That would be so hilarious and awesome if that's the kind of thing that happened in the show. However, I think it shows just how much Utena goes off the deep end. You're only 10 episodes in. Try making another prediction halfway through the black rose saga.
Seconding my immense desire to see the guys do an Utena final thoughts/analysis episode. That would rock so hard.
Many months later, I second that.
Thirded. I believe I finished the show around the same time as loltsundere, and it hasn't stopped churning around in my head since. Discussion episode, por favor!
Three questions: 1) Am I supposed to understand what the shadow girls are saying? 2) Does anyone here get tired of the Namani episodes? 3) Spoilers: Are Anthy and her brother really having sex? If so, what the hell?
1) Sometimes it's easier to understand what they're saying than other times. Be glad for the times when you can. 2) Speaking of the non-dramatic Nanami episodes only: the "Operation: Spoil Anthy's Reputation" bit and the curry episode are still comedy gold in my opinion. "Beware, Nanami-sama!" is pretty weak in my opinion, though I like the introduction of Tsuwabuki, at least. I'm not really fond of the cowbell episode, though there are still a couple parts of it I still find funny and relevant to the rest of the series. If you really hate the Nanami episodes, you can probably skip episode 24 altogether. There are maybe a couple of Tsuwabuki gags and a C-ko bit at the end that you'd miss, and that's it. The Akio Arc's Nanami episode (ep 27) is the best of the lot, being both funny and a unique allegory for something (won't say what yet). 3) Spoilers: What do you think?
I'm not really fond of the cowbell episode, though there are still a couple parts of it I still find funny and relevant to the rest of the series. If you really hate the Nanami episodes, you can probably skip episode 24 altogether.
I don't really hate them, but I wrote this pretty much as soon as I saw that cowbell episode, and I wanted them to just get on with it.
I honestly liked the Nanami episodes. They brought humor to a fairly deep and serious storyline. Even though her episodes are silly, she also has some deep big brother issues that she needs to face.
And you can't tell me you didn't enjoy the Saionji Chu Chu at the end of the spicy curry episode. Seriously. That should be a plushie or something.
Edit: Potential Spoilers: I get why Ikuhara uses roses to symbolize the duelists, and the framed butterfly metaphore too. Still a little fuzzy on what the whole "pulling a sword out of someone's chest" means. Rape maybe?
Since you guys are talking about Utena again....I just noticed it's been licensed by Right Stuf, looks like we'll be getting a (hopefully) decent dvd release sometime soon.
From the press release:
Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment announced the license for the REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA television series, as well as plans to release its 39 episodes as three DVD box sets – featuring the remastered video from the Japanese DVD release with English audio, Japanese audio and English-language subtitles – during 2011.
One of my favorite aspects of Utena is that no matter how your break it down (by episode, season, or the entire series) at every level it contains the same driving theme/message. You could watch one episode (no matter the episode) and pick up up on the central theme. It is a truly elegant and self-consistent work that uses varying visual metaphors in congress with the plot to elaborate on a theme. It reminds me greatly of some of the great musical pieces that utilize a consistent motif that is stylistically altered throughout, but remains - at its structural base - the same.
I believe I've figured out certain features of the "climbing the stairs" stock footage. I'm going to cover them in spoiler tags just to be safe. Let me know if I should remove them.
Spoiler:The water dripping on the rose represents the instant of conception and the opening of the gates represents birth. Then when Anthy does her hand movements and certain articles of clothing appear on Utena, that represents adolescence. The first arm movement represents the masculine as she sticks her arm out straight like a phallus, and the garb of a sword fighter a (traditionally) male pass time appears on her. The second movement represents the feminine as the gestures that Anthy makes represents the vagina, and a skirt a female garment appears on Utena. Food for thought.
Since you guys are talking about Utena again....I just noticed it's been licensed by Right Stuf, looks like we'll be getting a (hopefully) decent dvd release sometime soon..
Way to completely overlook the whole reason this thread was revived.
I mostly just want to see his head explode at the end.
Now you know all the fucked up unrealistic things that happen, like castles hanging from the sky, are illusions created and controlled by Akio and his magic planetarium machine. Go back and rewatch episodes, even humorous ones like the Octopus in the closet, and realize how fucked up that is. The first thirteen episodes are completely different when this knowledge is taken into account. IIRC you can even catch Akio in episode 1.
Spoilers: I get that Akio uses his magic light machine to maniplulate the duels. The reason that we don't ever see the rose being cut by the sword is that it never happens, the roses are illusions that Akio can manipulate so that Utena can become the Rose Champion. Could you give me a hint as to what the spinning roses mean? Especially the framed scenes with spinning roses around them. I've figured out that each color must correspond to the hair color of the character in question, but why are some roses white and why are the roses even there at all? My guess is based on one of the very last lines in the series. At the very end, when Utena has faded from the consciousness of the school, Akio says something like "Utena has become a reject and caused no revolution to happen." Anthy then replies "She hasn't gone at all. She's only vanished from your world." I put it to those who have seen the series three more times than I have that, just as there are multiple meanings and interpretations of the series as a whole, there are different "versions" of the series. The parts that have pink roses are only meant for inclusion in Utena's version of RGU. When there is no rose, we can assume that that part of the series is universal among all versions.
Long-probably-wildly-incorrect-interpretation Man Strikes Again!
Edit: Is this getting annoying? Let me know, and I'll stop.
I'm definitely going to have to watch this for at least a second time. The point Scott brings up is one I never seriously took the time to think about, foolishly enough.
The show is cyclically self-consistent from multiple perspectives. Take it at face-value, and it works. Take it as pure metaphor, and it works.
That I really like about Utena. I like to take things at face-value and only rarely I start thinking the metaphorical side of things. Also I like that how Utena can be watched with different focus. I enjoy characters, their relationships, personal plots and dialogue, Utena give me lots in that department, but I believe that watching it with different focus can be enjoyable too. Also my character centric view might explain why I like Black rose saga so much, when some people dislike it.
Just finished the series. Question that is most bothering me:
What does it really mean when Utena says she failed at being a prince? I know this must relate to Jury's story about the boy who drowned trying to save her sister. The same thing happens to both that boy and Utena; they both rush in to help someone who seemed like they were in trouble, but in the process end up destroying themselves without making any difference in the outcome of the person's life, and eventually are only to be completely forgotten with time. Compare that with the definitions of "prince" that exist in the show. Utena's prince is eternal because she remembers him. Anthy prevents the prince from leaving the house to rescue princesses. The prince figure is never portrayed as self-sacrificing. Utena feels her prince saved her, but he really never did anything with the same level of self-sacrifice that Utena did. Yet, Utena is the one who is essentially forgotten. Very interesting.
And yet, not completely forgotten. Anthy and Akio still remember her, and while Akio claims that she wasted her life by failing to bring about revolution, Anthy implies that she in fact did bring about some kind of change. I get the feeling that Anthy is supposed to represent some kind of parallel with Utena, especially at the end of the series when Akio is planning to restart the duels and Anthy resolves to seek out Utena. It's as if Utena is Anthy's prince that she will continue to pursue even though that prince is unattainable, or perhaps even an illusion.
On a final note, AKIO IS SUCH A FUCKING CREEP OMG.
Comments
Three questions:
1) Am I supposed to understand what the shadow girls are saying?
2) Does anyone here get tired of the Namani episodes?
3) Spoilers: Are Anthy and her brother really having sex? If so, what the hell?
2) Speaking of the non-dramatic Nanami episodes only: the "Operation: Spoil Anthy's Reputation" bit and the curry episode are still comedy gold in my opinion. "Beware, Nanami-sama!" is pretty weak in my opinion, though I like the introduction of Tsuwabuki, at least. I'm not really fond of the cowbell episode, though there are still a couple parts of it I still find funny and relevant to the rest of the series. If you really hate the Nanami episodes, you can probably skip episode 24 altogether. There are maybe a couple of Tsuwabuki gags and a C-ko bit at the end that you'd miss, and that's it. The Akio Arc's Nanami episode (ep 27) is the best of the lot, being both funny and a unique allegory for something (won't say what yet).
3) Spoilers: What do you think?
And you can't tell me you didn't enjoy the Saionji Chu Chu at the end of the spicy curry episode. Seriously. That should be a plushie or something.
Edit: Potential Spoilers: I get why Ikuhara uses roses to symbolize the duelists, and the framed butterfly metaphore too. Still a little fuzzy on what the whole "pulling a sword out of someone's chest" means. Rape maybe?
From the press release: http://www.rightstuf.com/rssite/nozomiEntertainment/pressReleases/individual/?ForumThreadName=FT0000001700
Hopefully those three boxes won't be ridiculously expensive.
It is a truly elegant and self-consistent work that uses varying visual metaphors in congress with the plot to elaborate on a theme. It reminds me greatly of some of the great musical pieces that utilize a consistent motif that is stylistically altered throughout, but remains - at its structural base - the same.
Spoiler:The water dripping on the rose represents the instant of conception and the opening of the gates represents birth. Then when Anthy does her hand movements and certain articles of clothing appear on Utena, that represents adolescence. The first arm movement represents the masculine as she sticks her arm out straight like a phallus, and the garb of a sword fighter a (traditionally) male pass time appears on her. The second movement represents the feminine as the gestures that Anthy makes represents the vagina, and a skirt a female garment appears on Utena. Food for thought.
...the ability to critically analyze works is both a blessing and a curse... Make no mistake... It is also fun to write.
Location: Gig Harbor, Washington State, USA
Utena Episode Count: 39
Series Status: Finished
Transmission 1: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Transmission 2: Requesting Final Thoughts: Utena show...now.
End Transmission
P.S. Sorry for the double post, but this urgent transmission wouldn't all fit as an edit to the first one.
Watch the first few episodes again, and think about what all of this means in the context of what you already know is true.
Now you know all the fucked up unrealistic things that happen, like castles hanging from the sky, are illusions created and controlled by Akio and his magic planetarium machine. Go back and rewatch episodes, even humorous ones like the Octopus in the closet, and realize how fucked up that is. The first thirteen episodes are completely different when this knowledge is taken into account. IIRC you can even catch Akio in episode 1.
End.
Long-probably-wildly-incorrect-interpretation Man Strikes Again!
Edit: Is this getting annoying? Let me know, and I'll stop.
What does it really mean when Utena says she failed at being a prince? I know this must relate to Jury's story about the boy who drowned trying to save her sister. The same thing happens to both that boy and Utena; they both rush in to help someone who seemed like they were in trouble, but in the process end up destroying themselves without making any difference in the outcome of the person's life, and eventually are only to be completely forgotten with time. Compare that with the definitions of "prince" that exist in the show. Utena's prince is eternal because she remembers him. Anthy prevents the prince from leaving the house to rescue princesses. The prince figure is never portrayed as self-sacrificing. Utena feels her prince saved her, but he really never did anything with the same level of self-sacrifice that Utena did. Yet, Utena is the one who is essentially forgotten. Very interesting.
And yet, not completely forgotten. Anthy and Akio still remember her, and while Akio claims that she wasted her life by failing to bring about revolution, Anthy implies that she in fact did bring about some kind of change. I get the feeling that Anthy is supposed to represent some kind of parallel with Utena, especially at the end of the series when Akio is planning to restart the duels and Anthy resolves to seek out Utena. It's as if Utena is Anthy's prince that she will continue to pursue even though that prince is unattainable, or perhaps even an illusion.
On a final note, AKIO IS SUCH A FUCKING CREEP OMG.