is a fictional character in the anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion produced by Sunrise, Inc. In the original Japanese dubbing, he is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai and his younger self is voiced by Akeno Watanabe.
Character outline
Suzaku Kururugi, born on July 10, 2000, a.t.b., is the son of Japan's last prime minister, Genbu Kururugi. His existence was kept secret from the public until after the war. Suzaku met Lelouch vi Britannia and his sister Nunnally vi Britannia when they moved to the Kururugi residence as a diplomatic peace trade. Initially, Suzaku thought Lelouch was a selfish prince and despised him. However, as time passed, he came to know Lelouch better, and they soon became best friends. They were separated when Britannia invaded Japan but were reunited in the Shinjuku Ghetto.
When Britannia began its invasion of Japan, Suzaku was mortified by the violence and his father's belief that resisting to the bitter end was preferable to surrendering. Unable to change his father's mind, Suzaku murdered him during a heated exchange. The incident was covered up and Suzaku's life was spared, while the government was thrown into disarray and surrendered to Britannia. Lelouch believes that, had Genbu lived, Japan likely would have been torn apart by war once the other major powers decided to intervene. His guilt over the incident causes Suzaku to constantly place himself on the frontlines in the hope of atoning for his actions with his death. It also inspires his belief that the ends achieved with immoral means are meaningless since he created peace through murder. However, after firing the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead, under the command of Lelouch's Geass, he abandons this belief and decides to achieve his goals regardless of the means. This causes him to finally join Lelouch.
Character history
First season
Suzaku is introduced in the first episode of the series as an Honorary Britannian soldier. While searching the Shinjuku ghetto for poison gas stolen by resistance members, he finds Lelouch standing next to it. He refuses to carry out an order to kill Lelouch, and is shot by his superior officer for his insubordination. However, the bullet is stopped by a broken pocket watch belonging to his deceased father.
While recovering from his injuries at the command center, Suzaku is approached by Lloyd Asplund and offered a chance to pilot the experimental Knightmare Frame Lancelot. The Lancelot's advanced systems combined with his unprecedented piloting skills allow him to almost single-handedly dismantle Lelouch's plan to rout the massacre of Shinjuku ghetto, but he finds himself under arrest afterward for the murder of Prince Clovis; though Lelouch was in fact responsible for this, the military used him as a scapegoat since they had no suspect, citing his Japanese heritage as motive in spite of his Honorary Britannian status.
Lelouch rescues Suzaku from his impending execution by assuming the identity of Zero and takes credit for Clovis' murder, forcing the military to acquit Suzaku, but Suzaku refuses to join his cause. He agrees that the Britannian Empire is corrupt and not worth serving, but wants to change and improve the Empire from within, to show that his father's death was not in vain.
Suzaku remains the pilot of the Lancelot. He is reunited with Lelouch and Nunnally after enrolling into Ashford Academy at Euphemia's suggestion. He is promoted to Warrant Officer by Cornelia li Britannia when she first arrives in Japan, and is appointed Euphemia's personal Knight, gaining the rank of Major, after a televised battle with the Black Knights. This ruins Lelouch's plan to have Suzaku protect Nunnally when his role as Zero takes him away from Area 11. During the battle on Shikine Island, in which Suzaku is ordered to kill Zero, Lelouch is uses the power of Geass on Suzaku in order to escape destruction, and commands him to "live," forcing him to survive by any means from then on.
Suzaku falls in love with Euphemia, and is emotionally crushed by her death at Zero's hands. He is visited by V.V., who explains Zero's power of Geass, which drives him to find and kill Zero. He follows Lelouch to Kamine and confirms his identity, after trying to convince himself that Zero and Lelouch were not the same person. Lelouch offers Suzaku a truce in order to rescue Nunnally, but Suzaku insists that Lelouch's very existence should be ended. Lelouch draws his pistol and both men attempt to shoot one another, at which point the screen fades to black and the season ends with the sound of a single gunshot.