(no subject)

[skygiants]

ojuzu asked me for my top five Revolutionary Girl Utena scenes!

So obviously I decided to embark on an epic rewatch just for the purposes of answering this question. And may I just say, much as I liked the show then, my love for it has only grown exponentially now that I have experience with other anime and manga besides, uh, Evangelion.

5.

WAKABA. <3333 I love how this scene shows the importance of Wakaba's friendship with Utena, and that it's Wakaba who gets her to realize that the duel isn't just about saving Anthy. This is the duel called Self.

Runner-up for this one, because it's technically part of the same scene:



WAKABA THROWS A GLASS OF WATER AT TOUGA'S FACE. I love her so much for this because there are an infinite number of times throughout the series that I wish to do the same. (I also love how Wakaba is apparently immune to Touga's charms! . . . I mean, she is in love with Saionji, so this is not exactly evidence of her good taste, but NONETHELESS.)

4.


Speaking of Wacky Nanami Comedy Episodes . . . I honestly couldn't pick which representative screencap of this scene made me laugh more. SO I DID BOTH. Nanami's violent rage! The tiny hearts on Saionji's apron! THE FACT THAT SAIONJI REGULARLY GOES CAMPING AT MIDNIGHT AND FRIES UP GIANT PILES OF EGGS! None of this will ever not be hilarious. and how does the whole world not ship these two. LOOK AT THEIR HILARIOUS FACES AND MATCHING RUFFLES

3.


And in a total change of mood . . . oh, Nanami. I mean, these paired scenes are obviously incredibly disturbing. But I love, so much, that it's Nanami who gets to be the viewer's stand-in for expressing how disturbing it all is. Nanami can be seriously nasty, but it's all pettiness and childishness; she's the only one of the kids of the cast (including, disturbingly, Tsuwabuki) who's still okay being a kid, who makes it clear over and over again that she's not ready to be sexualized. Her run-in with Akio, and Touga's attempts to be Akio's mini-me, make it clear just how messed up the whole setup really is.

(Sidenote: I think after this watch-through, Nanami may be my favorite character? I JUST LOVE HER A LOT.)

2.

The badminton game! Juri and Miki hilariously mock-fighting over Utena's love! Nanami thinks you are ALL WEIRDOS! I would watch episodes and episodes of the kids hanging out like this - a bunch of kind of broken people acknowledging that they're broken, and that the world is fucked up, and laughing about it anyway.

1.

Maybe it's just that I have repeatedly seen this moment awesomely timed in vids, but Utena finally pushing herself up in the last episode - that gets me every time.

Honorable Mention:

EVERYTHING THE SHADOW GIRLS DO EVER. (I could do a whole separate Top Five just for favorite Shadow Girl performances. BUT I WON'T.

Comments

[oneechan19.livejournal.com]

I could do a whole separate Top Five just for favorite Shadow Girl performances. BUT I WON'T.

YOU SHOULD. BECAUSE THE SHADOW GIRLS ARE AWESOME.

[skygiants]

THEY ARE. And yet, even I occasionally run up against the limits of my willingness to constantly spam my flist. *laughing*

[oneechan19.livejournal.com]

You know, I never made a top 5 request... ¬_¬

[skygiants]

*cracking up*

If you are so dedicated that you want to make it an official Top Five request, OKAY. WHY NOT. (But first I have to complete the rest of my Top Fives!)

[oneechan19.livejournal.com]

YAY. Then that is my request! :D (Of course the other Top Fives come first! I look forward to them as well.)

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

Wakaba~ I forgot about her throwing a glass of water at Touga! Now I shall have to love her even more.

I do not ship Nanami & Saionji at all! Because they are obviously FAMILY. |D

And in a total change of mood . . . oh, Nanami. I mean, these paired scenes are obviously incredibly disturbing. But I love, so much, that it's Nanami who gets to be the viewer's stand-in for expressing how disturbing it all is. Nanami can be seriously nasty, but it's all pettiness and childishness; she's the only one of the kids of the cast (including, disturbingly, Tsuwabuki) who's still okay being a kid, who makes it clear over and over again that she's not ready to be sexualized. Her run-in with Akio, and Touga's attempts to be Akio's mini-me, make it clear just how messed up the whole setup really is.

YES YES YES ALL OF THIS. Nanami's always been my favourite, because she doesn't spend the whole time reaching for anything. Touga wants to be Akio, Utena wants to be a prince, Saionji wants to Be A Manly Man and also have Touga back, everyone desperately wants their own World Revolution, and Nanami is for the most part pretty happy with the way things are. ♥

I love the badminton game. I wish we could have a whole show about the Utena characters just relaxing together and being friendly.

Your #1 moment is also my #1 moment! That gets me every time. Oh, Utena. *love love love*

You should totally do a Top Five for your favourite Shadow Girl performances! It would be AMAZING.

[skygiants]

Well, to be fair, it doesn't actually hit Touga. BUT SHE TRIES.

. . . well, yes. And, much though I hate to say this, that's Nanami's type. I would settle for fic about them hanging out being hilarious bickery idiots, however!

NANAMIIII. Yes. A lot of Nanami's arc is Nanami being propelled into an adulthood that she's not ready for - which stands in stark contrast to most of the rest of the cast, who in one way or another are all trying to grow up as fast as possible. And, you know, when you're twelve or however old Nanami is, it's okay not to be ready to grow up!

[themadpoker.livejournal.com]

I see no reason why you should not post a Top Five Shadow Girls performances. It would be fun times all around! 8D

[skygiants]

If someone really wants me to do it, they can request it next time I do a Top Fives meme. *laughing*

[genarti]

Yesssssssssss.

TO EVERYTHING. Oh how I love this show.

[skygiants]

The scene in your icon was almost in my top five! But it got beaten out by badminton.

[genarti]

That's fair! The badminton is pretty awesome, I cannot lie. It makes me want to hug all of them forever.

[skygiants]

Me toooo. KIDS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN CREEPY PSYCHODRAMAS ALL THE TIME. You can just hang out and play badminton and laugh at Nanami's indignant faces!

[genarti]

Yes! And have friendly banter that sort of touches lightly on your issues but sort of sets them to the side for the afternoon too! OHTORI WOULD BE SO MUCH HEALTHIER IF THEY FIT IN MORE OF THIS.

Not healthy, given that... it's Ohtori. But it's a step?

[skygiants]

Maybe next week they can have a friendly, stress-relieving and only mildly symbolic D&D tournament!

[genarti]

Who gets to be Trogdor the Burninator?

(Mikage is disqualified on account of how a) he'd burn down the D&D table, and b) he's off writing epic Raistlin fanfic anyway.)

[skygiants]

Anthy, obviously. She thinks it's cute and names herself Nanami.

(Meanwhile, Saionji attacks the gazebo.)

[genarti]

Awww, yeah, she does!

(And Chuchu is likely to be eaten by a grue?)

[skygiants]

Depending on who's being the Dungeon Master, Chuchu might get to be the grue.

AKIO DOES NOT GET TO BE DUNGEON MASTER.

[genarti]

The Shadow Girls are the grue. And/or the Dungeon Master. MAYBE BOTH.

Seriously, they're all prepared for any NPCs necessary.

[skygiants]

C-ko doesn't get to be the Dungeon Master, though. She's a little weird.

[nevacaruso.livejournal.com]

I love this post and all of these scenes. So much.

Nanami can be seriously nasty, but it's all pettiness and childishness; she's the only one of the kids of the cast (including, disturbingly, Tsuwabuki) who's still okay being a kid, who makes it clear over and over again that she's not ready to be sexualized.

Well said. Nanami's third-arc episodes are brilliant, because they force her to face not only the dysfunctional world that she's living in, but also her own hang-ups and obsessions. I love her so much for pushing Touga away, and I think that, although she rejects the idea of "adulthood" that Akio offers so many of the others, she does start to grow up a little bit by the end of that storyline, although she still has a long way to go.

[skygiants]

She really does, and I love, as you say, that she gets some maturity in a totally different way than the kind Akio offers (RIDING SHIRTLESS ON THE CAR LIKE AN ADULT) - you see it in the way she tries to give Utena advice at the end, that she's actually trying to do something for someone else for once, and the way she's kind of stopped caring what the student council thinks about her.

[hafl.livejournal.com]

Please, do a Top Five Shadow Girl performances. I'm sure it will be just as great as this. (Admittedly, I have an ulterior motive of making you collect enough Top Fives, that you'd be able to make a Top Five Top Fives.)

Only tangentially relevant, but have you seen the Utena musical?

[skygiants]

AHHHHH. I like meta, obviously, but that may be too infinitely recursive even for me. *laughing*

I HAVE NOT, but I desperately want to!

[hafl.livejournal.com]

I just dug it up from a pile of DVDs and it is glorious. The bit about chick breaking the egg's shell is a song. (And of course, it has an all-female cast.)

The video file has a horrible quality and there are no subtitles, but I can try to upload it somewhere if you want.

[skygiants]

If this is something you wanted to do, I wouldn't say no . . . >.>

[arefadedaway.livejournal.com]

I would COMPLETELY BE DOWN with a Shadow Girls Top 5. Especially if you include the ones with the aliens. SHADOW GIRLS <333

Or, to accurate, <3 <3 <3 EVERYTHING UTENA EVER <3 <3 <3

[skygiants]

I had forgotten until I came to it that there was one where the Shadow Girls actually PIROUETTE TO SWAN LAKE. Because what we really needed was more proof that Tutu and Utena are sister-shows.

[elle-white.livejournal.com]

I love this post so much! Ir reminds me of my intense love for this series. Your No. 1 will always be my favourite. It was such a heart-wrenching and amazing moment.

I am going to join the chorus and say I would also be down with a Shadow Girls Top 5. They are the best! WOULD MONKEY CATCHING GET A MENTION? SURELY IT WOULD HAVE TO? XD

[skygiants]

OF COURSE MONKEY CATCHING GETS A MENTION. As does the three pairs of woolly underwear!

[shati.livejournal.com]

So when are you planning to rewatch the movie?

*runs awaaaay*

This post has inspired me to start working on my vid again, but I um. I can't remember if the most recent draft is the file named "fuckyoupony.avi" or the file named "peeeears.avi."

._.

[skygiants]

Right after I rewatch End of Evangelion, of course!

*hollow laughter*

Yay vid! If it helps, the most recent draft I have is named bidet.avi. *HELPFUL*

:D!!! I love that vid.

[genarti]

fuckyoupony is the draft that you sent me, which predates bidet, so I suspect the one you want is peeeears?

(YOUR FILE NAMING SYSTEM IS KINDA WEIRD, MY FRIEND.)