Jenner's Thread to be Gay in, AKA Let's Watch Revolutionary Girl Utena!

[grancheater]

[Fefnir]

Hoo boy, I fell SO far behind. Doesn’t schoolwork know I have anime to watch? Honestly. Anyway, starting from all the way back at episode 10:

[spoiler]Not to justify Saionji or anything, because he has problems outside of Touga, but considering Touga a rival and a friend really couldn’t have helped him as a person. Like, his leave isn’t even that important in itself, it’s more just a setup to show how manipulative Touga is. Wasting no time burning Saionji’s book is just example #1 of an episode filled with Touga being awful. And any time not taken up by that is taken up by Nanmi murdering a kitten, so I guess the trash gene runs in the family.

Hoooooooooow is Touga not the worst. Knowing that Touga’s an abuser just as a viewer with outside context makes it all the worse to see that characters still in “buying his shit” mode. I mean they’re middle schoolers with no reason to disbelieve him, but still. Seeing him get away with things sucks.
Kick Touga’s Ass Off the Castle 2017.

Episode 12 is a helluva mood whiplash. I keep bouncing between “depressed Utena is absolutely soul-wrenching,” “fuck you Touga” and “Wakaba was secretly the best character all along.” But mostly “fuck you Touga.”
In the end, though, it’s a good payoff. Three episodes in a row of Touga being unrepentantly awful and now he finally gets that smug look wiped off his face. And hey, being Rose Bride doesn’t mean 100% subservience. Take that, vague role-based mind magic.

IIIIIIII got nothing to say about episode 13. It’s a clip show. Kinda cool how Utena’s duels get a name, though.

Ah yes, the Black Rose Boys are Back in Town. My favorite song.
I kinda like how duels seem to be shaping up for this arc. Instead of four established dorks, we get a new person every time. And they might get their own unique arena, which would be cool. Though they don’t get the most desirable outcome for losing, gotta admit. Also, if I had to guess most of the duelist’s are going to be corrupted and forced to fight for reasons they don’t understand and aren’t at fault for.

Aw, we couldn’t just let Dork Squad alone with its two best members? We gotta get Nanami in here?
I reeeally wish that Miki wasn’t stuck with the weird incest plot. I find most of his flaws forgivable, like his overprotectiveness or his indecision. This is just uncomfortable. And Kozue wasn’t nearly as into Miki last time. Then again, I don’t think Miki was crushing on Anthy as hard during his last episode.

Hey, you know what episode 16 needs? More cowbe-

[quote=“Jenner, post:20, topic:1885”]
I swear to fucking god if any of you make a single more cowbell joke I will report you.[/quote]
Ah shit.
Anyway, that episode was definitely someone’s fetish, and if I have to live with the phrase “Nanami cow TF” you do too. This post is now officially cursed.

Okay, so the duelists have been less sympathetic than I’d originally thought. Self-doubt’s one thing, but Shiori was delighting in Jury’s even pre-possession. Jury needs someone who does not, in fact, revel in the fact that she has her moments of weakness. Shiori’s doing precisely the opposite of that.

Episode 18, in which Utena beats up a small child, who really wants to be taken seriously, guys. After all, would a child dual wield? I don’t think so.
Real nice of the dueling ground to have a child-sized outline.[/spoiler]

Okay, so that’s me caught up with the thread. Now I’m only a day behind… until tomorrow.

[Jenner]

Welcome back, @Fefnir. I’m glad you’ve caught up. But school is very important so please prioritize doing well in school over watching anime with me. I’ll still be here when you’ve got time.
I’ve got my post ready. And since I didn’t post before Wednesday it’s gonna be a Double Feature

See you next post!

[Jenner]

Monday’s episodes:

Episode 19: Bait and Switch.

Wakaba is the best.

Bechdel test failed almost immediately.

Wakaba looking out for her girl.

Wakaba is it okay to chase after women’s butts some of the time and is all the time a breaking point or is any and all butt chasing a deal breaker?
I’m sure Wakaba is down with a little butt chasing.

I like that Wakaba stands up for herself.
Wakaba rulz ok

Touga status: Still brooding.

YEAH IT SURE IS A SHAME YOU CAN’T CHANGE WHO YOU LOVE, HUH JURI.
(You really need to get the fuck over Shiori, Shioris are the worst. (No Shiori is not the worst person in this show.))

Ah at least Juri is aware that she has that problem too. Juri is cool.

Yup we sure have met the worst person in this anime.
Anthy has met her prince.

Jenner thoughts: Wanting princes and waiting for princes is kind of shitty imo. And I have mixed feelings about wanting to be a prince, but largely feel it’s pretty awesome.

How does this guy not know who Anthy is? I thought she had a reputation.

Pffft, my room mate.

Utena is trying to do her girl a solid. Good friends.

Wakaba you’re being so tsundere.
This dude seems better than Saionji so I’m thrilled Wakaba’s latched on to some rando. He seems significant.

Oh right he just transferred here, that’s why he didn’t know about Anthy.

Utena putting that work in.

I hope he confesses his feelings under a tree on the school grounds because that is serious business.

OMG HE’S DOING IT UNDER A TREE ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.
(Friends I’m going to talk about Tokimeki Memorial today.)

What?

What?!

I’ve been trolled!
But seriously, while some animes might do this kind of thing I should have known better. Utena is too good to pair a character off with some rando.
It was fun being trolled.

Aww this poor kid.

Wow, Souji just sending him away. I mean, good, because the kid’s just messed up. But what a cruel way to turn him loose. Souji is the worst school counselor.

Oh goddamn it, that’s Saionji isn’t it?

FUCK.

Teenagers are not smart.

Episode 20: Can We Not?

Oh no.

::unhappy noises::

Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Yes. We are dignified people and not a couple of horny teenagers.

Hahaha, the way he scampers off.

Hahaha, Wakaba is to good for this.

They seem to be… enjoying themselves.
Maybe he’s only a shit to Anthy or something?
Still not cool.

Hahaha, those three guys.

Wakaba you were always special.

I’ve had that teacher who called on the kid who doesn’t raise their hand. Dick move every time.

I’m having a hard time watching this because my cat wants pet and can’t seem to be pet enough. Every time I try to stop she butts her head demandingly back into my hand.

She’s very distracting.

Wakaba is really full of vigor and living it up.

Why is Utena doing bridges with Akio?

Akio: Some people are main characters and some people are supporting characters and sometimes supporting characters briefly become main characters.

GODDAMN IT SAIONJI!

Remember what I said about how calling someone by their first name implies a huge level of closeness/intimacy? Saionji calling Anthy Anthy set off warning bells in Wakaba’s head. The Ironside siren from Kill Bill is now playing. She tries to correct him, “Hahaha, you mean Himemiya, right?” Saionji’s like, nooope.

You suck Saionji.

WAKABA YOU CAN DO BETTER.
(I am still petting my cat by the way and my hand is very tired.)

OKAY HOW THE FUCK DID ANTHY EVEN GET THAT?!
ANTHY STOP STARTING SHIT!!

GODDAMN IT!

Friends, everyone needs improvement and you should always work on yourself. But you should never have to change for somebody. Don’t change for someone, grow with them. #JennerWisdom

That thing? Oh Saionji you piece of shit.

Make it fucking hurt, Wakaba. Twist that sword a bit as you draw it from his body. Make that fucker suffer.
(I am still petting my cat.)

There’s nothing wrong with being single.

Sigh. Wakaba is too good for this.

Snap out of it Wakaba!

YEAH! CUT THAT ROSE OFF!
I like that she didn’t use the Sword of Dios, Wakaba didn’t deserve it.

And now Saionji is back. Yuck.

Please be okay, Wakaba.

Episode 21: A Good Nanami Episode?!?!

Oh hey they’ve got Pocky.

Oh hey, they have names.
What’s the chances Nanami even knows their names?

Well she knows Keiko’s name.
Yuuko and Aiko? Who knows.
(I’m still petting this cat.)

Nanami is a bitch.

Teenagers have terrible taste.
For example, I liked Josta.

Anthy’s nodding off.

Lmao at Aiko just making noises at Utena.

Please let Chu-Chu actually be dead now.

I actually don’t know anything about Castor or Pollux, forgive me.

Sharing your umbrella with someone is serious business in Anime.

That Ironside siren from Kill Bill blaring again.

Nanami sucks.
Yuuko and Aiko suck.

Keiko’s sentiments are legit. Like, I feel this is 100% justified. The other elevator sequences people are kind of being twisted or having their darkest natures revved up. But Keiko is being pretty true to herself and just telling it how it is.

Souji still sucks.

Keiko wasn’t even after the Rose Bride so I’m confused. Step aside and let her kill Nanami, Utena.

Down she goes. I’m gonna be honest, Keiko’s Darkest Self was all truth.

Anthy knows who they are.

Ooh, keep lying to yourself as long as it takes for someone you love, eh Anthy? A dig at both her and Utena.

High school sucks.

A Slight Diversion: Tokimeki Memorial

Tokimeki Memorial was, as far as I know, the first dating sim type game to be released. Or at least, the first to become incredibly popular. Memetic even. It was made by Konami back when Konami still made games and the tropes and ideas introduced in Tokimeki Memorial permeated 90s and early 00s anime and JRPGs and still crops up today.

Tokimeki Memorial may have popularized such tropes as:

1. The Childhood Friend
2. The Love Confession
   Etc.

The original Tokimeki Memorial took place at a fictional Japanese high school where there was a legend that a tree that grew on the school grounds was mystical. Anyone who confessed their feelings to each other under the tree would be bound together forever. You play as a male protagonist that you name and pick the birthday of, then you get to pick the birthday of your childhood friend Shiori. It is heavily implied that your character has feelings for Shiori but do yourself a favor and don’t pursue Shiori because she is Nintendo Hard and not worth it. Romance one of the other girls instead.

At the end, if you meet the right criteria, the girl you pursued will confess her feelings for you under the tree much like you saw in episode 19 before the fake out.

The game was so popular that a lot of real life Japanese high schools started making up legends.

Tokimeki Memorial 2 followed and the tree was replaced with, like, something else. I forget right now and I’m too lazy to look it up my point is Kotoko is the First Tsundere and Homura is the best wife.

Tokimeki Memorial 3 replaces the tree with a shrine or something and it really sucks but you can ostensibly date the protagonist from Persona 3 in it.

Tokimeki Memorial 4 brings back the tree and I can’t resist Kai.

There was a companion series called Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side which puts you in the role of a girl pursuing boys and making chocolate is hard.

Girls Side 1 all the boys are garbage (one is the principal and one is your teacher, yikes) but you can become “Best Friends” with Shiho Arisawa and do it because she’s also the best wife.

Girls Side 2 has better boys than the first one but that’s not difficult because those boys sucked. I always marry smart and get with Chris because he’s rich and British.

Girls Side 3 finally changes the chocolate making mini-game and I can finally stop poisoning boys. It also lets you date multiple boys so I can’t help myself from making an incest harem with the two main boys every time. It’s me, I’m the problem.

In the Girls Side games guys like certain styles of dress and you have to buy clothes and play dress up to appeal to their likes. But i just wore the baggy jeans and cat hoodie forever and let the boys complain about how I never changed my outfit but powered through dates on charm and save scumming.

Wow that was a long ramble, I really love the Tokimeki Memorial series and it was super influential on anime and JRPGs, establishing tropes, memes, and archetypes that exist to this day. It’s sad we’ll probably never see another one. RIP Konami.

Wednesday’s episodes:

Episode 22: Souji’s Choice

The Student Council actually trying to figure this shit out. Wooo.

I have no idea what all this train stuff is about.

Souji trying to use the individual engaged to the Rose Bride to kill her? Not a bad plan.

I like Utena’s sense of humor.

Mysterious…

So Souji was Professor Nemuro? Ok.

Oh hey, somebody else with the surname Chida. I’m sure it means nothing.

The hand pointing out the cat, the tea kettle, and the framed butterfly that is in every elevator sequence. Ok.

Now there are two cats.

Now there are three cats.
(Speaking of cats, I’m still petting mine.)

And now the hand is pointing out one of the 100.

And I guess Souji had a hand in setting up this duelist situation we’re seeing currently on a larger scale? Interesting.

Lipstick on the glass.

Oh look it’s young Chida.

It’s interesting how Chida is drawn more masculine here and has a boy’s voice here whereas present Chida is drawn more female and has a female voice. But soon I’ll get to actually talk about Chida in a substantive way.

Some deep stuff coming out of young Chida.

It’s a leaf now.

Cup with lipstick on it returns.

I’m beginning to believe these bodies being wheeled out are fallen duelists and that they once fought to the death.
You know, death is eternal.

Akio snogging the lady Souji was pining for, how rude!
Is it still getting cucked if you never took a shot yourself?

Let. It. Burn.

Who the fuck is this lady?

Oh it’s Tokiko Chida, she’s just older now.
I guess time is fucked up in Ohtori? Nobody ages or something? That’s some kind of eternity.
Folks I’m not sure I would want to be an idiot teenager for forever. Especially not in a place this fucked up.

Episode 23: Busting Makes Me Feel Good

So Chida burnt the place down and killed all those guys. I mean, if the Rose Bride situation was still going on then maybe he figured it out and got sick of it? Good on him.

The bunk beds persevere!

Souji’s pretty forward and I suspect most girls would not have Utena’s chill about that.
Though we know he’s not being honest here since we saw him monologing about trying to get her in his camp so this is just him scheming.

They are holding hands! WOOOOOOO!!!

Sorry secretary lady, you can’t burn him. He’s already seen a massive inferno.

Okay so all those dudes were trying to break into the arena and Souji opened it for them.

What’s with all the wheeled away bodies then? Were they fighting elsewhere?

Souji just seeing Tokiko everywhere.

Hahaha, I was chanting punch him and then she did!
Utena is so good.

I’m not exactly sure what Souji is going on about regarding his claims that Utena, like him, wants her memories to be eternal and I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on this because the accusation definitely affects Utena so it must have some truth to it. It bothers me that I’m not ‘getting it.’
(Still petting that cat btw)

Yaaaay Wakaba is back and she seems okay!

Okay I get that they both have people in their lives that they’re utterly obsessed over and can’t let go of. Is that the memories they’re mutually trying to make eternal. Even I know that my personal scream at the universe stops with me.

I’m very confused. Now nothing was there and everyone’s forgotten? It’s starting to get weird about what is and isn’t real.

Here’s my theory on how this goes down because this is very fucked up.
At one point, Souji is alive as Professor Nemuro and got hella obsessed with Tokiko Chida and by extension her brother. Akio snogging Tokiko enraged him and allowed Akio to manipulate him to open the path to the Dueling Arena for him then Souji burned the research facility down killing himself and everyone else within. But he stayed on as some kind of ghost who blended Tokiko and Chida into one person in his mind who was Chida. So elder Chida was a figment of Ghost Souji’s imagination all along and when Utena defeated him his spooks and hauntings got ghost busted and everything came apart. With Chida the younger having been super imposed on Anthy (which is why she’s so exhausted all the time, she’s pulling double-triple duty.) Now everyone is forgetting his ghost nonsense and does it really matter what was real and what wasn’t at this point.

The changes in personality that happened in those Chosen by the Black Rose are going to stick with them. Not eternal, they’ll die eventually won’t they? Still, not bad for a crazy genius ghost.

mega super spoilers
This doesn’t even get into Akio’s role in fucking all this up. I’m sure he has more to do with it then we’re being led to believe.
mega super spoilers over!

Cat status:

More petting required.

Episode 24: Mr. Waste Your Time

Hey, this is a Nanami focused clip episode so you have my permission to skip it if you like. There are a few nuggets in this one but you alone will have to be the judge of whether or not this is worth sitting through for them.

On we go!

Tsuwabuki still being a hero I see.

Horses are big, dumb, and dangerous.

Kid seems to have a pretty solid idea of who Nanami is.

I guess it could be argued she rules the school from the shadows to an extent, and I guess that’s impressive, but she drowned a kitten, Tsuwabuki. Snap out of it and go hang out with Mari more.

Those are African Elephants, not Indian Elephants.

Lol wtf is up with all these elephants.

I’m not sure how I feel about this clip episode.

I really don’t have a lot to say about this one.

Uh. I’m not okay with this. It has a dream filter over it, but still.

Hey look, Fefnir, we got more cowbell after all.
(Aaaaa don’t report me.)

That pun is no better the second time.

I am not accepting this gracefully.

What the fuck is even going on?

That’s 23 minutes and 28 seconds of my life I’m never getting back Nozomi.

You might be thinking, Jenner you said it was going to get fucked up and that we were ascending the tragedy hill but, while that was fucked up, it was tolerable.

Good, good, I am glad you were able to tolerate it. The Black Rose arc is a slow, subtle ascent but we’re officially starting Akio Ohtori Arc on Monday and it kicks it off in speed, so be ready.

By the way I managed to pet my cat enough and we’re chilling now.

Wait a second…

WELP.

See you all Monday.

[heyboots]

About Wakaba… [spoiler]Souji made a deal with Saionji to get his suspension removed and all Saionji had to give up was the leaf he made for Wakaba. That’s how Anthy got it, it was explicitly planted on her so Wakaba would see it, get pushed over the edge, and freak out on Saionji.

Not that Saionji needed help being a total tool… but the whole thing was set up to put extra stress on Wakaba so she’d run to the black rose and become a duelist.

I think the point is to show that they’re not just passively waiting for people to show up, they’re seeking out the duelist who can defeat Utena and kill Anthy. And grooming their targets to make it happen when needed.[/spoiler]

[Jenner]

Hey friends, it’s Revolutionary Girl Utena day. But instead of watching RGU I went out and bought some flowers to plant in my garden and ordered a plum tree so I could have all the plums.

I also went to the fabric store and purchased four yards of this fabric

It makes me so happy that I’m literally weeping tears of joy right now. #CrocodileStyle

But I’m gonna watch the videos now okay? I’ll edit this post soon!

Whoops I fell asleep. Ok let’s try this again:

Episode 25: Cars for Miles.

Touga and Akio just out for a cruise.

Akio instantly flusters Wakaba.

Are they… moving in with Akio?
Can they not?

Akio’s look at Anthy enjoying herself. Yikes.

The End of the World is a who not a what? Well that seals it.

Akio: I got my name from that star which is also called Lucifer. Also I’m going to make moves on you.

Anthy just watching with shining glasses, geeze.

RIP BUNK BEDS
Episode 2 - Episode 24
::toots the pennywhistle solo from My Heart Will Go On.::

Utena asking Anthy to come to her if she needs help. That’s an order the Rose Bride will almost certainly not follow.

Also yes, just friends. Ha ha ha ha.

Awww they’re holding hands. :3
_{Just kiss already.}

Akio can just pull his car into the kendo club like nbd.

Saionji is smart to not trust Touga.

Shirts are officially optional.

Saionji status: Still shit.

Hey it’s a new ascension sequence and the song has been remixed a bit? Neat.

Well that’s… something.

I guess they’ve seen each other naked now.

Woah, Utena has her own sword.

Eek and yuck.

Hey new end credits music too.

Episode 26: Family Road Trips.

Two scheming boys scheming together.

Kozue saving some birds? Eh. I’m having a hard time believing she gives a fuck and that this isn’t just some plot.

Akio: “What do you think of her?”
Anthy: ::Fidgeting:: “In what way?”
Gosh gosh gosh.

The tea cup broke

We’re never seeing Akio’s fiance again are we?
I wonder what happened to her.

I don’t really have much to say here, I apologize.

I don’t agree with that. Becoming impure because everything else is impure. You have to hold yourself to a standard and try not to sink to a level that is beneath you. We’ll all have our moments of weakness but we’ve got to try.

Okay so Kozue gets to smooch Anthy but Utena doesn’t? Meh.

Episode 27: The Egg is a Metaphor for Many Things.
Alternate title: The best fucking Nanami episode ever.

1.) Laying an egg is like waking up to blood in your bed, having gotten your period in your sleep.

2.) An laying an egg is like losing purity which is far too highly treasured, in my honorable opinion.

3.) Laying an egg is like being unique. Sometimes it’s dangerous to be too unique.

4.) Again, laying an egg is like getting your period. Or maybe even having sex.

5.) Laying an egg can be like… getting/growing your breasts?

6.) Laying an egg is like having a baby.

7.) Laying an egg is like being homosexual.

8.) Laying an egg is like having something you can eat. Lots of protein in an egg.

9.) Laying an egg is like… The shadow girls are fucked up sometimes but I still love them.

Oh no, Nanami’s egg!

10.) Laying an egg is like having something precious that you genuinely regard. Saionji could never understand.

11.) Laying an egg is like falling in love.

12.) Laying an egg is like finding an… egg… lit up by spotlights… in the middle of the woods…

Oh no, Nanami’s egg!

Laying an egg is like puberty and maturity and–Goddamnit Chu-Chu is back!

See you folks Wednesday.

[heyboots]

So like… did Chu Chu hatch out of the egg?

[grancheater]

We are Chu-Chu. The egg is the world.

[Jenner]

Yesterday I planted an entire flower garden. I Tweeted about it here:

Jenner (soiendure)

(Don’t follow me on Twitter I’m way too political and my shit posts are really bad.)

Today I drilled holes in the side of my house.
ON WITH THE POST:

Episode 28: The New Kid in School.

Oh no, someone with bluer hair. This can’t be good.

How did this fucker get up here and how does he know all this shit?

Kinda ick.

INNUENDO.

Damn he just goes for it! Anime can’t handle that!

Juri you should get over Shiori and date… oh I don’t know…Wakaba or something.

I like that Utena and Anthy are having these deeper talks. Relationship building stuff.

Ruka is awful and he’s starting shit.

Juri is not the worst but Shiori is complete shit.
Why do so many people in this anime romantically entangle themselves with shitbags?

Being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Bleh. I look forward to Utena and Anthy mopping the floor with the pair of them.

Ruka sucks but it’s nice to see him dunking on Shiori.

Episode 29: Hate is Not a Good Foundation.

Ruka sucks and I feel quite bad for Shiori.

I’m torn seeing Juri not care.
Because she does care.
She’s making herself not care.

Oh man, Anthy almost got really real there.

She really is, Juri. Ruka is right.

##YIKES!
Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!

Ruka really sucks.

Juri knows Utena can beat this guy.

I still don’t get how Utena can be so chill with all this weirdness in the elevator. I guess she’s just used to weirdness by this point.

Let her go, Juri.

Go away, Ruka.

Nobody can free Juri but Juri.
Like Anthy, Juri needs to free herself.

Shioris are never worth it.

Episode 30: Love in Violation of Love.

I’m just going to say the cake is a lie so @Fefnir can’t.

Wakaba still has terrible taste in men.

But she’s still got some of the best wisdom.

They have a sister school in Amsterdam?
Is this kind of shit happening in Amsterdam?!

This is getting really complicated.

Utena has bad taste in men.

Teens make bad choices.

Ah, Akio reminds her of her prince.

Pretty damn sure Utena loves Anthy too

“Buh bye”? Creepy.

Akio being hella inappropriate.

::irritated noises::

If dancing is sex than the Shadow Girls are wrong.

There is nobody Akio won’t try to fuck.

::unhappy noises::

ALSO!! @LoakaMossi come back we can finally talk about:

Episodes 25&26

OKAY SO,

A trick of the light is a common idiom in Japanese and it’s obvious that Saionji knows that eternity is in the sky castle and seems to believe he needs the Rose Bride to get it. But he’s had Anthy for a long time before Utena came along. Why didn’t he try to bust in sooner? End of the World shenanigans? He definitely knows quite a bit. But he ultimately allows himself to be manipulated. It must be because of what Akio shows him on the car ride.

If someone IRL has a license plate that says Ohtori I’m not getting in that car under any circumstances.

[heyboots]

Sometimes this show is less subtle than usual.

[spoiler]

[/spoiler]

[Jenner]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Soon we’ll be ending the anime of Revolutionary Girl Utena and I would like to have a special, thread wide event where I stream the movie for us all to close out the experience.

I need to know when best works for the most thread particpants so please let me know:

• Mondays
• Tuesdays
• Wednesdays
• Thursdays
• Fridays
• Saturdays
• Sundays

• Mornings (9am-11am EST)
• Afternoons (12pm-4pm EST)
• Evenings (5pm-11pm EST)
• INSOMNIA (12am-5am EST)

[Jenner]

Please keep voting. I thought more people were doing this. They must be busy. (Or I am sad and semi-alone.)

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_{That color inversion.}
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_{Now kiss.}
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I really like the dance queen episode!!
_{(Why am I getting weird code under this one?!?! Whatever I don’t care.)}
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utena…. <3 - evonyo

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https://zysygy.tumblr.com/post/160205990418/a-flat-colors-commission-for-princetenjou
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[Fefnir]

Time to play the catch-up game again! So anyway, starting from episodes 19+20:

[spoiler]Other than the whole “she’s gonna date someone bad if she doesn’t date me” thing, I kinda feel bad for Tatsuya. I can chalk that up mainly to: A) Grief, considering he immediately insults himself and B) Foreshadowing, because freaking Saionji. I still think Touga is the worse of the two, but Saionji has basically just shown that he can’t change. Except now he’s taking advantage of Wakaba on a more personal level, so I’m even less fond of him. With Tatsuya, it seemed like he was just a generally clueless kid who didn’t (and still kinda doesn’t) understand Wakaba. Saionji’s just the worst, and I hate that he’s making a comeback from this. Also I keep nearly typing his name as ‘Sainji.’

You know, this is the first time someone’s ended off worse after their fight. Considering how delicate Keiko’s friendship with the other three is, I’d feel better if she just moved on. Also, I was kinda hoping she’d just forgo the fight with Utena and just go attack Nanami.

22+23: These two episodes were a bit strangely paced, by which I mean the first one dwells for a bit then the second goes by way too quickly. I also kinda like Souji a bit? He’s awful to everyone, but after a two-episode brood session I kinda pity him. His elevator section is my favorite thus far; nobody else speaks to him and he barely speaks to himself, he just sits there and dwells for a bit. I think he’s also a pretty good foil for Utena as well; while Utena let her experience with the Prince shape her as a person, Souji went the other way and actively tried to change his memory of Chida, to the point where he still believed Chida was alive and with him. Still a confusing couple of episodes, though.

Recap, wo-oo. I guess Nanami fell out a window, so… silver lining???

The new duel sequence is pretty rad. And probably the least subtle thing on the planet. They got a higher budget for the animation AND the gay, it seems. Oh right, the Worst Boys had a car trip. I guess that was most of the episode, huh? Though to be fair, the car theme means that Saionji got run over by absolutely fucking nobody, which is great. That was, uh, quite the ending, though. Yikes.
(I miss the old credits theme.)

It didn’t even occur to me that the car rides were the new elevator sequences. Now with double the manipulation! Anyway, good to have the usual reminder that all of Miki’s episodes are based around his weird relationship with his awful sister. Somehow this managed to be the worst one thus far, because now it paralleled Utena and Anthy. That being said, I appreciate that this season may have a ‘couples battle’ theme, and Saionji fought alone.

Nanami
Did
You
Lay
This
Egg
?
I have no idea what just happened, other than the fact that Nanami went to jail for Egg Crimes.

On the next episode of: Juri Knows the Worst People. Juri continues knowing the worst people, and Shiori just delights in being awful to her. Even Shionji isn’t that cruel, he’s just inept and doesn’t care about anybody but himself. And the episode ends with Shiori learning that Ruka cares about her in the same way she cares about Juri. In that he doesn’t.

Juri Knows the Worst People, Part 2: Ruka Fukin’ Sucks. I’ve already said enough about him, other than the fact that I’m really disappointed he wasn’t run over in this episode.

Ohhhh no, an episode where Utena realizes she loves Anthy, then assumes she’s wrong because she’s waiting for her prince. And she rationalizes Worst Dude Akio as her prince. Nothing good can come from this.[/spoiler]
Okay, now I can actually follow the thread on time for once.

[Fefnir]

Nanami episodes that aren’t predominantly shenanigan-focused? Now that’s unusual.

[spoiler]Okay, putting aside the cat murder thing, I’m starting to feel sorry for Nanami. Her relationship with her brother is weird, but it definitely seems like a lot of that is manipulation on his end. Especially since Nanami reacted to Akio and Anthy with disgust, it seems like she has some disdain for the relationship from the outside, or she can see the parallel and resents it. Either way, it’s clear that she feels trapped in her weird incestuous relationship, and has nothing outside of it. She definitely worsened after the ‘ol road trip, considering she straight up beat her friends, so it seems like Touga influences a pretty good chunk of the worst parts of Nanami’s personality. Kinda hoping she develops more as a character during the last few episodes, seeing as she almost pulled away here.

Episode 33 was a recap, so… yeah.[/spoiler]

[Jenner]

I did so much today.

SGCBEIKAJILFA TIME!
Blood Types:
In Japan the occasional excessive importance of one’s blood type can occur. It’s often used as a horoscope or personality test. It’s assumed your blood type says a lot about you and can help in match making and such. Blood type A was like the best blood type but I’m sleepy and don’t remember anything about the other types. Anyway, I’m not sure how big of a deal it is now but it used to be a kinda big deal.

But it’s Utena time now.

Episode 31: BUT MY FETISH

Oh man rotary phones.

All man, giant cell phones.

“Care to join me?” Lmao damn Touga.

Um. Nanami…

Hahaha. Nanami making a mess of things. Nice.

Haha, bye girls.

That banana
…
Yup.

Akio: I warned you about those stairs bro.

Oh dear.
Ick.

Nanami knows how brother sister relationships work in RGU.

Still so phallic.

Oh nooooo.

RIP HER FETISH.

This actually makes things more appropriate, Nanami.

Touga just fucking with her, geeze.
Is it always like this?

It’s getting to wacky sitcom levels now with all these people living in the same residence.

“Go home.” Damn nice Nanami.

Awww, Nanami.

Where’s Anthy sleeping-- oh.

Oh yeah.

Bleargh.

Episode 32: A Family Affair.

I’m glad RGU depicts the incest as fucked up. Because it is.

Oh wow, Anthy hasn’t been slapped in awhile.

Everyone is in some kind of fucked up relationship.

Uh oh.

Touga you dick.

Girl fight!!

Damn Keiko.

Poor Nanami.

Oh hey it’s Kanae. What’s up with her?

Anthy knows something is up.

Nanami trying hard to explain things but is it because there’s good in her or because she wants to fuck things up?
_{Things are already pretty fucked up.}

Is Chu-Chu knowingly facilitating the plot? Sinister.

Akio actually saying more than his usual shtick this time. Interesting.

The slapping has returned!
I did not miss the slapping.

Utena is right.
But so is Nanami because shit is fucked up here.

Poor Nanami.

Touga and Akio are totally fucking.

Episode 33: Speed Dating.

Hey friends, Akio is the End of the World. Act surprised.

I don’t think Saionji ever really considered Anthy’s feelings. He just thinks he did.

Miki should probably find a healthy relationship.

Utena is dimly aware of rumors and gossip.

Ruka sucks.
And Juri is a lesbian.
_{She has terrible taste though.}

In before it’s Juri’s sword that she polished.

The clip episodes in this anime aren’t that bad.

Who are you talking to Utena?

Her memory is fucked up. :ohdear:

She’s having some kind of breakdown?!

Did they fuck?!?!?!

##FUCK.

GROSS.

I’m not okay with it.

I’m driving to Tennessee on Wednesday but I’ll still watch the three episodes when I can. Please take the polls, I’m serious about streaming the movie.

[ChorpSaway]

Anyway, I’m not sure how big of a deal it is now but it used to be a kinda big deal.

It’s still pretty popular for anime/manga characters to have their blood type in info books and such, and there was a while where video games did it too, though that seems to have died down significantly, though they pop back up in dating sims on occasion. There are also dating sites in Japan and other parts of Asia that include or focus on blood type matching. I believe they’re also used for horoscopes and filler info in women’s magazine compatibility quizzes.
I think it’s still relatively popular as a pop culture thing, in the same way astrology is, but my info may be a bit out of date. Last I checked a majority of Japanese people believed that blood types play into personality types to some degree. At least one politician has stepped down while blaming his blood type for his irritability.

[Jenner]

That’s… that’s pretty great.

This is why I named that segment what I did, folks.

I recall characters blood types being listed in a few fighting games too. And like Chorps said, many animes/mangas (and video games) list character blood types in supplemental materials and such.
_{Sometimes it lists their measurements too…}

SGCBEIKAJILFA ADDENDUM:

Now that I’ve slept I went and looked it up and here we go:
Blood type A:
Positive Traits: Earnest, sensible, reserved, patient, responsible and cautious.

Negative Traits: Fastidious, overearnest, stubborn, tense, obsessive and pessimistic.

_{I speculate that at the time blood typing took off the majority of Japanese people had blood type A since it has all the best traits. (Or, at least, I’ve heard complaints that you’re culturally pressured to conform to these standards in Japan.) In addition, with the exception of pessimistic, the flaws in type A remind me of how I was told to list my flaws on job applications in my teens, as secret good things!}

Blood Type B:
Positive Traits: Passionate, active, creative, animal loving, flexible, cheerful and optimistic.

Negative Traits: Irresponsible, forgetful, selfish, lazy, impatient, unreliable and “going own way”.
_{This is the blood type Nanami claims to be, but she doesn’t seem to be a huge fan of animals (or, at least, animals are not huge fans of hers (especially elephants.)) But it’s okay to not meet every criteria, just like a real horoscope the folks making this up just have to get close enough. As a side note, the positives of type B aren’t too bad but based on what I’ve learned (from anime) the negatives of type B would have one really getting looked down on in Japan. I wouldn’t be surprised if blood type B people were discriminated against back when blood typing was all the rage and taken more seriously.}

Blood Type AB:
Positive Traits: Cool, controlled, rational, sociable, adaptable and intelligent.

Negative Traits: Critical, indecisive, unforgiving, two-faced, aloof and “split personality”.
_{Some might have thought, if A is good and B is less good then AB must be the best of both worlds! You might be right but if anime has taught me anything (it’s taught me very little) this is the worst one yet! A lot of Yandere characters often have this blood type.}

Blood Type O:
Positive Traits: Confident, self-determined, ambitious, strong-willed, intuitive, agreeable, competitive and athletic.

Negative Traits: Self-centered, cold, aggressive, unpredictable, arrogant, envious and ruthless.
_{A savvy person can tell right out the gate that a lot of villains/rivals in anime and manga are gonna have blood type O. I don’t really have much to say about it.}

I linked the whole Wikipedia article up above but blood type stuff has, as far as I’m aware, largely been debunked and, as Chorps has said, now mostly just happens as pop culture/entertainment.

[Jenner]

Have you folks seen the Doctor Who episode where they’re just eternally going around in circles in traffic?

That might be my life right now.

I’m not sure if/when I’ll be able to watch Utena today because I am still on the Death Road to Tennessee.

I’ll edit this post with Utena when I can.

Edit: We’re still driving and there are no Medieval Times in Tennessee.
Edit 2: Good news, I made it to my mother-in-law’s home in Tennessee. Bad news, I’m way too worn out to watch Utena. I’m gonna crash and then try to squeeze three episodes in tomorrow before I get devoured by my sister-in-law’s nuptials.

I had three ceremonies when I married my spouse, I thought it was silly then but went along with it. She’s having five. How many fucking times do you have to get married?!?!

Edit 3: I finally found the time to watch some fucking anime. Assuming my mother-in-law’s slow ass old lady internet doesn’t shit itself at the audacity of YouTube videos. LET’S DO THIS!!

Episode 34: Introducing Eternity

Incest is gross.

Omg do the theater girls have the same voice actresses as the shadow girls?
ARE THEY THE SAME PEOPLE?!
_{omg yes}

Wakaba: Pick one you like.
Utena: But there’s none of Anthy.
Me: I see what you did there.

Anthy sent her with roses to get sexed upon by her aggressive as fuck older brother but now she’s standing between them? What gives?

It’s time for a new story friends.

Oh my gosh the Shadow Girls rule and I love them so much.

Yes that’s right, whatever is in that castle contains what everyone of the student council wanted. How convenient.

Gosh this play just seems incredibly relevant.
_{(By the way, one of the unique aspects of my mother-in-law’s home is that, regardless of temperature outside or on the thermostat, it is always cold. I am very cold. )}

HOW SUSPICIOUSLY RELEVANT.
I’m sure it’ll never come up again.

Akio asking the right questions here.

Loyalty to her prince? Maybe they just made out real hard and didn’t bone.

I can’t tell how Anthy is taking this.

The constellation in the sky looks like a person with a sword.

Hey look its Anthy.
It’s Anthy suffering eternally.

You can’t fight forever, friends. They even rotate out soldiers on the field.

Utena knows suffering too.
And she can’t abide this.

That’s right Utena.
Become her prince.
Become a prince she can believe in.

(I’m sorry I’m away from my laptop right now. I’ll edit in a bunch of Anthy pictures later unless someone beats me to it.)
_{(Somebody should beat me to it.)}

Episode 35: Something Worth Remembering.

She doesn’t remember Anthy…
Does Anthy remember her?

Akio interrupts a possible revelation. Rude man.
_{(Did you know that when you sit in a chair with head phones on while watching a smart phone you become a beacon for children? Like, they just can’t not disrupt you?)}

Folks… I think Anthy knows.

Schemers scheming. I don’t like it.

Wakaba, a helper and yet not a helper.

Oh man, Akio’s using Touga to Touga Touga (and Utena.) Master manipulator!

Touga is not happy about getting out Tougaed.

Saionji is right.

WHOOPS I’VE BEEN AMBUSHED INTO MORE WEDDING PREP, BE RIGHT BACK!!

Edit 4: I’M BACK. Now where was I?

Episode 35 continued:

Horses are actually fucking awful. They’re not very smart, incredibly fragile, and are prone to spooking at pretty much everything and killing themselves.
My maternal grandfather raised Peruvian Passos, a prize stud of his froze to death because he was too prissy to go into the heated barn. My grandpa’s workers assured him the horse would not be dumb/stubborn enough and would let himself in. Anyway, back to Utena.

Does Anthy miss her? Is she worried?

Saionji is still right.

This is interesting. It’s like an interview.

They’re having shirtless pose offs. Shit is getting real.

Anthy doesn’t look like she likes this.
I have complicated feelings about this too.
Like you can be a girl with or without liking girly things. This is showing us that Utena is being feminized by Akio’s antics and it’s going about it is a very symbolic fashion that I’m not exactly enthralled with but also don’t hate.

Episode 36: The Real Deal.

Coffins a metaphor for something.

BLEARGH!!!

I do not like these princess games Akio plays.

Juri knows what’s up. But not enough.

##HEY FOLKS, IT’S TIME FOR SOME GAY SUBTEXT.

I can’t believe Saionji is fucking saying this shit. What a redemption arc.

Utena isn’t falling for your usual shit, Touga. She’s too wise to it. You gotta be authentic.

Is this… legit?
I think this is legit.
Wow, I’ve got feelings about this.
Like, he doesn’t see her as herself but as this fantasy, a princess (She isn’t) who is noble and beautiful (yes, but flawed) and he’s fallen in love with that fiction, not her.

Utena believes him. I guess he was legit enough but meh. How permissive.

SAVE HER FROM WHAT?!
You’re not trying to save her Touga you’re trying to keep her! You’re trying to possess her!! If you truly loved and respected who she was you wouldn’t be helping Akio with his games or playing your own. You would let her be who she is.

AND WHO SHE IS IS SOMEBODY WHO SHOULD BE GOING UP INTO THAT FUCKING CASTLE AND DUNKING ON THE END OF THE WORLD!!

Not okay with this “deal” either.

She still doesn’t care about the power.
She just cares about Anthy.

You don’t need to fucking protect her, Touga.
You need to believe in her.
For fucks sake.

Believe, Anthy!
##BELIEVE!!

…she knew she’d be followed and that they’d be caught and seen.
Way to show her a bit of the true Akio, Anthy.

The last three episodes are the literal last three episodes. We’re almost finished. So please catch up if/when you can and please take the quizzes so I can figure out when to stream the movie.

I won’t be back from Tennessee until Tuesday and I’m not sure if I can squeeze Utena in on Monday but I’ll do my best.

See you soon.

[heyboots]

[heyboots]

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