Revolutionary Girl Utena

"Never lose that strength or nobility, even when you grow up." When Utena was just a child and in the depths of sorrow, she found salvation in those words. They were the words of a prince, who bestowed upon her both a ring and the promise that it would lead her to him again. She never forgot the encounter. Now a teenager, Utena attends the prestigious Ohtori Academy; however, her strong sense of chivalry soon places her at odds with the student council and thrusts her into a series of mysterious and dangerous duels against its members.

Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) is a Japanese animated drama series created for TV Tokyo, a single-season run of 39 episodes produced by J.C.STAFF. Its protagonist, Utena Tenjou (voiced by Tomoko Kawakami), is a chivalrous teenager at the prestigious Ohtori Academy who carries a ring from a prince she once met as a child. Her quest to reach him draws her into a series of ritual duels against members of the student council, including the enigmatic Touga Kiryuu (voiced by Takehito Koyasu) and the withdrawn Anthy Himemiya (voiced by Yuriko Fuchizaki). Each duel is staged as a stylized spectacle of swords, roses and castle-like symbolism, and the episodes build an unsettling picture of hidden power within the academy. The tone shifts between dreamlike surrealism, sharp adolescent longing and melancholic unease, with a metaphysical mystery running beneath the school drama. Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ouran High School Host Club and Puella Magi Madoka Magica will find kinship in its symbolic style and coming of age interiority.

Audience reception is positive, with the series praised as a bold, symbolic coming-of-age story whose mystery and visual experimentation reward close attention.

• Neon Genesis Evangelionshared surreal symbolic metaphysics and coming of age subtext in a school setting
• Ouran High School Host Clubshared stylized symbolic staging, gender role inversion and teen identity themes
• Puella Magi Madoka Magicashared surrealist visual symbolism and fractured dreamlike tone

Release Date

1997-04-02

Episode runtime

24 min

Rating

8.1 / 10 (74)

What is Revolutionary Girl Utena about?

A chivalrous teenage girl duels the student council of a prestigious academy in pursuit of a prince's promise and the truth behind a hidden power structure.

What is Revolutionary Girl Utena like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Revolutionary Girl Utena as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as labyrinthine.

Is Revolutionary Girl Utena violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Revolutionary Girl Utena as moderate.

What did critics think of Revolutionary Girl Utena?

Audience reception is positive, with the series praised as a bold, symbolic coming-of-age story whose mystery and visual experimentation reward close attention.

Which shows are like Revolutionary Girl Utena?

Shows with a similar feel include Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ouran High School Host Club, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

How long is Revolutionary Girl Utena?

Revolutionary Girl Utena: 1 season, 39 episodes.

Is Revolutionary Girl Utena still running?

No, Revolutionary Girl Utena has ended.