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I'm watching the last few Utena episodes right and I'm also wine drunk. yes it's wednesday but I'm unemployed so who cares. "Now Olivia," you may be saying, "why are you watching the ending of a deeply allegorical/surreal anime that you struggle to understand the deeper themes of even when you're fully sober?" This is a good point and one I have no counterargument to. But here I am regardless. (With that, none of this is particularly insightful.)
I watched most of the first arc on my own back in 2021ish and enjoyed it, but was too busy with school and navigating the pandemic and all that to really keep it up. I've been pretty thoroughly spoiled as a result of existing online for god knows how many years, but I've always wanted to finish it. Watching it for real this time was my single new year's resolution and then in early January one of my online friends out of nowhere tweeted smth like "my brother is gonna watch Utena before I do :(" which was a very convenient coincidence, so we put together a group and now four or five of us get together every week to watch a few episodes. I had to miss a week because of my travel so decided to watch just a few on my own and now I'm at the end. oops. At least I won't be the only one of us who's already watched it- another friend has seen the show like three times so now we can chat about the greater plot while our other friends take it all in for the first time.
The whole time I was watching it I couldn't help but compare it to Oniisama E (by the artist who wrote Rose of Versailles, among other things.) Both anime series, at least, are from the 90s, and cover similar themes of growing up, girlhood, complicated and abusive relationships, and the like. I haven't read the manga for Oniisama E yet but I've seen the anime two or three times, and while I don't dislike it it is harder for me to buy the melodramatic, over-the-top way the characters act while in a completely normal school setting. (I've never been a soap opera enjoyer.) Utena clearly draws a lot of inspiration from the series, but I think it works better for me here. It's easier to turn off the critical part of my brain that says "nobody acts like that" when there's a sentient mouse (???) and an elevator that ascends unsupported to a heavenly arena ringed by cars standing vertically on their back wheels.
The deconstruction of stock characters is really well done imo, particularly in Wakaba and Nanami. Other people have said it better and more eloquently than I ever could, but it was nice to see both of them grow out of their "normal girl who exists just to support the protagonist" and "mean girl" roles. Neither of those are something I see a character break out of often so it was a pleasant surprise. I can't say I quite get Anthy's whole deal yet but even the little I do understand is very intriguing and I'm excited to see what other people have to say about her arc and motivations. There's plenty to be said about greater story arcs and themes but I don't think that's something I have the capacity to tackle right now.
The music was overall really good! I'm a sucker for creepy choir/vocal music as well as romanticism/neoromanticism, so everything was really suited to my tastes. I think I'm going to try to learn Miki's song on the piano (badly. but I will try.) My only gripe is that I loved the second version of Absolute Destiny Apocalypse, but I was really disappointed by the third version. The harmony in the second was simple, sure, but I liked how it filled out the sound. I was looking forward to, if not an exceedingly more complex harmony, at least another layer of it, and was bummed that the third version does not only not add another voice but gets rid of the nice little 3rds that the second one had. It's still a good song but it could have been so much more. This version which I'm just now listening to fucks, though. Listen to that instrumentation.
I'm excited for a deep dive into other people's interpretations of the show, as well as what will now, for me, be a rewatch with my friends. It'll be nice to know the whole context and be able to better understand character motivations and what's going on behind the scenes. I'm going to watch the movie as well but I think I need to give it at least a few days before I do so.
fun fact, if you google "utena lesbian characters" akio ootori is one of the first results. do with that what you will
I watched most of the first arc on my own back in 2021ish and enjoyed it, but was too busy with school and navigating the pandemic and all that to really keep it up. I've been pretty thoroughly spoiled as a result of existing online for god knows how many years, but I've always wanted to finish it. Watching it for real this time was my single new year's resolution and then in early January one of my online friends out of nowhere tweeted smth like "my brother is gonna watch Utena before I do :(" which was a very convenient coincidence, so we put together a group and now four or five of us get together every week to watch a few episodes. I had to miss a week because of my travel so decided to watch just a few on my own and now I'm at the end. oops. At least I won't be the only one of us who's already watched it- another friend has seen the show like three times so now we can chat about the greater plot while our other friends take it all in for the first time.
The whole time I was watching it I couldn't help but compare it to Oniisama E (by the artist who wrote Rose of Versailles, among other things.) Both anime series, at least, are from the 90s, and cover similar themes of growing up, girlhood, complicated and abusive relationships, and the like. I haven't read the manga for Oniisama E yet but I've seen the anime two or three times, and while I don't dislike it it is harder for me to buy the melodramatic, over-the-top way the characters act while in a completely normal school setting. (I've never been a soap opera enjoyer.) Utena clearly draws a lot of inspiration from the series, but I think it works better for me here. It's easier to turn off the critical part of my brain that says "nobody acts like that" when there's a sentient mouse (???) and an elevator that ascends unsupported to a heavenly arena ringed by cars standing vertically on their back wheels.
The deconstruction of stock characters is really well done imo, particularly in Wakaba and Nanami. Other people have said it better and more eloquently than I ever could, but it was nice to see both of them grow out of their "normal girl who exists just to support the protagonist" and "mean girl" roles. Neither of those are something I see a character break out of often so it was a pleasant surprise. I can't say I quite get Anthy's whole deal yet but even the little I do understand is very intriguing and I'm excited to see what other people have to say about her arc and motivations. There's plenty to be said about greater story arcs and themes but I don't think that's something I have the capacity to tackle right now.
The music was overall really good! I'm a sucker for creepy choir/vocal music as well as romanticism/neoromanticism, so everything was really suited to my tastes. I think I'm going to try to learn Miki's song on the piano (badly. but I will try.) My only gripe is that I loved the second version of Absolute Destiny Apocalypse, but I was really disappointed by the third version. The harmony in the second was simple, sure, but I liked how it filled out the sound. I was looking forward to, if not an exceedingly more complex harmony, at least another layer of it, and was bummed that the third version does not only not add another voice but gets rid of the nice little 3rds that the second one had. It's still a good song but it could have been so much more. This version which I'm just now listening to fucks, though. Listen to that instrumentation.
I'm excited for a deep dive into other people's interpretations of the show, as well as what will now, for me, be a rewatch with my friends. It'll be nice to know the whole context and be able to better understand character motivations and what's going on behind the scenes. I'm going to watch the movie as well but I think I need to give it at least a few days before I do so.
fun fact, if you google "utena lesbian characters" akio ootori is one of the first results. do with that what you will
no subject
Date: 2024-03-08 03:04 pm (UTC)From:If you want to enjoy some interpretations and additional materials, I recommend checking out http://ohtori.nu/ which has a TON of stuff, including translated interviews with RGU creators and extra Utena media and analyses and MORE. If you want a less overwhelming experience, I recommend just following the "Utena" or "Revolutionary Girl Utena" tag on tumblr - you'll often see fanart and occasionally random people's analysis of the series which is super fun to see. Many people get something different out of it! It's like abstract art in that way.
Definitely take some time before watching the movie. I liked the movie for wrapping up certain threads and resolving some stuff that made me sad about the series, but I think the series is really strong on its own and it's worth sitting with and digesting it before getting into the movie.
Good luck learning Miki's song!
no subject
Date: 2024-03-09 04:50 am (UTC)From:Oniisama E is definitely worth a watch, I think- it's for sure not my favorite and I like Utena a lot more, but the anime is foundational for later shoujo/josei/gl. If nothing else, it's fun to be able to recognize its influence.
I will definitely be checking that out!! My friend sent me this site as well- I've only looked at a little bit of it so far but it seems pretty thorough. Good idea about following the tag too! I don't think I've ever actually done that on tumblr before and completely forgot it was a feature.
Thanks so much!! :D
no subject
Date: 2024-03-09 02:25 pm (UTC)From: