Revolutionary Girl Utena - Crest of the Rose [VHS]

This is one of those series which must be watched more than once. As more is revealed about the characters and the mysterious world in which they live, the earlier parts of the series become more impressive. The detail work in this series is second to none. Only the first four tapes are currently available in the USA, but as one who has seen the whole series (39 episodes) I can say with confidence that this is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, anime series ever made. The first volume seems to be conventional shoujo anime, but that is just a surface impression. Every gesture, every line of dialogue, is carefully placed to prepare for the later parts of the series. It is true that the first volume, which contains the first four episodes (it is with the second that the series truly starts to shine) is the least amazing of the series, but it is still most definitely worth watching. I can't recommend the series highly enough.

It was very difficult for me to decide how to rate this video and what to write about it. On the one hand, it is probably not for everyone, not even for all anime fans. However, ultimately I must tell you about how much I liked it myself.I'm not even sure I can do that. To describe how much I like Revolutionary Girl Utena is probably impossible. It is, quite simply, the finest fictional work I have ever come across. No book I've ever read, no movie I've ever seen, no video game I've ever played has affected me as deeply as this. My hobby for fifteen years was collecting comic books. Recently I have moved more towards Japanese animation. Most recently of all, Revolutionary Girl Utena has become almost a hobby by itself. It is absolutely addictive, and once you get into the series you will go nuts trying to see all of it. The source of this madness is the simple fact that you will root for the two main characters, Utena and Anthy, more than anything you can imagine. You cannot help but want them to happy at the end of the series (which by the way has 39 total episodes), and you will be driven to see whether they are.As for this first tape, it brilliantly sets up all that is to follow. There are four episodes, which introduce almost all of the major characters. There is drama and romance aplenty, and one of the funniest episodes in the series. I cannot recommend enough that you at least try out this first tape. After that, you will be hooked, and there is no going back.

"Once upon a time, years and years ago, there was a little princess, and she was very sad, for her mother and father had died. Before the princess appeared a traveling prince, riding upon a white horse. He had a regal bearing and a kind smile. The prince wrapped the princess in a rose-scented embrace and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "Little one," he said, "who bears up alone in such deep sorrow. Never lose that strength or nobility, even when you grow up. I give you this to remember this day. We will meet again. This ring will lead you to me, one day." Perhaps the ring the prince gave her was an engagement ring. This was all well and good, but so impressed was she by him that the princess vowed to become a prince herself one day. But was that such a good idea?"Utena Tenjou was a handsome girl indeed. Why handsome? Every girl thought she was the greatest; every guy wanted to be like her. She could even beat the basketball team by herself. But, she thought everyday about the prince, and would look up to see the rose ring that he had given her that fateful day. Later, Utena and her friend Wakaba see the student counsel vice-president. He is with a girl, later identified as Anshi (otherwise referred to as Anthy is the dub). They see her slapped by Saionji, the student counsel vice-president, but the student counsul president, Touga, stops him. We also meet Juri and Miki, the other student counsel members. They are trying to win Anshi, who they call 'The Rose Bride'. Utena gets into a duel with the vice-president. But who will win? And if she does win, how will she cope with the Rose Bride? This is all found out in the first tape.Warning: Utena is NOT for those who like a simple story. This anime goes way beyong simple. Emphasis on WAY. But get the tape--it's very much worth the while. The art gets better as the series goes by (I've noticed the art in the first episode is rather bad compared to the art in the fourth), and it's an anime that makes your mind work, which is always good.

This little anime here truly emphasizes the very fact that Japan is quite obsessed with wistful visions of a fantasy-perfect high-school lifestyle completely saturated with glittery magic, action-adventure, and flawless youth. Quite similar to the famous master of manga, Osmau Tezuka's "Knight of Ribbons" where a young princess dresses up in a male garb to embark on a soul-searching odyssey, Utena with her cotton candy-pink hair and sparkling blue eyes dons a boy's school uniform and dates the other girls at a very swanky academy school where young children of the mythical land attend. Then Utena meets a very mysterious black girl with startling green eyes and lavendar curls at a rose-choked greenhouse where she tends to the colorful flowers. And Utena sees her get slapped around. So she challenges the tormenter to a duel, which would take place in the great ivory arena up in the heavens right underneath a floating inverted castle. And wins. Thus the "Rose Bride" quite gratefully throws herself at Utena's feet - much to her unwillingness to claim her. A very misty-eyed fantasy tale filled with princely (princessly?) heroism, chivalric romance, theatrical drama, lots of swashbuckling action, ideal visions of innocent childhood and adolescent rebellion, and lesbian suggestions. Quite sweet and fairy-like!