Revolutionary Girl Utena is a coming-of-age anime that fuses surrealism with magical girls, breaking all norms that define the genre. It is full of complex symbolism and indulges with themes like illusions, ambitions, sexuality, abuse, and incest.
All these themes are never direct and are represented by many recurring allegories in the show. Revolutionary Girl Utena bends the traditional fairy-tale archetypes like courageous price and damsel in distress and discards them early on in the show.
The longing for love, reminiscing the memories one had with their first love, and unrequited love are all present in the series.
If you’re a fan of hunting allegories, action, and romance, Revolutionary Girl Utena is just the anime for you!
1. Release Order
I. TV Series
- Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
- Episodes: 39
- Canon Episodes: 1,3,4,6-8,11-13,16,22-25,27,33-39
- Filler Episodes: 2, 5, 9-10, 14-15, 17-21, 26, 28-32
II. Movies
- Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena (1999)
III. Story Arcs
- Seitokai Hen: The Student Council Saga
- Seitokai Hen: The Student Council Saga
- Ohtori Akio Hen: The Ohtori Akio Saga
- Mokushiroku Hen: The Apocalypse Saga
2. Conclusion
The recommended watch order for Revolutionary Girl Utena is its release order.
3. Fillers: Watch or Skip?
Revolutionary Girl Utena is an anime that requires multiple viewing if you want to understand all the allegories present in it. If you love the show the first time, a second viewing is inevitable.
If you can’t decide whether to skip the fillers or not, try watching it without the fillers for the first time, and if you choose to re-watch it, watch it in its entirety!
4. Quick Review
I. Story and Characters
The story of Revolutionary Girl Utena is unorthodox, untamed, and high on symbolism. The show represents all forms of love and the consequences of falling in love.
For some characters, love is what makes them grow, and on the other hand, love makes some of the weak and vulnerable.
The story focuses more on the characters, giving them depth and backstories rather than a complex plot.
Even in episodes where it seems like the plot isn’t progressing, characters show some kind of growth that has some metaphorical meaning.
II. Animation and Sound
Revolutionary Girl Utena had a low budget, and hence, the animation team did their best to not leave out the intricacies of the anime.
Every action sequence is well thought out and equally well executed. The animation style is highly nostalgia-inducing and beautiful.
The soundtrack of the anime sits perfectly with its overall setting. Despite being somewhat generic, it gives more depth to the story and makes the series very engaging.
5. About Revolutionary Girl Utena
Revolutionary Girl Utena is a series created by Be-Papas, an artist collective founded by Kunihiko Ikuhara. The series was adapted into an anime in and was directed by Ikuhara.
The story follows an orphaned girl, Utena Tenjou. She falls in love with a traveling prince who consoles her for her loss. Leaving her with a rose crested ring, the prince promises her that one day he would come back for her.
A few years later, after this incident, Utena decides to attend Ootori Academy to become a prince herself. She defies all the gender norms set by the school, going as far as wearing a male uniform instead of her female one.
She gets involved in a dangerous game in the form of duels with the other students, competing for the Rose Bride as a prize.
The Rose Bride is another student named Anthy Himemiya, who becomes a slave to anyone who wins the duel. Utena wishes to set Anthy free, but in order to do so, she must unravel the secrets of Ootori Academy and revolutionize the world.
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