skygiants | (no subject)

I've only been mentally assigning half the songs I hear to an Utena playlist in my head anyway, so I guess I may just as well go ahead and post it, right? (Note: I got several of these from

shati and

genarti, and if anyone is to blame for the tragic lack of a cow-related song for Nanami, it is not Shati.)

Part 1: Student Council Arc - So This Is Just An Ordinary High School Series, Right?

Like a Rose, Star de Azlan

Like a rose, like a rose
She's soft and she's pretty

Let's start off with An Outsider's View of Anthy 101. We can complicated it later; we’ve got time, over the length of this FOREVER PLAYLIST.

Gangsta Blues, Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack

You say you no really care what people say

Saionji is one hundred percent gangsta. If you discount the exchange diary, and the hobby of making girl’s hairpins, and the brief period of time spent as a kendo-fighting monkey-mouse. But OTHER THAN THAT. He is fierce! He is fearsome! . . . yeah.

The Boy at the Piano, Vienna Teng

Well often, I've come to watch him play.
And it seems to me so funny, he doesn't even know I'm there.
Well the music, it takes him to another world

Miki-kun, such a sweet kid at the piano! It is only just beginning to be revealed that the piano is a symbol that represents ALL HIS ISSUES.

The Miracle of Love, The Eurythmics

There must be a bitter breeze
To make you sting so viciously

Juri got some advice once about miracles and love that didn’t play out so well, and the universe seems determined to keep reminding her of it.

Because I’m Awesome, The Dollyrots

I'm a leader, I'm a winner, and I'm cleaner
Cause I'm awesome
I don't need you cause I'm neato and I beat you

Nanami is fabulous in all senses of the world. Need I really say more?

Sex Bomb, Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester

And yes, I must react to claims of those
who say that you are not all that

Touga will always react to the claims of those who say that you are not all that. For Touga, all the ladies are all that! Touga is just a gentleman in that way. For a certain definition of gentleman.

Boulevard of Broken Songs, Oasis vs. Green Day vs. Travis

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
(You're gonna be the one that saves me)
'Til then I walk alone

And then Utena beat down Touga, and saved Anthy, and Anthy even kind of acted like she wanted to be saved, and they rebuilt their unique and beautiful friendship, and all was well! - oh wait, who’s that doing the recap episode?

Something’s Coming, West Side Story soundtrack

Come on, something, come on in, don't be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!

HELLO AKIO. All of a sudden the show’s level of sketchiness begins to show a dramatic increase!

Part 2: The Black Rose Arc - Second Verse, More Psychologically Traumatizing Than The First

Ugly Side, Blue October

I only want you to see
My favorite part of me
And not my ugly side

If you don’t have a secret dark side, you probably don’t belong at Ohtori Academy. Mikage and his magic elevator have arrived for all your dirty secret-revealing needs!

Parasol, Tori Amos

Then the seated woman with a parasol
May be the only one you can't betray

Kanae wants to be the perfect fiancée – sweet, kind, ladylike – but, alas, she is betrothed to Akio, and in fact she is the very first person he can betray. Sorry, Kanae.

The Piano Song, Meiko

I'm jealous of the way they look, the way they are
When I just want to be the way we were

I did mention that the piano represented all of Miki’s issues, yes? And Kozue’s issues too, for that matter. Pretend to ignore each other all you like, kids, the fact is that you will still break a piano teacher's legs for interfering in your creepy psychosexual twin bond.

Strange and Beautiful

I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you,
I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me

TSUWABUKI IS YOUR BIG BROTHER NOW. (Tsuwabuki, why are you so creepy. WHY?)

Love Lockdown, Kanye West

I'm not lovin' you the way I wanted to
See I wanna move but can't escape from you

Actually Juri is not doing that great a job of keeping her love locked down and super secret, although Mikage’s tampering probably has something to do with that too. Every rose has a parasite, after all.

Every Kind of Creep, Radiohead vs. Robert Palmer

I wish I was special
You’re so very special

Wakaba just wants to be special, like all of the rainbow-color-haired protagonists floating around the school . . . but some people do appreciate Wakaba as she is, which is why we're getting the mashup as opposed to the original, extra-creepy version.

Who Do You Dance For, Sahara Hotnights

I think I'm falling out of his sight
the smiles around him are catching his eye

Sometimes, Nanami, your constant vigilance in keeping the vermin away from Touga really must just get exhausting.

Disturbia, The Cab (covering Rihanna)

Faded pictures on the wall
It’s like they’re talking to me

Mikage, did you really think you were going to get away with all that deconstruction without getting deconstructed yourself? Because if so, I have some bad news for you . . .

Run Rabbit Run, The Hoosiers

I saw a fox by the rabbit hole
You saw a prince from a fairy tale
He promised that he’d watch over you
Turned out to be the fox we all knew

And meanwhile Utena and Anthy and Akio are getting closer. In fact, they’re all going to move in together! AWESOME PLAN, UTENA. NOTHING CAN POSSIBLY GO WRONG THERE.

Part 3: The Akio Arc - And Then It Got Creepier

Don’t Stop Me Now, Queen

That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit
I'm traveling at the speed of light
I wanna make a supersonic man out of you

I firmly believe that this is what’s playing on Akio’s car radio ALL THE TIME. Forget the creepy music in the show; it is just a cover for the fact that it’s ALWAYS QUEEN. He's gonna make a supersonic woman of you!

We Used To Be Friends, The Dandy Warhols

A long time ago, we used to be friends
But I haven't thought of you lately at all

Saionji is not in the least motivated by his rivalry/friendship/love affair gone wrong/whatever with Touga. NOT IN ANY WAY.

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want, The Smiths

So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows it would be the first time

People keep telling Miki that if he’s going to get what he wants, he has to reach out and take it. (Because Kozue and Touga always give the best advice.) So much for the school's token nice guy.

Hold On, Hold On, Neko Case

In the end I was the mean girl
Or somebody's in-between girl
Now it's the devil I love
And that's as funny as real love

The thing about Kozue is that she may be a tool for Akio and Touga to get to Miki – but she’s aware of it, she has vicious agency in the process. I kind of love that about her, and she kind of breaks my heart.

Opheliac, Emilie Autumn

You know how hard it can be to keep believing in me
When everything and everyone becomes my enemy
And when there’s nothing more you can do I’m gonna blame it on you

Shiori and Juri’s relationship: never even anything close to resembling healthy.

Heart Shaped Box, Nirvana

I've been locked inside your heart shaped box for a week
I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap

Shiori’s a trap for Juri; Ruka’s a trap for Shiori; and it all gets more tangled and emotionally complicated from there, no matter who has whose best interests at heart.

You’re Just a Baby, Belle and Sebastian

Cause there must be a reason for all the looks we gave
And all the things we never said before
You're just a baby, baby girl

Once again, I am reduced to allcaps as I say, TOUGA PLEASE STOP HITTING ON YOUR BABY SISTER.

I Run, Rosie Thomas

I run I run I run far from
You to the lilac tree in my yard
no more swing set for the girl who is all grown up

With everything that growing up implies at Ohtori, one of the things I love Nanami for most of all is running away from it. She tried to transfer, guys. NANAMI. ;____;

Apple Candy, Ben Lee

I wanna know what he knows
I wanna hear your secrets
I want you and I want him

The most important aspect of Touga’s relationships with Akio and Utena both, really, is that Touga wants to be Akio. Not the best role model, dude.

Saying Nothing, Thea Gilmore

And the night-time noises are leaning to confer
I'm saying nothing it makes my feelings just a little louder

And often, throughout all of this, those shiny glasses of Anthy’s speak a whole lot louder than words ever could.

Part 4: The Apocalypse Arc - Revolutionize the World

This Girl Is Taking Bets, Thea Gilmore

She’s the ashes of the people that you really meant to be

At this point, it may be time to return to a slightly more complex characterization of Anthy – with the awareness that however much she’s flattened herself into her roles, full understanding is probably impossible.

Bury My Lovely, October Project

A figure in the hallway light
Returning like a ghost
Something that was left behind
Something in a child's mind

A visit from the Department of Backstory may be helpful!

She’s Not Innocent, Antigone Rising

He holds the secret in his fist
A burning ember
To stay or go now that’s the twist
Hate or befriend her

So, SHOCKING EVERYONE, Anthy’s not just a victim who needs to be rescued; in fact, she’s complicit in the whole entirely fucked-up system. And what do you do about it?

Brick By Boring Brick, Paramore

Well go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle, bury the castle

And the prince isn’t ever coming back. Because that’s not the point.

Break the Sky, The Hush Sound

Why do I need anyone else, when I can break the sky myself?

The thing is, you can’t rescue someone who doesn’t want to be rescued. They have to rescue themselves.

Dare You to Move, Switchfoot

I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

And sometimes in the end they do - which is why, ultimately, this is one of the most satisfying series ever. (And hence one of the longest playlists, um.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

nevacaruso.livejournal.com

I don't know all the songs, but I so loved your commentary. Yes.

From:

skygiants

Ahaha, an addiction to lengthy commentary is basically the main reason I make playlists. *sheepish* I'm glad you enjoyed!i

From:

themadpoker.livejournal.com

This is an awesome playlist. =D I don't really feel like music right now but your commentary is aces! And I also love how Kozue retains her agency, she's so aware of what's happening and trying to use it for her own advantage. I find her and Anthy the most interesting characters in the series, I went searching for meta on them right away when I finished (and found lots on Akio. Which umm okay? I mean it was interesting but man, I would love to read that much on Anthy! Or Kozue but she's more minor so I can get why there wouldn't be that much out there))

From:

skygiants

Hahahaha I KNOW THE FEELING. Utena and Anthy aside, Kozue and Nanami are probably my favorites in the series, and the volume of stuff on them out there as comparative to the stuff on Akio or Touga is SHOCKINGLY not much. I would read an epic on Kozue, if an epic existed.

From:

nevacaruso.livejournal.com

Looking for essays? You should check out the analysis (http://ohtori.nu/analysis/) section on Empty Movement if you haven't already!

From:

rymenhild.livejournal.com

I wish there were an easy, legal, reasonably priced and non-spywarey way to watch Utena. I really do want to!

From:

skygiants

Well, there is always the way that involves me mailing you my burned CDs, since I won't need them for a while now I've finished my rewatch? Though that may be slightly more dubious on the legal front . . .

From:

rymenhild.livejournal.com

Especially when nobody's actually selling it, I have no objection to the illegal part. It's the likelihood that illegal stuff crashes my computer that bothers me. So, er, maybe? :)

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