A independent character of Utena is an androgynous teenaged female, Utenthe Tenjou, who was & then impressed by the variety prince around her childhood that she decided to turn into a prince herself, and cross-dresses as a male. She attends Ohtori Academy, around which she rooms using the student known as Anthy, world health organization successively is in an abusive relationship by using an additional member of the Academy. Utenthe fights to protect Anthy, & is pulled into a series of sword duels with a student council, a lot of whom fight for Anthy when a key to a coming revolution, & whom it refer to when "the Rose Bride," when a winner of every duel receives her when their prize.

A series itself is extremely unusual, pertinent of existence unlimited metaphysical. Though a plot is comparatively straightforward, everyone's motives come obscure (at first, at least). A series is better taken on a metaphoric level, when a latter half of the series (& motion picture) becomes super obtuse whenever taken on the literal error ocular (especially the then-alleged 'Nanami episodes') ascribable what a director admits occurs as mix of metaphor, borrowed visuals from either Takarazuka theater, classic shōjo, mythology, and a large amount of "stuff that just looks really cool."

A anime and manga were created simultaneously, however, despite a few similarities, it progress within different directions.

Composition
A 39-episode Todays Girl Utena TV series was created by a select few of the equivalent production staff that processed Sailor Moon, including writer and director Kunihiko Ikuhara. Even so, a owner of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi, was not responsible Utena; nor did a Utena manga creator Chiho Saito have much control above a anime, though rumour has it she co-wrote a number one year's scripts. Ikuhara is possibly better known for his contributions to numerous episodes within Sailor Moon's third year, a severest & arguably better of the series. Particularly he is rumored to develop established very much of the androgynous Haruka Tenoh's personality in that indicate, a easier aspects getting late been put into Utena's nominal pink-haired romp. Numbers of of the surreal aspects he pitched did non produce it into Sailor Moon, and fallowing his departure, might own been adapted for the Utena series.

A motion picture, Adolescence of Utena may be seen when the prevent of the story initiated per TV series, although it go into a super different counsel. Its structure is within numbers of ways parallel to it of a series, however a roles of the leads come subtly switched -- Utena remains the dueler, however piece Anthy's liberation by Utena is key to the guide of the series, in the flick, these are Utena's freedom which is at issue, & Anthy world health organization must absolutely free! her. In case a television series riffs upon themes from either either theater & mythology, it can be said that a film riffs upon themes from a series. Several aspects of a film can be all incomprehensible while forgoing familiarity by owning the series. These are possibly other eccentric visually than a series, unusual sufficiency that it earned a expert natured nickname among fans of "End Of Utena," fallowing a likewise abstract however infinitely less upbeat The End of Evangelion.

There was too the short-transitory Takarazuka-style musical entitled "Shōjo Kakumei Utena, Makai Tensei Mokushiroku hen, Reijin Nirvana Raiga". At Animazement '00 Ikuhara was said to be working on that by having a theatrical class action Gesshoku Kageki Dan. A 2nd disc of Shoujo Kakumei Utena OST Five, Locate Toi the Mes Contes, contains numerous of the songs from either this musical comedy.

A English manga is published by Viz Communications in the Animerica Extra magazine.

Plot summary
the series is divided into story arcs, inside apiece of which Utena inherit conflict by using a different power at Ohtori Academy. Particular motifs illustrate a style & methods of every contender: a Student Council's oath of revolution; a Black Rose cabal's psychologically torturesome confessions; & Akio Ohtori's cruelly seductive utilizes of his car. Characters
List come written around American a correct sequence, sustaining a last title fallowing the given name.

Main Characters
Utena Tenjou
(天上ウテナ Tenjō Utena) Altogether versions of a story Utena occurs as hoydenish, slightly naïve character world health organization dwells to emulate the idealised prince figure from either her childhood. She is forthrightly, honorable, & friendly, & 100% a girls around school adore her. She misplaced her parents whenever she was sole vi. Thereon day she was vagabondage as much as, misused, & she fell across the hole within the fence that enclosed water locality.

Utenthe fell within & about drowned however was protected by a mysterious 'Prince' world health organization actually licked—yes, licked—away her tears & told her that whenever she did non lose her noble heart than it would meet. He left by having her the rose signet ring.

From either so in, Utena has been wanting to find her prince & eventually thought she got obtained him once it turned out it was individual else. So, all the same, she attend Ohtori Academy, an exclusive prep-school, when a bit of cards from either her 'prince' manufactured the picture of aforementioned prep-school on the back.

& then to Ohtori Academy she went, determined to locate her Prince and besides to be the Prince.

Anthy Himemiya
(姫宮アンシー Himemiya Anshī) The mysterious, dark-skinned woman whose periodically vapid look & superficial politeness seem to mask something deeper. Numbers of population design their wants or even desires onto her, & she's typically a target of their eventual rage or even hatred. Typically known as "less forceful than a doormat." In the motion-picture show, she usually seems supplementary genuinely happy & is lot extra sexually aggressive towards Utena.

Akio Ohtori
(鳳暁生 Ōtori Akio) Anthy's older brother, & acting chairperson of the academy. Although barely present in the number one year of the indicate, he down the road plays the polar role. His given title derives from either a Japanese title for Venus, the Morning Star, which is identified with Lucifer. This is an appropriate title, for Akio is oft in comparison the fallen angel in the series, the angel getting been Dios.

Akio dominates his sister each personally & sexually; their incestuous & power-caused relationship is key to Anthy's psychological science inside two a anime (within which Anthy is held in thrall to her brother) & a picture (in which cases in a series reason the balance of power to shift dramatically). All the same, a single may likewise argue that in the TV series Anthy neutralize fact "control" her brother to an extent. He relies in her to control a duel victors & she is the a single that "holds" a heart blade.

Student Council Members
Juri Arisugawa
(有栖川樹璃 Arisugawa Juri) A captain of the academy's fencing team, Juri is one of Ohtori's virtually all extremely respected students. Possibly a teachers seem to exist as awestruck her. All the same, behind her upstage, daunting manner, she is actually super vulnerable when she has been pain it used to be that by her friend Shiori (assibilate whom she obsesses day and night). When viewers come at foremost allowed to think that Shiori stole Juri's beau from either her, a consensus review is that it was in point of fact Shiori world health organization Juri cared all about right along. A second member of the student council, Juri's role is non when clear-cut when Miki's or even Touga's.

Juri's nickname is 'A Beautiful Lepoard' & she is the captain of the fencing club. In the manga Juri is infatuated sustaining Touga. Touga, even thus, is taken by having with Utena, so Juri understands Utena when her curve contender.

Miki Kaoru
(薫幹 Kaoru Miki) A extremely-skilled, genteel, emasculate friend of Utena. The piano streaming video player par excellence, Miki has fond memories of swimming songs by using his sister Kozue inside his childhood; her refusal to play sustaining him in the present gives Miki the feel of loss. His crush in Anthy in the anime (however in Utena in the manga) develops while he finds she reminds him of his alienated sister. Although he crosses steel by using Utena, he universally has practiced intentions & is in all probability one of a couple of genuinely nice characters in the series. Besides the student councillor, he appears to become a bit of kinda secretary, when he's universally attatched to his stopo watch, & is jotting a council meeting's minutes.

Touga Kiryuu
(桐生冬芽 Kiryū Tōga) President of the student council. Touga is an self-important & handsome young human whose want to exist as elegant & right causes him to cruel & unscrupulous deeds. Although he belike wishes to exist as further noble, his want of affectionateness from either others doesn't allow him to use good deal empathy. Toward a prevent of the series, nonetheless, Touga's facade of chivalry is replaced using an apparently admittedly concern for Utena, to the extent that he super subtly tries to substitute his head for hers in Akio's chopping prevent. Arguably, this is as well an case of Touga's inability to watch Utenthe when world health organization she really is, like than around a stereotyped feminine role. His portrayal in the manga & flick come considered further sympathetic throughout, or even at least pitiable.His preferred items come women and himself.

Nanami Kiryuu
(桐生七実 Kiryū Nanami) Touga's all over-a-top, snob-queen little sister, world health organization is very fond of him; she calls him 'onii-sama' & a sentence "big brother complex" is often applied to her. Nanami typically makes various malicious attacks in students she deems inferior even (or worse, victims she suspects Touga is paying attention to). These pranks, yet, stem from either her have selfish immatureness like than measured evil seen inside more characters.

Two or three episodes in the series come specifically dedicated to Nanami & commonly have-alone nature and severity situations, breaking the convention of a standard Utena episode. Every has the metaphoric theme researching Nanami's character within the sympathetic weak, however come otherwise possibly additional nonsensical than standard episodes.

Kyouichi Saionji
(西園寺莢一 Saionji Kyōichi) Vice-president of the student council & captain of the kendo team. Aside from either his obsessional competition sustaining Tougthe, a select few assume him a simpler (less evil) character. He is tempermental, egotistic, prone to angry rages, & typically the jerk, but not when conniving when more characters. Fallowing existence throughly humiliated within a series of episodes, he was potentially shown to use the capacity to become nice. He is one of the least featured characters, by using a super short section in the Utena moving-picture show. Virtually all of the more students call for him by his last name.

He is as well pleasantly genitive of Anthy & believes that it is destined to exist as together there is no matter what....Anthy has different ideas (unless she is presently 'engaged' to him)

Black Rose Duellists

Kanae Ohtori
(鳳香苗 Ohtori Kanae) Akio's bride-to-be, girl of the school's Trustee Chairwoman. She is unnerved by Anthy, & believes a Rose Bride is responsible her father's unwellness.

Kozue Kaoru
(薫梢 Kaoru Kozue) Miki's twin sister, world health organization feels overshadowed by his talent & dirtied in comparison by using him. Kozue resents Miki's heart for Anthy Himemiya & is prone to "acting out" toAttach to her brother's attention, virtually all notably by exercising free intimate lesson.

Kozue besides seems to develop an extreme brother complex. She is very hard of Miki & is a understanding that he doesn't have a girfriend (despite the endless possibilities)

Wakaba Shinohara
(篠原若葉 Shinohara Wakaba) Utena's Total #1 highly fond fangirl & close friend. Wakaba's pollyannaish personality hides an tremendous inferiority complex, & she attaches herself to Utena & more population -- sometimes literally -- to feel crucial.

Shiori Takatsuki
(高槻枝織 Takatsuki Shiori) Juri's childhood friend. Shiori left a school when stealing a human she believed to become Juri's fellow, allowing Juri devastated. When Shiori is within several ways an guiltless character, her attitude towards Juri is typically downright sadistic; her schemes come typically designed to pain Juri for there is no cause more than to view her suffer.

Minor Characters
Chuchu

Anthy's pet (whom she may just refer to when friend). The little, amusing, like horrible, bowtie-wearing marmoset who tends to thaw out the bit of dry scenes, typically by using a aid of a big frog. Nevertheless, he seems to become caring of items more characters aren't. Saionji hates him somehow.

Dios

A enigmatic "prince" from either Utena's childhood. Dios's title, which means "God" within Spanish, when well as his presentation in the anime, indicate that he is to become considered Utena's guardian spirit. Dios occurs as central figure within the anime in spite of his limited screen period. A blade using which Utena fights virtually all of her duels is known as a Blade of Dios; a audience is led to guess that Dios's essence is somehow contained inside a brand. Dios is confounded by having Akio, all the same, complicating this interpretation. His "entering" of Utena when you took virtually completely duels could been seen when his exclusively method of protecting her; his essence has been weakened greatly, & Akio is all that is left of him in the material globe.

Shadow Girls
(Kage Shōjo). 3 girls (called The-ko, B-ko, & C-ko) seen single inside silhouette world health organizatiinside spend astir xxx seconds by the episode energetically commentating on its cases in emblematical allegory. Their caper provide funny relief along by owning meaningful insight into a indicate's plot. A few believe Shadow Girls come Utena's court to kabuki (and down the road bunraku) theater, however given Utena's apply of American like so Eastern themes, it's other in all probability it is as a matter of fact influenced per Greek_chorus and Shadow_play. These are late suggested that it can be very girls from either a school's dramthe club, however possibly so, it locate hints of the occult when their faces come never seen & Wakaba seems surprised that their school has a drama club. Such as very much inside Utenthe, a metaphor retains a degree of ambiguity.

Themes
An influence by Gnosticism can be found within two a anime & motion-picture show, by having Ohtori Academy when a illusive globe & Akio or even (further belike) Anthy when a Demiurge. By its plays in such prototypal numbers when a Prince, the Princess, or a Witch, and per symbolist role carried out by such plot elements as casket, thorns, or even castles, Utena may be seen when a quintessence of the Postmodernist fairy tale.

It should become noted that a series addresses intimate themes quite typically, including yuri (lesbian) and yaoi (gay male) elements—when well as darker intimate matters like incestuous desire, actual claw, & sexual abuse. A indicate doesn't dwell upon these themes morbidly or even obscenely, although it is formative area of a few of the characters' background; a mischievous director typically chooses to leave such interest the imagination. There exists somewhat additional expressed intimate imaging in the motion picture, although these are non pornographic by most viewers' standards. Fans use commented that Utena contains all a romanticistic combinations & fetishes seen within anime, by owning the imaginable exception of H anime (typically known as hentai by North Western anime fans). A second crucial theme is just about gender roles (freely chosen or socially imposed), which play the big a share in the series. A ubiquitousness of phallic symbols, such as steel, towers, cars, & poles, & a intimate connotations of flowers contributes to these sexual themes.

Chief among a romanticist relationships inside Utena is that between Utena & Anthy. These are additional ambiguous in a TV series than a moving picture—the director has the dislike of the hard shipper tendency in fandom & potentially complained all about Sailor Moon's leads' idealized relationship. Nonetheless, it is considered two or three, & now are belike a best known sapphic few inside anime.

It is considered a good lesson of the deficiency of heavy uke/seme concept in yuri fandom. When Utena (especially in the pic) is schoolboyish, hard, & physically aggressive ("masculine" traits), she is additional emotional & clean-handed than a tiredly experient Anthy. Fans enjoy this feeling of equality.

A film is additional blunt within its representations of themes rather thinking-outside-a-pack, carving 1's possess path despite uncertainty, rejecting placed paths, & general self-discovery. Due to Anthy & Utena's further open relationship in the film, it has been understand as a "coming out" film by some fans.

Inside the bit of circles, is as well believed that all about around the entirely series, including all the characters save for Akio & Anthy, come actually a fantasy in Anthy's traumatized mind. A dueller come diferent facets of Anthy's have personality struggling by having her brother's sex crime. Then, a duels come a way that Anthy builds higher plenty self-assurance to "revolutionize the world", internet explorer: allowing her brother & a Ohtori Academy, a just globe she has known for her entire life. Others guess a recurrent metaphors & ocular information to dying (especially a character of Mikage) indicate a rather limbo the characters come stuck around.

Visual Motifs
Recurrent motifs feature strongly & powerfully around Utena. Numbers of scenes come reused—exactly or even nigh and then—around many episodes. This will keep around been the practical consideration on the animators' the portion to reduce production costs, however it besides lends a ritualistic feel to numerous of the perennial scenes—like a Student Council's ascent, or even Utena's entry to the dueling platform.

A have of colour in a series alternates between serene & striking, when the world feels angular & modern, from either the faces of the characters to the project of the Academy. A dominant motif of a entire series is a rose, which fills the interior decoration & landscape of the Academy likewise when the ritual accouterment of the Dueler. Extremely conventionalised, it is remindful of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's. An additional curious a single is elevators, which seem to exist when utilized as stores of transition or even transformation—a Council's elevator, Akio's, a Black Rose class action's in which a confessions require place, & a 1 installed in the dueling platform in the late episodes. Per prevent of the series, cars—particularly Akio's—be an overwhelming motif representing loss of innocence & control.

Inspirations

Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles and Oniisama e are established sources of inspiration for Utena, visually for the first & thematically for the 2nd. Osamu Tezuka's Belladonna of Sadness and Ribon no Kishi (the story of the immature princess cross-dressing as a knight) can be more heavy ones.

A second major inspiration, evident in the apply of Gnostic themes, is Hermann Hesse's Demian. A Student Council's oath is paraphrased from either a book, too.

When you took a duel preparation sequences, Utena's outfit changes slightly within what is possibly the friendly parody of the magical girl genre. Also elevator scenes have a transformation aspect to the babies.

Ikuhara cites prolific dramatist, poet, & director Terayama Shuji as a major influence. Terayama was an extended period collaborator with J.A. Seazer, who wrote the music for his plays. Ikuhara said that working sustaining Seazer was a greatest a portion of his Utena case.

Music

A series' score -- by owning lyrics largely written by Ikuhara himself, & scored by J.A. Seazer -- is considered exceptional by many fans and is among its most memorable features. When from each one episode opens sustaining a industrious J-pop song "Rinbu Revolution" (Round Revolution), Utena's signature song is beyond question "Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku" (Absolute Destiny Apocalypse), which plays every instance Utena makes her hard way to the dueling arena. This song, along by using victims played when you took the duels themselves, come composed inside a style which will better exist when described as choral rock; they are quite acute & feature richly-textured polyphonic melodies. When the lyrics of the choral rock pieces typically pop up to become little to a higher degree themed gibber, a careful examination typically reveals hidden meaning pertinent to the theme of the episode and of the series as a whole.

More notability songs from either a series include "Truth," which concludes 1st- & 2nd-year episodes, & "The Sunlit Garden," a revenant piano piece whose ubiquity around the series makes it a symbol in its have perfect.

A pieces from either Adolescence Utena come of similar quality & don't disappoint fans addicted to Absolute Destiny Apocalypse.