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Most people think Utena did "revolutionize the world", but maybe, this is not true. Many commenters pointed out that revolution could mean the restarting of a cycle. In the end of the series, Utena wanted to win the duel "revolution" and lost. She lost precisely because she wanted to fight the duel. (Even if she won, she would still have participated in the system and therefore would have lost.) Because of this, the movie represents another cycle after the series finale. The whole highway scene which ended with shattering the castle depicted Utenas triumph, because she refused to start a new cycle. She instead simply left the field (the samsara). Maybe, the position of the prince is more akin to the bhuddist and hinduist Shakravartin, wo simply resets the world.
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Most people think Utena did "revolutionize the world", but maybe, this is not true. Many commenters pointed out that revolution could mean the restarting of a cycle. In the end of the series, Utena wanted to win the duel "revolution" and lost. She lost precisely because she wanted to fight the duel. (Even if she won, she would still have participated in the system and therefore would have lost.) Because of this, the movie represents another cycle after the series finale. The whole highway scene which ended with shattering the castle depicted Utenas triumph, because she refused to start a new cycle. She instead simply left the field (the samsara). Maybe, the position of the prince is more akin to the bhuddist and hinduist Shakravartin, wo who simply resets the world.
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[[WMG:Nanami's GirlPosse are linked to the Shadow Play Girls, and in the movie [[spoiler:they're part of the expanded group]]]]
They share the theme naming, and in this series we've seen stranger things.
They share the theme naming, and in this series we've seen stranger things.
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[[WMG:(Finale spoilers)[[spoiler:Utena does in fact die at the end of the series]] ]]
* It's implied, if not outright stated, that Akio and Anthy are not average humans, if they're human at all. Presumably, they are somewhere along the lines of being demigods. Utena, on the other hand, is likely a completely normal human. Presumably, Anthy could survive things Utena could not. Such as the Swords of Hate. Anthy even states that Utena has vanished from the world - a common euphemism for death. This isn't necessarily a bad thing or a sad ending, however. If Anthy is divinity, she likely either has powers relevant to death and the afterlife or knows who to turn to for help with such things, and will find her again in the next world.
* It's implied, if not outright stated, that Akio and Anthy are not average humans, if they're human at all. Presumably, they are somewhere along the lines of being demigods. Utena, on the other hand, is likely a completely normal human. Presumably, Anthy could survive things Utena could not. Such as the Swords of Hate. Anthy even states that Utena has vanished from the world - a common euphemism for death. This isn't necessarily a bad thing or a sad ending, however. If Anthy is divinity, she likely either has powers relevant to death and the afterlife or knows who to turn to for help with such things, and will find her again in the next world.
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The show actuly takes place in {{Exalted}}'s [[RealityIsOutToLunch Wyld]] and is one long shaping conflict between [[TheFairFolk fair folk]]. The Student council are the nobles, people with faces the commoners, and the faceless are simply fantasies created from the Wyld. The ending scene is Utena's animating force proving that her character is more important than Akio's entire world. Utena has Sword shadowing Staff. (or maybe Ring, she mostly uses Sword shaping, she does basically systematically destroy the social order of the school though, hence Staff) Touga has Sword shadowing Cup. (The episode where he convinces her that he is a better prince, is a magnificent Ravishment). Nanami goes from a Staff commoner to a Staff shadowing Sword noble. Anthy is a Ring commoner. Akio is a master of both the Staff and the Ring, (but he kind of walks into Utena's Sword shaping, and lets her set her Character up as the Hero). The way Utena gets dragged into fighting for Anthy is a Burden, at first imposed using Staff shaping but it is reinforced with Ring shaping soon enough.
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The show actuly takes place in {{Exalted}}'s ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'''s [[RealityIsOutToLunch Wyld]] and is one long shaping conflict between [[TheFairFolk fair folk]]. The Student council are the nobles, people with faces the commoners, and the faceless are simply fantasies created from the Wyld. The ending scene is Utena's animating force proving that her character is more important than Akio's entire world. Utena has Sword shadowing Staff. (or maybe Ring, she mostly uses Sword shaping, she does basically systematically destroy the social order of the school though, hence Staff) Touga has Sword shadowing Cup. (The episode where he convinces her that he is a better prince, is a magnificent Ravishment). Nanami goes from a Staff commoner to a Staff shadowing Sword noble. Anthy is a Ring commoner. Akio is a master of both the Staff and the Ring, (but he kind of walks into Utena's Sword shaping, and lets her set her Character up as the Hero). The way Utena gets dragged into fighting for Anthy is a Burden, at first imposed using Staff shaping but it is reinforced with Ring shaping soon enough.
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[[WMG: Utena [[XMeetsY meets]] Demian]]
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[[WMG: Utena [[XMeetsY [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] Demian]]
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[[WMG: The Utena movie ends with Utena rejecting the revolution]]
Most people think Utena did "revolutionize the world", but maybe, this is not true. Many commenters pointed out that revolution could mean the restarting of a cycle. In the end of the series, Utena wanted to win the duel "revolution" and lost. She lost precisely because she wanted to fight the duel. (Even if she won, she would still have participated in the system and therefore would have lost.) Because of this, the movie represents another cycle after the series finale. The whole highway scene which ended with shattering the castle depicted Utenas triumph, because she refused to start a new cycle. She instead simply left the field (the samsara). Maybe, the position of the prince is more akin to the bhuddist and hinduist Shakravartin, wo simply resets the world.
Most people think Utena did "revolutionize the world", but maybe, this is not true. Many commenters pointed out that revolution could mean the restarting of a cycle. In the end of the series, Utena wanted to win the duel "revolution" and lost. She lost precisely because she wanted to fight the duel. (Even if she won, she would still have participated in the system and therefore would have lost.) Because of this, the movie represents another cycle after the series finale. The whole highway scene which ended with shattering the castle depicted Utenas triumph, because she refused to start a new cycle. She instead simply left the field (the samsara). Maybe, the position of the prince is more akin to the bhuddist and hinduist Shakravartin, wo simply resets the world.
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[[The main villain of the movie is... Mikage]]
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It's called [[OuranHighSchoolHostClub Ouran Academy]]
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It's called [[OuranHighSchoolHostClub [[Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub Ouran Academy]]
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[[The main villain of the movie is... Mikage]]
If you take the perspective that the movie is a sequel to the series in another life/time/behind the gate/in Utena's higher plane, with some connection to the 'power to bring the world revolution,' then Mikage certainly would exist, to an extent.
In the series, Akio says that the Chairman's office is the highest place in the Academy, because power ultimately comes down to mundane things like that. In the movie, it looks as though Anthy's rose garden is highest, but there's a point Utena takes an elevator down to it. And aside from how an elevator with a partition in the middle where emotional exchanges take place is rather familiar, the place she's coming from has to be Nemuro Memorial Hall; it shares a lot of the aesthetic, right down to the signs on the chairs. Which means the true highest point of the Academy, the seat of power in this case, is Mikage's hall.
And then there are the cars. Beyond Utena, everyone else who becomes a car is a Black Rose Duelist: Wakaba, Shiori, Kozue briefly... And the rush of cars near the end could be those that died in the fire.
If you take the perspective that the movie is a sequel to the series in another life/time/behind the gate/in Utena's higher plane, with some connection to the 'power to bring the world revolution,' then Mikage certainly would exist, to an extent.
In the series, Akio says that the Chairman's office is the highest place in the Academy, because power ultimately comes down to mundane things like that. In the movie, it looks as though Anthy's rose garden is highest, but there's a point Utena takes an elevator down to it. And aside from how an elevator with a partition in the middle where emotional exchanges take place is rather familiar, the place she's coming from has to be Nemuro Memorial Hall; it shares a lot of the aesthetic, right down to the signs on the chairs. Which means the true highest point of the Academy, the seat of power in this case, is Mikage's hall.
And then there are the cars. Beyond Utena, everyone else who becomes a car is a Black Rose Duelist: Wakaba, Shiori, Kozue briefly... And the rush of cars near the end could be those that died in the fire.
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* Tokiko lacks the hang-ups that keep the others trapped: Her love for her brother is healthy, not the obsession of the other sibling pairs, and her 'eternity'/'miracle' is a much-more-reasonable "prevent an early death," not the impossible wishes of the Duelists. She considered Nemuro a friend but there was no romantic or sexual aspect, which is unusual for Ohtori but common in the Real World. Tokiko's absence from Ohtori means that she was able to move on instead of obsessing over the past. Tokiko's power is as simple as being a normal, functional human, and the reason she left is twofold: First, she knew that something was wrong with Ohtori, and secondly, ''she outgrew it''. It's not until the end of the series that Utena, then Anthy, figures it out: For all the swords and souls, the greatest power one can have at Ohtori is realizing that you don't have to stay there.
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* Tokiko lacks the hang-ups that keep the others trapped: Her love for her brother is healthy, not the obsession of the other sibling pairs, and her 'eternity'/'miracle' is a much-more-reasonable "prevent an early death," not the impossible wishes of the Duelists. She considered Nemuro a friend but there was no romantic or sexual aspect, which is unusual for Ohtori but common in the Real World. Tokiko's absence from Ohtori means that she was able to move on instead of obsessing over the past. Tokiko's power is as simple as being a normal, functional human, and the reason she left is twofold: First, she knew that something was wrong with Ohtori, and secondly, ''she outgrew it''. It's not until the end of the series that Utena, then Anthy, figures it out: For all the swords and souls, the greatest power one can have at Ohtori is realizing that you '''''you don't have to stay there.
there.'''''
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* Tokiko lacks the hang-ups that keep the others trapped: Her love for her brother is healthy, not the obsession of the other sibling pairs, and her 'eternity'/'miracle' is a much-more-reasonable "prevent an early death," not the impossible wishes of the Duelists. She considered Nemuro a friend but there was no romantic or sexual aspect, which is unusual for Ohtori but common in the Real World. Tokiko's absence from Ohtori means that she was able to move on instead of obsessing over the past. Tokiko's powe is as simple as being a normal, functional human, and the reason she left is twofold: First, she knew that something was wrong with Ohtori, and secondly, ''she outgrew it''. It's not until the end of the series that Utena, then Anthy, figures it out: For all the swords and souls, the greatest power one can have at Ohtori is realizing that you don't have to stay there.
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* Tokiko lacks the hang-ups that keep the others trapped: Her love for her brother is healthy, not the obsession of the other sibling pairs, and her 'eternity'/'miracle' is a much-more-reasonable "prevent an early death," not the impossible wishes of the Duelists. She considered Nemuro a friend but there was no romantic or sexual aspect, which is unusual for Ohtori but common in the Real World. Tokiko's absence from Ohtori means that she was able to move on instead of obsessing over the past. Tokiko's powe power is as simple as being a normal, functional human, and the reason she left is twofold: First, she knew that something was wrong with Ohtori, and secondly, ''she outgrew it''. It's not until the end of the series that Utena, then Anthy, figures it out: For all the swords and souls, the greatest power one can have at Ohtori is realizing that you don't have to stay there.
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[[WMG: Anthy is a deconstruction of Disney princesses, specifically Cinderella]]
Anthy shares many characteristics with Disney's Cinderella: she is seen cleaning Utena's and her room Cinderella-style (up to and including similar headdresses), Anthy's best friend is a monkey-mouse-thing while Cinderella's friends are mice, and even the castle above the arena looks like an upside-down version of the royal castle in Cinderella. Anthy is also very similar to Cinderella in position and even behaviour: both girls are forced into a position where they have to be servile and submissive, and appear very genteel and kind to the outside world. The only way both girls can fight back is passive-aggressively: Cinderella occasionally deals stealth insults to her step sisters, in the same way Anthy occasionally gets back at Nanami. However, Cinderella remains a kind person throughout her story, while any kindness or even submissive behaviour from Anthy is only a façade. Moreover, while the prince is the one to save Cinderella from her situation, the prince is either the one that forces Anthy into her situation (Akio) or is unable to truly save her (Utena) - the only one who can save Anthy is Anthy herself.
Anthy shares many characteristics with Disney's Cinderella: she is seen cleaning Utena's and her room Cinderella-style (up to and including similar headdresses), Anthy's best friend is a monkey-mouse-thing while Cinderella's friends are mice, and even the castle above the arena looks like an upside-down version of the royal castle in Cinderella. Anthy is also very similar to Cinderella in position and even behaviour: both girls are forced into a position where they have to be servile and submissive, and appear very genteel and kind to the outside world. The only way both girls can fight back is passive-aggressively: Cinderella occasionally deals stealth insults to her step sisters, in the same way Anthy occasionally gets back at Nanami. However, Cinderella remains a kind person throughout her story, while any kindness or even submissive behaviour from Anthy is only a façade. Moreover, while the prince is the one to save Cinderella from her situation, the prince is either the one that forces Anthy into her situation (Akio) or is unable to truly save her (Utena) - the only one who can save Anthy is Anthy herself.
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[[WMG: Akio became [[MaiHime the Obsidian Lord]] ]]
After Anthy left him, Akio started the HiME Festival (which is essentially a duelling tournament) as a method of creating a new Rose Bride, using the same method of tempting the winner with whatever they desire in return for their servitude.
After Anthy left him, Akio started the HiME Festival (which is essentially a duelling tournament) as a method of creating a new Rose Bride, using the same method of tempting the winner with whatever they desire in return for their servitude.
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[[WMG: Akio became [[MaiHime [[Anima/MaiHime the Obsidian Lord]] ]]
After Anthy left him, Akio started theHiME [=HiME=] Festival (which is essentially a duelling tournament) as a method of creating a new Rose Bride, using the same method of tempting the winner with whatever they desire in return for their servitude.
After Anthy left him, Akio started the
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[[AC:Main/RevolutionaryGirlUtena]]
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[[WMG: Ohtori Academy was created by SuzumiyaHaruhi]]
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[[WMG: Ohtori Academy was created by SuzumiyaHaruhi]]LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya]]
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* Tokiko lacks the hang-ups that keep the others trapped: Her love for her brother is healthy, not the obsession of the other sibling pairs, and her 'eternity'/'miracle' is a much-more-reasonable "prevent an early death," not the impossible wishes of the Duelists. She considered Nemuro a friend but there was no romantic or sexual aspect, which is unusual for Ohtori but common in the Real World. Tokiko's absence from Ohtori means that she was able to move on instead of obsessing over the past. Tokiko's powe is as simple as being a normal, functional human, and the reason she left is twofold: First, she knew that something was wrong with Ohtori, and secondly, ''she outgrew it''. It's not until the end of the series that Utena, then Anthy, figures it out: For all the swords and souls, the greatest power one can have at Ohtori is realizing that you don't have to stay there.
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** It's possible that Ohtori was set up to preserve humanity AfterTheEnd, and that Utena was the last to enter the "preserve": Since time functions differently there, we have no idea how long passed from Utena's arrival to her departure, and the literal end of the world might have occurred during that time. The lack of aging is supposed to keep them alive, without the excess strain on resources that normal life-cycles might cause; or, whatever led up to the cataclysm caused everyone to become sterile anyway, which is why no children are ever born despite the amount of sex that's going on. Whatever stopped the physical aging also prevented the inhabitants from emotionally maturing, and with most of the cast being in their teens - likely to ensure that they'd be "viable" longer, if the sterility was cured or the time-stop failed - it led to the messed-up atmosphere Ohtori currently has, born from the fact that everyone's stuck in the middle of puberty and have been for years or more.
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* I'd argue that it's ''intended'' to heavily remind the viewer of sex – the groans of the victim, the facial expressions, and the body postures are all obvious enough hints. It's "removing rather than penetrating" because the sword is their virginity (or their innocence) being ''taken'' from them. Whoever possesses the Rose Bride harnesses the Power of Dios that she harbors inside; the Power of Dios is his innocence (when he loses it, he becomes End of the World). The other duelist fights innocence with innocence.
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* Touga's red is not just power but also sex (he's one of the most promiscuous characters), blood (familial connections, e.g. his relation to Nanami and to his father in the movie), and possibly even love (Utena arguably falls in love with him). Don't you love open-ended symbolism?
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[[WMG:Tokiko Chida is the most powerful being in the show.]]
Because she's the only character who can leave and enter Ohtori at will before the revolution occurs, because she is not staff nor student. Everyone else is still in their shells and their coffins, but Tokiko Chida not only is not restricted by any of this, but also is highly aware of the fact that everyone else is, since she voices her concerns that time isn't working right and that nobody is aging, concepts everyone else ignores. Even Akio, the one who is responsible for it all in the first place, is still in his coffin according to Anthy.
Because she's the only character who can leave and enter Ohtori at will before the revolution occurs, because she is not staff nor student. Everyone else is still in their shells and their coffins, but Tokiko Chida not only is not restricted by any of this, but also is highly aware of the fact that everyone else is, since she voices her concerns that time isn't working right and that nobody is aging, concepts everyone else ignores. Even Akio, the one who is responsible for it all in the first place, is still in his coffin according to Anthy.
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[[WMG:[[spoiler:Utena and Anthy meet again when they're twenty one]].]]
Why twenty one you ask? Because twenty is the age of maturity and consent in a lot of countries, stemming back from the middle ages where you could become a page at seven, a squire at fourteen, and a knight at twenty one.
Why twenty one you ask? Because twenty is the age of maturity and consent in a lot of countries, stemming back from the middle ages where you could become a page at seven, a squire at fourteen, and a knight at twenty one.
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[[WMG: The series ending is an allegory for coming of age.]]
Utena refuses to let go of her childish ideal of princehood for much of the series and it proves to be her downfall in the end, leading to the tragicomic ending. We are led to believe Utena dies a horrible death, a failed hero that will soon be forgotten by her peers. However, the dialogue between Akio and Anthy before Anthy leaves Ohtori Academy forever indicates that there is more here than meets the eye. Anthy instructs a stunned Akio "By all means, stay in this cozy coffin of yours and continue to play prince", adding that Utena "isn't gone at all, she's merely vanished from your world."
The words "play prince" stuck with me, because what do they evoke? Childhood. The same childish sentiment that Utena held for much of the series. Utena's obsession with becoming a prince ended up tearing her away from the one she loved - but remember what the lyrics in the OP say, "If we are ever torn apart, I swear I will change the world". Akio believes no revolution has taken place, and that the world has not changed, but this is not true. The main characters have all become more well adjusted and friendly to one another and the duels have finished forever. The revolution has taken place on an unconscious level among all the main cast and students of the academy. They may very well forget Utena, but Utena's quiet revolution is unmistakable, and her sacrifice will save everyone else.
The combination of the words "play prince" and "vanished from your world" lead me to this idea - Utena isn't dead or gone to some afterlife, nor has she AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence, so to speak, but it's actually a metaphor for Utena progressing out of childhood. Utena realises the painful truths of life (as metaphorically represented by the million Swords of Hate) - princes don't always save princesses, and they don't always win against the BigBad. By finally letting go of her childish [[BlackAndWhiteMorality black and white]] view of the world, with "good princes" and "good princesses" against "{{Wicked Witch}}es", she has begun the path to adulthood and shedding the baggage of her past. The painful realisation of this truth removes her from the world where the rest of the cast reside, playing in their fairy tale world of make-believe and surealism. She has started to mature into an adult at last. When Anthy says she has "vanished" from Akio's world, what she means is that Akio has never truly grown up from being a child - he may be an adult, but he still "plays prince" like a little boy. By graduating from the Academy and leaving forever, Anthy begins the same path to adulthood that will take her out of her childhood and back to Utena.
All this considered - the series ending becomes much less a DownerEnding and actually [[BittersweetEnding Bittersweet]] at worst, but I personally see it as an example of EarnYourHappyEnding with a bit of AndTheAdventureContinues thrown in for good measure.
Utena refuses to let go of her childish ideal of princehood for much of the series and it proves to be her downfall in the end, leading to the tragicomic ending. We are led to believe Utena dies a horrible death, a failed hero that will soon be forgotten by her peers. However, the dialogue between Akio and Anthy before Anthy leaves Ohtori Academy forever indicates that there is more here than meets the eye. Anthy instructs a stunned Akio "By all means, stay in this cozy coffin of yours and continue to play prince", adding that Utena "isn't gone at all, she's merely vanished from your world."
The words "play prince" stuck with me, because what do they evoke? Childhood. The same childish sentiment that Utena held for much of the series. Utena's obsession with becoming a prince ended up tearing her away from the one she loved - but remember what the lyrics in the OP say, "If we are ever torn apart, I swear I will change the world". Akio believes no revolution has taken place, and that the world has not changed, but this is not true. The main characters have all become more well adjusted and friendly to one another and the duels have finished forever. The revolution has taken place on an unconscious level among all the main cast and students of the academy. They may very well forget Utena, but Utena's quiet revolution is unmistakable, and her sacrifice will save everyone else.
The combination of the words "play prince" and "vanished from your world" lead me to this idea - Utena isn't dead or gone to some afterlife, nor has she AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence, so to speak, but it's actually a metaphor for Utena progressing out of childhood. Utena realises the painful truths of life (as metaphorically represented by the million Swords of Hate) - princes don't always save princesses, and they don't always win against the BigBad. By finally letting go of her childish [[BlackAndWhiteMorality black and white]] view of the world, with "good princes" and "good princesses" against "{{Wicked Witch}}es", she has begun the path to adulthood and shedding the baggage of her past. The painful realisation of this truth removes her from the world where the rest of the cast reside, playing in their fairy tale world of make-believe and surealism. She has started to mature into an adult at last. When Anthy says she has "vanished" from Akio's world, what she means is that Akio has never truly grown up from being a child - he may be an adult, but he still "plays prince" like a little boy. By graduating from the Academy and leaving forever, Anthy begins the same path to adulthood that will take her out of her childhood and back to Utena.
All this considered - the series ending becomes much less a DownerEnding and actually [[BittersweetEnding Bittersweet]] at worst, but I personally see it as an example of EarnYourHappyEnding with a bit of AndTheAdventureContinues thrown in for good measure.
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[[WMG: Utena [[XMeetsY meets]] [[CreatorHermmanHesse Demian]]
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[[WMG: Utena [[XMeetsY meets]] [[CreatorHermmanHesse Demian]]Demian]]
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This troppete has just recently read Demian, and of course, the "chick smashing the shell" speech resonated in my mind everytime Abraxas or the sparrow hank was brought out (which in the later chapter, it was a lot)). Some people know already that Utena borrowed some themes and symbols of the book, specially for the Student Council's motivations, but after thinking a lot, I realized that Utena's parallels with Demian go beyond the Sudent Council, and in a deeper way. To understand this, it's necessary a little insight of Demian.
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This troppete tropette has just recently read Demian, and of course, the "chick smashing the shell" speech resonated in my mind everytime Abraxas or the sparrow hank was brought out (which in the later chapter, chapters, it was a lot)). Some people know already that Utena borrowed some themes and symbols of the book, specially for the Student Council's motivations, but after thinking a lot, I realized that Utena's parallels with Demian go beyond the Sudent Council, and in a deeper way. To understand this, it's necessary a little insight of Demian.
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[[WMG: Utena [[XMeetsY meets]] [[CreatorHermmanHesse Demian]]
This is a bit WMG with FridgeBrilliance, but since it's only a theory, I post it here.
This troppete has just recently read Demian, and of course, the "chick smashing the shell" speech resonated in my mind everytime Abraxas or the sparrow hank was brought out (which in the later chapter, it was a lot)). Some people know already that Utena borrowed some themes and symbols of the book, specially for the Student Council's motivations, but after thinking a lot, I realized that Utena's parallels with Demian go beyond the Sudent Council, and in a deeper way. To understand this, it's necessary a little insight of Demian.
Demian is about a boy struggling to break free of the social dichtonomy of holy and evil, in order to live on his own desires. Thanks to Max Demian, Emil Sinclair starts to further analyze things to see their multiple interpretations instead of following the "right" one. Demian also suggest that there should be a god that represented both holy and evil, male and female, as a whole, and soon the protagonist meets this god in Abraxas.
''"The bird breaks the egg's shell, the egg is the world. To break free, one must destroy a world. The bird flies to god, the god's name is Abraxas."''
Abraxas is the god that unifies both good and evil in itself, then allowing people to care less of moral and following their true self and desires. The bird is a sparrow hank, a bird that flies freely, and represents the inner struggle of wanting and breaking free.
My theory is that, in Utena, there was a sparrow trapped in a world's egg, wanting to be free. But isn't any of the Student Council's member (yet. Who knows? Maybe they'll break free too someday) but instead is ''Anthy''.
Anthy is methaphorically and literally trapped. By her brother, by society, by her role as Rose Bride and by her own fears of the unknown. But suddenly appears Utena in the picture and starts to change the way Anthy sees the world, sutlely but sure. Utena while in Ohtori, was a Demian figure to Anthy. But the real parallels are played in the last duel.
Utena goes to the locked Rose Gate, wanting desperately to save Anthy and she managed to open it, but only a little. A little ray of light gets inside the coffin Anthy has been, a little crack on the egg's shell that allowed the sparrow hank to see Abraxas. Utena, with her having both male and female caracteristics, could be Demian, Frau Eva (Demian's mother) or even Abraxas. Utena managed to open a crack on Anthy's shell, showing her a contradiction of her world views: a girl managed to get this far the duels, a girl has defied her brother, a girl was closer to be a prince than other men could, but specially that someone cared enough for her to try to help her.
But Utena only could give to Anthy the way, not rescue her. That was something Anthy needed to do herself. Demian in the book, gives to Snclair tools in order to help him to be independent or else, he would be relying on Demian and his mother like Sinclair did on his parents in his childhood. Anthy needed to want to be free and act according to her desire to archive real individualization. She taking Utena's hand was just that. Unfortunately, the coffin falls and both hands are separated. Utena banished from Ohtori's world.
But Anthy has seen her Abraxas, and it's determinated to fly to her, all that it's left is breaking free of the world's shell. Leaving Akio's grib over her and walaking out the school's gates has smashed a world's shell: without her as a bait for duelists, the whole dueling system falls aparts, destroying Akio's hopes of taking back the power of Dios.
Sinclair managed to break free too, just in time to be left all alone as he was going to battle in the WWI, but Demian told him in their last meeting, that whenever he was in troubles, all he needed was look within himself and realize that Demian was within him, instead of phisically. This means that Sinclair was now able to think and do the things Demian could and he was already independent of his constant support.
Anthy also is all alone (sans Chu-Chu), but she now can do the things Utena could. She's now her own self, independadnt of her brother or Utena, free to follow her desires without restrictions. This sparrow hank is flying freely to Abraxas; Anthy is searching for Utena.
This is a bit WMG with FridgeBrilliance, but since it's only a theory, I post it here.
This troppete has just recently read Demian, and of course, the "chick smashing the shell" speech resonated in my mind everytime Abraxas or the sparrow hank was brought out (which in the later chapter, it was a lot)). Some people know already that Utena borrowed some themes and symbols of the book, specially for the Student Council's motivations, but after thinking a lot, I realized that Utena's parallels with Demian go beyond the Sudent Council, and in a deeper way. To understand this, it's necessary a little insight of Demian.
Demian is about a boy struggling to break free of the social dichtonomy of holy and evil, in order to live on his own desires. Thanks to Max Demian, Emil Sinclair starts to further analyze things to see their multiple interpretations instead of following the "right" one. Demian also suggest that there should be a god that represented both holy and evil, male and female, as a whole, and soon the protagonist meets this god in Abraxas.
''"The bird breaks the egg's shell, the egg is the world. To break free, one must destroy a world. The bird flies to god, the god's name is Abraxas."''
Abraxas is the god that unifies both good and evil in itself, then allowing people to care less of moral and following their true self and desires. The bird is a sparrow hank, a bird that flies freely, and represents the inner struggle of wanting and breaking free.
My theory is that, in Utena, there was a sparrow trapped in a world's egg, wanting to be free. But isn't any of the Student Council's member (yet. Who knows? Maybe they'll break free too someday) but instead is ''Anthy''.
Anthy is methaphorically and literally trapped. By her brother, by society, by her role as Rose Bride and by her own fears of the unknown. But suddenly appears Utena in the picture and starts to change the way Anthy sees the world, sutlely but sure. Utena while in Ohtori, was a Demian figure to Anthy. But the real parallels are played in the last duel.
Utena goes to the locked Rose Gate, wanting desperately to save Anthy and she managed to open it, but only a little. A little ray of light gets inside the coffin Anthy has been, a little crack on the egg's shell that allowed the sparrow hank to see Abraxas. Utena, with her having both male and female caracteristics, could be Demian, Frau Eva (Demian's mother) or even Abraxas. Utena managed to open a crack on Anthy's shell, showing her a contradiction of her world views: a girl managed to get this far the duels, a girl has defied her brother, a girl was closer to be a prince than other men could, but specially that someone cared enough for her to try to help her.
But Utena only could give to Anthy the way, not rescue her. That was something Anthy needed to do herself. Demian in the book, gives to Snclair tools in order to help him to be independent or else, he would be relying on Demian and his mother like Sinclair did on his parents in his childhood. Anthy needed to want to be free and act according to her desire to archive real individualization. She taking Utena's hand was just that. Unfortunately, the coffin falls and both hands are separated. Utena banished from Ohtori's world.
But Anthy has seen her Abraxas, and it's determinated to fly to her, all that it's left is breaking free of the world's shell. Leaving Akio's grib over her and walaking out the school's gates has smashed a world's shell: without her as a bait for duelists, the whole dueling system falls aparts, destroying Akio's hopes of taking back the power of Dios.
Sinclair managed to break free too, just in time to be left all alone as he was going to battle in the WWI, but Demian told him in their last meeting, that whenever he was in troubles, all he needed was look within himself and realize that Demian was within him, instead of phisically. This means that Sinclair was now able to think and do the things Demian could and he was already independent of his constant support.
Anthy also is all alone (sans Chu-Chu), but she now can do the things Utena could. She's now her own self, independadnt of her brother or Utena, free to follow her desires without restrictions. This sparrow hank is flying freely to Abraxas; Anthy is searching for Utena.
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[[WMG: The elevator in the Black Rose Saga drives people insane.]]
Sure, [[ManipulativeBastard Mikage and Mamiya]] have a ''lot'' to do it it, but the victims are in an enclosed space, talking to a disembodied voice while the elevator goes faster and faster. If it doesn't drive them crazy outright, it sure doesn't help.
Sure, [[ManipulativeBastard Mikage and Mamiya]] have a ''lot'' to do it it, but the victims are in an enclosed space, talking to a disembodied voice while the elevator goes faster and faster. If it doesn't drive them crazy outright, it sure doesn't help.
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* To expand upon this, the school is a limbo ruled by Akio & Anthy, two gods who fell for some unknown reason. Niether believes they can leave & Akio has been down there so long that he's lost most of his sanity. The Revolution is ascent to heaven or descent to hell, depending on who gains control of the gods' power. Utena made it to heaven with that power, and showed Anthy that she, too, could leave.
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* To expand upon this, the school is a limbo ruled by Akio & Anthy, two gods who fell for some unknown reason. Niether Neither believes they can leave & Akio has been down there so long that he's lost most of his sanity. The Revolution is ascent to heaven or descent to hell, depending on who gains control of the gods' power. Utena made it to heaven with that power, and showed Anthy that she, too, could leave.
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It's got all the trademarks of his stories: quirky heroine stuck between two identities, a BrokenBird princess as a possible villain, a prince with ChronicHeroSyndrome who turns into a WhiteHairedPrettyBoy, and the key to everyone's suffering being DramaticIrony. In fact, he probably wrote it to ''outdo'' the Prince and the Raven; he Tutu's power for understanding feelings through dance with the duels (so Utena would be confused and not always know her enemies' motivations), made it so true love ''couldn't'' turn the Prince back to a good guy, and made the princess opposing the main character less sympathetic so nobody would want to save her, keeping everything in the ViciousCycle.
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It's got all the trademarks of his stories: quirky heroine stuck between two identities, a BrokenBird princess as a possible villain, a prince with ChronicHeroSyndrome who turns into a WhiteHairedPrettyBoy, [[FaceHeelTurn villain]], and the key to everyone's suffering being DramaticIrony. In fact, he probably wrote it to ''outdo'' the Prince and the Raven; he Tutu's power for understanding feelings through dance with the duels (so Utena would be confused and not always know her enemies' motivations), made it so true love ''couldn't'' turn the Prince back to a good guy, and made the princess opposing the main character less sympathetic so nobody would want to save her, keeping everything in the ViciousCycle.
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[[WMG: The story of the Rose Bride and Ohtori Academy were created by [[PrincessTutu Drosselmeyer]].]]
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[[WMG: The story of the Rose Bride and Ohtori Academy were created by [[PrincessTutu [[Anime/PrincessTutu Drosselmeyer]].]]
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(This troper freely admits that her only reason for posting this WMG is to justify her Utena/Anthy/Hal Jordan OT3)
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