience and courage, preferring to command from a safe distance while using his subordinates as shields. When faced with a competent enemy or real danger, his composure quickly crumbles into panic and irritation.
The background of Gran and his brother is tied to the old Britannian royal family. Their noble family originally came to Japan as part of the retinue of Princess Sherry me Britannia, the mother of Sakuya Sumeragi. Even in Hokkaido, which was a special zone where Japanese citizens had comparatively more rights, Gran and his brother indulged their cruelty, freely harassing and killing the local population. Four years before the main story, following the fall of the original Britannian Empire, a splinter faction known as Neo Britannia invaded Hokkaido. The Kirkwayne brothers betrayed their liege lady, Princess Sherry, and her family, aiding the invaders. They personally chased the young princess Sakuya and her friend and body double, Sakura, through the snow in their Knightmares, eventually capturing Sakura by mistake. For this act of betrayal, they were rewarded with positions within the new Neo Britannian hierarchy, though their low rank as "pawns" reflects that they are seen as useful but ultimately disposable tools by their superiors.
In the story, Gran and his brother serve as the first significant antagonists, functioning as starter villains to establish the cruelty of the Neo Britannian regime. They control the Kirkwayne territory in Hokkaido, where they use "anti-terrorism" as a pretense to continue their systematic slaughter of Japanese citizens. Their campaign of terror is personally significant to the resistance group the Seven Shining Stars; for example, Haruka Rutaka, one of its members, lost her entire family to the Kirkwaynes' brutality. Gran's key relationships are primarily with his brother, Greede, with whom he collaborates in ruling through fear, and with Sakuya Sumeragi, the princess he betrayed, who later orchestrates his downfall.
Notable abilities are limited. Gran is the commander of a Knightmare Frame unit and pilots a custom unit called the Levatein (or Levirtein), a machine equipped with two large swords. However, his actual skills as a pilot and commander are mediocre. He has never faced an enemy of equal or greater skill and relies entirely on overwhelming force and numerical superiority. In his final confrontation with the mercenary Ash Phoenix, Gran is easily disarmed and outmaneuvered. As his squad is destroyed, he panics and launches a desperate, uncoordinated attack. Ash counters by seizing Gran's own swords and using them to pierce the cockpit of the Levatein, resulting in Gran's death. His final moment is one of terror and helplessness, highlighting the hollowness of his sadistic posturing when faced with true consequence.
Cast