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larryhammerThis is a collective repost (from another forum) of notes made while watching Revolutionary Girl Utena. I'm disappointed I didn't keep up the sex count -- the last 13 episodes would have sent it through the roof. Light but very general spoilers throughout; please keep comments to that level. For deeply spoilered discussion, see here. For reference, here's a thumbnail episode guide and the translated scripts.
After episode 3: It's clear we're heading for some sort of transformative apotheosis, but whether of Anthy or Utena, I can't tell. Nor can I tell whether the change will be to the world, as some characters believe, or into a philosopher's stone, as suggested by the hermetic symbolism, or even just a personal release. Though in some sense, those are all the same, as Anthy is not just roses but the Rose of the World, while Utena is a catalyst. Not to mention, the end credits also suggest they're an identity. I've no idea how the shadow girls and the stopwatch fit into this.
Utena's reactions to girls crushing on her just because she's wearing a boy's uniform reminds me of Britomart's problems with ladies when she's wearing armor.
After episode 6: It's becoming more clear that the central emotional obsession is not, as you might expect from the set-up, sexuality or gender or even heroism, but types of love. Already, we have two sets of not entirely functional sibling relationships. No explanation for the shadow girls or the stopwatch yet.
Sex count: 1 (in episode 5).
After episode 13: I'm starting to get the impression that Touga a bey-itch. I may be wrong, though, or misinterpreting the subtle hints. Still no explanation for Miki's stopwatch. I like how when Anthy has feelings of her own, she's no longer a conduit for the power of Dios, or of the rose, or whatever you want to call it. I also like how when nonplussed characters are shown in profile, their expression is exactly that of a N.M. Bodecker illustration of Edward Eager. Especially Utena.
After episode 15: The lesson seems to be that if someone calls you "big brother," run away. Also, the shadow plays are getting weird. Well, weirder.
After episode 23, after the Black Rose Boy duels Utena: My brain hurts.
After episode 25: And starting around now, the homoerotic content goes way up, both with boys and girls. So does the heteroerotic content, for that matter. Also, after two episodes of Akio's manipulations, I can tell I'm going to get tired of that damned car really quickly. Still don't know what's up with Miki's stopwatch, which he hasn't been using as much.
After episode 30: Okay, enough with the red convertible already, 'cuz it's really starting to freak me out.
After episode 33: We now know that Utena a) owns a dress and b) can take it off. Also, we've flipped past freaky into creepy. I'm still convinced that Anthy and Akio are working towards different ends (or maybe that should be, that Akio is taking advantage of Anthy's bondage as the Rose Bride and using her for his ends) but I don't yet know what they are (aside from her general goal of release).
I do like the shadow girls as voices on the radio, even if they (as the stopwatch) are still mysteries. I'm beginning to suspect they'll remain so.
After episode 35: So that's how the Rose Bride and the Prince were put in bondage, and why Utena is so important. And why there are so many misfunctional sibling relationships echoing around, and so many types of love. I do not like the Prince's comment about his being different now -- though it fits with Akio and Anthy having different goals. I'm not yet clear on how those goals/methods diverge, though.
Love the Shadow Girls Drama Club, though. And the first two's comments about the third. Like they're ones to talk.
As I head into the conclusion, I have three major questions: Why does Akio want to undermine Utena by making her fall in love with him? Why does Touga think it was Akio who showed something eternal to young Utena? What is Anthy willing to sacrifice to escape her bondage?
After the apocalypse: Whoa. Akio failed, Utena almost failed, Anthy succeeded, and Dios almost succeeded. I think. I'm going to take more detailed comments to another post, for spoilerific discussion and questions.
Still no explanation for stopwatch. But we do find out about the shadow girls. And I sorta answer the three questions above in the spoiler post.
BTW, as usual, the winners of this year's Lyttle Lytton contest are better at being bad than the Bulwer-Lytton winners.
After episode 3: It's clear we're heading for some sort of transformative apotheosis, but whether of Anthy or Utena, I can't tell. Nor can I tell whether the change will be to the world, as some characters believe, or into a philosopher's stone, as suggested by the hermetic symbolism, or even just a personal release. Though in some sense, those are all the same, as Anthy is not just roses but the Rose of the World, while Utena is a catalyst. Not to mention, the end credits also suggest they're an identity. I've no idea how the shadow girls and the stopwatch fit into this.
Utena's reactions to girls crushing on her just because she's wearing a boy's uniform reminds me of Britomart's problems with ladies when she's wearing armor.
After episode 6: It's becoming more clear that the central emotional obsession is not, as you might expect from the set-up, sexuality or gender or even heroism, but types of love. Already, we have two sets of not entirely functional sibling relationships. No explanation for the shadow girls or the stopwatch yet.
Sex count: 1 (in episode 5).
After episode 13: I'm starting to get the impression that Touga a bey-itch. I may be wrong, though, or misinterpreting the subtle hints. Still no explanation for Miki's stopwatch. I like how when Anthy has feelings of her own, she's no longer a conduit for the power of Dios, or of the rose, or whatever you want to call it. I also like how when nonplussed characters are shown in profile, their expression is exactly that of a N.M. Bodecker illustration of Edward Eager. Especially Utena.
After episode 15: The lesson seems to be that if someone calls you "big brother," run away. Also, the shadow plays are getting weird. Well, weirder.
After episode 23, after the Black Rose Boy duels Utena: My brain hurts.
After episode 25: And starting around now, the homoerotic content goes way up, both with boys and girls. So does the heteroerotic content, for that matter. Also, after two episodes of Akio's manipulations, I can tell I'm going to get tired of that damned car really quickly. Still don't know what's up with Miki's stopwatch, which he hasn't been using as much.
After episode 30: Okay, enough with the red convertible already, 'cuz it's really starting to freak me out.
After episode 33: We now know that Utena a) owns a dress and b) can take it off. Also, we've flipped past freaky into creepy. I'm still convinced that Anthy and Akio are working towards different ends (or maybe that should be, that Akio is taking advantage of Anthy's bondage as the Rose Bride and using her for his ends) but I don't yet know what they are (aside from her general goal of release).
I do like the shadow girls as voices on the radio, even if they (as the stopwatch) are still mysteries. I'm beginning to suspect they'll remain so.
After episode 35: So that's how the Rose Bride and the Prince were put in bondage, and why Utena is so important. And why there are so many misfunctional sibling relationships echoing around, and so many types of love. I do not like the Prince's comment about his being different now -- though it fits with Akio and Anthy having different goals. I'm not yet clear on how those goals/methods diverge, though.
Love the Shadow Girls Drama Club, though. And the first two's comments about the third. Like they're ones to talk.
As I head into the conclusion, I have three major questions: Why does Akio want to undermine Utena by making her fall in love with him? Why does Touga think it was Akio who showed something eternal to young Utena? What is Anthy willing to sacrifice to escape her bondage?
After the apocalypse: Whoa. Akio failed, Utena almost failed, Anthy succeeded, and Dios almost succeeded. I think. I'm going to take more detailed comments to another post, for spoilerific discussion and questions.
Still no explanation for stopwatch. But we do find out about the shadow girls. And I sorta answer the three questions above in the spoiler post.
BTW, as usual, the winners of this year's Lyttle Lytton contest are better at being bad than the Bulwer-Lytton winners.