History Headscratchers / RevolutionaryGirlUtena

** Anthy never had much say in the matter. There was one encounter between them, where Anthy seemed to hesitate for a moment. What follows after strongly implies that Akio raped her.

**** Funnily enough, that probably ''is'' Hisakawa Aya's masculine voice. For contrast, see Ami from ''SailorMoon''.

* How consensual was the sex between Anthy and Akio? If she had wanted to, could she have said no?

** My guess is Akio is done with using her and the last scene we see of her is her being dispose of. I mean we don't see her ever again after that scene...

* If Mikage was attracted Tokiko, why [[spoiler: in his memories/mind]] is he with her brother Mamiya? In a memory he did seek out Mamiya alone, but what gives? Is he attracted to them both or is Mamiya just a replacement goldfish?

* What happened to Kanae between episodes 30 and 32? I know that she probably wasn't in stable condition during 30, but she was at least capable of putting up a "normal" facade. What pushed her over by 32, where she has to be fed?

** It's basically the Akio Car working its magic. Miki is a pretty repressed kid; he obviously likes Anthy, but he keeps dressing up his motives as wanting to "save Anthy's music" or find his shining thing. (The Student Council members are ''never'' quite honest about what they're actually duelling for, especially early on.) Thanks to the manipulation in and around the car, though, he's forced to confront the fact that, really, he just wants Anthy. As for Kozue, she seduces Anthy for the same reason she fools around with random boys -- to get Miki's attention. Note that Miki loses both his duels due to being distracted, and that Kozue calls him a coward after this one; I think she was trying to test his resolve.

*** I don't see any evidence how he is different. Kozue turned into a car because of jealousy over Miki, maybe, but all the characters in the movie are (barring Touga) still essentially the same as in the series. Utena still strives to be a prince, Anthy is still [[spoiler: a miserable StepfordSmiler]], Akio is still [[spoiler: a ManipulativeBastard and CompleteMonster]], albeit more pathetic, and Miki is still the pure individual who helps Utena and Anthy in the end, and tries to break the news to Kozue about how he can't constantly spend time with her in the nicest way possible. His little "I want to gain power for myself" speech was obviously a lie, considering at every shot in that scene we see symbols of Kozue. He wants that power to revolutionize the world to help Kozue, not for himself. He would not intentionally hurt her in any way.

* Question about episode 26. Why was Miki suddenly compelled to duel Utena? What was he hoping to obtain? To make Kozue the Rose Bride? If so, why? And why did Kozue decide to make out with Anthy out of nowhere? I thought she hated her.

Question about episode 26. Why was Miki suddenly compelled to duel Utena? What was he hoping to obtain? To make Kozue the Rose Bride? If so, why? And why did Kozue decide to make out with Anthy out of nowhere? I thought she hated her.

** It has an English dub as well as English subtitles.

** I think whether or not she ''can'' die is besides the point in that scene. The point is that [[spoiler:she ''wants'' to die]].

** Time constraints aside, I think that winning some arbitary tournament by beating every possible opponent is besides the point. In the movie-manga, Touga says that Utena is the "chosen prince" (i.e. the winner) because she was the only one who could open Anthy's heart, so it's most likely a similar sort of thing in the actual movie. As for Touga himself, [[spoiler:although he's dead, don't forget he still has enough physical presence to have sex with Shiori, among other things. Miki obviously doesn't even know him here, but it seems Juri at least knows ''of'' him (even if it's just as the boy who died saving her) so it's feasible that he could've been able to duel with her; it's also never said either way whether or not Saionji knows him in this continuity, so there's another possibility.]]

*** Even if he wants distance, that's still a huge, unsupported leap of logic to go from "he wants independence" to "he murdered his sister in cold blood." Especially since turning into a car in no way means death whatsoever. Wakaba turns into a car and is fine, Utena turns into one and is fine. And even as a car, Shiori is conscious.

* This is probably a stupid question, but does the Right Stuf rerelease also have English language available, or just English subtitles?

** [[spoiler: Symbolism. Before going to this duel, Anthy and Utena were having some very frank discussions about betrayal and who was betraying who. Anthy informs Utena that she was knowingly and constantly betraying Utena through their time together. Betraying a person is often referred to as stabbing them in the back, and here Anthy literally, rather than purely figuratively, is a backstabber. Notice also that a wound that should have killed Utena between being sliced and her exertion only slows her down; I don't think Anthy was actually trying to kill her so much as make a point. Anthy is on Akio's side and always has been, whatever Utena wants to think of the situation. For all her good intentions, Utena isn't very good at paying attention to what Anthy actually wants or feels. The realization floors her, but ultimately doesn't stop her because whatever Anthy did to her, the pain that Anthy's in is many times worse than her own.]]

**** Funnily enough, that probably ''is'' Hisakawa Aya's masculine voice. For contrast, see Ami from SailorMoon.

** [[spoiler: Symbolism. Before going to this duel, Anthy and Utena were having some very frank discussions about betrayal and who was betraying who. Anthy informs Utena that she was knowingly and constantly betraying Utena through their time together. Betraying a person is often referred to as stabbing them in the back, and here Anthy literally, rather than purely figuratively, is a backstabber.]]

[[spoiler: Notice also that a wound that should have killed Utena between being sliced and her exertion only slows her down; I don't think Anthy was actually trying to kill her so much as make a point. Anthy is on Akio's side and always has been, whatever Utena wants to think of the situation. For all her good intentions, Utena isn't very good at paying attention to what Anthy actually wants or feels. The realization floors her, but ultimately doesn't stop her because whatever Anthy did to her, the pain that Anthy's in is many times worse than her own.]]

** [[spoiler: Symbolism. Before going to this duel, Anthy and Utena were having some very frank discussions about betrayal and who was betraying who. Anthy informs Utena that she was knowingly and constantly betraying Utena through their time together. Betraying a person is often referred to as stabbing them in the back, and here Anthy literally, rather than purely figuratively, is a backstabber.

Notice also that a wound that should have killed Utena between being sliced and her exertion only slows her down; I don't think Anthy was actually trying to kill her so much as make a point. Anthy is on Akio's side and always has been, whatever Utena wants to think of the situation. For all her good intentions, Utena isn't very good at paying attention to what Anthy actually wants or feels. The realization floors her, but ultimately doesn't stop her because whatever Anthy did to her, the pain that Anthy's in is many times worse than her own.]]

* Question about the end of episode 38 and beginning of 39. Why did [[spoiler: Anthy stab Utena]]?

** I took it to be both a warning and a sign of forgiveness. Anthy is warning Utena that she has and will hurt her, just like she poisoned the cookies. Utena, however, acknowledges this by saying she poisoned ''her'' in return, showing that she's still hurt over what she saw between Anthy and Akio. However, they both partake in their "deadly" treats anyway, and saying how good it tastes: saying that they forgive each other, despite the hurt. Notice how when Utena says "We'll definitely meet in ten years to laugh and drink tea", and Anthy agrees, her hand twitches in Utena's grip: at the point, she knows what she's saying is a lie, [[spoiler: because she plans to kill herself that very night.]]

*** I don't see any evidence how he is different. Kozue turned into a car because of jealousy over Miki, maybe, but all the characters in the movie are (barring Touga) still essentially the same as in the series. Miki is still the pure individual who helps Utena and Anthy in the end, and tries to break the news to Kozue about how he can't constantly spend time with her in the nicest way possible. His little "I want to gain power for myself" speech was obviously a lie, considering at every shot in that scene we see symbols of Kozue. He wants that power to revolutionize the world to help Kozue, not for himself. He would not intentionally hurt her in any way.