Revolutionary Girl Utena

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Revolutionary Girl Utena


caption = Cover of the Newtype artbook "Newtype Ultimate Collection".
ja_name = 少女革命ウテナ
ja_name_trans = Shōjo Kakumei Utena
genre = Shoujo, Romance, Surrealist, Yuri, Psychological, Metaphysical, PhilosophicalInfobox animanga/Manga
title =
author = Chiho Saito
publisher = flagicon|Japan Shogakukan
publisher_other = flagicon|Canada flagicon|USA Viz Media
flagicon|Italy Star Comics
flagicon|France Pika Édition
flagicon|Spain Norma Cómics
flagicon|Poland Waneko
flagicon|Brazil Editora JBC
demographic = Shōjo
magazine = Ciao
first = 1996
last = 1997
volumes = 5Infobox animanga/Anime
title =
director = Kunihiko Ikuhara
studio = J.C.Staff
network = flagicon|Japan TV Tokyo
network_other = flagicon|Mexico Unicable
flagicon|USA Anime Selects
flagicon|Australia Australian Broadcasting Corporation
flagicon|Philippines Hero TV
first = April 2 1997
last = December 24 1997
episodes = 39Infobox animanga/Movie
title = The Adolescence of Utena
director = Kunihiko Ikuhara
studio = J.C.Staff
released = flagicon|Japan 1999
runtime = 80 min.

Nihongo|"Revolutionary Girl Utena"|少女革命ウテナ|Shōjo Kakumei Utena is a manga by Chiho Saito and anime directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara. The manga serial began in the June 1996 issue of Ciao and the anime was first broadcast in 1997. A movie, Nihongo|"Adolescence of Utena"|少女革命ウテナ アドゥレセンス黙示録|Shōjo Kakumei Utena Aduresensu Mokushiroku|literally "Revolutionary Girl Utena Adolescence Apocalypse" was released in theatres in 1999. A number of stage productions based on the franchise were also produced in the mid 1990s, including the "Comedie Musicale Utena la fillette révolutionnaire", staged by an all-female Takarazuka-style cast.

The main character is Utena Tenjou, a tomboyish teenage girl who was so impressed by a kind prince in her childhood that she decided to become a prince herself (expressed in her manner of dress and personality). She attends Ohtori Academy, where she meets a student named Anthy Himemiya, a girl who is in an abusive relationship with another student. Utena fights to protect Anthy and is pulled into a series of sword duels with the members of the Student Council. Anthy is referred to as the "Rose Bride" and is given to the winner of each duel. As Anthy is thought to be the key to a coming revolution, the current champion is constantly challenged for the right to possess the Rose Bride.

While the show generally has the appearance of a magical girl series, it is also highly metaphysical, surreal, and allegorical. It contains a mix of borrowed visuals from Takarazuka theater, shadow puppetry, and classic shōjo manga.

The anime and manga were created simultaneously, but, despite some similarities, they progressed in different directions.

Composition

The "Utena" franchise was conceived by BePapas, a production group composed of talents from various corners of the manga and anime universe. Most notably, the 39-episode "Revolutionary Girl Utena" TV series was created by some of the same production staff responsible for "Sailor Moon", including writer and director Kunihiko Ikuhara. Ikuhara was already well known for his role in the production of "Sailor Moon", including his contributions to the highly acclaimed third season, Sailor Moon S. The member of BePapas responsible for the manga version of "Utena" was Chiho Saito, a well-established shōjo manga author. Though she and the other members of BePapas discussed concepts together, Saito had little influence on the direction of the anime.

Ikuhara did not conceive of the idea for the movie, "Adolescence of Utena", until watching the final episodes of the television series on broadcast TV. Once again, BePapas convened to discuss concepts, and Saito would go on to create a manga adaptation of the film. The film can be interpreted either as the end of the story initiated by the TV series, or as a condensed retelling with the same themes and characters, although it goes in a very different direction. Its structure is in many ways parallel to that of the series, but the roles of the leads are subtly switched. If the television series riffs on themes from theater and mythology, it could be said that the movie riffs on themes from the series. Familiarity with the television series is assumed, and the movie version is even more visually bizarre than the original "Utena", enough so that it earned the good-natured nickname "The End Of Utena", after the similarly abstract but much less cheerful "The End of Evangelion".

Another incarnation of "Utena" came in the form of a number of one-shot theatrical productions. The Takarazuka-style "Musical Shōjo Kakumei Utena", also known as "Comedie Musicale Utena la fillette révolutionnaire", played in 1997, and the second disc of Shōjo Kakumei Utena OST 5, "Engage Toi a Mes Contes" , contains many of the songs from this musical. At Animazement '00, Ikuhara was said to be working on a later musical, "Shōjo Kakumei Utena, Makai Tensei Mokushiroku hen, Reijin Nirvana Raiga", with the theatrical group Gesshoku Kageki Dan.

The English manga was serialized by VIZ Media in the Animerica Extra magazine and later published into five trade paperbacks, with an additional volume for the film adaptation. Enoki Films holds the American license and called the series "Ursula's Kiss". However the American distributor, Central Park Media, chose to use the original title and character names. The same dub was aired in Australia, although it was listed under Enoki Films' title name. [http://www.abc.net.au/flytv/guide/default.htm]

Plot summary

The series is divided into four story arcs, in each of which Utena comes to face a different challenge at Ohtori Academy (Enoki Films calls it "Otori Junior High School"). In all of them, Utena must defend her title as the owner of the Rose Bride, with the intention of protecting Anthy. The duels almost always occur when someone with the Rose Crest ring challenges the current Engaged, though the Engaged may challenge other Duelists as well. No refusal is accepted. The matches occur in the dueling arena, a large, high platform in the academy's outskirts, which is only open to duelists. The Rose Bride pins roses to the Duelists' jackets. They then swordfight, until one duelist wins by knocking away the opponent's rose with his or her blade.

(The story arc names below link to more details than given here as well as the episodes.)

*Student Council Saga (Seitokai Hen):Episodes 1 to 13. This first part of the series introduces Utena, Anthy, and most of the main characters. It depicts how Utena ends up winning the Rose Bride, and her initial duels against the Student Council members. They in turn insist for various reasons on fighting in order to defeat Utena and win Anthy in order to gain the power to bring the World Revolution.

*Black Rose Saga (Kurobara Hen):Episodes 14 to 24. After repelling the Student Council's attempts to take Anthy, Utena faces another obstacle, Souji Mikage. Disguised as a genius 18-year-old school counselor, he uses his powers of persuasion and knowledge of psychology to put people under his control by coaxing them to confide their deepest hostilities and fears. Almost always, these people are students whose problems stem from conflict with Utena, Anthy, and the Student Council. He then sends them, wearing black Rose Crest rings on their fingers and frozen, black roses on their chests to fight Utena. This arc also introduces Akio Ohtori.

*Akio Ohtori Saga (Ōtori Akio Hen):Episodes 25 to 33. After solving the Mikage situation, Utena must fight each Student Council member again. At the same time, she finds herself the target of Akio's seduction. This creates a rift between her and Anthy. This arc is sometimes referred to by fans as the "Akio Car Arc" because the duelists are convinced to challenge Utena during a car ride with Akio.

*End of World Saga (Mokushiroku Hen):Episodes 34 to 39. As the conflict escalates, the dark secrets of the duels, and Akio and Anthy's true intentions behind them, are unveiled.

Characters

; nihongo|Utena Tenjou|天上 ウテナ|"Tenjō Utena": Utena is a tomboyish, courageous and naïve character who lives to emulate the idealized prince figure from her childhood. She is forthright, honest, and friendly, and nearly all the girls in school idolize her. She wears a white rose in her duels. Of all the characters, Utena is the least complex-her past and her intentions are almost entirely known by the second episode; however, her character is developed far more through the series, though some have complained that she is very much a "cardboard cutout".

; nihongo|Anthy Himemiya |姫宮 アンシー|"Himemiya Anshī": A mysterious and shy girl whose sometimes expression and superficial politeness seem to mask something deeper. Many people project their wants or desires onto her, and she's often the target of their eventual rage or hate. Her "doormat" behavior belies a far more complex personality. Many have thought Anthy to be the only "real" person in Ohtori.

; nihongo|Akio Ohtori|鳳 暁生|"Ōtori Akio": Anthy's older brother, the acting chairman of the academy. Although almost non-present in the first season of the show, he later plays a pivotal role in the second and third seasons. The Indian characters given name derives from the Japanese name for Venus, the Morning Star, which is identified with Lucifer.

tudent Council

; nihongo|Jury Arisugawa |有栖川 樹璃 |"Arisugawa Juri": The captain of the academy's fencing team, Jury is one of Ohtori's most highly respected students, and even the teachers appear to be in awe of her. Her aloof, intimidating manner belies a dark secret. She wears an orange rose in her duels. Of the Student Council Duellists, she is thought to be the closest one to becoming a Prince.

; nihongo|Miki Kaoru |薫 幹|"Kaoru Miki": Miki is an ingenuous and polite seventh grader who befriends Utena, despite their role as possible opponents in the duels. He is especially known for his skill with the piano. He has a crush on Anthy in the anime, but likes Utena in the manga. He wears a light blue rose in his duels.

; nihongo|Touga Kiryuu |桐生 冬芽 |"Kiryū Tōga": President of the Student Council and playboy of Ohtori Touga is an arrogant and handsome young man whose desire to be powerful drives him to cruel and unscrupulous deeds. However at the end of the series, he realizes his love for Utena and tries to redeem himself. He wears a red rose in his duels. Although only hinted at, in spite of his playboy attitude, Touga is a very strict, law-abiding person, refusing to drive because he doesn't have a license.

; nihongo|Nanami Kiryuu |桐生 七実 |"Kiryū Nanami": Touga's dramatic little sister, often used as comic relief throughout the series. Her love for her brother borders on obsession and incest, and she is often seen using devious scenes to punish the people who take her brother's attentions away from her, though this always backfires, often spectacularly. She is very skilled at catching small animals. She wears a yellow rose in her duels. She is considered one of the more underused characters and could be seen as unfortunate as Wakaba-unlike the others and like Wakaba, she never gets any new understanding or even the attention from her brother she so desired. She only becomes content with keeping the status quo. Nanami is actually an "anime-only" character. With the exception of seeing her posed with Touga in a family photograph, in the TV version of the manga, Nanami does not appear at all in either of the TV or film version of said manga.

; nihongo|Kyouichi Saionji |西園寺 莢一 |"Saionji Kyōichi": Vice-president of the Student Council and captain of the kendo team. He is temperamental, egotistic, prone to angry rages, and often cruel, though he is not as underhanded as other characters. Saionji is also extremely possessive of Anthy and believes that they are destined to be together. He was Touga's best friend during childhood, but a rift came between them by the beginning of the series. He wears a green rose in his duels. He is extremely sentimental, in spite of declarations to the contrary.

; nihongo|Ruka Tsuchiya |土谷 瑠果 |"Tsuchiya Ruka": A master swordsman, Ruka is the former captain of the fencing team and a former member of the Student Council. He considers Juri to be the most talented member of the club and was her mentor before a long sick leave. He appears in Episodes 28 and 29 after returning to school, and is immediately portrayed as a manipulative person with ulterior though not entirely bad-hearted motives. He wears a dark blue rose in his duel. Many fans do not like him and joke about his "mutant forelock". However, some fans absolutely adore him and feel that he was somewhat under used. Ruka is actually a "side-story" character in the TV version of the manga. He only appears in Volume #5's side-story "A Deep Azure Shadow" and was actually Juri's other love interest. (In the beginning of the manga, Juri actually has a crush on Touga. When Ruka went on sick leave, Touga said of his female colleague that "she actually loves you, Ruka not me. She just hasn't realized it yet. When you left, her love needed a place to go.") Ruka's fate is also very different from the manga and the anime. Some believe him to be an anagram of Ikuhara.

Black Rose Duellists

; nihongo|Souji Mikage |御影 草時| "Mikage Sōji": Mikage is the pink-haired head of the popular Mikage Seminar at Ohtori Academy. He wishes to kill Anthy and install a gravely ill boy, Mamiya, as the Rose Bride. Mikage believes that he can save Mamiya if he wins the duels. Some fans believe him to be Utena's foil and that if it had been another student as Victor/Champion, it would have been a different person in charge.

; nihongo|Kanae Ohtori|鳳 香苗|"Ōtori Kanae": Akio's fiancee, daughter of the school's Trustee Chairman. She has a strained relationship with Anthy, who she finds 'creepy and intolerable'. She is looked at as tragic, as she gets into a worst situation than she started out in. It is also hinted very strongly that her impending marriage was arranged.

; nihongo|Kozue Kaoru|薫 梢 |"Kaoru Kozue": Miki's twin sister, who feels overshadowed by his talent. Kozue resents Miki's affection for Anthy Himemiya and is prone to "acting out" to grab her brother's attention. She is the only one not controlled by sex, though she does indeed probably have intercourse.

; nihongo|Shiori Takatsuki|高槻 枝織| Takatsuki Shiori: Juri's childhood friend. Shiori left the school after stealing the man she believed to be Juri's boyfriend, leaving Juri devastated (contrary to Shiori's initial beliefs, however, Juri is hurt because of her love for Shiori). Shiori at times appears sweet and kind and at others (more in the face of Juri) will be cruel and uncaring. She used to be hated by fans, but of the still existing communities, understanding has grown, though many still dislike her. She is often compared to a goat, though the origin of the analogy is now lost.

; nihongo|Mitsuru Tsuwabuki|石路 美蔓| "Tsuwabuki Mitsuru": Nanami's most devoted lackey, a boy in fourth grade. He is obsessed with serving Nanami and wishes to be her adored "big brother", even going so far as to put her in danger in order to rescue her. He is thought to be Miki's successor.

; nihongo|Wakaba Shinohara |篠原 若葉| "Shinohara Wakaba": Utena's best friend. Wakaba's cheerful personality makes her a very friendly person. She hides a love for Saionji. Wakaba is the reason that Utena is first drawn into the duels for Anthy. Wakaba is an energetic romantic; she will jump onto Utena's back without warning and proclaim her love for her best friend. She is thought of as the most tragic and her cheerfulness as poignant, in contradiction of the usual "Genki" best friend.

; nihongo|Keiko Sonoda|苑田 茎子|"Sonoda Keiko": Keiko is one of Nanami's sidekicks, she also has a crush on Touga. She is the leader of Nanami's followers and is the spokesperson of the three and the one who slaps Anthy. Though she appears cruel and a kiss up, deep down she is insecure and wants more than her situation allows her.

Themes

With its plays on such archetypal figures as the Prince, the Princess, or the Witch, and by the literary symbolic role carried out by such plot elements as "coffins", "thorns", or "castles", "Utena" can be seen as the quintessence of the Postmodernist fairy tale. One important aspect of Revolutionary Girl Utena is that it grabs traditional ideas and perceptions, and twists them around. For example, it is often debated-and indirectly shown, in the series that Anthy and Utena are both the princesses of "the prince" who is Dios, or Akio, or both. This is in stark contrast to the generally accepted trope that princes have only "one" princess, whom they unfailingly love and protect. Dios and Akio are both shown to be protective of Utena and Anthy in their own way but are incapable of doing it properly. Dios' self-destructive altruism leads to Anthy position as the Rose Bride, his existence as a powerless spirit, and the creation of Akio. As for Akio himself, it is debated how much he really cares for Utena or Anthy, but his ambition and lust for power ultimately overrides any love he might have felt for them both.

It should be noted that the series invokes sexual themes quite often (especially in the final arc), some of which are incestuous desire, actual incest, and sexual abuse. While these themes are often important within the narrative, they are usually not directly stated or shown in the series. There is somewhat more explicit sexual imagery in the motion picture, although it is still far from pornographic. The omnipresence of phallic symbols, such as swords, towers, and cars, and the sexual connotation of dewy petaled flowers contributes to the sense of urgent sexuality, repressed and otherwise, in the series.

Another very important and recurrent theme is of gender roles (freely chosen or socially imposed), which play a large part in the series, from its very premise in which Utena wishes to be a prince and not a princess. As problematised as "gender" is in Utena, sexual desire itself is quite fluid; most characters at least hint at having both same-sex and opposite-sex attractions.

Chief among the romantic relationships in "Utena" is that between Utena and Anthy. It is subtle in the TV series, but less ambiguous in the movie - the director has a dislike of the strong shipper tendency in fandom and even complained about Sailor Moon's leads' idealized relationship. While Utena (especially in the movie) is boyish, strong, and physically aggressive ("masculine" traits), she is more emotional and innocent than the wearily experienced Anthy.

Much of the series -- arguably, in a way the entire series -- revolves around the transition between childhood and adulthood, and all that implies, notably development of sexual feelings and identity and the loss of "innocence." Most of the characters are estranged from a loved one in their childhood, something which affects them deeply and arguably stunts them, and this relationship is often complicated or corrupted by a sexual element.

Another theme of "Utena" is the reinterpretation of classic shōjo manga themes and motifs. Examples may be seen in the failure of "heroic" male characters, Utena's refusal to become a princess (and refusal to sacrifice her femininity in order to become a 'prince'), Anthy's subversion of the demure female role, and various plays on conventions in the genre, such as the transformation of outfits and idealized notions of friendship and love.

Visual motifs

The dominant motif of the entire series is the rose, which fills the decor and landscape of the Academy as well as the ritual accoutrements of the Duelists. Highly stylized, they are reminiscent of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's.

Another motif is the use of elevators, which are used as places of transition or transformation. These include the Council's elevator, the one found in Nemuro Hall (scene of the confessions in the Black Rose arc), and the one found in the final version of the dueling arena.

Cars may be considered one of the most oblique motifs seen in the series. In the anime, they appear in the third version of the dueling arena. In the final act of the movie, Utena is transformed into a car.

Repeated use of animated sequences can be seen in almost every episode, most noticeably Utena's entrance to the dueling arena. While this is usually seen in anime as a practical consideration to reduce production costs, it may also be used to reinforce certain themes.

"Utena" also takes the typically shōjo manga poses and dramatic effects intended to heighten the mood or tension of important scenes and exaggerates them, often to the point of being deliberately comedic. Examples include characters framed with spinning roses, or a dramatic scene accentuated with a baseball match in the background.

The colour red is used liberally throughout the series to symbolise the ambition of the characters. [ [http://www.jrt.co.jp/yos/ikuniweb/ikuniweb_e/ikuniworks/utena/movie/m_intro2.html ikuniweb(EnglishVersion) ] ]

Inspirations

Riyoko Ikeda's "The Rose of Versailles" has often been quoted as an established source of inspiration for the visual style of "Utena", [ [http://intersections.anu.edu.au/issue5/charlton_review.html Intersections: Review: Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku" ] ] (scenes involving sliding mirrors and unsupported staircases appear during character introspections in "The Rose of Versailles" while in "Utena" very similar scenes are part of the surreal landscape), although director Ikuhara has denied this on several occasions, including the director's commentary on the final DVD "Finale" of the American release. Nevertheless, similarities between the protagonists of "The Rose of Versailles" and "Utena" have been drawn by fans and reviewers alike, with Utena and Anthy often compared and contrasted with Oscar François de Jarjayes and Marie Antoinette due to their protector/princess relationship. Oscar and Utena are both feminist warrior-women who defy gender restrictions, have notable fighting skills, and form deep relationships with other women to the point of covert and overt romance. They both go through internal turmoil as they struggle to balance their desires for love with their needs for independence and dedication to their ideals, while other characters try to take their autonomy away from them, and they themselves are confused as to what it means to be women who dress and act like princely men. The two series share themes surrounding freedom, and the nature of human strengths and weaknesses, as well as plot devices revolving around swordfighting and symbolism in which the personalities of major characters are represented by roses. Visual similarities include the school uniforms of Utena and the Student Council, which bear striking similarities to the French military uniforms in Rose of Versailles.

"Oniisama e", which, like Rose of Versailles was written by Riyoko Ikeda and directed by Osamu Dezaki, has also been noted as an inspirational source for several thematic elements and visuals. It appears to be the source for several plot facets, characters and themes such as esoteric elitism within a school setting (the Sorority in Oniisama and the Student Council in Utena), bullying through verbal harassment and slapping, a controlling and deceiving authority, motifs such as that of a tree under which characters sometime meet, problems between friends when one of them is recruited into an elite and exclusive circle (Misonoo and Tomoko's friendship compared to Utena and Wakaba's), use of a piece of jewelry to symbolize and control obsessive lesbian feelings (Saint-Just's gold bracelet represents her passionate feelings for Fukikio while Juri's gold rose-embossed locket holds her picture/feelings for Shirori), ambiguous incestuous relations, musical pieces having intensely private and sentimental value, and existential themes such as the meaning of life if all people eventually die. Among others, the visual inspirations from Oniisama include architecture, hairstyles, and scenes involving roses such as a scene where petals overflow along with sheets of water from Fukiko's bathtub in Oniisama e and a scene in the Utena movie where roses and water overflow from an outcropping while Utena and Anthy dance.

Osamu Tezuka's Ribon no Kishi (the story of a young princess cross-dressing as a knight) and "Kanashimi no Belladonna" may be other inspirations. During the duel preparation sequences, Utena's outfit changes slightly in a transformation sequence, a common trait of the magical girl genre, and one which Ikuhara himself used profusely in Sailor Moon.

The music for the Student Council is strongly reminiscent of the "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach, and the Student Council's oath appears to be paraphrased from Hermann Hesse's Demian.Citation

Ikuhara cites prolific playwright, poet, and director Shuji Terayama as a major influence.Fact|date=February 2007 Terayama was a long time collaborator with J.A. Seazer, who wrote the music for his plays. Ikuhara worked with Seazer for the most well known music of Utena.

Music

The series' musical score, by J.A. Seazer, is one of the show's most memorable features. Utena's signature song is "Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku" (Absolute Destiny Apocalypse), which plays every time Utena makes her way to the dueling arena. This song, along with those played during the duels, is composed in a choral rock style. The music itself features polyphonic melodies and lyrics that often appear to be little more than themed words strung together. While the show's creative team hasn't offered any official explanations of the lyrics, some fan websites suggest interpretations.

The non-vocal background music was composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune, and is largely orchestral in character, though it often features significant jazz influences. One notable song is "The Sunlit Garden," a recurring duet piano piece which plays during nostalgic scenes. Its ubiquity in the series makes it iconic in its own right. Mitsumune also handled the arrangement of the first eight duel choruses.

The soundtrack of Adolescence of Utena is similar in style to the series, containing a mixture of orchestral pieces and choral rock. Masami Okui's track, the J-pop ballad "Toki ni Ai wa" (At Times Love is...), is atypical of the series' sound, although it enjoys considerable popularity among fans.

Movie

"Adolescence of Utena" was first conceived by director Kunihiko Ikuhara when the final episode of the television series was broadcast of Japanese television. BePapas reconvened and created a new vision of the Utena universe. The resulting film is ambiguous in its place within the Utena universe; though it functions as a separate continuity, much like the manga, it also refers to events in the television series frequently enough that it is confusing to those unfamiliar with the show. Ultimately, the film is plotted in such a way that it could be seen as a continuation of the series or an entirely new vision.

In a loose retelling of the "Revolutionary Girl Utena" TV series, Utena Tenjou arrives at Ohtori Academy, appearing to be a boy. She is accidentally swept up in a series of duels for the possession of the Rose Bride Anthy Himemiya and the power she supposedly holds. At the same time, Utena reunites with Touga Kiryuu, a friend and love from her childhood. It is later revealed that Touga died long ago. A belief among some fans is that the movie takes place in the land of the dead. Other key differences between the series and film include the absence of Nanami (save a brief cameo in her cow incarnation) and the revelation that Akio is also dead before the film begins.

The film takes many themes from the series and either ramps up their intensity or turns them on an ear. For example, the latent sexual tension between Utena and Anthy in the series is far more overt in the film; it is made clear to the viewer that Anthy is not only a "bride" by name, but that she will sleep with the person to whom she is engaged. The concept of Ohtori as a prison is made clearer, and Utena's empowerment of Anthy to escape is given physical manifestation as Utena literally transforms into a car for Anthy to ride to freedom.

Video Game

Developed and published By Sega for the Sega Saturn video game console, the "Utena" game was never released outside of Japan. It tells an original story which is set between episodes 8 and 9 of the TV series. The main character of the game is an original character (no default name, voice: Nihongo|Kaoru Fujino|藤野かほる) who transfers to Ohtori Academy.

The game is in the style of a visual novel with strong dating sim elements. The major characters each possess a statistic called "Heart's Nobility" which the player affects though dialog choices that appear sporadically during play. Each character's level of Heart's Nobility determines how the game will end. The special endings available for characters that end with particularly high Heart's Nobility represent the game's dating sim element, but because it is set within the larger plot of the TV series the relationships are usually somewhat platonic, or one-sided affections on the part of the main character. Yet, there are many aspects of the game that make it interesting to fans, such as duels between Student Council members and the opportunity to turn the main character into a duelist.

Endings

*Perfect
*Utena
*Touga
*Saionji
*Juri
*Miki
*Anthy
*Akio
*Black Rose
*Normal (little changed from the perfect ending)
*Bad (game over)

Theater

*Dates and Location:Dec 17 - Dec 29, 1997　Hakuhinkan Theater, Tokyo
*Staff:Director: Nihongo|Yuji Mitsuya|三ツ矢雄二
*Cast:Utena Tenjou: Nihongo|Yu Daiki|大輝ゆう:Anthy Himemiya: KaNNa:Touga Kiryuu: Nihongo|Rei Saito|斉藤レイ:Juri Arisugawa: Nihongo|Sanae Kimura|木村早苗

*Production Company:Gesshoku Kagekidan
*Dates and Location:May 26 - June 1, 1999　Zamza Asagaya Theater, Tokyo
*Staff:Producer: Nihongo|Kunihiko Ikuhara|幾原邦彦:Director： Nihongo|Ei Takatori|高取英
*Cast:Utena Tenjou: Nihongo|Megumi Ichinose|一ノ瀬めぐみ:Anthy Himemiya: Nihongo|Kazuyo Noguchi|野口員代:Touga Kiryuu: Nihongo|Rei Saito|斉藤レイ:Nanami Kiryuu: Nihongo|Chieko Misaka|三坂知絵子

*Production Company:Fantasy Adventure
*Dates and Location:September 30 - October 1, 2000　Amasaki Piccolo Theater Center Hall, Hyōgo
*Cast:Utena Tenjou: Nihongo|Mayu Watari|亘まゆ:Anthy Himemiya: Nihongo|Aki Kaai|可愛あき:Touga Kiryuu: Nihongo|Kazuki Aoi|葵かずき:Juri Arisugawa: Nihongo|Shinobu Kiryu|桐生忍

Airing outside Japan

Hawaii-based TV station KIKU aired the FUNimation Productions licensed version of the series during the January~March and July~August periods of 2007. FUNimation had previously acquired broadcast rights for Revolutionary Girl Utena from Central Park Media in 2006. Comcast on Demand also showed episodes of the first and second season for a brief period.

See also

* Revolutionary Girl Utena media information

References

* Clements, J. and H. McCarthy. "The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917". New York: Stone Bridge Press (2001)
* Lyons, Michelle. "Revolutionary Girl Utena: Book 1". Guardians of Order (2004)

External links

* [http://www.enokifilmsusa.com/library/ursula.htm Enoki Films] website
* [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/utena-the-movie-dvd Anime News Network review of the movie]
*
*
* [http://www.anime-characters.com/s65/Revolutionary-Girl-Utena/ List of Characters (With Preview)]