Animelab.com: Anime Reviews: Utena

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Anthiena

Posts: 0
Score: 1
Rank: 909

Note: Sub-dub reveiw
It would seem to the average Anime freak that Utena is fairly average... until the second arc. To be honest (and the reveiwer is a BIG Utena fan) one of the biggest weaknesses of the series is it's weak start. There are many points where the comic relief is too over the top or melodramatic. The music, though catchy and pretty, much has started to show it's age. Fortunently, it gets better from 'Tracing a Path'.

The translation is solid, though the censorship is noticably there. No signs are translated and lines are changed as well as timing on the spoken dialogue at times. Most times, this won't matter to those watching it. Mostly the censorship is making Juri's lesbianism more toned down. When it is revealed, it is a total shock for those watching the dub. The subtitles are single toned and not all are at the bottom of the screen. This might trouble those who are new to subtitles (or have problems with their television). Sometimes the yellow font is hard to read, as many colors (including yellow) sometimes obscure the text.

The voice actors range from annoying and unknown to well known and well-portrayed. Miki and Saionji are well portrayed, even if the latter is done differently. Nanami comes across as extremely haughty and bratty, though it doesn't mesh when her duel arrives and it can be grating. Anthy sounds like she's both trying to soften her voice and straining to be heard, which is annoying. Shiori is chilling in her honesty. Utena sounds more heroic and is well acted, but there could have been a different actress for the part. Many will recognise Crispin Freeman and relish his portrayal of Touga. The only other itch one might have is the awkward pronounciation of the names.

The Anime was far from well-funded-and sometimes it shows. Some off-model characters are seen in different scenes and episodes-a mutant Touga is the bunt of many jokes from long time fans. However, where there is great effort, it shows, giving the quality of an OVA. The animation is still decent, even by today's standards. The colors are mostly bright, though many frames seem to be faded, as it is in most cases in Anime. The character designs are extremely unique-nobody is going to look like Juri. Nobody. Some complain that the less interesting designs belong to the two main characters Anthy and Utena, though that seems only in comparison to the other cast members. Ohtori is a breath-taking place on the outside, though there are a share of 'Standard Classrooms' and wierdly designed characters.

The plot is desceptive from start to finish and the beginning suffers from Ikuhara's past experience with Sailor Moon. It tries to be innocent and it tries to be a normal shojo when it really isn't, but both the writers and the director find themselves by the time Juri's Duel occurs. The Anime, even with it's humorous episodes, takes a darker turn and keeps going, still bearing the facade of a cheerful Shojo. The plot is unorthodox as well: A girl wanting to both be a Prince and to find her Prince finds a society within her school that holds Duels for the possesion of the Rose Bride, Anthy, who is said to have no free will of her own and must do as the Victor of the Duels tells her to do.

The catch is that Anthy really does have a will of her own-and has a rather nasty side to her. However, getting to the mystery of the Duels and the Prince have a connection: The rings the Duellists bear. While the others got theirs from an anonymous person, Utena got hers from a Prince.

...but illusions permeate the campus of Ohtori and can even distort memories.

So I give this an 8.

Contributions: Reviews: 1

everon9000

Posts: 7
Score: 2
Rank: 496

Revolutionary Girl Utena,

R.G.U. is about a young girl named Utena who wants to become a prince, because of a major event that happened in the past. Utena goes to the Ohtori School where there are bizarre characters to say the least, from the Student council, The Rose Bride, and many more.

This Anime is packed with symbolizm, thoughts on life, humor, nice action scenes and much much more. The characters in Utena are deep and have a real reason why they do the things they do. The Student Counil for example is filled with one of a kind characters, each with a personallity and past that makes them characters to remember. Utena the heroine is one that you won't find any where else, whether she's engaged to the Rose Bride Anthy Himemiya, Dueling people in the Arena, or just living in the RGU world, its always fun to watch to see what she gets into next.

Technically Revolutionary Girl Utena is near perfect, with great visuals, unique soundtrack, and vivid characters, Revolutionary Girl Utena lives up to its name.

Utena may not be for everyonethough , it contains some concepts that some people might not be able to look past such as some of the symbolism which younger viewers might now understand, a pinch of nudity (mostly in the tranformation scenes which don't really count i guess), and some homosexuallity. note: Utena's not a lesbian

All in all, Revolutionary Girl Utena's grown to be one of my favorite anime, it was really fun to watch and see what would happen next, and see all the drama unfold, I think this is something almost all anime fans should check out!

Contributions: Reviews: 1

ChaChaChica

Posts: 0
Score: 1
Rank: 532

I've only seen the fan dubbed versions of this anime and I've only read the first manga and so far, I'd have to say that, while I didn't really enjoy the manga, I really liked the anime. It's awesome. Utena Tenjou is a tomboy who was once saved by a prince when she was little after she realized that her parents weren't ever coming back (they died but her aunt had just told her that they were far away) and she fell into this canal. He gave her a rose ring and told her that they would meet one day. Ever since then, he sent her a letter every year until one year, she gets a letter saying that this year they will meet and on the back is a picture of an academy. Utena enrolls in that academy and gets involved with the school coucils strange duels. This was what made the anime better than the manga because the gates and the spiral stairs to the dueling arena and the castle hovering in the air looked really cool. And the music is really catchy.

Contributions: Reviews: 1

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