Visual Storytelling: Breaking Down The Adolescence of Utena - Part Final
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- Wherein Pooh turns into a car and Piglet breaks free of society by riding in her and compassion and love create a beautiful, terrible future.
Yoko Taro's GDC talk: • Video
Ikuni interview: ohtori.nu/crea...
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About Utena's hair, i think she is hiding her true length (possibly representing full extent of her femininity and vulnerability) because she is afraid of it being exposed for everyone at the academy to see and perhaps even use against her. When she opens up to true self it grows/exposes real length. It stays full length after she deals with her past, receives true power to be herself and rejects fake strength of being invulnerable prince
I love this reading.
There’s also that trend of Touga fondling Utena’s hair. He does it while she’s crying in the coffin and does it several times during the events of the series to hit on Utena. In both those scenes - the coffin and the ballroom - Utena is in a “princess” or “rose bride” state. She is passive, conventionally feminine and being treated like a lapdog by Some Dude.
When her hair is shorter, it’s harder for people to start grabbing at it. In Adolescence, Touga is dead so that whole “boys touching my hair” thing is not an issue or a provocation.
Nevertheless, I always hated long-hair-Adolescence!Utena. She’s way cuter with medium-length, straight hair. Just as a preference. I love that the movie starts with her in a (conventionally) boy’s style.
As for what you were saying: Is hair is a measure of Utena’s extroversion? Series!Utena is friendly with people, even if Wakaba is her only friend at the start. Adolescence!Utena is a lot more aggressive and closed-off. Her hairstyle reminds me of Mickey / Miki, who is fairly shy. Series!Utena’s mid-length hair may indicate that she is more emotionally open than her Adolescence counterpart.
Utena and Anthy leave for the outside world, Utena is compelled to help Anthy, and this external motivation moves her from the world of the self and of the coffin. This external drive pulls Utena out of herself and thrusts her into a “world without roads” in communion with others. In other worlds, she’s extroverted, and her and Anthy’s long hair waving in the wind are the last we see of them.
Oh, good analysis!
I read Utena as a car as metaphor for helping her out of an abusive situation (the stagnation of the school). In those situations, you can't make someone leave, you can just give them a path. Utena has given Anthy a way out, becoming a litteral vehicle for her escape, but Anthy has to turn the key herself and has to travel the road herself.
Yep, the same thing she did in rgu, she reached out to Anthy and gave her a way out. That’s what gave her the strength to finally leave.
@@dayanaraviera3840 Right! Just...significantly more litteral in the movie
@@Luna_Everywhere Yes, it’s a lot more straightforward here. I really do love both symbolism’s that were used. Opening Anthy’s coffin to meet her true self in the show and becoming a literal vehicle to give her a way out.
She can’t help Anthy if Anthy won’t help herself. Isn’t there a line about Utena hating people who won’t stand up for themselves?
Wakaba (or shoshinsha) mark is also the name of the mark on the wakaba jeep 🔰. It's on japanese cars when the driver has their license for less than a year.
This could try to say something about her character or point in her story, but in any case it's a neat detail.
Ooo I like that quite a bit. Her main flaw is that she's immature and it's a great symbol for that.
This series makes me so happy, thank you. I want to rewatch the show and the movie now.
I actually think "grant me the power to bring the world revolution" is deliberately muddied in the series, to kind of build on what GeekNights said about the transformation sequence. We're supposed to get to a point where we, and Utena, stop wondering what that means and what it's for, because Akio doesn't actually want any of these kids to do anything of the sort. HE doesn't even want to revolutionize the world. The revolution Akio wants is empty movement; nothing actually changes if he succeeds. And he's hiding all of that behind the pageantry. It's not until we get to the first real duel at the end of the show between Akio and Utena that we're supposed to really wonder what that battle cry means (and if I remember correctly it's the only duel where the prince's sword is drawn and no one cries for world revolution, making it all the more striking in its absence).
Also that last bit with the car and Akio, Anthy and car!Utena are totally in a birth canal. Smash the world's shell or we'll die without being born and all that.
Utena’s hair length is actually addressed in the art books. It’s always long. She just pins it up
And hides it under another layer, in a direct contrast between herself and Anthy from the TV series where Anthy is more reserved and guarded with her hair pinned up and Utena more free. Now we have Utena guarded and reserved and only really “letting her hair down” with Anthy. Those moments where she’s got long flowing hair is when she’s at her most free.
With that read; her hair going loose in the duel is when she feels she can be the most free, when she’s engaging in those fights. It says a lot that people feel the most free and able to be themselves when they’re doing something like competing or attacking someone else
Damn. I always liked Anthy’s series design and wondered why they changed it.
god i just watched the entire series in one sitting, it was so interesting and in-depth and its insane how a 90 or so minute movie is so dense that it takes at least four and a half hours to unpack lol. but seriously i love your analysis of it so much and its gonna be so much fun to revisit the movie with all this in mind!
It is interesting that when Anthy and Utena are on the outside world it is very grey cloudy but it does not rain and at the very end to it it starts to get clear with some sky blue color around the grey clouds. It reminds me of many of the graduation days that I had in my life like in junior intermediate school, high school, college, and postgraduate graduation. Those where all days with gray clouds that later on starts to clear out. The outside world after graduation is great indeed. It has something new to offer to us ones we learn to accept the unknown and our real self-worth. Wonder if for other people is like that too.
I love how you pointed out how huge the castle is. It’s that exact saying of the only person truly in your way is yourself.
Ikuhara is a genius . The movie is such a breath of Fresh air.
Hair is highly symbolic in media and in real life. How often have you known someone to cut or dye their hair after a break-up, or grow a beard? It represents transition and change - and in the case of Utena I think the long hair represents the freeing of one's true identity. Anthy's hair served the same purpose in the Utena series. The fact that it's always down in the movie further represents her autonomy. (for the record I believe this movie is more of a continuation of Utena - another "revolution" - but this time Anthy is the one to come back for Utena.)
ピーマン are green peppers, not pecans. Carrots, green peppers, and celery are commonly disliked by children in Japan, so it could be a comment about immaturity?
Oh, yeah! You might be right!
If you want some closure on the show’s ending, look for the poster/picture of Anthy actually finding Utena. The second Cardcaptor Sakura movie did the same thing.
Kristin Glenn the kiss one?
Thanks for making these vids. Utena is very complicated, but it's a work of art with many wonderful messages, so videos like these are great for people like me since 99% of it went over my head. And even though it's an Utena analysis, I learned about much more like storytelling and directing, the magical girl genre, types of feminism etc. I appreciate how you can speak about the heavy themes of Utena respectfully, but also without avoiding or sugarcoating them. I seriously appreciate this film a lot more now thanks to your vids, and I'll look forward to more.
I watched this entire analysis over the course of two days and wow, very well spoken and it is honestly one of my favourite breakdowns of all time, very well done, please make more of these in the future!
I'm glad you enjoyed! I intend to, working on Madoka Magica currently.
i always thought that the vegetables in danger was a joke relating to how the other cars are equated to locusts. but anyways, this was an incredible series. As of writing this comment, Im working on an AMV of adolesence of utena and this series has really just elevated my appreciation of this movie as i edit lol
Fuuuuuuu that makes so much sense omg
Wow, this whole final had me crying. Both in the film itself and in how eloquently and efficacious you shared with us the profoundly emotional, spiritual experience of the sublime that transcendental art can have. I have to agree wholeheartedly in regards to Utena's transformation and the dumb smile it plasters on my face. It's just so simultaneously absurd yet fitting, so quintessentially Ikuhara, in audacious, defying nature - that shattering of expectation; of what was thought possible - creating this sense of elation in the viewer, leading into one of the most sincere, cathartic and triumphant final stretches of a film. I like how you say it's a perfect logical conclusion thematically. I was paralleling this scene with the one of Akio coercing Utena into his car (as I am reading it, the instrument of his exertion of power over another) and into having sex, as they drive down the highway. To draw that parallel, with now Anthy driving the car that is Utena, this time the two women having gained agency through one another, gives poetic resolution in a very satisfying manner. As you say, this film really boils down the essence of the series, portrayed simultaneously in its most surreally metaphorical yet vulnerably genuine nature and I think that is what has lead this film to be such an enduring icon. Ya know, besides being one of the most visually striking, beautiful films ever made. Thank you for sharing your intellect and passion. Through it I have gained new appreciation and love for Utena, as well as a deeper insight on reading visual narrative. I look forward to exploring the other analysis on your channel and any possible future work, thank you and good night.
Ahhh damn I forgot to draw the connections between Akio's car and the final scene, you're right! It does seem obvious yes. Also ya the rape of Utena in the series in the clip episode is something I have written about and should record a video on.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for enjoying!
The image I’m constantly reminded of when I see Utena and Anthy emerging naked in a flurry of rose petals is that of the painting Truth Coming Out Of Her Well To Shame Mankind.
You say Adolescence is one of your top anime movies of all time, and is *almost* unparalleled in its creativity. I'd be very curious to know what other animated works you think *do* compare in terms of visual storytelling, directorial choices, and creativity? (AKA me shamelessly asking for more anime recs...) Incredible analysis series, by the way. You make it seem so effortless. Really a good watch.
Yup, the obvious one is The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, which is a masterpiece. I did a more raw breakdown of it earlier in the channel and a eulogy video for the people who worked on it who were murdered. Does require that you have watched the series but it is well worth the investment as the series is great too.
The other best animated film I've seen in years is Into the Spiderverse, so many Japanese anime creators have commented on how good of a film it is.
I think there are various other anime films that have similar parts or elements that challenge the level of Adolescence even if they don't reach the holistic status of these three prior films. Stuff like PMMM Rebellion for art and symbolism, Your Name, maybe Summer Wars as a compelling, watchable narrative, The Animatrix for creativity and uniqueness, Millennium Actress for effectiveness at using the medium, Spirited Away for whimsy and world building.
Finally my favorite/most personally affected by anime film of all time would still probably be Nausica of the Valley of the Wind, I will rewatch that in a heartbeat.
Hope that points you in some fun directions.
Oh and Ikuni started a crowdfunding campaign to do a recap movie for Penguindrum, that is something I am expecting to be on this level, since Penguindrum already is.
@@clearandsweet It most certainly does! Thank you for your reply. I might even start The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya today, since if it's anything like this video series, I really look forward to watching your analysis of it.
Into the Spiderverse is of course incredible, even if its not as excellent in its narrative or symbolic depth (I mean that in a wider sense, obviously certain isolated shots are really symbolically compelling - the flipped jump/rise scene springs to mind). But honestly, with those breathtaking visuals, you don't even *need* an outstanding narrative. I found I felt a similar way about Your Name; the character motivations felt a bit flat, but the world was so rich and immersive if only for its exquisite animation that that hardly seemed to matter.
I feel to properly enjoy PMMM Rebellion, I may need to tackle the series first... something I haven't been sure about for a while, solely due to my typical aversion towards 'purely' magical girl anime. Maybe that is a gross misconception, but I've heard mixed things about how subversive it actually is.
I'll definitely give Summer Wars and The Animatrix a watch, though. Thanks for those suggestions. And Millenium Actress has been on my list a while, since I've really enjoyed Satoshi Kon's other works
. On that note, I'd be interested to see what you thought of Perfect Blue, if you have watched it? I think that film would be really fun to do a breakdown of, particularly focused on how the visuals work towards building tension.
And Nausicaa and Spirited Away are both peak Studio Ghibli, I love those two so much.
Thanks again for your advice! This reply's gotten a bit long gosh. But yes, I really do love your work, very underrated! Hoping you go viral someday but also really appreciating how you don't seem to let that hold you back; it feels like you're just making (very high-timbre) videos on whatever media interests you, and that in of itself is admirable. You have most definitely earned a subscriber lol
Also, we can only dream of one day getting OVAs of Umineko no Naku Koro Ni that actually do it justice. It would pretty much require directorial creativity of this level to pull off. In the VN the line is very blurry between what's actual fact, what's metaphorical portrayals of people's inner worlds, and what's embellished retellings of what could've happened while nobody was looking.
Perfect Blue!
I have to admit I cry everytime the wakaba jeep group comes to the rescue, totally rewatching these cus they are so good also
im a new fan of RGU and was admittedly quite struggling about deciphering the whole thing bcs i initially watched it due to its sapphic themes, (im a raging lesbian) but yea you were right i'd be doing this whole franchise a great disservice if i won’t make an effort in dissecting/nitpicking things apart thoroughly (shot by shot lol like you did). i always have a complicated relationship with the use of symbolisms and metaphors especially when they really seem alien to me, or that i have zero context as to what certain symbolisms and figurative languages are used for but i eventually somehow came to terms with this when i've gotten myself immersed with Satoshi Kon's direction. i still get a bitter aftertaste for excessive uses of ambiguous elements in shows (even if it has creative and artistic value to it) and boy oh boy does Ikuhara love to jest and play with that. i've always been the factual, pragmatic, and realistic type of person to a fault wherein i tend to take things at face value and quite literally, so things like searching for underlying meanings or subtext taunt me and are definitely a challenge since i often view them as irrational or unnecessary when you can go straight to the point. RGU is definitely difficult to love at first but i have full confidence now in saying that there's a different kind of intellectual pleasure to breaking it down and actually internalizing the artistic value of things. i have truly actually enjoyed the show now thanks to your analysis. i binged your playlist In a single night and it honestly feels like an absolute mindfuck lmao. Ikuhara's genius still just hasn't seeped in to me yet i think, his ridiculously unsubtle use of symbolisms and visual language, so vague and uncertain yet so dumbfoundedly obvious until you pointed them out feels like an absolute brand new fucking language to learn. i love your inputs and insights regarding everything so far! it rlly helped with appreciating the long lasting relevance of RGU. i'd also like to add that the second time Utena Car upgraded, the design very much looks like the female reproductive system to me which i think is another addition to the show's existing feminist themes. thank you very much for making these vids, i highly appreciate the manner you broke things down, you have talent for eschewing obfuscation when its most needed in some aspects of the show. i think i'll be emotionally invested to this show now more than ever, it feels very personal. More power to you! im happy people are still talking about it
Thanks for the great videos about this movie. It was super great.
Watched this in one go and it's an amazing analysis, thank you so much for this! I know Utena since I was 12 (I turn 31 this year hah~) and without it I would've never started to actually push my artistic ""carreer"" forward btw. It left a pretty big mark on me and my style. I could talk about it's sheer variety of symbols, especially over the series' ending, every day. I'm glad I have two friends who gave the series a go and are now as obsessed over it as I am.
I always felt alone, because ""normal"" anime lovers are confused by this series, because it's not directly telling you what is going on and is more on a psychology level. The movie back then confused the sh*t out of me, too, but I still loved it so much - and I still do. Everytime I enter an artblock, I just return to this series to fuel my inspiration. So many fond memories and so many years that this, well, accompanied me through adulthood. How fitting. I always understood the movie of going your way, find the ones which loves you and overcome every problem. Believe in yourself.
Again, thank you for this! So glad that I found your analysis today :)
Thank you for the kind words. It's always the best feeling when my thoughts can help other people in any way.
I'm glad Utena inflicted you so positively. I really truly do think that is why it was made.
Good luck and keep your head up.
This was so great, I binged your analysis and what a great time it was.
I watched these and the movie side by side over the course of a week and it was a TREAT. ❤️
That was an amazing analysis!! Thank you for making it!
I'm happy you enjoyed. It justifies the effort when people find some value in it.
Well it made me appreciate the movie, other films and animation in a way I never have before. You killed it!
The hair thing could be her imitating the power of a man vs her embracing the triw inherent power she has as a woman.
Really just binged this playlist in two days. Thank you for helping me appreciate and understand this series more. Great stuff
About Utena's hair, a bit of it is a play with the hair lengths of the two heroines from the series. There, Utena's hair is long and free-flowing while Anthy's is all tied up. At the end, thanks to Utena's actions, Anthy's hair is untied and is revealed to be long and free-flowing. Flash forward to the beginning of the movie and Anthy has literally Utena's hair from the series. She's also much more assertive and willing to take action than in the series. While Utena has short hair and is literally trying to pass as a man as much as possible. But she has all dresses and otherwise feminine clothes in her closet. When Anthy makes her strip naked for the drawing scene she is extremely bothered by it. Remembering that this is from a culture where nudity, in particular between people of the same sex, is really not that big of a deal, it's really jarring that Utena is SO bothered by Anthy seeing her for who she is. It's not just the exposing of her vulnerability, Utena at that point wants to be seen as masculine, and that's not possible if she is naked. But, well, at least in the movie it's pretty clear that, to put it bluntly, Utena is not trans. This echoes how in the end of the series she regrets not being able to become the prince in part because she's a girl. One of the purposes of the construct of the prince is precisely to be rigid about gender roles. "Was that really a good idea?", the series episode intros ask us every time. Finally, when we have a chance to see the true Utena, in the reflection in the dance scene, and when she emerges again from the car with Anthy, her hair is long again.
I'm sorry that TH-cam is giving you so much trouble. Thanks so much for making these videos!
Yeah, I remember the car scene! And I love all the metaphors! And yeah ultimately what holds us back is our internalized hangups, and they are so difficult to overcome and feelso large! I wish more people understood that! Anyways, excellent analysis! I basically see the different iterations of Utena as time loops. The manga is the first time loop, the anime is the second time loop, and the movie is the ladt and final timeliop which they ultimately break out of! I believe out of all the iterations, the movie is my favorite! Anyways, I would enjoy it if you did a similar analysis to Princess Tutu, which I see of them ultimately breaking out of their roles! I really love how you analyze media! Keep up the good work!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You made me cry, this definitely increased my love for this series, It means a lot to me and feels like waking up somehow. Awesome work!
Thank you for taking your time and analyzing this beautiful and wonderful series...I enjoyed it very much 💜💜💜🌹
Thank you so much for your hard work. I am looking forward for your next analysis ;)
Wow… just wow
Had to thank you again for this experience. Listened intently today while packing up my dorm due to the world seemingly tryna end after having just finished rewatching the movie last night. I didn’t think I could enjoy Utena as a whole any more than I do already, and yet you somehow made my love for it grow. If you haven’t done anything on the show here on TH-cam I’d love if you’d think about it. RGU is an all time favorite of mine and I’m sure your insight would make me enjoy it even more.
Thanks! I'm truly happy you found some value in what I had to say.
I've actually started doing a similar thing as this for another magical girl series, Madoka Magica. The first episode is currently under copyright takedown, but I would recommend any fan of magical girl shows go watch PMMM and look forward to me talking about it if I can ever get out of TH-cam's copyright hell.
If you do want more of Utena, I encourage you to look into this playlist, which I mentioned in a few of the videos.
th-cam.com/play/PL3eVql0CPrVh3UUsbw6sue7tj7-c5WBIN.html
clearandsweet Oh I’m quite familiar with PMMM and will be looking forward to whenever YT stops holding your video hostage.
oo i loved these videos! i watched the whole series + movie for the first time during the pandemic and i already wanna rewatch...
Great analysis! I just finished all your vids on this and enjoyed each one! I have been a huge fan of this movie since I first saw it at age 12. This is a true work of genius especially because it has so many different interpretations.
32:55 i notice in that moment that girls scream and come from a canal push trow out of the school whith all the roses it kinda look like the getting born from a womb maybe is not that but the roses look like blood , the come out naked and screaming too .
....glanced at the description a few minutes into the video - while I was drinking. Shouldn't have done that XD
About the hair, in the art book, it shows that Utena has her long hair braided and hidden underneath.
Woah it IS utena
Thank you so much for this series ❤️ I love it
thanks for the re-up. uwu
Hi Long time no see I already posted a comment from the video that was deleted but I'll give you the short version of what I said.
Thank you for making this video series I'll miss it a lot and am grateful that you made me understand not just this movie but Utena and Ikuni in general I'm really grateful.
What's your thoughts on the new Sarazanmai??
Also here's my ranking of Ikuni's work
1.Mawaru Penguindrum
2.Adolescence Of Utena
3.Revolutionary Girl Utena
4.Sarazanmai
5.Yurikuma Arashi
Also I would love if in the next 4 years that Ikuni would reunite with former members of Be-Papas to create a new new anime sure they're off doing they're own thing but as long as they're friends and share a passion to create I'm sure they'll do something incredible what do you think??
Also thank you for reading my comment (:
Yeah I'm aligned with that rating. Sarazanmai is essentially more Penguindrum in very many ways.
And hey, Penguindrum is one of my favorite stories and shows of all time so that's not a bad thing. I have some misgivings with it, mainly in regard to the structure and a little bit of waste, but overall I think it's a great show.
I'll probably talk about it more when I talk about Penguindrum in relation to the best shows of the decade.
Thanks for sticking with me!
37:00 just to clear the confusion about the ending of the series up (and taking the chance to explain the ending of rgu for fun) though her death is shown as ambiguous, utena in does not die. this is foreshadowed in the first nanami duel episode. utena is the cat, and isnt shown dying. a raven flies away in the scene, which symbolizes that death isnt needed. also, with utena forgiving anthy in record time, i read somewhere that utena is compared to jesus, who is all-forgiving. as for utena and anthy's fate in the series, they become "average people" because they are not seen as special in the normal world? its really hard to explain, but theres a website i found that explains the ending of utena super well 😭
0:33 “Jon will give you cancer, then he’ll turn into a car!”
21:08 When Touga is assaulted by his adoptive father, Shiori appears as a cabbage butterfly, which is completely white. Shiori’s name means “white”, like said in this video. They are parasites that destroy vegetables. A salad full of bugs or contaminated by them is gross. It’s basically the Shiori alarm.
I just want you to know that your video description made it to Google's AI search results when I was trying to find out what irl models the cars in the movie might be based on LMAO
The kangooroo boxing scene totally happenned and I refuse to accept any slanderous claims stating otherwise
Gosh, the meaning I gave to the movie was FAR from this interpretation! That's interesting in itself.
Happiness is a choice.
Have you been doing something wrong?
I don't know bro if you consider using a 10-second clip for fair use purposes in a transformative critical review something wrong, then yeah, I'm a criminal.
@@clearandsweet ok, just wanted to know. Have a nice day!
@@DaveWAMWLeon if this video stays up I absolutely will! You too.
nice tone of voice, great analysis, good attention to detail. however your analysis is filtered with your caucasian westerner view of the world that can butcher the holistic vision of the shows you love. 7/10 not like you should care though.
Ahahaha if my only crime is being mortal, I'm doing all right.
Do let me know if you find and omniscient critic talking about this film, though.
aah you know that true objectivity its a illusion. but some reach that proximity better then others. You are not one of them westerner. But your insight its quite through and that's has value to my entertainment.
@@rpghero46 Thank you, that means a lot.