I think what you said about Utena’s sexuality actually misconstrues the message that Utena was trying to portray. Her sexuality IS important, at least the aspect that she’s a woman who loves other women is. After all, it’s her love for Anthy that lets her revolutionize her and Anthy’s world (recall her saying the only time she was happy was when she was with Anthy, I mean, it should be clear to anyone that she’s declaring her love). It’s only until she recognizes the role that dominant gender schema plays in heteronormativity (to be a man/prince it to be with a woman/princess and vice versa) that she truly becomes self-determinant once again, but in a way much different than she did before. Realizing your sexuality is also, in a way, a revolution. It’s a recognition of the self that destroys the world, the things that she’s told, that a prince should be with a princess, and the prince always saves the day. But along the line she loses sight of what she wanted to do (which was to save Anthy) and what she should do (become more traditionally feminine and submissive, to be a princess). For Utena, her role never really mattered; it was the fairytales and the things Akio said to her (which gave her validation and the feeling that she’s loved; note that she doesn’t actually love him, but rather loves the affection and the feeling of being wanted that an orphan could only dream of. There’s a difference between wanting male validation and being attracted to a man) that made her think it should. In order for her to bring a revolution, she had to go back and remember what she decided for herself, long ago (which is literally a revolution in the sense of going back to where you started, wow). Putting what she knew then and knows now, she could truly choose for herself. But if she was straight, she couldn’t possibly have brought revolution (I mean, imagine bringing revolution to Akio, I don’t think that could ever happen). In her choice to finally decide that she wants to love and support Anthy and genuinely be a vehicle/catalyst to her own revolution (because fighting for someone’s revolution is pointless unless they choose revolution for themselves; to choose revolution for another person by saving them like a prince is to enforce that fairytale narrative that was never really true. A man can’t truly change the agency of a woman by fighting for it, as this is exactly what takes her capacity to choose away from her and is therefore redundant). Eh, sounds like a pretty healthy relationship to me. And that’s exactly what gives Anthy the courage to act, because now she sees that she has VALUE, that she can be LOVED (without all that power imbalance shit), and that she can make her own choice to be FREE. So she does exactly that. She brings about her own revolution, following Utena in suit. If Utena wasn’t at least attracted to Anthy in the slightest, she wouldn’t have gone so far as to do this. I mean, it’s also clarified in the movie so her liking women is basically canon. Without Utena’s love and support but ALSO respect for Anthy, their revolution wouldn’t have been possible.

"Revolution" meaning "Cycle" only works in English. The original Japanese word "Kakumei" can only refer to rebellion. It differs from "Hangyaku" in that the latter implies prior loyalty (treason), while the prior refers more to a "barbarian" uprising. So while it can fit with the idea of overthrowing authority, and rejecting predetermined rules and ideals, the idea of cycles doesn't apply here.

You're the first person I've come across to talk about the power to revolutionize the world as a power that the duelists already have. Personally, I see it as not just the power to move into adulthood in general, but more specifically the ability to accept and move past traumatic events that one has weathered; adulthood is attained by recognizing what has held you back and that you possess the power to change yourself. All of the duelists have some precious memory that they both long to return to and is causing them pain, and those memories usually based around the most powerless version of themselves. Akio selects duelists with these sorts of memories, appeals to their nostalgia to manipulate them, and promises them the power to rewrite those times. In actuality, it's not until they're willing to acknowledge the roles they play in their own lives that they can grow up and eventually graduate. Akio cannot comprehend that he must move on from his past (and that he's changed to the point where the Prince has split off from him), never mind that he possesses the power to do so, and so will remain at Ohtori while Anthy, who learns she can control her own life, moves on.

I love Utena she's my Prince 😄

I just "became" an adult. This just stabbed me in the chest.

Something you didnt mention is if utena is about adolescence, then adolescence doesnt only happen once. Mikage participated in adult society and was somewhat of an adult yet he needed to transform once again because when we become adults we replace old ideas with new ones, and theyre not always good the second time either. Some would call this a midlife crisis but i just think humans constantly change. The neverending cycle of death and rebirth or somethinf

the end of Juri's duel still gets me

I don’t understand how the idea of officially assigning her a sexuality leads to taking away the characters self-determination or would replace that self-determination as the reason for her being unique.

Due to the release of a new anime series directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara (Sarazanmai) there is currently considerable online reference to his earlier collaborations. Having had no previous exposure to Ikuhara and seeking to understand what Utena was all about (and whether it was worthwhile for me to watch), I was extremely fortunate to land on your review "Understanding Utena." Even apart from the stated aim of reviewing an anime, and even for me at age 72, your insightful words are weighty and worthy of sincerest consideration. So thank you for this contribution. My best wishes..

Oh, in addition, I do hope you've seen Princess Tutu - and if you have, I hope you enjoyed it! I feel that Tutu and Utena are bosom buddies in terms of themes.

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The revolution in Utena is bigger than coming of age, even though coming of age is part of it: it's coming out of the shell that imprisons every human being since birth, which is the ego. If you pay attention to the songs in the duels, it's clear that there is a theme of rebirth and liberation (usually in opposition), which is related to the buddhist concept of nirvana, and the hinduist concept of moksha. Anthy even has a dot on her forehead, is it just decorative? Utena deals with the idea of enlightenment, and what are the means to obtain it, and if it's a worth pursuit, by questioning the dogmas of every religion, and their ideas of salvation. But it's pretty clear to me that Utena represents a soul that's seeking to end the cycle of birth and death.

Utena at the end of the anime, leaves school because she has matured, has reached adulthood.

I was lucky to watch Utena when I was a teenager in high school. This show saved me. I watched each episode a dozen of time. To tell the truth, I watch Utena once a year even now. It s my own cycle and a time for think about myself.

Last week, I found something interesting: In rosicrucianism, the rose is the symbol for conscience and for a figure of a sacred king which would come and restart the world from the beginning. (In a certain way, to "revolutionize the world".)

Great video, glad too see more people get into analyzing the show.

Fun fact: the stair sequence was Key animated entirely by Yutaka Nakamura. That Nakamura. This was back when he was freelance animating for Sunrise and J.C. Staff.

Similar to your theory, i think a core component to Utena's setup is that all of the duelists are totally capable of being adults, but they are each holding onto a "fairytale" that they refuse to abandon, like a kid child refusing to give up sucking their thumb. They desperately want to not have to give up their fairytales, which have begun to fester into complexes, so they decide to "revolutionize/change the world" as an alternative to changing themselves. To use the same metaphor again- they'd rather create a world where an adult CAN suck their thumb, rather than give up the habit. The anime, I believe, also works to explore in great detail how holding onto childish delusions can fester into toxic behaviours and mindsets, which then lead to abuse AND being abused. In S1 we see how each of the duelists is willing to hurt others, rather than give up their delusions. in S2 we see how their abuse has effected and poisoned those near them, and then in a S3 we see how the duelists and vulnerable to BEING abused by others when their delusions are used to manipulate them. This is also the core to Akio and Anthy- both would rather try to change the world, or accept living perpetually in their cycle of agony, than give up their delusions. Their fairytales turned into delusions, which became coffins. In the most childish, selfish, and final defiance against accepting their reality cannot be, they say "i'd rather die than give up on my fairytale"

Thank you for striking the right balance when discussing Utena. I watched this series as soon as it was available legally (and less so after the first season via the same channels that brought me Sailor Moon S.Stars) and it hit me while I was in my own adolescence. Utena is a brilliant examination of the social morays tied to becoming an adult and you really captured that in your examination. Well done!

My fav thing is how she takes what was given to her and makes it her own while freeing everyone who wants to be freed. To me that's the message, follow your Way.