History Anime / RevolutionaryGirlUtena

** [[spoiler: Kozue fools around with lots of boys and kisses Anthy at one point, but actually loves Miki, who is implied to be molested by his piano teacher.]]

* HoYay: Mikage/Mamiya, Touga/Saionji, Akio[=/=]AnythingThatMoves, and briefly in one episode Touga/Miki.

* LesYay: Aside from Utena and Anthy, who toe the line between subtext and actual text, there's [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship Utena and Wakaba]], [[SempaiKohai Utena and Juri]], [[AllLoveIsUnrequited Juri and Shiori]], and [[BiTheWay Anthy and Kozue]]. Oh, and the [[TheFaceless Shadow Girls]], every so often.

** [[spoiler: Tswabuki's friend Mari is jealous of the attention that Tswabuki pays to Nanami and Tsuwabuki may-or-may-not like Mari back. Interestingly, Nanami seems to be jealous of Tswabuki's friendship with Mari, in spite of being in love with Touga.]]
** [[spoiler: Kozue loves Miki, who is implied to be molested by his piano teacher.]]

** [[spoiler: Meanwhile, Juri, Shiori, and Ruka have their own love triangle all to themselves, but Juri also has lots of LesYay with Utena, and Juri may-or-may-not love Miki in the movie, and Akio manipulates the emotions of all of the above to keep them in the Duels.]]

* ParentalAbandonment: Utena herself, the Kiryuu sibilings and the Kaoru siblings. The parents that are not dead or absent are simply not mentioned.

* RapeAsBackstory: [[spoiler:Touga]] in TheMovie.

** Played confusingly in the movie's manga, where [[spoiler: Anthy sees it as this but Akio's guilt drives him to suicide.]]
* RapeIsTheNewDeadParents: Laid on extra-thick with [[spoiler:Touga]] in the movie, when it's revealed that [[spoiler:he was both raped ''and'' has dead parents]].

* StockFootage: Utena climbing to the arena (and several of her signature moves), Akio's highway scenes, and many others -- it may hard to believe, but Utena's budget wasn't that much higher than [[Evangelion]]'s.

* ManipulativeBastard: Akio, also a MagnificentBastard. Touga aspires to be like him, Ruka tries to be like him for [[spoiler: moral]] reasons, and Mikage believes himself to be one and succeeds for the entire second arc. Debated back and forth with [[spoiler: Anthy, a true example of YourMileageMayVary]]

* MysteriousWaif: Definitely Anthy, nobody else will ever be as complex or [[YourMileageMayVary polarizing]].

->''Grant me the power to bring the world revolution!''

* ThirtyGambitPileup: Played with. Though all of the characters have their own agendas and minibosses Touga and Mikage would like to imagine themselves as {{Manipulative Bastard}}s, only Akio's machinations truly drive the force of the whole story.

On the day of her parents' funeral, seven-year-old Utena Tenjou meets a prince on a white horse; the prince gives her a signet ring and tells her that the ring will one day lead her back to him. Overwhelmed, young Utena decides that she, too, will become a prince. Seven years later, Utena has followed the trail of her prince to the exclusive Ohtori Academy, where one fateful day, she defends her best friend Wakaba from [[JerkAss jerkass]] upperclassman Kyoichi Saionji. Saionji calls Utena to the dueling arena at the back of the school, where Utena's ring opens the door to the supposedly-closed-off arena. Utena immediately becomes enmeshed in a tournament of sword duels with the members of the Ohtori Student Council. The goal is to win the duels and gain the "Power to Revolutionize the World" -- as well as the hand of the mysterious Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya. At the young age of fourteen, Utena is forced to deal with a power she is not ready to control and a world she never dreamt of being a part of.

''Utena'' lovingly includes, describes, and subsequently averts, inverts, and subverts a large number of anime tropes, most notably StockFootage (Utena's OnceAnEpisode TransformationSequence) and ClipShow episodes (out of which, two of three contain major plot twists essential to the story). The series is known for the striking visual design -- influenced by Takurazuka, Noh theater plays, fairy tale imagery, and classic shoujo manga -- pieced together by director Kunihiko Ikuhara, as well as the lush soundtrack by J. A. Seazer that mixes classical orchestral themes with outre choral harmonies and surrealist rock.

The show is also infamous for its commentary on (and references to) existing works, including -- but not limited to -- ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', {{Carl Jung}}, SigmundFreud, the House of Borgia, ''ParadiseLost'', WilliamShakespeare, {{Cicero}}, [[http://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidMetamorphoses9.html#7 Ovid's Metamorphoses]], ''multi-episode visual references'' to Manet, and numerous nods to the existentialist German war novel ''[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Demian]]''. Underneath these themes, Utena is fundamentally a coming-of-age story, exploring whether it's possible to stick to childish ideals in order to defeat an opponent who is, for all intents and purposes, the living embodiment of adulthood.

''Utena'' is neither explicit nor gratuitous, although some find certain implications of the plot to be [[{{Squick}} distasteful]]; as an example incest is a major theme and it is explored from every perspective. The story's core, though, is based on a friendship that blooms into a [[GirlsLove romance between two girls]] who never expected it. The canonicity of what you see on the screen is famously debatable; the {{Word of God}} statements by director Ikuhara on the subject, however, are ''not''.

* A five volume manga; chronologically the first version, it was created simultaneously with the anime.
* An anime series; this is considered the "original" canon.
** A SegaSaturn game set in the midst of the anime's first arc, ''Four Days in Ohtori: Itsuka Kakumeisareru Monogatari''[[hottip:*:A Story That Will One Day Be Revolutionized]].
* An [[TheMovie original animated feature]], ''Adolescence of Utena''; this is an AlternateUniverse companion story to the anime series that is [[WorldOfSymbolism rife with symbolism]].
* A manga based on the animated feature; this is considered to be yet ''another'' alternate continuity.

* FreudWasRight

** It's implied that [[spoiler: neither Miki nor Juri have much interest in the End of the World]] since, after their personal problems are resolved, they stop being antagonistic to Utena (and in [[spoiler:Miki]]'s case, they're overtly friendly). Even [[spoiler:Saionji]] is not really evil, just an easily manipulable jerk. Only [[MagnificentBastard Akio]] and [[TheDragon Touga]] [[spoiler: in the anime]] remain villainous until the end, [[spoiler: though Touga has his reasons...]]

* BrotherSisterIncest: No! Don't be repulsed! The incest is for Deconstruction! Not FetishFuel! [[spoiler:Miki and Kozue, Nanami and Touga, Anthy and Akio. The first two pairings are only implied, but Akio and Anthy, on the other hand...]]

* DisposableFiance: Kanae is either a hilarious invocation or an inhumanly cruel straight example of the trope, depending on how you watch the show.

'''''Revolutionary Girl Utena''''' (''Shoujo Kakumei Utena'') is the ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' of the [[ShojoGenre Shojo]] genre -- and [[FollowTheLeader not by accident]]. The show aired in the spring of 1997, and flourished on Japanese airwaves with a timeslot of 6 PM on TV-Tokyo every Wednesday. At Kobe Animation '97, it won the 'Best TV Animation' award. A previous work by Chiho Saito, ''[[KanonByChihoSaito Kanon]]'', inspired several of the themes and tropes in this story.

** A SegaSaturn game set between the anime's first and second arcs, ''Four Days in Ohtori: Itsuka Kakumeisareru Monogatari''[[hottip:*:A Story That Will One Day Be Revolutionized]].

** The [[AuthorAppeal curry episode]] of Ikuhara's recent series ''MawaruPenguindrum'' uses the exact same pun in its title.

The 1999 movie ''Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku''[[hottip:*:Literally, "The Apocalypse of Adolescence"]] (''The Adolescence of Utena'' or simply ''Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie'' in the States), by contrast, makes the nature of Utena and Anthy's relationship blatantly obvious. Most of the characters are dramatically changed in both appearance and characterization, and the storyline is just as drastically altered; it is not so much an adaptation of the series as it is a complete recreation. The movie is famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) for its GainaxEnding -- as well as its [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible Gainax Beginning and Gainax Middle]]. It could be an [[RuleOfSymbolism allegory on Mahayana Buddhism, Jungian philosophy, gnostic belief]], or it could just be [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory about lesbians]]. If the series is the {{Shoujo}} equivalent of ''Evangelion'', the movie is Shoujo's ''Film/RebuildOfEvangelion''. (It should be noted that both the series and the movie were directed by Ikuhara, which explains why the movie is just as mindbending as the series.)

''Utena'' lovingly includes, describes, and subsequently averts, inverts, and subverts a large number of anime tropes, most notably StockFootage (Utena's OnceAnEpisode TransformationSequence) and ClipShow episodes (all of which contain major plot twists essential to the story). The series is known for the striking visual design -- influenced by Takurazuka, Noh theater plays, fairy tale imagery, and classic shoujo manga -- pieced together by director Kunihiko Ikuhara, as well as the lush soundtrack by J. A. Seazer that mixes classical orchestral themes with outre choral harmonies and surrealist rock.

* OhKitty: Nanami walks in on [[spoiler:[[BrotherSisterIncest Akio and Anthy]]]].

* RapeIsTheNewDeadParents: Subverted with [[spoiler:Touga]] in the movie, when it's revealed that he was both raped ''and'' has dead parents.

* SadisticChoice: Really, can you blame how [[spoiler: Anthy]] turned out when her choice is between [[spoiler: angry mobs and ''freaking magic swords'']]?

* SchoolgirlLesbians: Juri; possibly Anthy and Utena in the series, though it's canon in the movie. Tons of girls also fawn over Utena and in one episode, Anthy.
* SchoolPlay: The Shadowgirls' rendition of the Rose Prince's Tale.

* [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Students]]: The student council wear pristine military-style uniforms, all decorated with their trademark colors. Utena's regular outfit also gives off this feel.

* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: ''No'' character is innocent. Even Utena herself is far from ideal. [[MindScrew And yet...do they have to be?]]

* SpikesOfVillainy: Chigusa's shoulders in her dueling uniform, and the pommel of her sword.
* StartOfDarkness: [[{{Deconstruction}} How does one completely corrupt]] the [[TheMessiah strongest]] and [[WideEyedIdealist purest]] [[KnightInShiningArmor Prince]] in the world? Hint: [[spoiler: Just ask Dios...turned Akio.]]

* StockFootage: Utena climbing to the arena (and several of her signature moves), Akio's highway scenes, and many others -- incredibly, Utena was a low-budget series!
** Of course it wouldn't be Utena if it didn't subvert even this. The story about the little girl who lost her parents and met a prince that opens several episodes is repeated enough that most viewers will have memorized it... [[spoiler:except it is eventually revealed to be only partially truthful]].

* TechMarchesOn: Akio's omnipresent car includes a car phone. Back in 1996, this luxury helped emphasize how rich and important he is. Now...not so much.

* WhatTheHellTownspeople: Sure, townspeople! Go ahead and [[spoiler: [[ColdBloodedTorture stab your Messiah with a million swords]] just because he [[ChronicHeroSyndrome ran himself sick trying to help you ungrateful bastards]]! What, he's hidden away? No worries! Just stab his sister with the million swords instead!]] Arguably, that means us. Think about that.

* WickedWitch: Series Metatrope - [[spoiler:What a woman has to be in a fairy tale if she's not a princess. The only way to escape this fate is to leave the confining world of Ohtori. Meanwhile, Anthy is implied to be either a WickedWitch or a DamselInDistress. Different characters and the [[FanDumb more idiotic fans of the show]] don't realize that her personality isn't that flat.]] It seems that in-universe Damsels in Distress are accepted by society as Princesses and those who fight their fate, those who actually stop being submissive, are branded Witches. However that said.. [[FridgeBrilliance Revolutionary Girl Utena shows that women (and men) don't have to fit into cliches and can build their own persona beyond traditional stereotypes]].

** Nanami: Canary Yellow
** Miki: Light Blue
** Ruka: Dark Blue

By the way, {{Word of God}} says that all interpretations of ''Utena'''s symbolism are true. Yes, ''all of them''. (Knowing Ikuhara, this ''could'' just be an elaborate joke.)

'''''Revolutionary Girl Utena''''' (''Shoujo Kakumei Utena'') is the ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' of the [[ShojoGenre Shojo]] genre -- and [[DistaffCounterpart not by accident]]. The show aired in the spring of 1997, and flourished on Japanese airwaves with a timeslot of 6 PM on TV-Tokyo every Wednesday. At Kobe Animation '97, it won the 'Best TV Animation' award. A previous work by Chiho Saito, ''[[KanonByChihoSaito Kanon]]'', inspired several of the themes and tropes in this story.

* [[SharpDressedMan Sharp Dressed Students]]: The student council wear prstine military-style uniforms, all decorated with their trademark colors. Utena's regular outfit also gives off this feel.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler: The Myth of the Rose Bride was wrong on several different levels. Can you ''guess'' how many lives Akio must've ruined [[FaceHeelTurn since then?]]]]
* {{Shotacon}}: [[spoiler: Touga and his father]] in the movie. When Touga flirts with Miki in the music room. Miki understood fully, as his ImagineSpot provides. Yeeaaaah.
* ShowerOfAngst: Juri indulges in this.