Week end overview

[salinea]

I was gone for the week end to Tour to see Maya again, and we had a wonderful time. I got to meet Casey, who's one of Maya's friend and an adorable girl, and we watched Utena season 1 and 3 (in one week end... talk about symbolism overload @_@) which I loved, to hang around, go clubbing (sorta) and do much silly fangirl things. It was a riot.

I had a dream in which I had posted a new fanfic for Tokyo Babylon, and I was all excited because, whee ! at last my groove was coming back and I was enthousiasmed for the fandom anew ! And then I woke up just when i was going to check on my reviews ;_;

Back to school, I'm slowly getting back in the track of things and getting over my attack of anxiety and unability to do anything. Hopefully this time, it will last and i won't relapse after, you know, three weeks.

About Utena
I really, really enjoyed it. The crack ! The metaphores ! The crack ! The sex ! The delightful ruthless rawness of the themes ! the symboles ! the crack ! *ahem* I really need to find it for myself ;_; and get to watch the second season too.
I'm not sure how much I love the characters (though I definitly like most of them and enjoyed, there's no one who got me to really love them in a way I do with most anime) which might be because i was too busy decortating the symbols and all. Not that i caught everything >_> Which is why i must get it *whines* why are DVD so expensive ?
I loved how purely feminist it was without being annoyingly so. The picture of human relationships, and gender interaction was awe-inducing without being hammered. The ending was simply beautiful.

Now, wingblossom, I am at your disposition for discussion ^_^

Comments

[meggu.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I want to watch Utena so badly. D: Must... buy... DVDs.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I knoooooow ! and it's so expensive !!!! *whines*

[su-chan.livejournal.com]

Wha! too much Utena together could be bad for mind XDDDD you said it, symbolism overdose XD Just today I was mentioning this to another lj user ^___^ What did you understand in the last episode? just curios, you have seen it so you know why I ask.....

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

lol, yeah, I might be a symbolism addict, but that dose made me dizzy

What i did understand... hmm it's one of those cases when i don't care at all about the inherent consistency of the world in which the anime takes place because I'm paying too much attention to the metaphorical meaning of the story. It's even more true with Utena which systematicaly breaks the third wall illusion because the whole setting of the serie is explicitly an illusion, after all.
Utena-as-a-prince is not successful. She opens the door not thanks to her own sword, that Akio tried to use before, but by her own admission of love and tears which are obvious female attributes (and I'm not even going to mention the parallel to the door downstairs whose own symbolism cast a errr... suspicious outlook on it). Then Utena-as-a-prince fails a second time when she's unable to save Anthy.
That's the part I love the most.
Utena cannot save Anthy, because only Anthy can save herself. Which she does, of course, now that Utena's given her an impetus to do so ^_^
Because of course, that's what a revolution is about, isn't it ? Ending monarchy (princehood, where only one person owns the power to save people in a feodal vassal/suzerain relationship) and bring about democracy. Id est a regime where everyone has the power and responsability to save themselves.
That's the situation at the end of the serie. Everyone of the duelist now is in a situation where they might save themselves, reach for what they wanted. It's not a certain thing and some of them have quite a road to do before they can do that, but they now have this freedom, this power if they're ready to take it (with everything that goes with it)

so that's what i saw in that ending.

[su-chan.livejournal.com]

sorry sorry!! I read your reply yesterday and was about to answer it but I was too incoherent and sleepy so I went to bed ... and today I forgot until now :-P

Wow!I love your anaylisis and way of explainig things ^__________^ I basically got the same idea. The revolution was to be _free_ to _chose_ against the school rules, so it was somewhat like getting democracy. Utena failed yes, but when she sacrified for Anthy she helped Anthy to get enough strenght to make herself the revolution, so it took place when Anthy left the school... About the rest of duelist they were always fighting to get their desires acomplished, but they never sacrified enough, but in the end they were ahppy, all of them understood in the end what they wished for.... imo XDDD Utena is too confusing ^______^

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

XDD yeah. I like your way of explaining things as well <3

[wingblossom.livejournal.com]

I first read your comments, and thought, "Wait, she's seen all of it already?!" And then I remembered you just saw the first season (right?). Trust me, if you thought the ending of the first season was beautiful, it's nothing compared to the very end. *___*.

Did you have a favorite episode? From the first thirteen episodes, I really love The Castle Said to Hold Eternity (the eighth). I think you'd be fond of the Black Rose Arc -- it's almost entirely psychological, especially with the feelings of minor/side characters who feel they've been trod upon or overlooked by the "special" ones (ie the Student Council, etc.).

I know what you mean about not loving a character yet; I didn't realize myself who I really liked and disliked until the middle of the third season. Though I think you can sympathize with most of them at certain points, even with characters you (in general) dislike or are indifferent to most of the time. ^^;.

Do you mind spoilers, or can I point you to ohtori.nu? It's a wonderful site; it's heavy on both media and analysis.

I'm really glad you liked it so much. :D

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

First and third season. Maya didn't have the 2nd season with her sadly, though I doubt we could have watched all the three of them in that time XDDD

I have no idea which episode is which, really, sorry ^_^ They're starting to mix into my head. In the first season, I kinda really liked the Miki episode. Oh, and the one where we first learn about Utena-in-the-coffin thing. In the third season i think the one with the explanation of the background story fairytale (the shadow girls play) has to be my favourite, because it's the everyone that got me the most to go all "Yes !"

thanks for the link... it is, in fact, the website I was navigating right now XDDDD spent most of my morning reading the analysises already !

[wingblossom.livejournal.com]

Oh, my mistake! I'm an idiot -- didn't realize you said season three too. ><. Um, nevermind things that wouldn't make sense in the context that you have seen the last episodes.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

yeap I would have prefered to see them in order but #1 I was already quite spoiled #2 Maya assured me not much of the main plot changed in season2 #3 I grabbed the opportunity to watch the most when I had it XD

[ryuuraigeki.livejournal.com]

...you know you really, really love an anime/manga series when you start dreaming about writing fanfiction for it. >>;

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

lol I suppose

[iichan.livejournal.com]

Utena is brilliant! <3 (*gasp* I need a shiny icon of it!) The symbolism really is overwhelming. Hell, people can't even take off their glasses without it meaning something deep. It's just... wow. ^^

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* yeap. Which is why i want more of it *whineswhineswhines*
Icon ! there must be icon ! There's got to be icons on the net. *needs starting searching*

[iichan.livejournal.com]

I remember that at the time when I was Utena-obsessed, I saw a ton of wonderful icons. The Utena fandom seems to be quite creative. XD Such as this (http://www.livejournal.com/community/utena_icons/74639.html) Utena icon tarot. Yay!

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

woot, thanks, tarot, shiny ! *fangirls* Yeah i'll definitly check over the fandom in the forthcoming days ^^

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

Utena's my favorite anime. ^_^ The manga is a bit different. It actually goes more into.... wait did you only see the first 13 episodes? Did you get to Akio yet? XD I don't want to say anything if you haven't. ^^;;

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I have seen the first and the third season, which means that the only thing I haven't seen was the Black Rose arc.

Actually i did read the manga, or at least part of it, but strangely enough it made no impression on me and I retain a very fuzzy memory of it. (now I'll try to re-read it of course)

so go ahead, I know Akio ^_^

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was just going to say how the manga explains Akio's role more than the anime does. That's all. ^^ I think that's what I like abou tthe manga and also because of Ruka's and Juri's relationship. I hate how the anime threw Shiori in there. >>;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

You haven't gotten to Mikage yet? O_O You must see! You want symbols and metaphors... the Black Rose Arc is definitely a must see! XD

Have you seen the movie? Now that is some weird stuff going on there. XD I just like how the director doesn't give you things flat out and leaves it to your own interpretation. ^__^ It's much funner, don't you think? I also think the movie manga explains some stuff better as well. It explains something that pissed me off in the film, that made sense when the manga came up with some explanation for it. XD;;;;;

Ok... sorry.. going on too much here. >>

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

whee, more of Ruka ! (definitly must read the manga again)

lol I bet it's great *wannaseewannasee* I wonder where i could find it

I haven't seen the movie yet. But that one DVD I actually own thanks to the wonderful generalblossom so I will as soon as i find the time. I just wanted to see the serie before I do the movie ^_^

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

You like Ruka too? Isn't he awesome!? :3

I have no idea where to find it. I wish I was more help. :/

That was good thinking! The movie isn't something to watch before the series. XD Not one little bit. The commentary track on the US version is so interesting too! ^.^

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

How can you not love Ruka ? He's definitly my type of guy XDDD It's the manipulative caring bastard thing.

Well I started downloading it... 6% so far. It's going to take monthes, but i'll have it ! ^_^

I doubt I'll have the commentary sadly ;_; but i'll enjoy watching it nonetheless ^^

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ruka is most definitely that. XD!! He and Juri are my favorite characters. Then Akio would be second. hehe!

Good luck with the downloading!

Oh, you'll have so much fun with that movie.. symbols galore!

[sakanagi.livejournal.com]

Utena is such a good series. ^^ The second season isn't really essential to the plot, but it's still worth a look. It's actually my favourite of the three. Watching all of the first and second seasons in one weekend...wow. I'm surprised you aren't suffering from symbolism overload.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I am. But it's not so different from my usual state ^_^

but yeah, I'd really like to put my hands over the second season !