Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) User Reviews

First impressions can be very misleading

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 10 December 2013]

Judging by the lighthearted nature of the first episodes from "Revolutionary Girl Utena", one would think that it is something like "Sailor Moon" (in fact, the creator of this series used to work on that anime show) but it eventually turns into something much more complex and darker, involving adult themes and creepy plot twists.

There is a sharp contrast between the comical, almost childish beginning with what happens much later in the story, but I won't spoil the surprise for those who haven't seen this anime yet. Instead of that, I would recommend to any viewer to don't be so quickly to dismiss this show for its apparent silliness, considering that the first impressions could be actually misleading, as this series demonstrates.

8/10

One of the most mysterious animes I already watched!

[Lady_Targaryen · 9/10 · 4 May 2006]

"Shôjo kakumei Utena" is one of the most intriguing anime series I already watched. Sadly I couldn't finish all episodes, but I watched the majority of them and I already know how the whole series ends. A lot of mystery surrounds all the characters and many episodes seems quite surreal, but I guess this is what makes it original. (Like Touga fighting with a Kangoroo! LoL)People need to pay attention on the metaphors that is all the time present in this anime.

I think '' Utena''has one of the most amazing soundtracks already produced and it's not coincidence that I have three Cd's of it!

My favorite characters are Utena and Touga,by the way. Be aware with Anthy: She is much,MUCH more that she seems to be! ;) (This is one of the things I love in this anime...the amazing surprises and revelations that come with it! I need the last 4 episodes!)

Come the revolution

[xhraysis · 8/10 · 23 November 2020]

This show has my heart honestly. It's a deep, dark and intrinsically layered show that really requires your full attention. From the gothic influenced soundtrack to the bright colour palate and the uniquely hand-drawn style, this show is just sonic and visual candy. The plot is painfully ambiguous in my opinion but still intriguing nonetheless. And of course there are the feminist and queer themes that has bestowed upon this show its iconic legacy. To think that such revolutionary (all pun intended) ideals and themes and subject matters were depicted in this show nearly 2 decades ago and has served as the inspiration to many other queer and feminist story is truly a testament to this show's legacy. I am quite honestly dying to know what happened after the end but I'm glad it was not a tragic one. The bond between Utena and Anthy was truly something that warmed my heart, the sanctity of their bond seemed to transcend just friendship and even romance. It was, in essence, just two girls who wanted to save each other no matter what. Though I was sad we never got to see them kiss, i think their attraction to one another was blatantly obvious in the subtext.

One of my few only complaint really is just the repetitive nature of the sword fights. Though it does add a great deal of spice and action into the story, I feel most of the drama is nullified knowing that Utena will always prevail in the end. And the sequence of her climbing up the endlessly spiralling staircase, whilst it is a great visual delight at first, does get old quite fast. I felt the black rose saga was quite pointless and characters got introduced at times only to not appear or serve any relevance to the plot later on.

Overall, Utena is an amazing show; far ahead of its time, that blends mind numbingly surrealist imagery with complex layered characters, an amazing artstyle and a killer soundtrack

Bizarre? Yes. Smart? Most definitely.

[metatronica · 10/10 · 23 May 2008]

I think people get too caught up in attempting to understand something foreign to realize that many elements in Revolutionary Girl Utena are not meant to be taken literally and at times, seriously. Yes, it is strange, but, the strangeness is purposefully achieved as a method of storytelling. If one can look past or even appreciate the strangeness, one can find a worthwhile story that's both entertaining and insightful.

The main character, Utena Tenjou, is a student at a boarding school. She meets Anthy Himemiya, a shy girl who is the Rose Bride, the key figure in a mysterious plot by the Student Counsel to "revolutionise the world". The main storyline revolves around Utena and her journey, through different trials and obstacles, to uncover this mystery. To support the main story, there are many subplots and filled with colourful supporting characters, who add drama, humour, and complexity.

The Student Counsel members often recite a poem with portions borrowed from Herman Hesse's Demian. Like the Demian, Utena is about the antagonist's personal journey uncovering truth within their world and within themselves, through the transitional periods of youth. Unlike in Demian, the hero's journey in Utena is highly metaphorical. Despite seeming childish and simple at first, this series is actually incredibly dark with themes that are both adult in nature and adult in meaning. It uses many traditional archetypes – like the charming prince, the wicked witch, the naive hero – but changes these elements' relationship with each other and within the story as the vehicle to drive these progressive elements. Some of the ideas touched upon are the meaning of gender, gender roles, the meaning of self, etc.

Revolutionary Girl Utena is one of my favourite television series. Both the plot and the characters are highly developed. I actually greatly enjoy the surrealism, with over the top drama that both pokes fun of itself and other series within the shoujo (manga and anime for women and girls) genre. The fantastic story components along with highly stylized visuals full of symbolism paint an almost dream-like setting. It's a post-modern fairytale that's indefinitely unforgettable. You'll either love it or hate it, there's no in between.

The most surrealistic anime there is.

[Scortia · 27 July 2000]

Utena is one of the most remarkable anime there is. It has beautiful animation, wonderful storyline, character development, humor, and one of the chief reasons that this show doesn't have as big a following as it deserves, it's extremely surrealistic. There can be a lot read into this show and metaphors run rampant. If you don't like such an odd show, definitely do not watch the movie. Now THAT is weird. ^^;;

Haunting coming-of-age anime

[MissSimonetta · 10/10 · 13 May 2014]

Surreal, postmodern, feminist, Jungian- these are just a few of the words used to describe the strange but beautiful series Revolutionary Girl Utena. At its core, it is a coming-of-age story about the pain of adolescence and blossoming sexuality, populated with multi-layered and fascinating characters. Oh, and there's sword fights and fantastical elements as well.

Though there's plenty of humor and odd moments, the show has a melancholy, meditative, and haunting nature which sets it apart. The art is beautiful, though the constant reuse of Utena climbing up the stairs to the arena every episode gets exhausting after the third or fourth time. The music is beautiful too.

Of course, this show won't be to everyone's tastes. Those who don't dig symbolism or disturbing scenes will not enjoy Utena, but I'd urge the more adventurous to give it a try.

extremely layered and intellectually satisfying show

[emilam-825-172918 · 9/10 · 23 August 2010]

I watched this show growing up, the first time liking it, thinking it was strange and eccentric for all its symbolism and over the top characterizations, and gradually appreciating its real meaning the more I grew up and experienced relationships in which events and personalities of people started overlapping with that of characters of the show.

It is very well thought out, almost every choice in concept, story and direction is intentional. I do think the Nanami episodes can be omitted largely. They serve as filler, humor, characterization stories, and breaks. The black rose saga, while it may appear to be an insignificant arc, sets up and expounds on important themes and ideas. This includes making connections between adulthood and staying in school, the idea of secret desires and jealousy that come with insecurity of youth, as well as the revealing of Mikage's own delusions that force him to graduate once they are self-realized.

The show is very heavy on taking intellectual concepts and making necessary or unnecessary connections between them. For example, there is a heavy car motif in the later part of Utena. Whether or not the car is necessary doesn't change the main message of the show but still tries to enhance it. The type of car Akio has, its color, the way people react to it, the notion of driving in a dark place by yourself, all these things could be examined, and makes statements that the show would never care to do explicitly.

In that sense, I feel the symbolism is pretty dispensable. Things that are important tend to focus more on personal growth, and it is heavily inter-weaved with converse ideas that prevent growth such as over-idealization, cruelty, cowardice, insecurity, power, indulgence, and the inability to let go.

There's really so much once could find in it if they ever cared to look, and I really encourage anyone who is capable of a degree of abstract examination who feels stuck in their lives to watch this show. It's offered to me a good reference and understanding of human behavior, and comfort in my own life when I felt like everyone else was closing their eyes to the obvious.

A classic shojo anime

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 26 July 2013]

When she was young series protagonist Utena Tenjou met a prince who gave her a ring; since that day she has been determined that one day she will become a prince! At the time the story takes place Utena is at middle school and things are about to get strange! One day she challenges the captain of the kendo club to a duel; he tells her they will meet atop the strange tower behind the school… here she learns that he intends to fight using a real sword that he draws from the chest of Anthy Himemiya; 'The Rose Bride'. Surprisingly Utena defeats him and learns that Anthy now belongs to her along with the sword within her. Over the course of the series Utena must face a succession of challengers and learns more about Anthy and 'The End of the World' a mysterious character who writes letters to the student council instructing them what to do.

I've heard this described as the 'Neon Genesis Evangelion of Shojo anime' and I can understand why; especially towards the end when things get even stranger than they were already… this wasn't a bad thing though; it kept things interesting. Early on I feared it would be too repetitive as almost every episode featured a duel which always began with the same song as Utena climbs the tower then feature the same scenes as she draws her sword from Anthy; strangely the more I saw these repeated scenes the better I thought they were; both because they emphasised the repetitive nature of Utena's life at the school and because the song was rather catchy! Utena makes a good protagonist; she is both a good heroic figures and somebody who is more than a little naïve. The rest of the cast are good too as most of them are quite ambiguous; even those who appear to be Utena's friends present dangers to her. While this probably won't appeal to very young viewers there is little to cause offence if slightly older children wish to watch; the duels aren't to the death or even intended to wound… they may fight with real swords but victory is secured by cutting a rose from the chest of the opponent. This series is obviously aimed at female viewers but that doesn't prevent it from being enjoyed by male viewers looking for something a little different to the usual shonen fare. Overall I'd say this is an enjoyable classic anime series which fans of the medium should watch if they get the chance.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Wonderful for those of us who enjoy thorough plot lines

[foxy_gardener · 9/10 · 20 October 2006]

Many people when they see this series for the first time take out the disk thinking, "what...was that?" These people are those who aren't thinking about what's going on. This is one of those shows that you need to pay attention to. You've got to notice the little things and remember them--if you don't however, it's okay, you just won't be able to understand the complete depth that this show has to offer.

This IS a controversial show--but ONLY when you DON'T look deeper into it. Every time you see this show, you'll notice something you missed before. No regrets on purchasing this at all! If you think that it's a little slow in the beginning, have no worries--it'll pick up right quick in no time. Although some may see it as somewhat pointless to the main plot line, the Black Rose Saga does wonders for understanding more about the minor characters. Then, you get led into the Apocalypse Saga and thats when it really becomes shockingly amazing.

Don't get caught up in its facade. This show is clearly for those who enjoy a bit of everything: action, comedy, romance, tragedy and above all, a refreshingly original plot line.

One of my favorite series/films of all-time.

[Bevin-2 · 9/10 · 27 October 2001]

A unique and dynamic series, absolutely unlike anything you've ever seen. One of the most amazing stories I've ever seen put to screen, and so much more than the bubbly, vapid romance series I was expecting. Heavy themes from both Christian stories and Greek mythology, but a lot of it masked by symbolism and implication. an incredible story, but you have to watch ALL 39 episodes to get the full-impact. Not really a show you can watch out of order. I'm personally not a fan of the dub, but dubs have to be pretty impressive to compare to the original Japanese actors, in my opinion. There's so much subtext and raw emotion in their voices that they create the characters more than the pictures. And these characters are so complex it's a shame to not experience them at their full potential. This is a series where you can watch it over and catch new thing every time. WELL worth your money and time.

The darnedest thing...

[IkuharaKunihiko · 7/10 · 9 June 2005]

A long time ago a little girl called Utena lost her parents. But a prince gave her hope and so she decided to become like him when she grows up. As a teenager Utena was transfered to a strange school. There she won in a fencing duel and won Anthy, who is the rose bride...

"Utena" is the darnedest thing. I can't say it's excellent and yet I can't say it's not good either. The director Kunihiko Ikuhara ( always made the best episodes in "Sailor Moon" )is a wild genius that likes the surreal and so this anime looks much more like Hideaki Anno's "Shin Seiki Evangelion" or Jean-Luc Godards "Weekend" than an normal, romantic shoujo show. Some situations were gold. Like when Utena and Anthy changed their bodies ( Utena, being in Anthy's body, was given a love diary from Saionji and she used it to write that he stinks ) or when Utena was fencing with Jury( Jury threw Utena's sword in the air and it looked like she would win, but then the sword fell down and cut of her rose so she lost ). But there were too many supporting characters who took away too much time from Utena who was suppose to be the main heroine. So about 20 out of 39 episodes were revolving about supporting characters!

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Also, the symbolism is too heavy and pretentious. And often illogical. Just take this scene. Nanami is worried that someone might try to kill her. She leaves Tsuwabuki's sight. Tsuwabuki then says it's time to put her in danger again so he can save her. Suddenly Nanami is behind him and finds his hero attempt lousy. And then, all out of blue, a Cangaroo(!) appears from nowhere and attacks Nanami. And to top it all her brother Touga appears from nowhere too and starts boxing the Cangaroo! And don't get me started in that episode when Nanami want's to put snails and snakes into Anthy's closet but other animals appear from there too! Just too weird. Compared to that, Chu-Chu is cute and funny! Luckily, the style and the "normal" episodes are great. I guessed right from the start that Anthy's brother is the mysterious prince but I never imagined how puzzling the end would be. Could it be that Anthy and Utena are one person, living in fantasy and traumatized by incest?

All in all, "Utena" is a very good piece of intellectual anime but it wasn't what I expected. A tightened hand in story development would have been essential for a better grade.

Grade: 7/10

One of the most LGBTQ anime ever

[bhermann-40608 · 10/10 · 31 March 2020]

This series, which is one of the most queer anime of all time (with at least six bisexual characters and one lesbian character), involves Utena Tenjou defending the "Rose Bride" named Anthy Himemiya in duels, as he conjures the power to "revolutionize the world." In the background, dark forces lurk, manipulating the players like pieces on a chessboard, with no one aware of it, except a select few. As such, this series gladly deserves a rating of 10.

There's alot I didn't understand.

[feelingkoi · 7/10 · 7 February 2023]

I enjoyed this show, don't get me wrong. I did find the relationship between the two leads entertaining but I found that there was alot I didn't understand. There's alot of symbolism that, while watching with my husband, became hard to unpack or clearly find what they were trying to tell me. I realise that I'm not the direct audience as I was reading through translated subtitles, and that I don't come from the base culture, but as my first watch with no supplementary insight, it was rough. There's alot of question in this show of, "was that real? What does this mean?" and the show seems to take itself both seriously and not seriously at the same time. I did enjoy it, and there's alot of fun bits regardless of all that, but I seem to be stuck on alot of it.

Decadent, not Feminist

[IukaSylvie · 2/10 · 18 April 2019]

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but to be honest, I was disappointed to watch a decadent show, not the great Feminist Fantasy that Writing and Fighting for Love and Justice claims as is.

Aside from how repetitive and formulaic the story is, I found myself actually feeling Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy alongside my mother by the end of the show because most of the characters were either unpleasant or miserable without subtlety. While I did like Juri and Wakaba, it didn't change the fact that I found none of the characters particularly relatable and that the show felt decadent much unlike the following works, all of which deal with The End of the World as We Know It, genocide, and/or the loss of loved ones.

In fact, I found Count Bleck from Super Paper Mario, Scar from Fullmetal Alchemist, Anton Herzen from Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, and Sigma from Tweeny Witches far more sympathetic than the boring Damsel in Distress Anthy had always been. I only continued to watch until the very end because I wanted to see Akio, who had made me angry to death, face poetic justice. The Grand Finale left me unsatisfied because I didn't get to see him subjected to a Fate Worse than Death where he loses all of his wealth, gets his beauty tarnished, can no longer speak forever, is run over by his own Cool Car, and gets a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown by the Swords of Hate, the World's Strongest Woman, and the angry parents of his victims.

While I love Feminist Fantasy works like Moribito, The Beast Player, Princess Knight, and Tweeny Witches, I don't think that the show lived up to its fame as one of these because it seemed to believe that Real Women Don't Wear Dresses. Anthy is the weak one in a dress in contrast to Utena, a knight in a modified boy's uniform. Whenever Utena becomes feminine, someone weakens her by manipulating her into conforming to gender norms. Enforcing gender norms is bad in itself, of course, but Princess Knight and Brave show that femininity doesn't harm one's strength. But when Utena asks Anthy about femininity, Anthy replies, "In the end, all girls are like the Rose Bride" - an Extreme Doormat Stepford Smiler Damsel in Distress who stands around looking pretty and obeying her fiancé. No other character I've ever seen was that pathetic, not even traditionally feminine ones like Queen Elinor from Brave and Atelia from Tweeny Witches.

Let go of reality!

[chickskickass · 4 August 2003]

Some folks may find this show "bizaar", but I found this a deeply moving, thought-provoking, and at times absurdly hilarious show worthy of a watch by anyone who desires something a little bit more cerebral and twisted.

Set in a school covered in a rose motif, Utena is the tomboy protagonist, beloved by all, who finds herself suddenly enmeshed in the secretive dealings of the student council, and finds herself suddenly "engaged", to a girl, no less! And there's an upside-down floating castle, swords that pop out of chests--Freud would have a field day with this show--and surfing elephants. And explosive curry! So, um, suspend your disbelief for this show, because it truly is worth it.

The characterization of this show is what really sells it. You have kids playing at adulthood, and if you see Utena as a coming of age show, you can see between the lines of how all the characters are not trying to achieve a "revolution of the world" in that they're gonna start a civil war, but that they are actually just trying to reach adulthood, pressing beyond the threshold to the other side, which all but the heroine are unable to do.

Sound cerebral? It is. And it's very enjoyable, tugging at your heartstrings and then making you unexpectedly laugh at something that, when you think about it or try to explain to someone else, makes no sense. The music is overall wonderful, especially the background music--The Sunlit Garden is perhaps one of the best instrumental pieces I have ever heard on a Tv show, and is worth a DL any day--and the voice acting is done well, even on the English dub, which I generally think are foul, cursed things, but Software Sculptors, the American distributor, did an okay job.

This is a worthy series. Watch it! It's coming out on DVD! Rewatch it! You'll find something new every time, and it'll still be enjoyable even on third and fourth watches.

Oh, and though the box might say it's rated PG or PG-13, and that it's from the director of Sailor Moon, don't think that this is for kids. Though the first 13 episodes are all right, beyond that the show gets a little too hard to understand--though when you're a kid all that stuff makes sense--and also has some undertones that some of the more conservative might not like their children getting hints of(i.E. homosexuality and incest). In my opinion, if they're old enough to even understand what's going on--because these undertones are indeed only subtly hinted at--then they're old enough to deal with it.

Truly beautiful anime

[AngelofMusic1998 · 9/10 · 31 March 2024]

Young Utena has been given ring by a prince when her parents passed away. When her best friend ,Wakaba,is insulted by Saionji,the kendo captain ,she challenges him to a duel .Whoever wins the duels has the posession of Anthy,a Rose Bride with the power to revolutionize the world. This anime has themes of gender roles and harm they bring to both men and women,patriarchy,misandry and female opression. I love both Utena and Anthy,such well written girls .The ending is a hope for the future. The animation is very good for 1997. This really became one of my favorite shoujo anime .I absolutely enjoyed it. Well done,J. C. Staff! 9/10.

A sad song with not much to say.

[edsknife · 7/10 · 5 November 2023]

I did like it, but I wouldn't recommend it. All they do is fight each other and then cry about it. It's exactly my kind of formula, but for what purpose?

Apparently there was a massacre to build the supernatural power of the school, but it wasn't saying anything. It didn't have a point; it was just there to be MySTerIoUs or something.

It did have one of my favorite recap episodes though. One of the characters who was in a relationship, no matter how superficial, had her episode play over from HIS perspective. The recap expands upon the effect she has on people, and how she reacts to being held responsible.

Repetitive

[EuropeanQoheleth · 1/10 · 29 July 2021]

In each episode there's a ''Do you know do you know?'' scene, the talk of breaking the world's shell and a duel in which someone tries to win Anthy from Utena. Utena is on the backfoot but then magic and Utena wins. Wash, rinse, repeat. The walk up the stairs before the duel got so tiresome that even the makers realised it and sped it up 2/3 of the way through the show.

Supposedly there is a lot of symbolism in Utena (could the sword slashing the rose be a reference to sex? Or maybe it's just another inspiration the show took from The Rose of Versailles) but knowing anime fandom I have my suspicion that actually there isn't any subtext etc. And that it isn't accurate to say I don't get it but rather there's nothing to get.

This is such a good series.

[anthy16 · 4 December 2001]

I love this series! Not only is it visually pleasing and funny (in its own way sometimes, I must admit), it makes the viewer THINK in order to get the story behind the characters and their odd behavior, something most anime fans today are forgetting to do. One thing needs to be clear for those whose interest has been piqued... this is NOT Sailormoon, despite the fact that it is directed by the same (talented) man and despite the fact that it is a shoujo anime. Don't get me wrong, I love Sailormoon. But, Shoujo Kakumei Utena does have weirder (eerie) twists and mysterious (eerie) characters. So if you want something different, something not one-dimensional,like Dragonball, let's say, take a look at Shoujo Kakumei Utena. It's one of the best shoujo series around; after all, the girls in it all rule in some way or another.

Sad to see Kunihiko Ikuhara giving birth to such an useless fart after his excellent work on Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon

[TooKakkoiiforYou_321 · 3/10 · 16 March 2022]

This thing is the quintessence of boredom elevated by other anime elitists (other than me, I mean) to stardom because...because I guess it makes you "intelligent" or "profound"? Even if you get some of the messages the director is trying to convey to you (messages he already showed in the beforementioned masterpiece of animation, where he was able to turn a crappy manga into something else FAR more beautiful, poignant and personal) there is absolutely NO excuse for such repetition in both plot points and animation, the stupidity of how some of the characters act or think (especially the two main protagonists, as brainless and idiotic as a piece of wood), and the general lack of something keeping your interest alive, except the OST. Really really disappointed in him, I must say. Avoid this even if people rave about it like the second coming of Versailles No Bara (which DEFINITELY it is not).

Wow...just wow.

[rose.duellist · 25 November 2000]

This show is completely and totally incredible. It's so much more than just a simple shoujo drama. It's shoujo, it's drama, but it's also got action (sword duels, and they're just...awesome), comedy (yes, the quintessential Cute-Animal-Mascot, but even he's a little...different), and a plot that actually forces you to think. Who is End-of-the-World? Who is Mikage? What is the "power to revolutionize the world"? Why does Utena want to be a prince if she's a girl? What is free will? These questions and so many more arise over the course of the show. Every character has a deep psychological flaw and their own personal set of motivations and unique (often tragic) past. This is not a show for the faint of heart -or- mind. While the show is never explicit, it does contain mild violence (come on, sword duels without violence would be an oxymoron--blood is never shed though) and implied (never graphic) sexual situations. Another issue that may stand in the way of some narrow-minded types' enjoyment is the fact that nearly every character in the show has a--oh, shall we say, *flexible* sexual orientation. Just know that if you can't handle the original non-butchered "Sailor Moon", you won't be able to handle this. The Utena dub, by the way, is excellent (with the exception of a few voices). Juri and Touga were given voices that fit their characters extremely well. All in all, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this show.

Not the best anime ever, but worth watching !

[ashura-4 · 1 September 2000]

This series has become one of my favorite even if I've only seen the first twelve episodes... In fact It's nearly become an obsession, so I read quite a lot of spoilers and, well, what I've read is just encouraging me in that way ^^;

Yeah, it's completely weird. I love weird anime (my favorite of all times is Lain). It's pure shoujo. I like shoujo a lot. It's full of pretty boys and gay/lesbian innuendos. I'm a yaoi/yuri fan. So logically I like Utena a lot :)

The thing I liked first was this self-derision, this way to use every shoujo cliché they can... the biggest clichés being the characters themselves - and particularly Touga, who makes me laugh a lot because everything he does claims "I'm the archetypal playboy". Well, I guess Touga is my favorite character in this series... Even if I like Utena herself a lot. She's a great character indeed, very human in this world of caricatures... And her story is cute ^o^

Well, I would not recommend Utena to someone new to anime, it's far too surrealistic ! But for someone with quite a culture in anime it's quite funny, and for someone who likes weird, oniric stories it's... simply unforgivable not to see it !

no plot summaries, just overall impressions

[princej3 · 13 June 2000]

to put it in the most simple terms i can, Shoujo Kakumei Utena is among the best anime to ever come along. Whilst I'll admit many people could never understand it, let alone like it, any fan of anime in general has to give this series a chance. From the overall surrealism to the bits of sexual innuendo, this series delivers an intriguing world of roses, swords, roses, stopwatches, roses, princes, and did i mention roses? Images of death and hope fill the series. The characters are a wide range of personalities, all linked to these duels(and thus the End(s) of the World) in some way or another. The imagery is ongoing, and sometimes even takes me a second, third, even fourth watching to get it all(well, to get most of it, some of the series I believe is meant to never FULLY be understood.), and I dont usually need to see anything more than twice to catch it all. While not for everyone, fans of deeper, even more provocative series' will find Shoujo Kakumei Utena a very entertaining anime series.

The worst series I have ever seen

[Searyx · 17 July 2005]

First, the Technical aspect: The ANIMATION in Revolutionary Girl Utena is very well done, for it's time. However, it is brought low by an extreme overuse of repeated scenes. For example, before every duel, Utena is shown walking up a long spiral staircase as music plays. Upon reaching the top, she performs a "Magical Girl" transformation, bringing out her dueling sword. This takes up around two minutes of every episode, and gets extremely annoying if you don't fast forward. Another constantly repeated scene is the 30 second elevator ride the Student Council takes in almost every episode, reciting the same 4 or 5 lines about breaking the world's shell.

The SOUND is not noticeably bad or good. It gets the job done. The Opening Song is catchy, though it gets a little tiresome after a while. Ending Song is forgettable.

One of Utena's biggest problem is it's CHARACTERS. All of the men, except for Miko, are long haired, annoying, transparently evil, womanizing scum. Transparent, that is, except to the female characters, who swoon for them. This is very painful to watch, since we initially LIKE these women, and want them to be happy. Instead, we see them tortured and tormented by these cruel, androgynous men for 39 episodes. The series can evoke tears. However, unlike series such as Saikano, She -The Ultimate Weapon- or movies such as Grave of the Fireflies, Utena does not earn these tears, nor do I think it deserves them.

One redeeming quality in the character department is the shadow girls. They alternate playing as a sort of Greek chorus, to simple comic relief. They are amusing and interesting for the early part of the series, but start to get tired as the series plods along.

Another big problem is the Rose Bride, Anthy. Her personality seems to be non-existent for most of the series. She's basically kind and gentle to whoever she is engaged to. Anthy is not very engaging in the early episodes, but at least she's sympathetic, in that she has not fallen for any of the cruel men in the series. This is shattered, however, in episode 14.

Thus begins my critique of the STORY. Androgeny, Homosexuality, Pretty boys with unbuttoned shirts and poisonous personalities, Lesbianism, and seemingly rampant incest. What isn't there to like? To properly review the story, I will have to go into a few spoilers. However, I will restrict myself only to events in the first couple episodes.

By the end of episode 1, Utena is the top duelist, making her the default fiancée of Anthy, the Rose Bride. Unfortunately, everyone wants the Rose Bride, for she supposedly holds the power to remake the world. Thus does Utena's episodic "duel of the week" nature reveal itself. In nearly every episode, another duelist tries to win the Rose Bride. The basic structure goes something like this: A character is slighted by Utena or Anthy, intentionally or unintentionally, resulting in a challenge. The first half of the episode goes to developing the new duelists motives, followed by the duel itself, which I'm afraid to say is dreadfully uninspiring. Repeated frames abound, and the duels lack energy and coherence. Utena fights, Utena starts to lose, Magical Power intercedes, Utena wins. This gets very boring very quickly, as it does in every DragonBall Z episode I have ever seen.

Among the flaws in Revolutionary Girl Utena[, there is 1 that is fatal, bringing the series to a startling halt. It is plot related, so I shall tread carefully so as not to reveal too much.

By episode 14, we have lost sympathy for most of the cast. If they're male, we never liked them much anyways, though I'm pretty sure this is intended. If they're female, we've seen them debauched and/or broken by one or more of the men. Since the men are so obviously evil, we dislike the women for being so terribly gullible (even for schoolgirls) What is left is Anthy. What little interest I had left for Revolutionary Girl Utena resided in Anthy's innocence. However, this is irrevocably shattered in Episode 14, when Anthy... acts in a way that is far from innocent. It is so bad, in fact, that it brings the series to a screeching halt. What makes it even worse is that this monumental event is IGNORED, I repeat, IGNORED... for TWENTY EPISODES!! I truly believe I could have survived through this event if it had been resolved in the following episode. Unfortunately, it is not, and I was so upset by it that the rest of the series was ruined for me.

After episode 15, we realize that this terrible incident involving Anthy is not going to be resolved anytime soon. There are no sympathetic character's left, save Utena, who spends the rest of the series being steadily broken down by all of the evil people around her. This is not fun to watch, yet the writers stretch it out over 20ish episodes. On top of all of this, the duels, which had been mildly interesting due to the back story given to each duelist, and the fact that both parties learned something from the encounter, is made all the more boring when, through a plot contrivance, the future duelists lose their memory of the duel. Thus, they learn nothing, we learn nothing, and 22 more minutes of my life have been wasted.

In my intense hatred for episode 14, I almost forgot another fatal flaw... the pacing. In series of this nature, it is customary that the audience learn, bit by bit, the true nature of the series. In Utena, however, the important questions are not answered until it is far too late, and we have lost all interest.

Once you start watching, you HAVE to finish!

[Carmen-5 · 25 August 2000]

A friend of mine got me hooked on this series. Once I started viewing it, I couldn't stop! This series is a very modern fairy tale with a whole lot of mystery surrounding the characters. Who really is Anthy? And what of the mysterious "End of the World?" Well...you'll have to watch to see for not only the answers to these questions...but quite a few more that will come up!

Though there are mature themes in this series, everything is handled tastefully through metaphors and such.

If you get the chance to view this show, please do!