Take My Revolution

A personal experiment in which I rewatch Revolutionary Girl Utena and discuss my thoughts on the anime and any analysis/connections I can make with my own lived experience. With each revolution of the rewatch wheel, I hope to uncover more that I missed in previous watchings until I too break free from ohtori academy.

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The original concept of this experiment came to me after I had finished watching Revolutionary Girl Utena for the first time. The initial concept was a podcast in which I rewatched and then discussed each episode over and over again, both because there is so much rewatch value to RGU and to replicate the feeling of being stuck in Ohtori Academy.

Some background:

I completed my first viewing (of both the anime and the movie) about a year ago, and this blog starts at the beginning of my second viewing. So there will likely be spoilers for both.

I’m not sure how often I will post an update, but I plan on writing a post per episode, although I cannot guarantee any consistency in post/analysis quality.

I’m sure I will reiterate stuff that other people have already figured out/discussed. I don’t really plan on seeking out/reading other people’s analysis. This may change in the future, but at least starting out, all my thoughts are my own (although I’m sure they will not be unique)

I’m a non-binary lesbian

My goals:

Part of why I want to write down my analysis as I rewatch RGU is to practice articulating my thoughts.

I’m kind of in a weird point in my life, and I want to be able to look back and have a log of what I was thinking and going through in different points in my life.

Literally just do anything that stimulates my brain and forces me to actively engage in something.

I don’t really think anyone else but me will see this blog or any of my posts, but if you do manage to stumble across this blog, hi!

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Log 6 - Episode 6: Take Care, Miss Nanami!

I think this is the first time I've noticed a repeated animation cycle, but you can clearly tell that they repeated Nanami's walking animation. I also think this is the first time I noticed Nanami's eyes, there's no white in there.

I also wonder where she is in the beginning of the episode. I assumed that everyone lived on campus in the dorms, and I think this is the first time we've seen someone outside of Ohtori.

Nanami climbing on top of the table to act cuter so that her brother will protect her is so funny. Her dedication to aegyo is crazy.

I've also felt paranoid and that the world was against me in the past, but I feel like it might have been due to light carbon monoxide poisoning. Maybe.

Omg Miki is one of the girls <3

Damn, no one cares about Saionji for real.

Tsuwabuki is fully being used, none of these poor children have any idea what a good and healthy relationship is.

Although Tsuwabuki's idea of an older brother is fucked up, I do fully believe that Touga would put someone in danger in order to save them and become their hero. I also fully believe that Touga purposefully ignored Nanami in order to make sure that he has a firm grasp on her psyche, and her full dedication and love. Not because I think he really cares about her, but more-so to just have power over her.

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Log 5 - Episode 5: The Sunlit Garden - Finale

Juri starts the episode off by talking about Miki and his innocence and how it's a strength.

Chu-Chu riding into the greenhouse on a little skateboard and staring down Miki is so funny, who made him that tiny skateboard?

It's revealed that the piano piece is an in-universe famous piano piece, which was created by Miki and his sister.

It's crazy that Miki got measles, did he not get his vaccinations?

Miki says that he destroyed his sunlit garden with own hands, by getting sick and forcing his sister to perform on her own despite her not wanting to perform at all initially. Also the bird cage showing how they're both trapped by being dependent on each other. Miki's trapped in his perception of his sister and her love for piano, and Miki's sister in participating in playing an instrument she isn't really interested in or skilled at.

Miki's refusal to move on from the past leads him to looking for past in Himemiya. He pushes the same perception he had of his sister onto Himemiya, and convinces himself that he needs to be her savior.

Miki copying Utena's words (can't accept a system that doesn't allow for Anthy to have free will) and calling for the dissolution of the student council.

Touga is a criminal manipulator, telling Miki that even if the council were to disband, the rose bride would still not belong to Miki. Highlighting that point by forcing Miki to run into his sister after Touga preys on her. (The character designs really make you forget that Touga is a high schooler and Miki and his sister are both in middle school, its kind of horrific.)

The shadow girls' skit about not being able to give up being a pirate until they have what they truly want echos what Touga told Miki and how Miki stays in the student council.

The blue rose represents Miki well, blue roses are artificially created, not naturally occurring, similar to how his perception of both his sister and Himemiya are completely made up by him.

It's also not lost on me how both Utena's prince from her childhood and Miki's sister both have shades of purple hair.

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Log 4 - Episode 4: The Sunlit Garden - Prelude

The beginning of the episode starting with the upside down castle and a glimpse into the future made me realize again, that the Rose Bride is just an object to have and possess.

I also love the transition back to the present where it's Miki playing the theme/background music, only to abruptly stop on a scene where his ring is center-screen.

Nanami's jealousy comes back into play, from her perspective Himemiya's almost like a weed that's invading her garden. When really, she's more like a chew toy who keeps getting fought over by a pack of dogs with no regard as to whether or not she remains in one piece.

Why did Chu-Chu try to eat that eraser.

Miki is so interesting to me cause he doesn't try to own her in the same outright possessive way as Saionji, but in a more subtle "nice-guy" way. Kind of like that one guy on tik-tok who was obsessed with Asuka from eva and would post about this girl in his class who reminded him of her and lil nas x commented on one of the tik-toks. Actually, exactly like that guy.

The shadow girls also play into this with the story of the boy who liked one of them leaving once his perception of one of the girls was broken by learning more about her. This also playing into Nanami's plan to distance Himemiya from Utena and Miki, only to be countered at every point. It's so fun seeing Anthy with her animals terrorizing Nanami. But also maybe Nanami wants that of Anthy, since she views Anthy as the enemy who is stealing the attention of her brother and friends, Himemiya becomes the villain who can do no wrong and retains the love of her admirers.

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Log 3 - Episode 3: On the Night of the Ball

The episode starts with Utena reminiscing about her prince and how her ring and the student council are connected to him when Anthy comes to wake her up, fully dressed and ready for school. After Utena finishes her breakfast (alone as we don't hear Anthy's "thank you for the meal" and possibly cooked by Anthy, which would explain why she was up earlier than Utena), Utena asks her if she has any friends. To which she admits that Chu Chu is her only friend. It's impossible to watch the show and ignore the effects that racism has on how Anthy is treated. She's a prize to be won, sub-human in many aspects, and she plays the role of a servant, especially in these early episodes. Although she self describes herself as a bride, and that she is engaged to who ever wins the duels, she isn't shown dining with Utena (only drinking tea with her after her meal). I'm sure there's more to be said and nuances that I haven't picked up on as well.

Anthy being bullied and having rumors spread about her despite Utena being the source of Saionji's depression (after all, she beat Saionji while Anthy was a spectator), is another manifestation of the racism she faces from her peers. Nanami tells her how she's desired by the boys of the school, even if it was part of a ploy to butter her up and get her to come to the dance and publicly humiliate her.

The way that Anthy reacts to her dress disintegrating is haunting, knowing what she has gone through, and watching her shaking while trying to cover herself in a crowd of people who don't move to help her (with the exception of Utena) sucks to watch. Touga isn't even particularly scandelized by what his younger sister has done aside from how it interferes with his own plans to get closer to Utena.

As for the Utena and Touga plot line, Utena's so enamoured by her prince she's easily manipulated by Touga and the prospect that he could be her prince. Comphet is crazy.

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Log 2 - Episode 2: For Whom the Rose Smiles

Listening to the chick in the egg metaphor that the student council recites again after having already watched RGU, I realized that the world that they are trying to break out of is Ohtori Academy, and the chick is Anthy. (Somewhat of a side tangent, but my friend and I have talked about how Touga and Saionji would be the last ones to leave Ohtori after a million cycles where every other student and faculty member has managed to leave.)

It is diabolical that Utena has been put in a dorm separate from the other students aside from Anthy knowing what happens later on in the series. She's removed from her friends/a support group and puts her more at risk of being manipulated. Especially considering Anthy's role in it as well (Anthy is also manipulated).

CHU-CHU!!!

The exchange diary is so funny, like why are you so concerned about this exchange diary that you have with your supposed ex-girlfriend. I guess they would be text messages in a modern retelling.

I also love how Anthy's personality subtly comes through with how she acts with Saionji when confronts her outside of her dorm, and it's revealed how she acted differently from when she was Saionji's rose bride. It was also shown in the last episode, and I'm excited to see it more in the Nanami episodes later on.

Utena's magical girl transformation into princely garb kinda goes back to what I had written about in my last post about how Utena views being a prince as a role, and how Anthy is an integral part in her role as a prince. However, when Anthy asks Utena why she didn't purposefully lose to Saionji, Utena tells her that she did it for Chu-Chu's sake rather than Anthy's, it's the first time that Utena really acknowledges Anthy in a space outside of their roles, and I think this is the start of their true friendship.

Also, during Saionji and Utena's fight, the spirit of Dios enters Utena, rendering her powerless to make own actions. A precursor to what happens later in the series when Dios plays a larger, more direct role in the story and how he manipulates Utena.

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Log 1 - Episode 1: The Rose Bride

I think I’ll refrain from discussing some of my analysis/theories from my first watch for the time being and instead talk about them when I get to those episodes. Particularly those revolving around the black rose saga and how the movie ties in with the anime.

For this first episode, I was reminded of how good the opening is and how its such a good representation of future episodes. Theres also such a start tonal change between the op and the opening dialogue which moreso reflects the tone of the first episode.

I also think its interesting how Ohtori Academy is on a hill and seemingly somewhat isolated from the town that surrounds the base of the hill.

Utena says that she wants to be a prince who saves princesses, as a role rather than a title. I get what she means since even though I don’t really like being called a girl/woman (although I do often refer to myself as girl adjacent for various reasons), I do very much see myself as an unnie. Not because of the gender associations attached, but more-so because theres certain expectations and behaviors attached to the word unnie that I tie my being to. To the point where I don’t have the same reservations of being called an unnie that I do with being called a girl/woman, even though they are all words reserved for girls/women. Obviously, this gets expanded on in future episodes, but this first episode is clear in defining Utena as a prince and Anthy as the princess to be saved. (I think it’s also worth mentioning that right before Wakaba’s letter is posted on the school board, leading to Utena confronting Saionji, Wakaba tells Utena that when she was younger her mother would tell her that she was the princess of an onion kingdom.)

Other Notes:

I love the animation of the water droplet as Utena opens the gate to the forest behind the school.

Anthy is the rose bride and she belongs to Utena now.