Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Black Rose Saga DVD Collection

Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Black Rose Saga DVD Collection
by Kunihiko Ikuhara

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DVD Reviews of Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Black Rose Saga DVD Collection

DVD Review: Prepare yourself--this ain't Disney
Summary: 4 Stars

Revolutionary Girl Utena is 39 episodes long, but for several years only the first 13 episodes have been available in the States. There are three reasons for this. First, the sex. We see teenage characters who are sexually active in some way, even though we don't see what they do. Second, and more important, there are some pretty obvious displays of gay sexuality, including one character who is a lesbian and knows it. Third, there are open discussions of brother-sister incest, including a younger girl who has a hopeless crush on her older brother.

Let's handle these three things one at a time.

1. The sex. In terms of its frankness about teen sex, Utena is more graphic than any US-based cartoon for tweens but far less so than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, if Buffy doesn't bother you, this show might not either.

2. The gay themes. This show never judges people for being gay, and the entire series is clearly about finding out what you want and staying true to your own ideals and desires. The main character, Utena, seems to like only boys at first, but she also kind of wants to BE a boy--strong, assertive, and able to defend other girls who are being persecuted or pushed around. In short, this is not a show about traditional family values.

3. The incest stuff. Incest is NEVER presented in a positive light in this show. Quite the contrary, is is portrayed as a tragic reality that is neither imaginary nor safe. The show's insights into the dynamics of family desire are very, very radical, and if you don't even want to THINK about these isues, don't watch the show. However, if you want to see a show that takes the issue seriously and will give you food for thought about what incest MEANS, you are in for a revelation.

[Note--The Black Rose Saga also has hints of teacher-student sexual relations, and these are handled similarly. The reality of such relations is acknowledged, but there no sense of sexiness, much less of approval]

This middle segment of the show, The Black Rose Saga, is the least interesting one. It's sort of a lengthy pause between the first arc, which handles the development of Utena as a "prince," and the last arcs, which deal with two basic questions: what does it really mean to be a "prince," and what would it take to revolutionize the world? However, even though it's a pause, it's still an interesting portrait of some minor characters and their own struggles, which are often different from Utena's.

In terms of its overall take on sexuality and desire, Utena is more radical than ANY show in the US, including Xena, OZ, Queer as Folk, etc. In terms of its sexual politics it just might be the most radical TV show, ever. By the time the series is over, the show has pretty much completely revised the whole idea of how men and women are supposed to relate to each other and what it means for them to desire each other. From the simple image of a prince on a white horse, an entire new fairy tale emerges that suggests women, and men, are headed toward a very new future. I can't say more without spoiling the show.

I write all this becuase US fans of Utena often attempt to downplay these issues and say that the characters aren't "really" gay, etc. Fine--but the characters aren't "really" straight, either. They are complex, powerful, and often tragic individuals who are trying to figure out what they want in life. I think we need more shows like this, both for teen viewers and for the rest of us. But make no mistake, this isn't just some adventure cartoon with cool fight scenes, and it will try to make you ask questions about your own desires.

Description of Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Black Rose Saga DVD Collection