It's a reimagining of the original Gundam novels that ran in newtype from 2000-2002. Not much information about it in english, although when Newtype USA was still around they were gonna translate it but only put up the preview and the special chapter 0 before pulling it and never giving an explanation as to why.
Is this for real? I mean Char doesn't even look anything like Char or anything from any Gundam universes. All the characters looks like they are completely different people with completely different personalities. I don't know what to make of it.
I am disturbed and possibly raging. However, a few of these designs are actually good and even improvements. Oh fuck it, I'll just do them all: Amuro - not boyish enough; looks like more of a cynic than a crybaby prodigy that can toughens with maturity. Frau - Still has that older sister feel and the glasses give her a better vibe of "responsible". Char - OH GOD MY EYES! CODE GEASS, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? Sayla - Needs a little breast reduction. One of the nice things about the old Gundam was everyone generally had sort of human build. Seems more properly elegant, though. Mirai - Seems to have graduated to a fivehead, but it's not a bad look for her. She should tie it up or have it shorter, though; this is the military. Lala - Oh, now this is nice. Copying CLAMP actually helped in this case. Those Damned Kids - I guess it works, though I feel like Bones has done this particular group before. Fuck Katz. Bright - Oh god, what the hell is this? He looks like an emo bitch and feels lacking in presence. And I'll note here that the new uniform chokes on donkey phallus. Sleggar - Damn, this military has a lax hair policy. He reminds me of a surfing frat boy. Fix it by porting the old head to the new body. Matilda - Oh, so they saw fit to turn her into a sort of whore-like character? She was a cocktease, but she was a cocktease on the clock. Business and duty, like. Kai - What? The gaunt, ratlike features were a great complement to his sniveling attitude. It made his eventual manning up more satisfying. Now he just looks like a cocksure beatnik. Hayato - Good! Still feels like a throwaway character, but at least he has a human head now. Maybe a touch too angry looking, though. Ryu - Okay, I can sort of see where they tried to go with this, but the grizzled veteran with a gravelly voice exists for a reason.
Note, though, that I haven't read the original novels, so I'm not certain if I've missed differences in characterisation or not.
Code Geass is fine on it's own, but I fucking despise these redesigns. The washed out colours, the emo and sexist portayals, fucking Char and Ryu... it's just terrible.