watching Revolutionary Girl Utena: 13

In which the last arc begins and I don't feel like the penultimate arc ever really ended.

34: The Rose Crest

Some lovely slow pans, cropped into tiny segments of the screen. Anthy's brother goes on about finding a new comet while Anthy gets up from his bed and gets dressed. There is one shot staged such that for a second it looks like she's sucking him off. It is tense and ominous. Then we see Utena in bed alone, and look at her ring. “I'm going to become a prince”, she murmurs.

We see the Did You Know girls in normal lighting! From behind. Of course. They don't need faces. They want Utena to act in a play! Their hands swirl around U's face in a reference to the elevator TF scene. She's probably going to blow off volleyball to at least go watch a play…

The Observatory. Anthy's big brother is photographing U and A, then gets in the frame. Then they're at the play. And we get the Shadow Girls telling us the Tale of the Rose! It sure is mannered. Once upon a time all the girls of the world were princesses protected by the Rose Prince (shot of Utena). But a WITCH (shot of Anthy) who lives in a floating castle plans to steal all the light of the world! Which is what the Student Council's speech is all about. But actually that is the Rose Prince, who is trapped in the witch's castle by the witch. Who turns out to be the Prince's little sister. Who the Rose Prince (big bro) cannot turn into a princess. And she is cranky because of this and plunges the world into darkness!

Commercial. The red headed student council and the green one are getting ready to do sword practice. So they can defeat Utena. Who is a spatial girl who has seen eternity.

Time for the Shadow Girls. Who confirm that they are the two girls in the beginning. They have objective reality! But they are not popular.

The Observatory, night. Anthy is going to sleep already, leaving her big bro and Utena alone on the couch. He flirts with her, they nearly kiss. She mopes about when she got her ring, flashback: lying alone in the church next to the coffins of her parents, in a pile of roses. And then the Prince comes. He shows her the immortal witch known as the Rose Bride, who is being eternally punished for taking the Rose Prince from the world. We've heard about this meeting since episode 1. This is Important as fuck. Flashback in a flashback: young Anthy is in a hay loft with the Rose Prince. “Dios is mine now, I've sealed him away where you can never get to him again!” She says to the crowd outside, calling for him. They stab her with a thousand swords, and she's locked in torment forever.

Utena's Prince (definitely Anthy's Big Brother) tells us Anthy sacrificed herself to save her Prince. Who is now someone different: End of the World. Utena tries to help her down and is repelled by some kind of field. She begs her Prince to help Anthy. He can't. He tells her the only one who can save Anthy is “a Prince she can believe in”. And she vows to become a Prince to save Anthy. And her Prince gives her the Rose Ring. And is sure Utena will forget all of this. But if she doesn't, the ring will lead her back to save Anthy…

Utena wakes in bed next to Anthy. She had a dream she can't remember now. Probably the flashback we just saw. Anthy couldn't sleep, she just watched Utena's face as she dreamt. And asks “who are you, really?”

We haven't had a duel in how many episodes now? Like three or four? That duel's gonna be a whole episode when it happens.

Next episode: The red and green student council members are trying to get close to Utena.

35: The Love Which Grew In Wintertime

Fairy tale: recap of Utena's origin. With scenes from last episode's flashback. In case you forgot.

Driving. Big Bro tells Red Council (and us) that the next duel will determine who gets to bring Revolution to the End of the World.

Slow pans across the school are interrupted by brief flashes of tight close ups on Utena. This is getting really avante-garde. Utena is watching Anthy watering flowers while she almost remembers when she learnt who Anthy really is. She just knows she's got to keep a promise she made to someone… and wonders if they ever met before school… when Big Bro shows up and wants to take Utena for a walk. Anthy of course lets him take her away. Anthy never says no to anyone. But a moment after they leave she expresses her sadness at this…

They have an oblique conversation in a poppy garden shaped like a large Japanese character.

Then Red Council is photographing Big Brother posing sexily atop a giant pile of his car. Big Bro wants Red to give Utena presents. And say they're from Big Bro. Big mentions Utena's rose ring. “Huh. So that's what binds her”, says Red Hair And then leaps over the windshield of the car, referencing the Ride to the End of the World. Nicely done: we see him half sit up, then see the planetarium machine rotating quickly, then his feet hit the hood – we've been in and out of his POV all this scene.

School. Day. Red Hair wants something from Utena (who hates him now). To give her earrings from Big Brother. She's delighted! But she's not a fan of jewelry, she's so butch… Her shadow persuades her to try them on, while Red Hair holds a Signifyin' Carrot. They look good on her but she's uncomfortable with it. Shadow beats her up in delight, then Red Council wants to take her off to ask her something. While continuing to wave his Signifyin' Carrot around.

Notice he has a carrot, viewers.

Notice.

Which he is holding to his head. Like a horn. As Utena's shadow tells her not to go off with him, we get intercut flashes of black hooves galloping. Evidently he is about to turn into a unicorn and trample Utena.

Or not. They're both on a black horse galloping through the forest. Red Hair gives her shit for not being able to ride despite the whole Prince thing. Then he spurs the horse and Utena falls off. It feels very much in the shape of the drive to the End of the World.

And Big Bro snatches her out of the air when she's an inch off the ground. He's on a white horse. Like a good Prince.

Commercial.

Red Council is brooding over how Big Bro took Utena away, with her all happy dazzled smiles. A girl comes up to him with a love letter. And a poppy. He steps on the letter when she drops it and runs away; a butterfly alights on the poppy. Are we supposed to recall the Black Rose interview elevator? Or is it just an ordinary butterfly, signifying nothing?

Sword practice with Green and Red Councils. Green disses Red for being kind of a psychopath, and says he's not good enough to defeat Utena. They spar.

Did you know? Shadow Girls. A fisherman is such a good fisherman that fish beg for him to eat him, no fish can resist his charms! But here's one he can't catch, a mermaid. “What fish are YOU?” “I am… A moray!” With obvious Pun Delivery of “I am… AmorĂ©!”. Nicely done, translators.

Thirteen o' clock. I counted the cuckoos. And Anthy's lying awake in bed, alone, as Utena sits in the moonlight contemplating her new earrings. Flashback to Big Bro giving her a gentle ride and talking about building trust with horses, and people. Anthy finds her asleep with the earrings. V/O of Big Bro: “I've won the game.”

Cut to the Observatory, where he's with Red Hair. Who says it's a draw. Big Bro is lying amidst a bunch of cacti.

Student council elevator. Silence. Then echoing flashback dialogue to when Utena was a young girl, feeling alone and sleeping in a coffin. It's just Red and Green Council this time, and Red says she's still trapped in that coffin. He's going to save her! By defeating her. Also he's really not sure if he loves her. Also possibly he is gay for Big Bro. And Green Council. Who says “hey what if we're all like trapped in our coffins and we're all dead and this is purgatory, man”. We get brief flashes of both of them as young girls. Who I haven't ever seen before. I think. Wtf.

A hill. Anthy pointedly ignores Utena trying on the earrings Big Bro gave her, but doesn't like them. Utena looks at Anthy and has a flash of seeing her as the Tortured Witch. She almost remembers… Almost…

Next episode: Utena thinks about princes. And duels.

36: And Thus Opens The Doorway of Night

Flashback: Red Council wants to save Utena (and everyone?) from being trapped in their coffins. And I remember how much coffin imagery was in the Black Rose Saga.

Big Bro is teaching Utena to ride. She likes it. He calls her a princess. She likes that, too. And they kiss.

Orange Council and Blue Council have noticed that Utena looks like… any other girl. A normal girl. And sense that the Day of Revolution is nigh.

Night drive. On a motorcycle with a sidecar. Red is trying to give Green a drive to the End of the World. There are shots of Red and Big Bro posing sexily with their shirts open in bed during this. I love how full this show is of beefcake. Wait, no. They're too elfin for it to be beefcake. This show is full of lembas bread. Green delivers a spirited speech about BREAKING FROM THE COFFINS at the END OF THE WORLD and stands up in the sidecar. Red tells him it's dangerous. Neither of them is going to take the other to the End of the World tonight.

The Observatory. Utena is sleeping with nobody but Chu Chu. Utena wonders if Anthy's with her brother. Then Red Council comes in and demands her presence. It regards End of the World.

We get the imagery of the trip to the dueling arena. With different audio. Utena's talking about how weird it feels, and it sure does. This is the first time we've ever seen this version of the duel ritual broken. She talks with Red Council in the elevator about this. He hopes it feels romantic. She's having none of that.

Arena. It feels weird. No castle above? Bells start ringing and it appears. As do Northern Lights. Utena and Red sit and watch it. He's in romance with her but she's not interested. He asks if she's in love with Big Bro. She's not… he's engaged! And then Red asks to be Utena's Prince. At length, in a very flowery fashion. (He is probably lying.) (He is so lying to manipulate her.)

Commercial.

Utena, alone in the bedroom. Experimental fantasy about Red being her Prince.

Council. Red says he's in love with her, seriously. Also he's going to duel her to save her. And he will win! He must win! If she wins the next duel, she'll gain the power of Revolution, and fall into End of World's hands!

A pleasant hill. Red and Green invade Utena and Anthy's personal space. Red challenges Utena to a duel. This is very bold. This is not according to the ritual of leaving a note in her locker. He makes a deal: if Utena wins, the Council will never vie for the Rose Bride. If he wins, Utena is hers forever.

Utena agrees.

Shadow play: A princess who wants a horse Prince.

Absolute Destiny Apocalypse. Elevator mix.

Duel time. Green pulls a sword from Red's chest. Anthy pulls the usual one from Utena. They duel. Red grabs Utena's ringed hand and stops her. He gets all Romantic at her, and so does the imagery. As he holds Utena close, a voiceover discussion: They've only dueled here three times, but Utena feels like it's been dozens.

The cars in the arena start hassling Utena. She leaps, Anthy grabs her hand. And then they're in the elevator. Utena swears she'll always protect Anthy. Back in the arena. She cuts all the cars in half as they all drive at her, with Anthy crouching behind her. The music whispers “Allegory”. And after all the cars here's Red Hair on his motorbike with Green in the sidecar, charging with his sword out. The clash. A white rose circles over it. Utena wins.

Bed. Utena falls asleep while Anthy has no opinion on how it feels now that the Student Council will never challenge Utena for her. But she's not happy when Utena falls asleep and mutters Big Bro's name. Later Utena wakes alone. Where's Anthy? A brief flash of her naked, sad, in Big Bro's couch. And Utena comes out to see this.

Anthy rises from the couch. She's naked in front of Big Bro. Her head rises, and she sees Utena in the shadows behind Big Bro. Her sad, world-weary gaze meets Utena's. There are at least a thousand years of resignation and pain in it.

Next episode: Utena got a letter from her Prince, the End of the World! And will have the perkiest breakup ever with Anthy.

So apparently the Princess of this story is also the Witch, trapped in eternal torment with a thousand potential Princes? This is a fucked up fairy tale. Girls, don't go waiting for a Prince. It's not gonna end well.

Leave a Reply