This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
Hmm . . . Miki, the "childlike" one of the SC, is definitely easy to influence: at 13, he is caught between childhood and youth, a “yet not completely formed” thinking person, if you will.
And, being that childlike –innocence plus immaturity - does not equal goodness, the boy is accordingly depicted with both positive and negative character traits.
The pros: polite nicety + empathetic inclination to those who please him
The cons: obsessive hangups + viciousness towards those who threaten his interests (note his curtness at Saionji’s expulsion, and his near-brutish attempt to fight Juri for a chance to duel Utena before Nanami was revealed as the next Duelist)
I think Miki’s battle style is one designed by creators to reflect both his “polite” and “vicious” sides. It likely also reflects the two different kinds of person the boy could potentially grow to be: a nice man versus a brutish one.
Last edited by gorgeousshutin (02-18-2013 09:43:14 PM)
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Agreed, save for one nitpick: I don't think his assertion over Juri in ep.10 is really about him itching for the salty runback against Utena. I think he was motivated more by his desire to be the one doing a favor for Touga. I won't deny that he addresses Juri with a seriousness to his tone you rarely get to see from him, but his phrasing doesn't strike me as being "that" abrupt. I get the impression he'd rather not get into an argument with Juri, who is also someone he has respect for.
Then again, after remembering his statement to Utena at the end of ep.5 ... maybe I had the wrong read on him after all, and he really was that salty. Geez, now I'm confused. And tired. Blargh!
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Chrome Homura wrote:
Agreed, save for one nitpick: I don't think his assertion over Juri in ep.10 is really about him itching for the salty runback against Utena.
Oh, I don't either: I think it's about him wanting to make Anthy do what he wants (piano).
edited to clarify: Like, I think it's about him putting his own obsessive desires above many other things, such as niceties and/or fairness to others.
Last edited by gorgeousshutin (02-19-2013 08:23:35 AM)
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I just found this little detail!
In episode 37, Utena doesn't have her ring until she shows it to Anthy at the end of the episode. However, I just noticed that in ep 38, when both girls are at the balcony, after Anthy's "suicide" attempt, the ring appears magically on Utena's finger...
I always thought Utena put her ring back on after the balcony scene as a way to show her resolution to save Anthy. Why would she wear it before that scene? I can't find a clear reason
Last edited by Pinchi (02-21-2013 07:05:26 AM)
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Can you imagine how the show would feel if the characters looked their ages? (I do think movie-Utena looks closer to fourteen than TV Utena, for that matter.) How painful and super terrifying it could get? Which, is why live action also tends to cast-up when doing teen drama, natch, but just run some of memorable scenes through your mind with actual fourteen to seventeen year olds, and a perhaps-ungodly-old adult in charge of them doing all his Akio things.
Because I don't already get teary enough, as it is, with SKU.
Randamonian wrote:
^ I wonder how the hell Saionji got in then. Kendo scholarship?
Is Saionji just not less rich than his hatefuckyimpossible idol/enemy? Maybe it's his old school behavior and elitism, but I always read Saio as a rich latchkey boy.
Last edited by Decrescent Daytripper (02-21-2013 12:26:16 PM)
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