#rgu liveblog

[bishonenvoicedbyadyke]

revolutionary girl utena (1997) / manifesto of futurism by filippo tommaso marinetti (1909) / the strenght of the curve by tullio crali (1930) / dynamism of a car by luigi russolo (1913)

[coolstuffiseverywhere]

Revolutionary Girl Utena - S1 E5 "The Sunlit Garden - Finale"

I'm sure if anyone does see this after the previous posts they're annoyed by the wait times. I'm just going to be happy with it being infrequent for now. Still a bit unsure on formatting. If you want to look at the whole thing, everything should be under a tag for "RGU Liveblog"

So, Juri and Miki are fencing before she teases him about his feelings for Anthy and compliments him for his victory, which she attributes to his happiness from his crush. It's then followed by this line, which so far seems to mean that his feelings aren't enough to "win"(ownership, not love, but with his crush being for Anthy and her being The Rose Bride it can only really be ownership at the moment) with his minimal social power and masculinity. It probably makes more sense in retrospect, but that's my read so far.

It seems like Miki more wants the same close connection he had with his sister, a bond over making something, then Anthy or romance. Which I think is similar to what I said last time too. His sister stopped playing because of being forced to play alone with stage fright, but I wonder how close they were after.

I mean, better late then never, but notice that it's "Anthy Himemiya" and not "someone." He's doing this because of a crush, not out of having an issue with the system. Still, at least an ounce of sanity is around here.

A revolution for the world via the smashing of it's shell, which somehow revolves around basically patriarchy+(dueling addition). How is it revolutionary? I guess making things worse is still a revolution.

Oh, yay, I get an answer to my earlier question! They clearly don't get on well, and that seems to be more Miki's fault then her's.

Ah, well, interesting on how his first words are comparing Miki to his sister(who I'd really like the name for considering the points I'm about to make). With the clear implications of this scene, it's

Setting her up as an extension of Miki in this conversation

He clearly did this to get back at Miki for his earlier suggestion

He's using the victimization of Miki's sister(which, sure we barely know her, but she's decidely younger then Touga since she's twins with Miki) via patriarchy as a weapon towards Miki. The same goes for his threat towards Anthy shortly after this. It's objectification. Making oppression a power struggle between oppressor and benefactor(someone who benefits from the oppression but isn't actively aiding it, although Miki was/is actively aiding it as a student council member).

Touga also highlights that Miki wants to have Anthy rather then to be with Anthy, and make her do what he wants. Miki later refuses to 'lose' Anthy, once again ignoring her agency(which, she is too, but unlike Utena he doesn't even ask). Basically, all the men suck.

Yeah, this kinda solidifies my read so far that it's all about ownership rather then love. Miki barely even wants Anthy, just what she represents to him. Although I feel like this might be about another character too, feels like foreshadowing to me.

And his illusion of what Anthy wants is shattered.

Oh, huh, Miki's sister isn't even good at the piano. So yeah, it's about the connection, maybe even more the brief emotion then the bond, rather then anything specific.

That's all for now!

[bi-hop]

my thoughts on rgu ep 2

and we're back to watching rgu! my thoughts so far can be found here.

it's funny and cute how those girls fawn over utena. no further thoughts, I just enjoy when that happens in yuri

I was so fucking worried that Wakaba wouldn't want to talk to Utena anymore after All That. I think Utena did the duel for a good reason but it's not like Wakaba asked her to. but nope, that wasn't the point of all that. it's okay, girl, you're better than Saionji's abusive ass anyway

... is the student council a doomsday cult?

you'd think for a group trying to 'bring revolution to the world' or whatever, they'd be more comfortable with a chaos agent added to their game LMAOOO anyway I'm pretending I understand what the fuck is going on with the letters but I don't <3

current working theory: End of the World is a supernatural force guiding them to achieve ends on the material plane. source? I have none. do not tell me what's going on or I will scream at the top of my lungs and embarrass us all

I had the feeling Anthy would be in the dorm but her writing her name underneath Utena's because her placement was an afterthought is... cute... kinda heartwrenching...

also is Anthy meant to look like a housewife? they're really hammering home the patriarchal nature of engagement and marriage here, and we haven't even gotten to another duel

speaking of their situation... while Anthy being like "you dress like a boy because you like to and I do the role as a Rose Bride because I like to" is an interesting conversation to have, I don't know if I believe it. I'm not claiming Utena's reasoning for dressing the way she does is false, I just also don't think it's the full story considering how she was also inspired to dress a certain way by a figure in her past. As for Anthy though, I do think it's false. I think she certainly believes what she's saying but the idea that she just naturally enjoys being subservient (cooking, cleaning) and being an object (more on that later) does not seem organic or 'true' to her.

my girlfriend wants a Chu-Chu plushie... ruh roh

okay back to the duels. I was already thinking she'd object to further duels because the one she partook in was exclusively for the benefit of Wakaba and she has no interest in the power plays over the Rose Bride. she doesn't even know about what they're fighting for, right? so why would she care

god, Saionji is such an abusive ex. I mean, obviously, but wow. I do think the situation is worsened by the fact that the duels confer a sense of ownership over Anthy, but the entitlement... the way he feels like she's betrayed him when he's the one who lost while also having THE ADVANTAGE? rotating him calling her shameless... Saionji-senpai vs Utena-sama... hm

I honestly didn't really notice the castle at the top of the sky when I was watching episode 1, so now the dialogue about entering it makes sense lmao

Utena claiming not to care about Anthy's situation but then immediately getting into the Sword of Dios rite and subconsciously moving to protect the rose even at the potential risk to her... yeah okay. Even Saionji calls her out on it lmao

final thoughts on the way Anthy is rendered an object to be possessed and owned but the way Saionji literally talks about her and the Sword of Dios in the same breath as 'glory' rather than, you know, Anthy being a person he cares for says it all. Her worth is only in the sense of possessing the power of Dios (whatever that means)

... is the prince Dios??? is he dead? what the fuck.

.... is Dios End of the World?!??!!? I'm so confused

Next episode is a ball episode and I'm excited for that one. I love balls, I love intrigue, I love messes.

This episode was good though, even if the pace felt different than the first episode. I think my central interest so far in the series is unraveling the mystery of what the fuck is going on at this school (the student council being powerful enough to make kids vanish is so funny btw), but I'm also deeply invested in Anthy. her passivity in the face of everything is alarming and I just want to understand it. how much of it is facade? how much of it is genuine conditioning? I want to know!!!

[stareyedsheeple]

maybe they should've kept him like this

[perenlop]

miki: gamers we have to stop the rose bride system. its NOT okay its NOT moral.

touga: but miki……. what if you stopped benefitting from the system…..

miki: ….. oh man what if i stopped benefitting from the system-

[luckdovica]

something about utena and anthy both being held by dios in the first outro. and they are separated and in the same pose not noticing each other. mirroring each other.

and in the second outro dios isn't there. it's just utena and anthy. and they notice each other. and they kiss!!!!!

but my favorite part probably is when they are both in the elevator rising up, with anthy her hair down. and they hold hands!

[demento-mori]

Kozue is such an underrated character she had such an intersting dynamic in the story she has some of the most fascinating trimmings around her character like the baby birds and the teacher on the stairs, and the sunlit garden, and THE KISS WITH ANTHY

She is very underrated within the fanbase i feel. She represents so many fascinating ideas and sometimes it can be hard where to place her within the narrative and I dont see her explored as much as other characters like Nanami and Shiori

[mingot-studios]

Also my mom's finally caught onto what Akio's been doing to Anthy, and everything is worse now.

and it took having to see the aftermath of it in episode 31......

[johnwickfucker]

ok i knew revolutionary girl utena was gonna be a strange watch but i didn't think it'd kick in as soon as the first episode

[utenaliveblog]

Somehow I doubt that's the conclusion you should be coming to here

[mrkanman]

im starting to think that like 70 percent of the conflict in rgu couldve been avoided if more family members had normal conversations with each other. and also asking why a student council is in what i can only assume to be a doomsday cult.

[bishonenvoicedbyadyke]

starting season 2 of revolutionary girl utena yipeee let’s goooo

[coolstuffiseverywhere]

I love this show, and I love that Anthy names them. I love that it continues, and that Nanami just happens to have all these creatures on her. She spent all night catching the Garter Snake! This is beautiful.

WHERE DID YOU GET AN OCTOPUS?

I love that she keeps saying it out loud.

The giant octopus balloon is beautiful. I want one.

Anthy should goof off more, please. Let her be... not even just a teenager, but a person.

(I got tired of photos, if you couldn't tell)

Anthy, you should've made Yanagidako for dinner. Just to mess with Nanami. Not with her squid tho.

[bi-hop]

my thoughts on rgu ep 4

Final episode for today, but that doesn't mean I don't have thoughts on it! here we go...

so, like, immediately we're getting into blue hair guy (Miki/Mickey). it's an in media res sort of opening... sure hope this will have no consequences! /j

Nanami might be the most unfortunate girl in the world for being fixated on two separate guys with a complicated draw towards Anthy she doesn't understand. that doesn't justify anything, it's just cracking me up how bad her luck is on that front

CAN EVERYONE LEAVE ANTHY ALONE!!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!! STOP HITTING HER!

Mickey claiming he has no intention to duel for the Rose Bride's hand is such a funny assertion after how the episode started. we know you will, cut the crap

I do enjoy how whenever he gets flustered by Anthy though, he hears those piano notes, it's cute

So far, nothing is about Anthy. not really. Utena wins her in a fight for Wakaba's honor. Saionji associates her with glory and treats her as equal to a sword. Now Mickey is saying Anthy reminds him of a girl from his past, that he hopes she'll be his shining thing. she is constantly an object or something to project feelings onto, and she's loathed for it by the girls around her. I'm sorry, Anthy...

I don't usually comment on the shadow girls (love them though, don't get it twisted!) but the whole quick narrative about how one of them became less appealing due to enjoying pro wrestling and garlic ramen is great. girls are so often put on pedestals and then discarded once they show any hint of personality

NANAMI.

NANAMI!!!!!

NANAMIIIIIII!!!!!

okay jokes aside her constant attempts to get Anthy to be viewed as undesirable/horrific/pick your adjective by associating her with 'gross' animals only for it to be accepted and thwarted at every turn is comedic gold but also says a lot about her own perception of who is 'weird' and ties into the shadow girl gossip well. but haha her hair gets all messy-

MICKEY'S THINKING OF HIS LITTLE SISTER WHEN HE THINKS OF THAT GIRL ON THE PIANO?!? what's up with this cast lmao

the preview for the next episode... uh oh... Utena, don't you know by now that Anthy is functionally a receptacle for your desires in this duel/Rose Bride business, personality and wants be damned?

all I gotta say is... excited for more duel music soon-

[stareyedsheeple]

immediate thought upon viewing

[perenlop]

ive seen people say that saiori hates juri and she doesnt return her feelings and is homophobic but idk. she seems pretty gay to me