Line #45 Creator/KunihikoIkuhara


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3	%% Per Administrivia/CreatorPageGuidelines, only tropes associated to a creator's works are allowed on this wiki's pages, and tropes that only apply to the creator's personal life as if the creator is a fictional character are not allowed. Please do not apply tropes about the creator's personal life as if they are a fictional character.
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6	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ikuharaleather.jpg]]
7	[[caption-width-right:350:Just [[FanNickname Ikuni]] being Ikuni.]]
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9	->''This is just between you and me, but when I was fourteen, I saw a UFO.\
10	That UFO telepathically told me this prophecy: '''"When you grow up, you will direct an anime about girls revolutionizing various things."'''\
11	Surely you jest.\
12	'''"You must not tell anyone about me. If you ever do..."'''\
13	Wh-What will happen to me?\
14	'''"People will call you a sketchy guy."'''''
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16	Kunihiko Ikuhara (born December 21, 1964) is a Japanese animator and director. He is basically the Japanese Creator/DavidLynch, most famous for directing the TV series ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' and its movie ''The Adolescence of Utena'', plus the first four seasons of ''Anime/SailorMoon'' (directed several episodes in the first season, and became the series director for the ''R'' [[note]] Junichi Sato directed the Makaiju arc. but left the show afterwards [[/note]], ''S'', and ''[=SuperS=]'' seasons) as well as the ''R'' movie, and the Creator/MamoruOshii of TV anime. Also notoriously evasive about giving straight answers to his more surreal works. ''Anime/BelladonnaOfSadness'' has been cited as an influence of his, which is quite easily seen in ''Utena''.
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18	Another of his works, ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'', aired from July to December 2011 as part of that year's summer anime lineup. His latest project, ''Anime/{{Sarazanmai}}'', is airing as a part of the Spring 2019 anime season.
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20	He's got quite a few friends in the anime industry, some of the most notable being Creator/HideakiAnno and [[Manga/TheFiveStarStories Mamoru Nagano]].
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22	[[http://www.jrt.co.jp/yos/ikuniweb/ikuniweb_e/topmenu/etopmenu.html Official website (English)]]
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25	!!Worked on:
26	* ''Anime/{{Mapletown}}'' (1986-87)
27	* ''Manga/GoldfishWarning'' (1991-92)
28	* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' (1992-96) -- A list of the episodes he directed can be found [[https://wikimoon.org/index.php/Kunihiko_Ikuhara here.]]
29	** ''Anime/SailorMoonRTheMovie'' (1993)
30	* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' (1997)
31	** ''Anime/AdolescenceOfUtena'' (1999)
32	* ''Literature/SchellBullet'' (1999-2000) -- a collaboration with Mamoru Nagano
33	* ''Manga/TheWorldExistsForMe'' (2002-03) -- a collaboration with Creator/ChihoSaito
34	* ''Manga/NokemonoToHanayome'' (2006-) -- a collaboration with mangaka Asumiko Nakamura
35	* ''Manga/NodameCantabile'' (2007) (opening)
36	* ''Manga/SweetBlueFlowers'' (2009) (opening)
37	* ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' (2011)
38	* ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' (2015)
39	* ''Anime/{{Sarazanmai}}'' (2019)
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42	!!Ikuhara's works provide examples of:
43	%%As with all Creator/ pages, trivia tropes about the creator specifically are to be posted here, not a Trivia/ page, as they technically are InUniverse in the case of the person's career.
44	%%However: As with all Creator/ pages, items that could go on a specific work's trivia page go there, not here.
45	* AuthorAppeal: He has a very long list of very specific things that tend to pop up in his works: surreal plotlines that get very dark, DesignStudentsOrgasm imagery, unhealthy relationships, BrotherSisterIncest, StockFootage, repeated phrases, flowers, princesses, strange dramatic poses, wacky animal hijinx, ''heavy'' symbolism and obscure literary references, {{Forgotten First Meeting}}s, {{Magical Girl}}s, and, above all else, lesbians.
46	* AuthorAvatar: When creating ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Creator/HideakiAnno started the rumor that he based Kaworu Nagisa on Ikuhara.
47	* {{Bathos}}: Scenes of misery and horror are often juxtaposed against or including cartoony mascots and slapstick in his works, deliberately making the audience confused not just at [[MindScrew what is happening]], but what they should even ''feel'' about it.
48	* BlackComedy: More and more noticeable in his works starting with ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}''.
49	* {{Dramedy}}
50	* ExecutiveMeddling: While he was relatively independent with ''Utena'', the producers only allowed him to produce ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' when he made it more accessible. He added PluckyComicRelief in the form of three penguins.
51	* EveryoneIsBi: [[{{Pun}} Played straight]] in most of his works, most excessively in ''Utena''. Graduates into the straight-up [[CastFullOfGay Everyone Is Lesbian]] in ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi''.
52	* GainaxEnding: Could as well be called the ''Ikuhara Ending''. The most clear of his plots (and their resolutions) so far is ''Anime/{{Sarazanmai}}'', which still has its surreal moments.
53	* InsaneTrollLogic: His modus operandi for interviews.
54	* InTheNameOfTheMoon: He worked on the anime of the trope namer, and it frequently shows up in other, non-MagicalGirl contexts in his works ("Grant me the power to Revolutionize the world" from ''Utena'' or "Imagine!" from ''Penguindrum'').
55	* {{Jossed}}: Often looked to by fans for answers, often takes gleeful delight in disappointing them.
56	* LeslieNielsenSyndrome: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with.]] His stories remain relatively dramatic and continue to tackle heavy subjects, but starting with ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'', the ''imagery'' in his works have turned inexorably DenserAndWackier and more skewed toward {{Bathos}} and BlackComedy.
57	* LyingCreator:
58	** Possibly, when asked about ''Revolutionary Girl Utena''.
59	** Probably the best example is his response via Website/{{Twitter}} to people asking about ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'':
60	---> All of you have enjoyed making your predictions. Now, I'll tell you the truth. Yes. Just as all of you have predicted all along: [[BlatantLies the Penguindrum is a pink washing machine.]]
61	* MindScrew: He is infamous for allegedly including scenes and elements only because [[TrollingCreator he felt like doing so]], without any meaning [[FauxSymbolism at all]]. Was called "the David Lynch of Japan" until the late Creator/SatoshiKon stole his title.
62	* PostModernism
63	* RefugeInAudacity: The reason Ikuhara is able to get away with digs at Japan's culture: by portraying them with ridiculous metaphors, ''especially'' with ''Yuri Kuma Arashi'' which garnered a fair amount of notoriety and attention from its insane premise, irrespective of its actual meaning.
64	* SexIsEvil: Heavily played with in his works. The most explicit depiction of sex in ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' also plays with BondageIsBad. In turn, ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' is built entirely around SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny.
65	* ShrugOfGod: This is one of his most defining traits. Not only do his answers rarely make sense at all, they also occasionally contradict each others.
66	* StartMyOwn: When Creator/ToeiAnimation didn't give him enough creative control for ''Anime/SailorMoon [=SuperS=]'', Ikuhara left Toei and decided to create his own magical girl series. That series was ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''.
67	* TransformationSequence: Featured in most of his works, including shows such as ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' and ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' which have little to do with MagicalGirl or superhero genres.
68	* TrollingCreator: Big time!
69	--> '''Interviewer:''' Ikuhara-san, Chiho Saito has said that you have never told her the truth about it, could you explain the significance of Mickey and his stopwatch. What exactly is his role on the Council?
70	--> '''Ikuhara:''' It has a very deep significance. His stopwatch contains the key to open all the mysteries of the world. And Mickey is the only one who knows that. [[ShrugOfGod So I don't know what it is either]].
71	** Completely averted with ''Adolescence of Utena'', as Ikuhara provides a (for Ikuhara) reasonable explanation for all the bizarre symbolism.
72	* UnreliableNarrator: BlatantLies are frequently revealed and even double subverted to increase the MindScrew.
73	* ViewersAreGeniuses: He forgoes giving an exact answer for most of his shows, instead trusting the viewers to come up with them on their own.
74	* TheWalrusWasPaul: He intentionally messes around with the symbolism and narration of his shows, to infamous degree in ''Utena''.
75	* WorldOfSymbolism: This is a major feature and the key to understanding many of his works; the surreal imagery in his series often has a deeper meaning (if it isn't something he decided to add because he felt like it) and isn't meant to be taken literally.
76	* YuriFan: Ikuni loves putting lesbians anywhere, and he even goes explicit a few times. It's his AuthorAppeal.

Context Creator / KunihikoIkuhara