This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
I just rewatched Nanami's Egg and wondered how not just her, but the entire cast might handle being moms or dads. Who would be the best parent? The worst? How would they raise their children?
I believe Nanami and Juri would be the best mothers because Nanami's probably going to outgrow her brattiness and Juri would encourage her child to be confident and successful. I almost added Miki to the list, but he might spoil the kid to vicariously experience his lost childhood.
The worst would totally be Akio. He'd probably leave the kid to some underpaid nanny with a hopeless crush on him (if he even kept it), and teach it nothing but how to sucker other people. Kozue, Touga, and Anthy would probably pass on the same values. Saionji would unreasonably expect his child to be number one at everything, especially swordsmanship.
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I'm thinking Wakaba would be the kind of mother that kids are horribly embarrassed by, but come to appreciate later in life.
Saionji would probably be cold and distant, especially to a daughter. He'd have no idea how to deal with them.
Touga I'm guessing would be the type to try to impress his kid's friends. Ew.
Juri...hmm. I think she'd be a mom the way Saionji would be a dad. She's not good with the touchy-feely at all.
Nanami would try to hard and smother her kids.
Utena would be a somewhat cool, somewhat goofy mom I think, but hopefully the kid would have another parent that they could talk about their problems with. Yikes, could you imagine if Utena and Anthy raised a kid?
For that matter, I think Anthy would actually be the worst parent. Lots of emotional scarring, guilt trips and manipulation.
Miki would be the kind of dad who got in fights at his kids' sporting events.
Kozue would seduce her kids' friends.
So who would just be a good parent? Mitsuru. Though he'd maybe be more of an older brother than a dad.
Oh, and Shiori... Remember that movie about the mom who tried to have her daughter's cheerleading rival killed? Yeah.
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Akio would definitely be the worst, IMO. Lord knows what he might teach his kids and how...ew...ew. Definitely would use the kids for his own purposes though would come off as the best dad to everyone else...basically a father who would be walking freely despite probably belonging in jail.
Saionji would make the hard to please, temperamental father who would have his kids grow up to hate him.
Miki would be the kind but pushover dad. He would do well, overall, unless his kids decided they didn't want to learn piano and become famous concert pianists.
Touga would be fifty-fifty, though I think he would be an alright dad despite his sometimes questionable values (or often) but he has a more easy-going demeanor though he'd be the kind of dad who the kid would realize is cheating on the wife or comes out saying "daddy's gay" though everyone'd be like 'whatever.'
Mothers:
Nanami would raise the spoiled kids but demand them to be the best of the best and be the manipulative mom who runs the kids' weddings when they grow up. She would probably drive her kids borderline insane by the time they hit fifteen.
Wakaba would be the goofy mom who sometimes gets uptight but ultimately would be the cool mom that everyone likes, including the kids.
Kozue...would probably the drunk mom who never meant to have kids in the first place, single, and basically would neglect the kids, but of course, she loves them deep down and means the best.
Shiori...umm...
Juri...she would adopt them and be more of a father figure. Kinda anal, but could make an okay though strict parent.
Anthy...yeah, she would make a decent mom if we're talking post-series. She'd be the docile, quiet mother who always does what's expected without a word though she's inclined to spoil the kids while also teaching them principles on being evil and underhanded when they experience social problems in school.
Utena would hopefully be married to Anthy, but even if she wasn't, she'd make as good a father figure as a mother figure and would probably be the best parent along with Wakaba, being very involved with the children, being strict enough but always with grace and love, probably taking the kids to the park and getting them involved with sports. Wouldn't make the best housekeeper, but would probably raise decent children though she'd need to watch out for maybe being a bit too protective.
Last edited by spoon-san (07-31-2009 04:03:35 PM)
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I have an odd hunch that Saionji would be a pretty decent father. He's very responsible and forthright, of course, but more than that I just think he might be better at relating to children than he is at grappling with peers. Parenthood has less of the juiced-up power games that characterize Saionji's relationships with Touga, Anthy, Utena, and the rest; dad clearly outranks child. If you put him in a position where he doesn't have to fight for dominance, I think Saionji might be able to manifest more of the wisdom we see from him during the show. I even think he could be -- gasp! -- nurturing. He's not like Touga; he's the Confucian type who understands that people with power owe some obligation to people without it.
But yes, spoon-san, I agree with your point as well: in the inevitable event that Saionji does get into a fight with his kids, over his expectations or their angst or whatever, there's a pretty good chance he'd be unbearable.
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Touga would be a baby-daddy, not a father.
Anthy....might get an abortion, depending on what point in time we are talking about.
I AGREE WITH STORMCROW ON MIKI. omfgyes.
Saionji would be a verbally tough dad, but be uncomfortable with spanking. I can see him trying very hard one moment, but flipping and being extrememly angry with his kids the next when they do not react as he expected. But he'll get better with time. (His first kid is gonna hate him, though. Him and a teenage son would butt heads often.)
You know those womenwho are really naive and ignorant when it comes to being a mother, but as soon as a baby falls out of them they act like they know everything in the world about raising children and wave around the whole, "You won't understand until you have kids" flag? Nanami.
Shiori would have postpartum depression caused by both her insecurity regarding her abilities as a mother and the fact that her child did not bring her the instant happiness and sudden wave of compassionate love she expected it would.
Akio would not know the first thing about raising a child properly, but everyone, including his child, would think he is the Best Dad Ever.
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I agree with you satyreyes, though in the case that Saionji didn't grow up to chill out, he would likely be a very over-bearing individual and would likely cause his children to resent him deeply. Though I admit I am relating him too much to what I grew up with due to unmistakable similarities. I think he would mean well, but he would probably need to pick up a religious discipline or something else that would sincerely motivate him to change his negative behavior patterns and to become humbler, more patient, and more tolerant to other viewpoints while also being able to express love more adequately. If he was focused on self-development and spiritual development, as I said, he might do very well. It's really a matter of giving a damn about yourself and be willing to practice what you preach and to actively care for yourself while being able to better care for those close to you.
Of course, I realize I am talking about a fictional character, but still.
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Fathers
Akio: Daddy to many, father to none. Much like Touga, he'd have all his male children well groomed and well versed in the art of charm, with very nice hair. He wouldn't necessarily teach them anything worthwhile, except for how to manipulate their sisters.
Miki: Personally, he's so damn repressed, I don't even get to the sex to make the baby. But, in the event that he did, I think he'd be a good dad, though very much a pushover, except when it came to his kids and their musical talents.
Mitsuru: He'd spoil his kids trying to live up to his hero dreams.
Saionji: He'd be an anal-retentive but very wise father, with wisdom to spread all around. He would push his kids to be number one, to live vicariously through them. I think he'd beat on his kids when they came in second, causing his kids to crack under the pressure. Once his male children hit puberty and start that pissing contest involving the 'I know more than my dad and am therefore a better man' mentality, I think he'd ritually beat his children. And, like Akio and Touga, his male children would have hair to die for.
Touga: Fatherhood? No. I think that he'd very likely be just a 'baby daddy'. He'd be a semi-decent father I think, but all his childrens' female friends would drool all over him. And his kid would be immaculate and have excellent manners, especially a son of his. He'd also have gorgeous hair. He'd keep him well groomed and teach him how to talk to charm, which means he'd probably get A's in every class with a female teacher.
Mothers
Anthy: I think post-series Anthy would be a good mother and a demure wife. If married to Utena, she'd be the quintessential mother, taking care of the children and the home while Utena went away to work or hung out with the guys. She'd teach her female children how to be perfect wives, while instilling the idea of princeliness in her sons.
Juri: I think she'd definitely fill the father role in the relationship. Juri I think would be the high powered CEO type with the dollars in the bank, but none of the stuff that really matters.. She'd be the intelligent, good-looking money making father that every kid on the outside would want, but she'd be emotionally distant. When they asked 'why don't you love me?', she'd answer with the quintessential cop out: 'I have provided a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food for you to eat, and the finest educational institutions and resources money can buy. That is how I show my love for you.' But I think that if Juri had more than one child, she'd have a favorite, probably a female child that would take the place of Shiori, and that one daughter would use and manipulate the hell out of her, meanwhile loving Juri just enough to keep her happy. Her children would be champion fencers.
Kanae: She'd have been a good mother if she hadn't messed with Akio...
Kozue: I think once Kozue finds a man that means what Miki means to her, she'd be a half decent mother. Granted, she'd probably have an addiction of some sort, and be neglectful, but I think she'd be there when it absolutely counted.
Nanami: Her kids would be quite spoiled, and at the same time, she'd be the one to leave her kids with the nanny while she went on all day shopping sprees.
Shiori: Assuming that she were with Juri, she'd have her children reluctantly, knowing that would make her happy. As they grew up, she'd poison their minds against Juri and all that she stands for, thereby using their children to torture Juri and get back at her for still managing to outshine Shiori, even in their marriage/relationship.
Utena: Your sports oriented, encouraging father figure. She'd be one to always play with her kids, and have those heart to heart moments with them. I don't see much discipline on her part, but between she and Anthy, I think they'd be happy children.
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satyreyes wrote:
Saionji
I agree on all points, adding that if one could support the suspicion I have that Saionji's father wasn't the most stellar one in the world, he'd be the sort to want to correct those mistakes in his own effort. That said, he'd be a far better father to a son than a daughter. I think he'd get too confused, too often, trying to figure out what to do with a little girl. (Um...fishing? )
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Yeah, Saionji would be a total stranger to a daughter emotionally although I think he'd be really protective of her come hell or high water. Like, if somebody ever teased his daughter he'd squirm and tell her to cry on Mommy's shoulder, but the next day there would be a story about a local schoolyard bully in a coma on the front page of the paper.
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Ooh what an interesting question. I never thought about this but I agree with Riri-kins about Juri. I also agree Aiko would be a terrible father... I hope he never has a girl -_-
Funny thing about Utena is she could be a father and a mother at the same time if she raised a child alone o-o
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I think Touga is the type to learn his kids how to flirt, regardless of gender of the child.
A good parent combination would be Saionji & Wakaba, if Saionji didn't feel like he always has to be the best. He'd try to force his child to, but Wakaba would be there to stop him from pushing their child. And I think both of them would really love their child.
Unlike Akio.
ToriJ wrote:
Funny thing about Utena is she could be a father and a mother at the same time if she raised a child alone o-o
I'm not sure if Utena can do that. Eventhough she was raised by her aunt (according to the manga), I'm not sure she could do it. She'd love her child for sure and would do anything for him/her, but I don't know how she'd deal with the pressure being alone.
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Pre-series or series Anthy would be the passive-aggressive mother straight from a 1950s valium advertisement. She'd be smiling and sweet, all the while spreading her bitterness onto her unfortunate offspring. She'd be making various veiled references to her own suffering, and letting the child know in a variety of quiet ways how much of a painful burden it is. You know. Feed it cookies laced with something that gives it allergies, put it in bed and tend to it, all while constantly expressing her exhaustion at having to deal with its various flaws and weaknesses by playing fragile damsel. Plus, if she had a kid, you know it'd be the spawn of Akio, and she'd make sure it would feel every bit of her own suffering all while promoting the premise of a "very close family."
Akio would be incestuous and abusive. He already borders on having a father fetish, what with the way he acts towards Utena. To him, parents are little more than symbols of power and control anyway. There would really be no other alternatives for him - he would treat it as an opportunity for a prime manipulation experiment.
Touga would probably re-enact the actions of his own parents with his own bent. A son he would keep at a distance. Hire the best of tutors, the most attractive nannies, the best toys, etc. But he wouldn't be around much. If he had a daughter, he would be far more attentive and treat her "like a little princess", indulging and spoiling her similar to the way he did with a younger Nanami. But there would be a lot of objectification and manipulation. Probably even a creepy sexual vibe.
Kozue would probably see her child like some sort mini-Miki and be exceedingly possessive and perhaps more outright abusive than the others. Again, she'd be in for the control, and based on her own supposed childhood experimentation....again, another bad scenario.
Honestly, based on the show, none of them would make very good parents. None of them even come close to mentioning a positive experience with their own, and you subconsciously imitate the parenting style you were raised with. Plus, every single one of them in the series is selfish and manipulative. However, with some maturity, there could be some hope for the likes of Utena, Wakaba, Tatsuya, Juri, etc.
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After the movie, however, the Ohtori student body repopulates the planet. Saionji + Wakaba = enthusiastic but overbearing, Juri + Miki = masculine mother and feminine father, Tatsuya + Kanae = boring but sweet.
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I was just enjoying the funny, but Katzenklavier just brought me down to earth.
Word on your entire post, wow.
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I doubt post-series Anthy would stay in a demure wife or mother role. The whole point of the series is her shedding the idea of being a princess/witch, after all. She would learn to cook, but only because she couldn't cook as the Rose Bride, not because it's a "feminine" activity. Cooking, after all, is a metaphor for affection in this series, real or otherwise. The whole point of being the Rose Bride is that she tempts without actually giving/recieving emotional fulfillment. But after leaving Ohtori, she'd be capable of doing so. Once she marries Utena ('cuz if she marries, she WILL marry Utena), the two of them would probably parent however they feel is best, regardless of gender roles. Utena would more inclined to encourage their kids to get into sports because she loves atheletics herself.
They say Juri's "cold", but remembered how she comforted the injured girl in "Azure Paler Than Sky"? She'd probably give her kids enough affection to be happy, and enough tough love to be able to handle conflict.
Wakaba would care about her kids' emotional well-being, but she wouldn't be able to help them ambitiously or financially, having no experience or confidence in that area herself.
Naturally, Akio would go to prison, if any cell on earth could withstand his wall-smashing, physics-defying cars.
The rest, can't really say. It's not easy to judge how good a parent a teenager will eventually become, because no teenager makes a good parent.
Assuming that they actually care about their kids (Touga may or may not), though, a general rule of thumb is that the more insecure you are, the worst parent you'll be. Thus, Kozue, Shiori, and Saionji will really have their work cut out together until they give themselves a confidence boost...
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I agree with Night1stStar. Who's to say that Anthy would continue acting placid and submissive after the Revolution? After all, she's broken free of the role of the Rose Bride.
I also disagree with the idea that she would encourage her children to buy into the roles of Princes and Princesses, because it was those ideas that trapped her and Akio into their predicaments in the first place.
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Anthy would not want to see her children go through anything even close to what she went through. I'm betting she'd tell them bed time stories about a princess who got tried of serving her prince. And she would have Utena teach them to fence and take em to martial arts classes on weekends.
Anthy would probbaly teach her kids what she knows so they know how to avoid the same trap.
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