okay time to rewatch utena.
utena rewatch !!
EPISODE 1
- fairytale grate framing w the spinning roses means we're seeing something we can't trust/is not remembered correctly etc just noting that this is the first episode where white roses are linked to the prince & later to touga, who happens to be only student council member in full white = closest to the dios image
- love how we are Immediately told that utena's association btwn the smell of roses = the past is rooted in anthy. its a surprise tool that will help us later
utena rewatch !!
- i literally JUST fucking realized that it was totally anthy who tacked wakaba's love letter up on the mural, specifically for utena to see and be pissed at sayonji for. lmao.
- like the way he genuinely doesn't care. why would he do that to a random love letter. "anyone could have found it and put it up" INDEED
utena rewatch !!
- yeah that castle SURE is a trick of the light. they're just spelling everything out with no shame!!
- convinced anthy also wished good luck to utena to piss sayonji off & activate utena's protective instincts in turn. though she seems genuinely struck by utena's determination to help her + there was no reason for her to put on a performance then, neither utena nor sayonji were paying attention to her... uh oh anthy don't start getting attached!!!
utena rewatch !!
i love everything about the introduction to the dueling arena. having just seen the movie makes it v clear that this is an intentional first hint at the Mechanical side of ohtori, with the shifting rose gate and the spinning staircases and floating strobe light castle and stuff. obvs at this point it's all still very done up in fancy classical "fairytale" trappings but the sfxs really drive home that this is a Mechanism in motion. epic Crossing of the Threshold moment