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IMDbPro

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Original title: Shôjo kakumei Utena
  • TV Series
  • 19971997
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 24m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,637
1,646
Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
Home Video Trailer from Software Sculptors
Play trailer1:19
2 Videos
65 Photos
AnimationComedyDrama
A tomboyish schoolgirl finds herself forced into repeated duels for another girl who has a role in a world revolution.A tomboyish schoolgirl finds herself forced into repeated duels for another girl who has a role in a world revolution.A tomboyish schoolgirl finds herself forced into repeated duels for another girl who has a role in a world revolution.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,637
1,646
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Creators
      • Kunihiko Ikuhara(development)
      • Chiho Saitô(manga)
    • Stars
      • Tomoko Kawakami
      • Yuriko Fuchizaki
      • Rachael Lillis
    Top credits
    • Creators
      • Kunihiko Ikuhara(development)
      • Chiho Saitô(manga)
    • Stars
      • Tomoko Kawakami
      • Yuriko Fuchizaki
      • Rachael Lillis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews

    Episodes39

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season
    1997

    Videos2

    Revolutionary Girl Utena: Black Rose Saga
    Trailer 1:19
    Revolutionary Girl Utena: Black Rose Saga
    Revolutionary Girl Utena: Collectors Boxed Set
    Trailer 1:16
    Revolutionary Girl Utena: Collectors Boxed Set

    Photos65

    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)
    Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tomoko Kawakami
    Tomoko Kawakami
    • Utena Tenjô
    39 episodes39 eps • 1997
    Yuriko Fuchizaki
    • Anthy Himemiya
    39 episodes39 eps • 1997
    Rachael Lillis
    Rachael Lillis
    • Utena Tenjô…
    39 episodes39 eps • 1997
    Sharon Becker
    • Anthy Himemiya…
    39 episodes39 eps • 1997
    Aya Hisakawa
    Aya Hisakawa
    • Miki Kaoru
    36 episodes36 eps • 1997
    Maria Kawamura
    • Shadow Play Girl A-ko…
    32 episodes32 eps • 1997
    Kotono Mitsuishi
    Kotono Mitsuishi
    • Juri Arisugawa
    31 episodes31 eps • 1997
    Takehito Koyasu
    Takehito Koyasu
    • Tôga Kiryû
    29 episodes29 eps • 1997
    Satomi Kôrogi
    Satomi Kôrogi
    • Shadow Play Girl B-ko…
    27 episodes27 eps • 1997
    Yuri Shiratori
    Yuri Shiratori
    • Nanami Kiryû
    25 episodes25 eps • 1997
    Jûrôta Kosugi
    • Akio Ohtori
    23 episodes23 eps • 1997
    Takeshi Kusao
    Takeshi Kusao
    • Kyôichi Saionji
    18 episodes18 eps • 1997
    Yuka Imai
    • Wakaba Shinohara…
    17 episodes17 eps • 1997
    Amanda Goodman
    Amanda Goodman
    • Shadow Girl A…
    13 episodes13 eps • 1997
    Hikaru Midorikawa
    Hikaru Midorikawa
    • Sôji Mikage
    9 episodes9 eps • 1997
    Akiko Yajima
    Akiko Yajima
    • Mitsuru Tsuwabuki
    5 episodes5 eps • 1997
    Kumiko Nishihara
    Kumiko Nishihara
    • Shiori Takatsuki
    5 episodes5 eps • 1997
    Kumiko Watanabe
    Kumiko Watanabe
    • Shadow Play Girl C-ko
    5 episodes5 eps • 1997
    • Creators
      • Kunihiko Ikuhara(development)
      • Chiho Saitô(manga)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The entire series is available on YouTube through the company channel. (This may have changed recently.)
    • Goofs
      In episode 8, the thick white stripe on the bottom of Nanami's skirt disappears when she is hugging Touga. It re-appears in the other scenes.
    • Quotes

      [repeated line]

      Touga Kiryuu: If it cannot hatch from its shell, the chick will die without ever truly being born. We are the chick; the world is our egg. If we don't break the world's shell, we will die without truly being born. Smash the world's shell, for the Revolution of the World.

    • Connections
      Featured in AMV Hell 3: The Motion Picture (2005)

    User reviews30

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Bizarre? Yes. Smart? Most definitely.
    I think people get too caught up in attempting to understand something foreign to realize that many elements in Revolutionary Girl Utena are not meant to be taken literally and at times, seriously. Yes, it is strange, but, the strangeness is purposefully achieved as a method of storytelling. If one can look past or even appreciate the strangeness, one can find a worthwhile story that's both entertaining and insightful.

    The main character, Utena Tenjou, is a student at a boarding school. She meets Anthy Himemiya, a shy girl who is the Rose Bride, the key figure in a mysterious plot by the Student Counsel to "revolutionise the world". The main storyline revolves around Utena and her journey, through different trials and obstacles, to uncover this mystery. To support the main story, there are many subplots and filled with colourful supporting characters, who add drama, humour, and complexity.

    The Student Counsel members often recite a poem with portions borrowed from Herman Hesse's Demian. Like the Demian, Utena is about the antagonist's personal journey uncovering truth within their world and within themselves, through the transitional periods of youth. Unlike in Demian, the hero's journey in Utena is highly metaphorical. Despite seeming childish and simple at first, this series is actually incredibly dark with themes that are both adult in nature and adult in meaning. It uses many traditional archetypes – like the charming prince, the wicked witch, the naive hero – but changes these elements' relationship with each other and within the story as the vehicle to drive these progressive elements. Some of the ideas touched upon are the meaning of gender, gender roles, the meaning of self, etc.

    Revolutionary Girl Utena is one of my favourite television series. Both the plot and the characters are highly developed. I actually greatly enjoy the surrealism, with over the top drama that both pokes fun of itself and other series within the shoujo (manga and anime for women and girls) genre. The fantastic story components along with highly stylized visuals full of symbolism paint an almost dream-like setting. It's a post-modern fairytale that's indefinitely unforgettable. You'll either love it or hate it, there's no in between.
    helpful•16
    0
    • metatronica
    • May 23, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 2, 1997 (Japan)
    • Also known as
      • Utena
    • Production companies
      • J.C. Staff
      • TV Tokyo
      • Yomiko Advertising
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      24 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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