Corn Woman 🌽 @WomanCorn@schelling.pt
Nanami Kiryuu (Touga's sister) is jealous of Anthy for stealing her brother's attention. Meanwhile, Touga is intrigued by Utena. This leads to a pair of invitations to the spring dance.
When Nanami pranks Anthy, Utena comes to her rescue and makes a splash.
It's just amazing how ambiguous quotes are held up as certain proof of whatever you already believe. (Malfeasance/nothingburger)
Saionji demands a rematch. He wants to control Anthy. Utena refuses, but Saionji threatens to invoke the power of the student council against her.
Utena intends to throw the duel, but the spirit of her prince descends from the phantom castle and guides her sword hand. She wins.
The student council have received letters from End of the World, stating that the winner of the duels will join with the Rose Bride and enter the phantom castle.
Utena is assigned her dorm, which has been unused for over ten years. Obviously, her only roommate is Anthy.
But that's not the stakes of the duel. She charges him with the half-sword that remains, and knocks the rose from his breast.
Anthy is happy to simply call Saionji, Classmate. She belongs to Utena now.
Anthy does some kind of invocation, and Saionji pulls a real swod out of her chest: the Sword of Dios.
Utena is very confused. Saionji doesn't understand why she's here if she doesn't already know what's going on.
Saionji cuts her wooden practice sword in two.
Anthy places a rose in each competitor's breast pocket. If the rose is knocked out, you lose the duel. She wishes Utena good luck, which earns her a smack from Saionji.
He's the current champion, and as the Rose Bride, she has to do what he says.
He's on the kendo team, right? Utena challenges him to a duel.
The forbidden forest, after school.
The gate is sealed, but Utena's ring is a key. The next question is why there is a floating castle in the forest. Saionji says it's an optical illusion.
The council expects a new duelist to appear soon.
(It's all very unexplained and mysterious.)
Utena's friend Wakaba has written a mushy love letter to Saionji, which has been posted on the bulletin board.
Utena confronts him, but he laughs it off.
The student council are all members of the Rose Seal, and are authorized by the End of the World. Touga attempts to chide Saionji, but he laughs it off. He calls Anthy The Bride, and she agrees, for now.
He says anyone can duel him for her according to the rules.
She looks towards the greenhouse in time to see Kyouichi Saionji (M, student council VP) lay a nasty smack on Anthy Himemiya (F, heroine two from the opener, also on the council) and be stopped from repeating it by Touga Kiryuu (M, student council president.)
They're trying to convince her to join the basketball team, but that's a boys team, and despite wearing a boys uniform and wanting to be a prince, she insists that she's clearly a girl and no one should be mistaken about that.
Utena is distracted by the smell of roses...
Utena has the rulebook at hand and notes there's no rule that says a girl can't wear a boys uniform, firmly establishing that we're in the _Air Bud_ cinematic universe.
Utena is a Basketball ace, with her own collection of fangirls.
Her teacher chews her out for wearing a boys uniform when she's clearly a girl.
(Remember 80s/90s feminism? Pepperidge Farm remembers.)
Here at the majestic school with a name that is slowly scrolled by so you can read it, but not subtitled (the web says Ootori Academy) we meet Utena Tenjou whose pink hair would give away her main character status even if her name wasn't in the title.
In fairy tale mode: a young princess, distraught by the death of her parents, was given a ring by a traveling prince, and told to remain strong and he would return for her one day.
Instructions unclear, she decided to become a prince herself.
No cold open.
The opener shows the two main heroines making eyes at each other, and crossing swords with others.
No legitimate streaming service carries this in my country.
But someone uploaded the entire thing to YouTube.
(DM me for the link if you can't find it.)
You say you want a revolution?
Well...
You know, we'd all love to change the world.
_Revolutionary Girl Utena_
