This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
#1 | Back to Top01-26-2018 08:49:16 AM
- Jotari
- New Student
- Registered: 01-26-2018
- Posts: 6
Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
So just joined the site and browsing through the recent threads and I see this one (Akio's English paper is hilarious by the way)
http://forums.ohtori.nu/viewtopic.php?id=4384
And people are saying Nanamai, Miki and Kozue are all in the same grade. This doesn't gel for me. Nanamai being a year younger than Utena and Anthy makes sense. She feels and acts younger. It's what I always expected from her. But Miki is much more established in the school. I find it hard to believe he's been put on the student council from the first month of middle school. Likewise, Kozue's sexual promiscuity is egregious a fourteen year old. But if she's freaking twelve!, then that's put a whole new light on her character for me. Did anyone else get the impression that Miki and his sister were in the bracket of a year older than Utena, rather than a year younger?
Edit: Also Miki helps Anthy and Utena with their maths homework. That makes much more sense if he's a grade higher than them, or at least in the same grade. By all rights they should be doing coursework he hasn't even started yet.
Last edited by Jotari (01-26-2018 08:55:24 AM)
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#2 | Back to Top01-26-2018 10:11:03 AM
Re: Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
Well, according to the poster who said that Miki and Kozue were 12, they turn 13 during the first arc, so they're a bit older for most of the story at least.
Remember, Miki is considered somewhat of a prodigy, so that's why he's able to help Utena with math. "He's a total genius who's studying a college curriculum, even though he's a middle school freshman." -Wakaba, Episode 4 // He seems to be thought of as older than he actually is by not just us but the characters as well; in the same scene, Wakaba notes that he's popular with older girls.
im a shadow play girl irl
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#3 | Back to Top01-26-2018 10:20:53 AM
- HonorableShadow
- Thorn of Death
- From: Ohio
- Registered: 11-03-2006
- Posts: 482
Re: Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
I always just go ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ over the ages in Utena. Everyone looks and acts older than they're supposed to be.
I'll show you a sight you've never seen before.
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#4 | Back to Top01-26-2018 08:50:13 PM
- Dallbun
- Tour Guide to Crawling Chaos
- Registered: 10-19-2006
- Posts: 719
Re: Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
Yeah, it's textual that Miki, Kozue, and Nanami are middle school first-years, or American 7th-graders, which would make them 12 to 13 years old, and that Utena and her class are one year older. It's just a thing. Miki is a prodigy who is studying much more advanced curriculum, but he's still in the same grade as Nanami because skipping grades during the compulsory education years isn't really a thing in Japan (please disregard Azumanga Daioh). And if Kozue being so young makes you uncomfortable, well, #ThatsUtena
Longer Translation Projects: Utena Sega Saturn Game, Utena Novel 2, Utena Novel 1, Movie Draft, Let's Plays
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#5 | Back to Top01-27-2018 11:37:38 AM
- Jotari
- New Student
- Registered: 01-26-2018
- Posts: 6
Re: Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
Dallbun wrote:
Yeah, it's textual that Miki, Kozue, and Nanami are middle school first-years, or American 7th-graders, which would make them 12 to 13 years old, and that Utena and her class are one year older. It's just a thing. Miki is a prodigy who is studying much more advanced curriculum, but he's still in the same grade as Nanami because skipping grades during the compulsory education years isn't really a thing in Japan (please disregard Azumanga Daioh). And if Kozue being so young makes you uncomfortable, well, #ThatsUtena
It's less feeling uncomfortable and more requiring a higher sense of suspension of disbelief.
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#7 | Back to Top02-01-2018 09:19:22 PM
- Raven Nightshade
- Someday Shiner
- From: Louisiana
- Registered: 12-17-2006
- Posts: 2925
Re: Wait, Miki's the same age as Nanamai?
Arale wrote:
Due to the time problems ohtori has, maybe everyone's a bit older in some sense than they really "are"?
Nah, just blame the art style. See how they look as Sailor Moon characters? (Yes, the hair is a bit janky due to lack of options...and skill... but you get the point I'm making.)
Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.
It's so far and out of sight.
I really need someone to talk to and nobody else
Knows how to comfort me tonight.
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