Critical reception to Suzaku has been mainly positive. Anime News Network's Bamboo Dong regarded Suzaku as a likable character, contrasting his role and personality with Lelouch's. Kevin Leathers from UK Anime Network agreed with Dong, as Suzaku "counter-balance" Lelouch's alterego due to how he does not wish violence. Moreover, IGN's D.F. Smith described Suzaku as Lelouch's "opposite number", and also gave praise to the friendship the two share. While reviewing an episode from the series, Ramsey Isler found comical and disappointing how was Suzaku forced to stay at school for extra hours having just finished a highly dangerous mission. His confrontation against Lelouch in the first season's finale was praised mainly because of Suzaku's mentality and his feelings regarding Zero's identity which he confesses he denied accepting such revelation. Kotaku found Suzaku as an interesting lead due to his irony of working for Britannia in order to change the Empire once taking over. While this causes to see himself as "monster" due to working for them, he maintains a good duality with Lelouch's methods which are seen similar too. As the series' second half goes across, Kotaku noted that Suzaku finds himself more tormented by his actions, mostly when he nukes Tokyo using military weapons forced by Lelouch's powers to survive to a fight. As a result, the site felt Suzaku sees himself as "irredeemable". His final actons in the series' finale were also the subject of praise due to how Suzaku and Lelouch decide to become "evil" in order to end the chaos and create a greater good.