UTENA: the Weirdest Anime Ever

[Kathy Kane]

I am a big fan of Revolutionary Girl, Utena.
Does anyone else like this show?

Also has anyone seen the Utena Movie?

I like this show because it's weird, it has a rose bride, and it's so weird it puts David Lynch films to shame. Why? I 've just seen the Movie, I've never seen anything like it!
It also explains a few things from the TV Series, like Toga's story and who the prince was etc. But I kept watching the film, and kept wondering could the movie be any weirder.

Well if anyone's seen the film, or the series please chime in with your thoughts.

[Zebi]

Hi Kathy! :p No, I haven't seen Utena, but my sister told me that she was going to check it out - so I'll likely end up seeing it sooner or later. I've heard that it's pretty good.

What other anime series do you like? I'm a fan of Wedding Peach, Mahou Tsukai Tai, Magic Knight Rayearth, Slayers, Trigun, Master of Mosquiton, Vampire Princess Miyu, and Gall Force, to name a few.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Yes, I like Utena. It's a fun, trippy show that does remind one of Lynch at times.

And, because I know Utena was directed by the series director of Sailor Moon (at least the second and third seasons of Sailor Moon) I have been able to draw some interesting thematic parallels between the two shows. For instance, the passive/active relationship between Utena and Anthy echoes the passive/active relationship between Rini/Chibi-Usa and Hotaru (Sailor Saturn). Interestingly, you also have Utena (pink hair) and Chibi-Usa (also pink hair) contrasting with the darker, purplish colours of Sailor Saturn (purple-black hair) and Anthy (purple-blue hair). And there are many more parallels.

It isn't a coincidence--the ideas have been in the director's head for a while...

Not that anyone will likely care. But I like looking at things from an academic perspective, however silly seems.

[Calhoun07]

Ohhh....anime compared to Lynch! You know I will check it out now! I always wondered what it would be like if David Lynch made an animated movie. This might be the closest I will get to finding out!

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by calhoun07
Ohhh....anime compared to Lynch! You know I will check it out now! I always wondered what it would be like if David Lynch made an animated movie. This might be the closest I will get to finding out!

It's worth a shot. The Utena movie comes with a director's commentary, which is one half informative and one half baffling. But very few anime titles have commentaries, documentaries, trailers and sketches as extras, and this one does.

[Calhoun07]

I do have Utena the Rose Collection 1. How does it compare to the movie?

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

The movie tells an alternate universe kind of story. Well, it's not so much a story as it is one big dream...or something. The movie looks great. The lesbianism is more pronounced in the film.

The TV series is just as surreal in many ways, but it has a lot of stock footage sequences, which may turn people off. Implied lesbianism for the most part.

I'd also like to warn you that it's very much a shoujo (girl's) series, and it looks very girly, with all the roses and stuff. However, it stands out because it deals with dark themes such as rape and incest.

[Lachesis]

Utena's my favorite anime, if you couldn't tell by the avatar.

Yes, it's strange, and yes, I think all the Sailor Moon stuff finally got to the director's head and he went just a little mad when putting this thing together, but I love it!

I like the way they essentially take apart the main characters over the course of the series, using each arc to explore different viewpoints and different variations on the common themes of the first thirteen episodes. This is probably the only show I can think of where the repetitive elements actually help the story. And the Shadow Girls device is just plain awesome.

The characters. . .oh boy. They're imperfect, self-deluded people, every one, but that's what makes them great. Saionji, Miki, Juri, Nanami, Touga, Utena, and Anthy are all a little cracked in one way or another (and some more than others). Keeps them interesting. I especially liked Juri's episodes, becuase my opinion of her entirely changed by the time I got to the Akio arc. Wakaba's definitely my favorite character, followed by Utena and Touga (Yeah, it's the hair :D).

I thought the movie could've used a little help. They were doing perfectly fine until the last act, which baffled me beyond all reason. Most of the character changes were a little jarring, but not too bad. Not enough of the secondary characters, and Akio was a joke. Still, pretty animation, decent score, and the subtext 'shippers finally have their day. Not bad at all.

[Kathy Kane]

Yes, I agree Touga is a babe! Where can I find a guy like that in real life?
Like I said this is a strange Anime, the themes are pretty intense compared to usual anime, in addition to what's already been mentioned, slavery is a another from the show not just for Anthy but for all the charicters, in there own way.
You know I read somewhere that all the charicters, the reason their all at this school, is because they are all dead. Creepy eh?

As for other anime I like, I don't really get into anime as much as I used to and I haven't seen every anime yet.
I am however waiting for Vampire Hunter D : Bloodhunt to come out on video/DVD.

Call me Kane

[Elven Moon]

Hey Kathy!

I've seen a little of Utena, and I was very confused 0_o I've never seen an anime (or anything for that matter!) where dolphins and midwives (I think that's what they're called) are in the same song. Totally blew me away with the strangeness of it all. Still can't figure it out. Gave me a headache. I've seen the movie as well, and it was even more confusing o_0

Anyway, some of my favorite anime include: Trigun, Slayers, Magical Circle Guru Guru, I'm Gonna Be An Angel, Magic Users Club, Vision of Escaflowne, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water, Hime-chan's Ribbon, Card Captor Sakura, etc. Yes, I'm a very big anime fan :)

[Ricochet]

Pardon my ignorance, but can you count Speed Racer as anime? I really like Speed Racer!:rolleyes:

[JustJack]

I have seen all that is Utena. And love it!

Although, there really isnt much of any implied lesbianism. Apparently everyone is just really "friendly". The movie is a totally different story all together...They basically "let it all out". Or as I like to say.."It's all WAK".........yup

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by Ricochet
Pardon my ignorance, but can you count Speed Racer as anime? I really like Speed Racer!:rolleyes:

Yes

[Daughterof_Evil]

I know and love all that is Utena. It was the first anime I ever saw and sticks with me even now. The movie astounded me in its grace, severity, and utter beauty. Though it did get a little strange in the last act, you can understand it better by watching it a few times.

I love Juri in all her stoicism. I hated her at first (my god, she hit Anthy!!), but I grew to respect her character after learning all about how she had been betrayed and damaged by those she loved. Miki's cool, I think his sister is demented, but that's the magic of the Utena saga: once you just begin to hate someone for being terrible, you learn the reason why they're terrible and you start pitying them. And if you love a character, you learn new ways to despise them. Even Akio has a flip side. You can't, in the end, blame him for the things he does, but instead blame the cruel being that forced him into a universe with all these other tortured souls, who could just as well be the same as him.

Yes, and Touga is a babe. But I think Miki's cuter.