All eyes are on Utena Tenjou, a mysterious transfer student to Ohtori Academy. But Utena's eyes seem to be fixed on one familiar face that stands out among the rest—Touga Kiryuu, Utena's childhood friend. Touga knows of Utena's past and possesses knowledge of the Mark of the Rose, a set of unique rings worn by those who compete for the hand of the Rose Bride. The Rose Bride, Himemiya Anthy, belongs to whomever wins her in a duel, and the one that wins all the duels is said to be given the power to bring revolution to the world. Utena is drawn into the duels, but Touga and their complicated history together may end up unraveling everything. Nothing is as it seems in this retelling of the original anime series.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
iamjoe
Honestly, I had to watch this like three times before I had an inkling of a clue what this anime was about. I was not familiar with the Utena series before, and I ended up watching the movie because I was informed that it wasn't the same as the series. So I watched it and wondered what sort of crack I had smoked before popping the DVD in. Apparently, I had not smoked any crack, and it was just Utena that was messing with my head. The story is...I don't know. Up to now, I hardly know what happened. It's long, convoluted, and they don'tever, EVER explain what the hell happened. Well, they sort of did, with visual symbolism. But I'm sort of dumb in a fabulous way, so I barely understood any of that.
The art and animation was top-notch though. It looked incredible. The sound was great too.
Characters were...interesting, to say the least. I was pretty certain that at least four people in the main cast were homosexual, or maybe it's just all the flower imagery that threw me off.
I didn't enjoy this movie because I spent the whole time tugging at my marvellous hair wondering 'WTF?!' is going on.
It's not unfabulous, and it's worth a watch, I say.
Venneh
Adolescence of Utena is a feature-length movie that was produced and directed by the same persons who were responsible for the TV series. It premiered in 1999, and has been licensed Stateside by Central Park Media, which is now defunct. Let's just say it's been out for a long time Stateside. Adolescence of Utena is best described as the TV series retold in two hours or less with different plot elements bought up or discarded, with some characters absent, and lots and lots of symbolism and, some would argue, a heavy dose of crack. I would highly suggest watching the series going intothis. I watched this first, then watched the series, and then watched this, and I found that the series helped me understand it more, which is what the creators intended with this. And then the movie, in turn, helped me understand elements of the series that I didn't before, which in turn helped me understand the movie more, which helped me understand the series... it's a cycle of positive feedback. And it's amazing.
The art for this is a lot smoother than it was in the series, though it is still heavily stylized. A definite improvement.
The music has a lot of the same themes, subtly reworked for the movie, which gives it a whole new feel. There are also some new vocal pieces that don't have to do with the duelling songs, and they're quite addictive.
Most of the vocal cast was able to return for this, except for Akio's seiyuu, which just adds a nice touch to this.
An amazing movie, and one of my favorite anime movies to date.
darkmac
There's one thing you should keep in mind when watching Adolescence Apocalypse: absolutely EVERYTHING is a metaphor, usually for some part of adolescence. This is a movie that was made to be analyzed. Usually I don't analyze the symbolism of anything I watch, but Adolescence Apocalypse makes analyzing symbolism fun, crazy as that may sound. As for as anime symbolism goes, Adolescence Apocalypse can't be beat, even by the series. That's not to say the symbolism's the only thing worth watching the movie for. Every moment of screentime is purely entertaining, whether symbolism is the focus or not. The only real complaint I had with theTV series was that some episodes felt repetitive and didn't seem to contribute much to the main characters' development or the overall plot. Here, however, every fight scene, every conversation, everything really matters. The movie is not content to simply have a fight: at the same time the fight is going on, there is development for Utena, Anthy, whoever she's fighting with, and even background characters.
The backgrounds themselves also deserve a mention. The school puts Hogwarts to shame, as it's constantly in motion, and there's always something interesting to look at. Everything is constantly in motion, and while this is partially for symbolism, it helps to make the series very pretty. Though some of the reviews complain about the music, I had no problems here. Absolute Destiny Apocalypse is as awesome as ever, and the rest of the music is also great. Perhaps not as wonderful as in the series, but still very fitting.
Other than the symbolism, the main draw of the movie is the characters. Utena herself is even more magnificent than in the series, simultaneously vulnerable and strong. And not vulnerable in the way typical strong anime females are often vulnerable, but in the way you'd expect any middle school girl to be. That vulnerability causes problems for her at times, but she deals with it in an appropriate and realistic way, as it contributes nicely to her development. Utena's relationships, especially with Touga and Anthy, are all interesting as well, as they help her grow in interesting ways throughout the movie, and their interactions are always clever and witty.
As a final note, I should add that this movie works best when you've seen the series first. Almost nothing is the same as it was in the series, but a lot of the minor characters are better understood with the series' development behind them. If you've watched the series, the movie is a splendid treat.
Twickers
Knowing the TV series isn't required to watch this movie, but it definitely helps a lot to catch some references and to understand part of the relationships better, even though, there are lots of changes in characteristics. If you haven't seen the series, be prepared to be blown away by some of the most bizarre moments in anime history. The basic storyline doesn't give too much hints of what tragedies will be revealed. Utena is at first believed to be a boy, a little glimpse on the problematic gender roles. Don't just watch this, because somebody told you there'd be girl kissage, there's so much moreto Utena and Anthy. As opposed to the more devote Rose Bride in the series this Anthy has a mind of her own and doesn't act like a mere puppet. She and Utena are equal central characters and the audience gets as little information as necessary about everybody else. That's why characterwise I give 'only' a 9 instead of the full 10. Still, you can hardly put any more depth to the heroines of this piece, because their fates are similar and yet work on very different levels.
Comparing the animation, the design, the colors of the movie and the series almost hurts my eyes. Where the series seems to favor pastel shades the movie shows everything in full bloom. An ocean of red roses, hair colors bathed in warm light, the building moving around as if it's breathing and rich backgrounds full of detail. Smooth movements of the characters, wether they wield a sword or just touch glass, you can almost feel it yourself.
The heavy symbolism makes it hard to follow at times (and yes, there is relevance and even a certain amount of logic to the infamous car chase), but at least the art should satisfy your senses. Okay, a minor deduction regarding the sound. Even though the songs "Rinbu Revolution" and "Zettai Unmei Mokoshiroku" are there and there's a really beautiful dance sequence with a wonderful ballad ("Toki ni ai wa"), I really miss the powerful atmosphere of music overall.
Most important word of this movie has to be "oji-sama" - the Prince and his many incarnations. Everybody is linked to a prince and realizing who this prince is and why this link has to be broken is essentially the growing up process the title refers to. Watching this movie for the first time was highly confusing, but this turned into pure enjoyment for me. For about an hour and a half I can dive into a fascinating world of high goals and two girls struggling for freedom and peace.
ktulu007
As someone who finds it fun to read books and explore their themes and symbols, I love this movie. It's probably my favourite movie of all time. This movie is a perfect example of how to do symbolism so that it's rich and complex but isn't inaccessible and doesn't make the audience do all the work. The story revolves around the protagonist, Utena, entering a High school where she inadvertently finds herself involved in duels to become engaged to the rose bride, Anthy, which will grant her the power to revolutionise the world. So if you've seen the anime the basic plot is the same. Thedifference is that the movie is set in a more surrealistic world where just about everything is symbolic. You might ask, what is the symbolism about, what does it all mean? Well, I can't answer that.
Like all the best stories that use symbolism heavily it's open to interpretation. Some people say it's a summary of the events of the anime, which I consider lazy, since it requires very little thought, but it is a valid interpretation. Some say it's about going through adolescence. Some say it's about overcoming tragedy and moving forward and there are many other valid interpretations. If you've seen the movie and want to discuss interpretations I would be open for that. Now, the movie does help the audience. About half of the movie uses "light" symbolism with mainly realistic elements so that you can watch it without really thinking about the symbolism. Then the second half opens and the symbolism takes over, forcing the audience to use their brains to figure out what it all means. I think that's what I love about this movie. It's intellectually stimulating and entertaining.
I could spend hours discussing the rich symbolism, but I don't want the review to be too long so I'll move on. The artwork is good for the time period, although it's admittedly a little dated now. The imagery is amazing. It adds to the symbolism and works with the music to make the atmosphere stellar. Some scenes are bright and vibrant, others are darker and more piercing. In either case the atmosphere is well thought out and achieved perfectly. The voice acting is great. Kawakami Tomoko and Fuchizaki Yuriko just do a perfect job in the main roles. The supporting roles are all very capably done. Koyasu Takehito and Mitsuishi Kotono especially do a good job. The fight scenes are vivid, dynamic and very graceful. They're a real treat to watch. It's a very emotional movie that elicits emotional responses ranging from rage to despair to happiness to "oh my Gods that is so cute!"
How could it possibly be better? The romantic scenes. Adolescence of Utena may very well have inspired some of the most common scenes in shoujo ai/yuri anime that came afterwards. The surprising and awkward but adorable first kiss, the dramatic moment where they almost kiss seriously for the first time, the scene in which one girl paints a nude portrait of the other, the elegant dance scene and the moment where they gaze into each other's eyes and share a squee inducing kiss. Do I even have to mention that the yuri factor is a 10/10?
Adolescence of Utena is very complex without moving into the territory of being convoluted. It's intellectually stimulating and entertaining The atmosphere could not be better. The voice acting is awesome. It's also very good at getting an emotional response. My final rating is a 10/10. If you haven't seen it, do so.
LadyReina
“Do you know what today is?” “No, what?” “Today is tomorrow. It happened.” -- Groundhog day Adolescence Apocalypse is more than a stand-alone re-telling of the Revolutionary Girl Utena Saga. Suppose that the events of the TV series were allowed to play out repeatedly; suppose that Anthy somehow managed to hold on to the insight she gained each time. Things might just turn out like this: Watch the television series starting with episode 37 all the way through to the first 17 minutes of the final episode. Turn on Adolescence Apocalypse. It’s Groundhog Day, animated. Truly, this is Anthy’s adolescence. She unfolds and blossoms like the white rose she is.Her open eyes drive Akio over the edge. She is the one who leads Utena, who is hard-pressed to keep pace. There’s clearly a part of her that remembers Utena this go around: Utena’s words visibly shake her from the beginning; Utena in danger forces her to make that fabulous leap; only Utena draws out her heart sword in a scene more ravishing than the original. Anthy smolders; Utena whispers, gasps, and pants for her. Utena cries for the stars; Anthy envelopes her in them. Utena tries to revert to the status quo; Anthy won’t let her. The engines are running and the plane has taken off.
For fifty-five minutes, it’s breathtaking. Too bad the ending just seems out of breath. Perhaps it’s for want of the balance provided by the other characters? Touga and Akio are shadows of their previous incarnations. The other characters are functional cameos as well, with Juri as the exception. Or perhaps it is that the energy of the beginning is wanting at the end, as might occur when a sprinter runs a 10k; after all, each television episode was 23 minutes, and the movie laps that four times.
Out of breath or not, the ending is a momentous one for Utena and Anthy, because today is tomorrow. “Someday” happened.
Three obligatory remarks:
First, the animation. In the TV series, the roses were flat spinning pinwheels; in the movie, they start on the flat platform and, surfeiting, come cascading down in wave after wave. From the moment Utena accepts the gift of the rose signet ring from the miraculous unfolding white rose, flower petals fall down from the sky like rain. The second transformation scene becomes a dance between Utena and Anthy: the stars are reflected upon the water so that the two are seen gliding through the heavens. It’s unfortunate that the final images prove lacking, more akin to an arcade game than to allegory. The penultimate transformation looks like a pink carwash, and nothing – not even Utena – can make a pink carwash sexy.
Second, the music. “Zettai unmei mokushiroku; zettai unmei mokushiroku.” It needed to be said. That is the only criticism.
Third, the voice characterizations. Nobody does cool better than Mitsuishi as Juri. Kawakami delivers Utena’s credo with crystal perfection: “I never said that I was a boy. And I’ll never lose to anyone who hits a girl.” Anthy may be beautiful, but it’s her voice that makes Utena blush.
Grade: B+
prosthesis_
the art is real purdy and the music is jammin and the direction is dope and when a chauvinist gets rekt verbally or physically i go 'eyyy' and when same-sex characters bond in a manner thats significantly more respectful towards same-sex relationships than other anime im like 'yooo' and when the art/direction broke its overall victorian-ish aesthetic to include more modern elements i was at first like 'eh?' until it lead to narrative surrealism to which i always go 'eyy' and the film format is a more succinct platform for the world-building in comparison to the anime which started to feel stale after almost 40somewhat-repetitive episodes BUT most of the humor took me out of it and felt forced/detached but i guess that's just me since anime humor and i don't seem to get along very well and the pacing with revealing the literal details about the plot mechanics/characters' motivations felt similarly slow like the anime where some vague terms get thrown around before either clarifying things directly or giving the viewer a scene that lets them comfortably know that they have to interpret an abstraction/open-ended point regarding said detail(s) SO 'womenz tha movie' is real good but still adheres to certain things from the anime that happened to not click with me given the narrative and style's overall direction ALSO congratulations you have just read the all time greatest review on mal i'd like to thank the academy but not ohtori academy fuck that place despite is amazing clockwork-mansion style design in this film
Wintermane
While Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adolescence Apocalypse is decent in plot, what really stands out in this movie is the design of the Ohtori Academy. The overall design of the school is technically brilliant, thought there are some definite continuity errors. Beyond that the use of panning shots through the movie are well placed and the idea behind it places the campus and events that occur there into a surreal environment that is lost in the original series. There are also several repetitions of shots that are used well, the constant movement of normally stationary items adds an element of interest. I saw this moviea while after the series was finished so it was a pretty blank slate, however the plot covered a lot of the same devices that were used in the original series.
chrissy_poo_too
A strange, wonderful film that simultaneously acts as an R-rated, fun house mirror summery of the series, and a parallel universe, End of Evangelion-esque sequel. The art and animation is excellent, with unexpected, dynamic uses of colour splashed all over the place. Adolescence of Utena also features some of the most amazing background art ever, courtesy of Shichiro Kobayashi. The aspect of the film that throws most people (even fans of the show) for a loop is the narrative. The basic plot beats of the series are there to be sure, but condensed, amplified, and warped. Scene transitions occur at random, traditional linear storytelling is thrown outthe window, and the last 10 minutes of the film have absolutely no precedent or context. It's pretty wild.
I don't think it's enough to justify Adolescence of Utena's reputation as a purposely obtuse mindf*ck of a film however, as the plot works as both a yuri tinged, magical girl deconstructing teen melodrama, and a surreal metaphor for transitioning into adulthood.
That being said, I do think fans of Revolutionary Girl Utena (the series) will get the most out of the movie, as it does wrap up Utena's and Anthy's story in a way the show doesn't, and spending 39 episodes with the characters definitely increases the emotional impact of the film. It isn't entirely necessary though; as I said the plot isn't that tough to follow, and the art and animation alone are worth the price of admission.
A classic through and through, I can't really say enough good things about it. If you like risk-taking, experimental anime, check it out!
0MAN0
Revolutionary Girl Utena: Adolescence Apocalypse. After what I can imagine was a great critical/commercial success of the original series (which I can say is rather well-deserved), the board thought it a good idea to create a movie that's... kind of a retelling, kind of an alternate universe... whatever. Cool! In theory. This Utena:AA deals with the same sort of spiritual themes as its predecessor, and maybe even does it in a more digestible way. I can see how others reviewers would give it a lot of mileage for its use of themes, symbolism, and generally good art and music. I tend to agree that thesepoints are generally more good than bad, but there is a serious flaw with Utena:AA. It's just so god damn busy. Everything about this series is vying for attention at all points. It is a movie that completely fails to engage the audience because it lacks variation in tone. It is just exhausting to watch. Furthermore, while the memorable characters of the original series make an appearance, they fail to leave any impact besides an easter egg or two. While it visually and sonically sound, though even still cluttered, problems with pacing and characters really prevent Utena:AA from reaching the heights of its mother series.
[Rating]
Story: 2
Art: 8
Sound: 8
Character: 3
Enjoyment: 3
Overall: 4
[Story: 2]
The story is shit. In the original Utena, the story had problems of its own right, but at least it served as a proper vehicle for character development and expanded on profound themes in most episodes. Utena:AA throws this structure out the window and goes for something of an absurdist action/thriller. The problem lies in that the audience has no time or reason to build interest.
What does an audience member hope for or expect coming into the middle of this movie? None of the characters are particularly interesting anymore. Anything that these characters have done to give value to the story is in the original series, and even this is somewhat lost on the viewer since Utena:AA is set in some sort of an alternate reality. The plot has no direction of its own, as evidenced by the absurd, far-too-long car scene, and thus has little interest for the audience. There's just nothing going on here.
The movie also shows that it's got huge pacing issues. Both the Nanami scene and the car chase scene both last absurdly long and offer nothing to the viewer. They are neither insightful or exciting, humorous or entertaining. I point to these scenes as an example of the lack of vision and planning present in the movie, but this pacing issue persists the whole way through.
[Art: 8]
The art is pretty good! A little less Kingdom Hearts, a little more Monogatari. Backgrounds often highlight repeating forms or patterns and obscure colors in shadows or brights. The technicalities and polish are definitely a few steps above the original series, which is exactly what you would expect. But this doesn't really solve all the issues.
The art of Utena:AA is still super busy. Busy art is fine, but it can be difficult to direct around and I would say that art which is constantly busy only hurts it. In fact, I think that the Utena the original series still has better art than Utena:AA. Despite its improvements in general animation quality and smoothness, Utena:AA fails to pick up on its predecessor's fantastic directing or effortlessly virtuouso-level character design and shot composition. These elements are the more important, though less spoken of. Regardless, Utena:AA looks good and has a distinct animation style with enough polish to be worthy of praise.
[Sound: 8]
The sound is good. It is also busy. Not much to talk about here. It is nice to hear a rehash or two of some of my favorite Utena tunes. Classic cool 80s synth tracks. Voice acting is good. Sound design and effects are good.
[Character: 3]
Yeah... pretty bad. I generally like the characters in Utena, but in Utena:AA they were mostly gutted of substance. Miki, Juri, Saonji, Himemiya, and even Utena take a pretty steep hit: there isn't much personality or much done to develop their characters outside the broad events of the plot. Touga is neat in this, especially his little easter egg as the forgotten hero. I haven't put much thought into the significance of the that being Touga, but it feels touching given its reference in the original series.
[Enjoyment: 3]
Busy, busy. I pretty much felt assaulted by this movie. There is such a thing as too much. Some would say that, for the sake of allegory, it's worth it. But when making these sorts of statements, you have to consider whether it is right for the medium. Anime, sure, is more welcoming to this than most, but if all you want to do is present allegory and completely flout the tenets of film-making and crafting a solid audience experience, then maybe you should skip the allegory and make it a book instead.
[Overall: 4]
It looks good, it sounds good, but... it isn't good. This film doesn't really provide a ton of value outside its presentation and maybe some profound themes, but these aren't very accessible to the viewer and certainly are not worth the cost of such a poor execution of writing, pacing, and filmmaking.
HereLiesWaste
In many ways even better than the already great anime it's an adaptation of (and it really should be thought of as an adaptation, or, even better, each as an adaptation of the other), managing to condense 39 episodes of conceptual play into 90 minutes through extremely brave and confidant use of some insane imagery and writing. Said conceptual play is genuinely radical, in an incredibly contemporary manner, remarkable for its refusal to resort to oh so common 'woke' liberal platitudes that reinforce the already dominant structures under the guise of emancipation. Archetypal notions of active masculine prince, passive female princess and an eternal unchanging justicecould very easily have been preserved with the movie only adding the liberal caveat that 'anybody can partake either archetype' (ignoring, of course, that this still preserves the relationship of domination between the two). Instead, these static, societally-structuring moral archetypes are whole heartedly destroyed, and instead a movement is undertaken towards a new subjectivity of flux and transformation, free from all old straightjackets. One interesting additional element of note in the film, absent from the show, is an explicit connection made between the subject and technology in that movement.
Really though, it's pointless to question whether this film is 'better' than the original show when they both complement each other so well. Watching this has only made me appreciate the anime more, and I'm sure I appreciate the film more for having seen the anime (this is by no means a prerequisite for enjoying it though, all of the three people I watched with went in blind and loved it). Easily up there with EoE in the realm of best anime films, and one of the pieces that justify the existence of the medium as a whole.
psirista
Just the opening shot of this movie shows you right out the gate that your gonna be treated to a wonderful looking anime. Wow. Just seeing those bells at the beginning and the detail on them had me super excited for the art. Wasn't disappointed at all. However once you actually get into the story, if your a more surface level entertainment person, I imagine you'll get lost. I've watched the series so I was able to use that a basis for the lack of depth on pretty much any of the characters but if this was your first introduction, the shallowness might leave youscratching your head. There's a really good theory/review on IMDB that I can totally see, now, after reading it but this mind game of a movie just wasn't enjoyable for me. Definitely enjoy the increased attention to the romantic part of the show but it was all just super rushed and over my head. Watch the series then come watch this with a mind used to deep sea diving in movies. Was very surprised that they managed to throw in the cow part from the series into the movie...Not sure why you'd do that and waste minutes in a film but they did.
genma-kai
There is one major downside to this film which i will point out before anything else is said; it is confusing. Whereas the TV series was quite easy to follow, this is not so easy to follow, unless you understand that the entire film is one large, unending metaphore filled with smaller metaphores. even then it can be confusing at times, with confusion on the part of the audience as to why certain scenes and elements were included. It is for this reason that i have ot marked it as highly as i otherwise might have done. However multiple viewings of this series-turned-film can reducethe level of confusion and produce, not only an understanding of the concepts being portrayed, but also a deeper insight into what we are really seeing.
That being said, this film is still very good viewing, with all the elements we loved in the series, such as the characters, music, artwork and animation, still very much present and accounted for. The soundtrack is amazing and all the characters are present, though one or two are only seen through brief cameos.
The themes of Adolescence of Utena speak for themselves in the title; this is all about growing up, and the struggle during the transition from chidhood into reality. We can see these themes more strongly in the artwork than in almost anything else, as we go from the romanticised and almost fairytale-like academy into the harder, crueler and much less pretty real world. We watch as Utena and Anthy recognise their beloved academy for what it is, an illusion built for the sake of protection, and travel with them as they leave behind both the past and the ideals of childhood and princes for the world of aduthood. Once we understand this concept, then the film becomes a whole lot less confusing.
This theme is, perhaps, best summed up by some of the last lines of the film, wherein one character points out that where the two are headed there are no roads, and another points out that new ones can aways be built.
There are some scenes of fan-service, and the sexual themes barely touched upon in the series are more pronounced in this film. While this may make some viewers uncomfortable it is important to remember what point this film is making and that in turn makes these scenes almost normal. You could also say that the confusion of metaphores is a methapore in itself of the confusing emotions and events connected to growing up.
Despite some confusing imagery, this film is actually very moving in its own way as it tries to make sense of that time we call puberty and growing up, as at some point or other every single one of us has gone through these confusing trials.
I would recommend it to most people, but those who are offended easily by nudity or overt sexuality would probaby be best to steer clear of this challenging and provoking animated film.
YamaMayaa
If you think this is a retelling of the original Utena, think again!! While some aspects are the same, some are wildly different, including some key things 1) Anthy and Utena's relationship. In this version, it is more overtly romantic, and it seems that Anthy outwardly shows her affections a lot more than in the series. 2) The duels are seriously underplayed. Their is very little time of actual dueling, and the student council is hardly mentioned at all except in passing. Their main character points are brought up briefly and then most are not mentioned again. The story's main focus is very much on Utena andAnthy and their "revolution" as it were.
3) Akio's presence is non existent. We see brief glimpses of Dios in some very disturbing scenes, but it's obvious that it is Dios and not Akio. He plays generally the same part as Akio, but like the student council members, he mostly operates in the background.
Overall, it's a good standalone movie, but it is not on par with the series. I found it a bit disappointing and rushed in some places, and kind of completely missed the point of the original series. There is a lot of symbolism, but I feel a lot of it was either already touched on in the series, or was completely unnecessary. Some characters are rewritten, and some aren't introduced at all. If I could write a literal title for this film, it would basically be "Anthy and Utena's Coming Out Party". Take it for what it is, just don't expect it to be the series.
RevoPotato
I feel like this movie is meant to be watched for those who have already either seen the anime or read the manga, but even then, it feels lacking. Seeing as it's trying to pack all the intricacies of Shoujo Kakumei Utena into a single 2 hour movie, there's bound to be difficulty in exploring all the plot elements thoroughly. Combined with how much symbolism there is, it's a challenge to get a grasp on what exactly is going on. One could say that it might be meant to be left to interpretation, but personally speaking, I'm not a fan when things are too vague.Other than the story and pacing, the movie is incredibly high quality, however. The animation is beautiful to look at, and might even be worth it for that alone. The characters were a unique and interesting twist on how they were in the original anime, and I wish I could have seen them develop more.
If you're a fan of Utena, I'd recommend this, but I probably wouldn't otherwise.
Krankastel
No matter their genre, whether they are animated or live-action, short or feature, films can serve many purposes: 1. Some merely amuse. 2. Some are opportunities to poke fun at them. 3. Some aim mostly at touching their audience with emotional scenes. 4. Some express social and political ideas. 5. Some bring into question the human condition. And some don’t seem to make any sense. Might be because of a confusing and hard-to-follow storyline, because the reference material is hardly accessible, or because the creator wants to mess with his audience, or all three and more. Does Adolescence of Utena belong here? I’d say yes and no. Ikuharacan be a trolling creator and a fan-proclaimed madman, but also one of the most social-aware people to grace anime industry. Let’s begin the review, there will be no spoilers.
~~~ [1. Things to keep in mind …] ~~~
a) Adolescence of Utena can be watched standalone, but I don’t recommend doing this. This comes from a person who watched a few episodes of the series, then went for movie, completed the series and then re-watched the movie. Some original series’ elements will fly over the viewer’s head, some parts are affectionate references to iconic and memetic scenes and much character context may be missed. And on top of that, some scenes supplement or build upon certain ones at the series.
b) This movie thrives on visual storytelling, employing imagery themselves as a narrative tool. Although the case with every work directed by Ikuhara, here the usage of metaphors and symbolism is uninhibited, and surrealism reaches extreme heights. There is also bizarre and offbeat humor at parts, that contributes as part of the film’s charm.
Best not to take anything too face value, especially during later parts where any semblance of literal story is drowning in a sea of allegory and madness. I would also recommend against nitpicking details on first watch, but to go with an empty and open mind intuitively absorbing information.
c) Many people recommend approaching this movie as metaphor after metaphor for growing up, and might be fine to direct the viewer and not confuse them too much.
In my opinion though this may also peg down the mind and not liberate it enough to provide for alternate interpretations and explore the thematic richness behind. With enough patience and imagination, one can appreciate more than just a deranged coming-of-age story or yuri romance. One of my favorite interpretations is an intrapersonal one, e.g. bridging and integrating our personality traits no matter if considered more “feminine” or “masculine” by society and tear down delusions that don’t serve us and hold back our potential.
Outside thematic interpretation, I guess the film can be seen as a sequel, a parallel universe, or even a separate microcosm depending on how one views it.
~~~ [2. Briefly on characters…] ~~~
Given it’s a compact retelling of the series not all will be fleshed out, and on top of that understanding some requires the series as a point of reference. Original concepts from the parent series remain present, like the Rose Bride or the duel to drive, as is the prince.
Utena and Anthy are different from their series’ versions, Utena being more masculine-looking, introverted and reserved, whereas Anthy is more assertive, and more openly displays free will and emotions, and boasts a different if still feminine appearance.
Other characters are mostly limited to few but very memorable scenes and their roles are either changed from the original series or “flanderized” to an extreme. Some operate more as symbols; however it is noteworthy that the presence of one of those can probably shed some light into an important character of the series and how he came to be raised this way.
~~~ [3. Closing with technical aspects…] ~~~
a) Visually it’s way much of an upgrade from the series, the most animated Ikuhara work by far and eerily beautiful. Going hand to hand with the extreme surrealism, Ohtori has been transformed from an already atypical school to a Hogwarts-like landscape.
The resulting architecture blurts the line between a sci-fi setting and an almost schizophrenic dreamscape, including among others shifting animated segments and overlapping classroom boards. Colors are more vivid, camerawork is dynamic and fluid, and whatever fencing scenes present truly feel as action scenes, and the car scenes are nothing short of a majestic narcotic.
Unlike in all Ikuhara’s series, there is no repeated sequence made to create a pattern. It goes without question that there will be tons of imagery used as symbols in very creative ways, and Ikuhara’s stage play direction shines only second to Penguindrum’s.
b) On sound, I don’t feel I need to say much. The music is largely choral rock and orchestral pieces, but what makes them distinguishable is sound direction, for they blend better into sequences in comparison to the series.
If I am to distinguish two tracks, it’s a ballad playing during an iconic scene, and a unique insert version of Rinbu Revolution, both sung by Okui Masami.
~~~ Hope you enjoyed my review! ~~~
k-0da
Revolutionary Girl Utena, but if it was hype as fuck. Not to much to say about this movie, because it's just so much fun. Beautiful art, for one-- the school is wonderful to look at, and everyone's new designs are great. Everything moves and flows beautifully, it's hard to put my finger on it. The mechanical designs are also a marvel. Anthy was phenomenal in this movie--RGU is Utena's finale, while I consider this movie to be Anthy's. She's so fun to watch in this movie, and her arc is wonderful, especially her bit at the end. Watching her growth brought tears to my eyes. It took Tougaand Akio in a different direction than the television show. While Touga is much more likable here than he is in the show, I think his show's portrayal is a lot more nuanced and interesting. Akio, on the other hand, is great-- it's such a stark turn in presentation for him, but it's just as good as he is in this show, just different. His new voice actor brings such a different look to him, it's a great alternative exploration of his character.
The entire movie is really a love letter to Utena, I consider this and the television show going hand in hand; I wouldn't watch one over the other.
