As you may know, I started this account 6 years ago from yesterday for irreverent anime viewing purposes. And I can think of no better way to mark that anniversary than with the symbolic confusion that will surely entail with ADOLESCENCE OF UTENA!

Thanks so much @jethomes for sponsoring this movie! You are awesome, & I know a lot of people will enjoy it.

I can NOT promise this thread will make ANY sense, and it will absolutely be taken at a strange meandering pace. And YES the funimation logo will be there the whole time

Classic cinema blunder alert! Only eagle-eyed fans will notice this goof, but they accidentally filmed this movie from too far away, so you can't hear the characters or even see them very well

Utena said “Wakaba makes everything better” and she was RIGHT!!!

also you can see mathlady.gif taking place in real time behind them

which minor detail that I can't stop thinking about from Utena are you? I'm the fact that there must be other lights behind the stage lights in order to capture the shadow of the stage lights

Utena: Nobody else has brought it up yet so I'm just gonna say it. This school has too much architecture

Even though this is a retelling of the original series, some of the elements remain the same, namely, Utena hears the word “prince” in any context she perks up like a dog in anticipation of a walk.

entire animation budget used up on Juri’s hair. rest of the film cancelled

Juri unbuttons her jacket just enough to flash her locket, like a woman who casually flashes her wedding ring to indicate "I'm taken" but instead it says "I'm taken and it is NOT mutual"

(chases the idea of a fairy tale prince so hard that I lose my jaunty chapeau)

did everyone at Ohtori learn a new SAT word today? the rain’s not capricious, you’re just in AP Language Arts

It’s the hottest date spot in town! Possibly the only date spot in town! I don’t know how much of this is real and how much is a holographic projection that we accept as “reality!”

Touga and Utena “bitter exes in a Meg Ryan movie” AU

images to run away from really fast

Cut of RGU where Utena verbally points out “hmmmmmm that seems symbolically significant” to all the imagery you were supposed to pick up on your own

missed opportunity for a "ptooey!" sound effect

wtf is this? another “capricious rain?”

brb I am running up that hill to make a deal with god rn

Not gonna lie, the accessibility on this campus leaves a lot to be desired.

at some point Utena recovered her cap and she had the chance to put it on correctly this time and she did NOT take that chance

A very good way to make new friends is to introduce yourself by asking "Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm just here to finish up my GED! Just like everybody else here, right?"

Utena: Maybe the roses led me to you......

Anthy: Maybe this time things will be different....

Saionji: EXCUSE ME SIR DO YOU HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD?

I'm not sure what emotion this is but I Feel It

Utena puts on her own duelist ring in this version, instead letting some “prince” sign her up for battle while she’s young and vulnerable. That’s right, fellas! From here on out, I make my OWN dumb decisions! I have the agency to be as stupid as I want!

“Welcome to duels! You have your dueling weapon, right?”

“my WHAT NOW”

Utena: Like, what is a sword if not a bamboo stick made of sharpened steel?

Anthy: RIP Utena is was very nice to know you for the three minutes we were together

The year is 1999. Subtlety has officially ended.

Well NOW I can’t decide whether to view you as my competition or as an object of desire :/ Saionji is confused :/

is she... you know... (mimes leaping to push the one i love out of the path of a rival’s blade)

WAS NOT EXPECTING THE MOVIE TO GET THIS GAY THIS FAST BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING

THIS FILM IS JUST RECOMPENSE FOR ANYONE WHO SURVIVED THE SERIES

SWORD UPGRADE ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO CHANGE YOUR HAIRSTYLE

you're telling me that Utena has a knit sweater and a funky patterned poncho and we never see her wear them?!?!

fond memories of when I bought this frame at Target

Wow! This machine can go from 0 to lesbian in just 10 seconds!

I love that this Anthy is exactly as much a troll as in the series, but is allowed to at least be direct about it. Like this Anthy won’t “accidentally” send a cowbell to Nanami’s address, she’ll just give it to her as a gift to her face.

(game show announcer voice) LET’S SEE WHO’S BEHIND FUNERAL SHROUD NUMBER ONE– OH MY GOD I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE WHEN I SAY I WASNT EXPECTING THAT

Juri told this story at the world's saddest campfire last year, but she said her suspiciously never-before-seen "sister" was the girl. and she certainly never brought up that a certain student council president was the boy whose noble sacrifice was forgotten to time!!

Finally Shiori has a reason to mess with Juri other than "I think it would be fun," and the worst punishment she can think of for her crime of being a victim is to turn Juri into a prince (i.e. someone who is so consumed with playing the hero that it consumes their entire life.)

SEE, DUELING IS A BAD IDEA, IT MAKES INNOCENT WAKABAS GET HURT

Just to let you know, I will be actively repressing any homosexual tendencies for the foreseeable future! Thank you for understanding!

Starting to think that Ohtori's pool-cleaning class is just a scam to get students to clean the pool for free

Shiori's painting her nails, Touga's lounging on the bed with his personal telephone, and Akio's telling the story of how his little sister got martyred. A typical 90s Girl's Night sleepover.

Let’s just say kids these days don’t appreciate hard candies, especially when they know you’re hiding Hershey’s bars in the pantry. So yeah that Halloween was pretty bad.

when I say he was "Lord of the Flies" I mean everyone else thought he was profound but I spent most of my high school years hating him

anyway I actually googled it and "lord of the flies" is another name for Beelzebub so I think I'll return to this series again after getting PhD's in theology, astronomy, mythology, gender studies and literature

Akio: So nobody knows that the prince who everyone loved so dearly was a false illusion, the existence of such an ideal person a total lie– are you guys still listening?

Shiori and Touga who haven't been listening for 15 minutes: Uh huh

Ikuhara adding more incestuous subtext: I already gave the gays what they want. I deserve a little self indulgence

Utena: this mysterious woman... I understand not her reasons nor her thoughts.... she must hide many a secret behind those sad eyes

Anthy: omw to 24 hour gas station convenience minimart for bag of powdered donuts

WAIT WHERE'S CHUCHU

Nanami: how is it possible that both our parents both have type B blood but you have type A?

Touga: The answer to that is Way Worse Than You Think!

[CW: rape]

Shiori: Seeee we were both pursued against our will by people who we were disgusted by! Just think of Juri as your pedophilic fake dad

Touga: Gee that sure sounds like a false equivalency intended to manipulate me into enacting your personal revenge fantasy!

Touga in the series build up this whole brand of "horny on main entitled prettyboy" but I GUESS he was saving his "Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life" card for the movie and now I have to reconsider every thought I've ever had! Thanks, Adolescence of Utena!

Mikage was onto something by using butterflies to represent the transformation + metamorphosis of the soul, but... hear me out... what if we just cut out the middle man

Okay since the movie is clearly waiting for me to say this: I DON'T GET IT!!! Is this what you wanted to hear, Ikuhara? Have I sated your need for confusion? Will the debasement of my confession move you to toss me a spare context clue out of contempt and pity?

These custom license plates that reveal the innermost thoughts that I won't even confess to myself are REALLY cramping my style.

Understandable. Have a nice day

Juri stop pretending to be straight you're frightening the children!!

[adds a few more Blatant Lies to the Self-Delusion Fire to keep it burning through the night]

Shiori is like a computer hacker but only for Juri’s thoughts. Like she can just disable the firewall and pop in to write a new line of code that does whatever function she wants. Everyone has their talent, Shiori, and I guess this is yours.

all these roses, Himemiya, and you're just watering my shoes

PLEASE just tell me that flirting with me is a requirement of your job description and has nothing to do with me personally so that I can delay my sexuality crisis by 2 or 3 weeks, thank you

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie here to answer all your burning questions like “what if Utena Tenjou, but Nanami Kiryuu”

JESUS CHRIST I love that this film lets you (or intentionally guides you) to plausibly think, for just a second, that Anthy might actually commit a whole manslaughter– then the adrenaline spike from that fear immediately gets transformed into a surge of joy equally as intense.

Utena: Gee Anthy what's that axe for?

Anthy, raising the axe high above her head: The Aesthetic™

MIND IF I JUST....... LOSE MY MIND THANK YOU

the way the perspective flips so that the viewer sees the imagined reflections as "reality"?????? poetic cinema

Mutuals feel free to do this with me

you can bet if I was a teen in the 90s I would be rewinding to this scene over and over again and be like "huh I wonder why this hits different"

"–But I bet she dances amongst her beloved roses sharing laughter and tender gazes with E V E R Y duelist, so I probably shouldn't read too much into it."

Anthy discreetly paid off Wakaba to leave Utena alone for 45 minutes

"now I may be your fiancée and rightful winner of the battle for your hand, but I hope that you'll think of me as your pal"

Utena: Why don't you tell me what's on your mind and maybe I can–

Anthy: WHAT, YOU THINK I SHOULD TRUST YOU WITH ALL MY PRIVATE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS?! ARE YOU WILLING TO CONFRONT THE MORTIFYING ORDEAL OF BEING KNOWN?!? OH LOOK AT WHO'S A HYPOCRITE NOW!!! FUCK YOU

Utena totally beats Anthy's gambit by dropping her shield in a nonverbal "yes, I WOULD let myself be completely vulnerable to you, even if it meant opening myself up to being potentially hurt" and Anthy is just like "..........NOTED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE"

You know how in museums, women are frequently depicted as objects of art designed for consumption, but rarely represented as artists? Just thinking about that for no reason!

I assume this videotape is controversial because it flies in the face of canon which is that Nanami is the most valid character

Y O U

Didn't recognize this man without the rat tail, then promptly realized it couldn't possibly be anyone else.

WOW! ALL OF THE LOOKS WITH NONE OF THE FUNCTIONALITY!

she takes alka seltzer :( :( :(

Juri, mid-duel: well while I'm HERE I might as well plug my fencing team–

Miki: Touga? I don't know anyone at this school named Touga. What about you, Traumatized Ghost who Lurks on the Edge of my Conscious Mind?

Touga: Nope

Juri’s face is like “I can’t believe my ironic comeuppance was so immediate?!”

WAIT WHAT? NONE OF US WERE WONDERING WHERE YOU WERE ALL OF US JUST ASSUMED YOU WERE HANGING OUT IN YOUR OFFICE SEDUCING SOMEONE'S MOM

This is really cool because it seems like SHIORI is the one to start the angry mob who misblames Anthy for making their precious prince disappear. If you can throw your competition under the bus AND whip up the righteous fury of the masses, that's a win-win!

NEVER LEAVE THE AV CLUB ROOM UNLOCKED WHEN SHIORI’S AROUND

Shiori: I'm going to defeat you with the power of friendship and this video cassette I found

[CW: sexual assault and murder, jumping right into it today huh?]

It looks like in this version, the angry mob's Million Swords of Hate have been channeled into 1 guy whose self loathing of sexual desire is so deep that he's going to make it everyone ELSE'S problem.

Yeah it's pretty unambiguous from this video that Akio killed Anthy and then himself and it would take a pretty good lawyer to argue it's Anthy's fault for making him mad. ofc Shiori has the mind of a corporate defense attorney & is an expert at getting the jury (!) on her side.

always in awe of how this series can make a hallway seem condescending

how should I know?!? i’m just the memory of a boy whose death you never processed

Utena: Wait a minute. Why am I talking to you? You drowned 7 years ago.

Touga: HMM WELL I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS IT'S POSSIBLE

“When they said the prince was dead I thought they just meant it like, figuratively, like when they say the theatre is dead. But no, he’s a real person who actually died! I’ve learned my lesson and I’m taking everything at face value from now on! Everything is literal!”

loved the movie Shape of Water

WOW this is the first time the Therapy Elevator has actually been used to accept and overcome trauma and, if I’m not mistaken, the first time the elevator goes upwards instead of down into the Spooky Dead Boys Coffin Basement! I feel personal development in this Chili’s tonight

Utena saw Oscar François de Jarjayes and said “that’s what I want”

Anthy: Congratulations! You are the Supreme Monarch of the Trash Heap!

Utena: Okay, but like. It’s still a trash heap.

Himemiya, literally........ calm your tits

LADIES, DOES THIS EVER HAPPEN TO YOU?

Okay I really LOVE the metaphor of a giant car wash, because it gets across that change is kind of scary, but MORE than that, it’s just plain weird and confusing. Fear might stop you momentarily, but nothing is more paralyzing than unfamiliarity.

[insert montage of Utena getting car washed set to Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku but there's WAY too many instruments or possibly another melody altogether overlaid on top of it?!?! it feels like the composer is yelling at me]

which Transformer is this???

TRANSCEND HUMAN IDEALS, STANDARDS AND STRUCTURES BY BECOMING A CAR

I love that the relationship between human and car is presented as symbiotic. Utena isn’t just a tool that carries Anthy where she wants to go, she requires Anthy to guide and take care of her along the way. It's literally impossible for Utena to leave Anthy behind.

The road out of Ohtori doesn't even have any obstacles, just fear tactics. Could have put up some orange traffic cones, but no, all we really need to control traffic is a looming threat of mortality

SHIORI SWEETIE HAVE YOU NOT DONE E-FUCKING-NOUGH ALREADY

a) I can NOT get over this dialogue, which indicates beyond a shadow of a doubt that everyone acknowledges the transformation is COMPLETELY literal

b) Shiori your upholstery.......

See, THIS is why you never let your car drive without a driver! Take notes, kids!

RT for Danger Salad, ignore for things making sense

Utena: Gee I always knew Shiori was a total wreck, but THIS is riDICulous!

OH MY GODDDDD THANK YOU DEUS EX JEEP OF FRIENDS

"That's right bitches! Despite everything about the last 90 minutes, this was a heartwarming friendship movie the whole time!"

WAKABA IS THE FRIENDSHIPMOBILE S T O P THIS IS DEADASS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY

LOVE that the student council still wants to help Anthy escape, even though they're not able to leave for themselves yet. LOVE that Juri looks like a mom driving her 2 kids to soccer practice. LOVE that even after his duel Saionji has never gained an ounce of humility.

they thought they could remove Disneyworld and none of us would notice it was gone???

Sick upgrade Anthy, it's very.................... yonic.

The use of CG graphics to literally strip away the visuals to their basic mechanics is a level of surrealism I was not prepared for!!!!!

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED FOR ANTHY AND UTENA AT THE END OF THE ANIME..... JUST SOME CONFETTI, A HIGH FIVE, AND A "GOOD JOB"

Akio: if you want to leave the iron grip of my fantasy world you're gonna have to go through me first!

Anthy, preparing to switch into fifth gear: that will not be an issue

Anthy: you don't think it's kind of pathetic that you can only excel in an environment where all the standards and principles are organized around you in the first place?

Akio: NOOO THATS THE THING IM SENSITIVE ABOUT

Akio flat earther confirmed

"aren't you tired of having agency? don't you just wanna be a narrative prop?"

TAKE MY REVOLUTION!!!!! JUST TAKE IT ALREADY!!!

road trip into oblivion with my gf

can you imagine escaping from purgatory in a high speed car chase and it just like... merges into the I-95 northbound lane to Boston

WAKABA YOU'RE NEXT WE'RE BUSTING YOU OUT OF THIS JOINT

This is absolutely GORGEOUS. Anthy & Utena are literally paving the way for future travelers to follow them into uncharted territory. It isn't just about their own escape, but enabling the liberation of everyone else they left behind this time.I'm emo about road construction now.

WHAT IF WE KISSED.... ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY AT 120MPH..... AND WE WERE BOTH GIRLS

*AND ONE OF US WAS ALSO A CAR

Thank you so much for bearing with me through this disastrously long thread! It's such a treat to watch movies with all of your hilarious and insightful replies and reactions! (Obviously my Utena journey isn't over bc I haven't played the Sega dating sim yet)