Weird Japan and World Revolution

I cannot talk about how wonderfully weird Japan is without talking about Revolutionary Girl Utena. I'm afraid I might be a bore on this subject with my friends but like that sore tooth my tongue just cannot help to probe it again and again.

 

First and foremost, this is a perfect example of a show where everything is the same every episode but different. I would say a good thirty percent of each episode is reused footage. This should just kill the show, but it doesn't and the reason is one of the themes of this show is "rituals." The entire show is something like a big incantation.

 

But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me just check off the elements that make the show so interesting.

1. First there is Utena who grew up wanting to be a ... Prince. 
2. All this takes place at Otori Academy ("Otori" is another word for "Phoenix" which as we know continues to burn and then rise again)  Here there are almost no adults and at first it seems the only controlling authority is the Student Council.  Each member has a rose ring. 
3. The game the student council plays is simple.  Each vie against each other in a series of duels for the hand of the Rose Bride.  It has been told to them by a mysterious benefactor that whomever controls the Rose Bride at the end will have the power to revolutionize the world. 
4. The Rose Bride is Anthy who is an exotic looking woman and seems to be the most passive creature in existence.  She has no problems being controlled and used by others so it seems.  She only seems truly human around Utena but their relationship is ... odd.  Also she has a small blue mouse thing as a pet.    
5. So, each episode one of the student council will challenge Utena.  There will be much drama and flashback about why that student wants to revolutionize the world.  Often much of that has to do with inappropriate relationships between siblings and let's leave it at that.  Then at the half time, there will be a weird little play put on by girls in shadow that may or may not have something to do with the plot.  Then There will be the opening ritual to start the duel.  Then the duel, and then the church bells will ring out who won and lost.  Rinse and repeat. 
6. The second season took this formula and did the exact same thing but with a backward order of students involved.  Also the actual duelists were all the people most important in that duelist's life.  In the third season the reversed again with each original student getting a final shot at the rose bride.  There is also now Anthy's brothe who runs the whole school, and finally the end. 
7. The movie.... great zeus.. the movie was sheer insanity.  It is only related to the tv series by theme as it takes the whole thing to a new level of weirdness.  Show me a movie where a car chase is used as a symbol of conception and birth, and I'll hand over the crown.  Until then this movie wins hand down for weirdness.

Anyway it's certainly worth watching.  It might be the only Jungian series on TV.  Think about that for a moment.


Here's the ritual to open the duel. Count the symbols good and gentle readers there'll not be a test later.