Dona Dona Dona Dona...

[rionaleonhart]

I am mildly perplexed by the level of technology in Revolutionary Girl Utena. Mobile phones and rotary phones and gramophones? Computers and telegrams? I suppose it's possible for all of these things to coexist, but it does seem slightly odd.

Also, I cannot believe there is an episode named 'Cowbell of Happiness'. That is ridiculous. The episode itself is also ridiculous, of course, but the title is possibly the most ridiculous thing about it. The cowbell didn't even bring that much happiness! (Those of you who haven't watched Utena: you know you're curious.)



Oh, episode twenty of Utena ('Wakaba Flourishing') is awesome. Utena! Trying to defend Anthy, but unable to use her sword against a friend! I love her so much!

And, er, I think the thirtieth episode ('The Barefoot Girl') may be one of my favourites. Even though it shouldn't be, because it is entirely about Akio being really creepy. Well, it's also about Utena being emotionally confused, and I do like emotional confusion, but the parts I felt compelled to watch multiple times were the 'Akio being creepy' parts. Apparently I enjoy it when Akio is creepy and sexual and emotionally manipulative. This worries me.

Also, I am becoming increasingly afraid of Anthy.


'Her Tragedy': I love the weird little details in Utena, like the statue that changes every time it appears in this episode. Is it symbolic? Is it just bizarre? In any case, it's pretty awesome. (The devolving butterfly in the Black Rose lift really freaked me out the first time I noticed it.)

I was actually terribly distressed by the reveal that Touga wasn't Nanami's blood sibling and the way she took it. I hope she recovers and they can go back to their 'caring (if sort of a git in every other aspect of his life) big brother/INSANE OBSESSED LITTLE SISTER' relationship. I love all fictional sibling relationships, it seems, no matter how unsettling and incestuous.

Well, all right, that's a lie. Akio/Anthy is possibly a little too unsettling and incestuous for me. (In the previous entry, I asked whether there was a single sibling relationship in this series that wasn't vaguely incestuous; as one is now explicitly incestuous, I suppose the answer is a slightly hesitant 'yes'.)

And then, of course, 'The Romance of the Dancing Girls' came along and invalidated much of what I just typed about Touga and Nanami up there. Although I suppose their relationship is still broken, so that holds. You're an evil man, Touga. (I am fascinated by the fact that he tried to kiss her after having misled her into believing they weren't related by blood. And by the fact that that wasn't what she wanted.)

Also broken: my heart. Nanami! I never suspected I'd end up feeling so sorry for the poor girl.



Are Touga and Akio having sex? I honestly can't tell. I suppose it's safest to operate under the assumption that Akio is having sex with everyone. (Even you?)

Comments

[kadrin.livejournal.com]

Are Touga and Akio having sex?

I go by the assumption that it depends where you sit in the Akio Car. If you're in the passenger seat, then you're either having sex with Akio or soon to be having sex with Akio. If you're in the back seat, you're not. Compare and contrast Touga and Nanami, Kozue and Miki, and Ruka and Juri.

[rionaleonhart]

Whilst that theory seems fairly sound on first glance, it involves people not having sex with Akio, which I am beginning to find increasingly implausible.

[kadrin.livejournal.com]

Akio's Akio-laden sexfulness cannot possibly overtake Juri's Shield Aura of Lesbianism, Riona.

[rionaleonhart]

...whilst he was able to overtake Nanami's Shield Aura of Incestuous Obsession, which was quite a feat, I think you may actually be right there.

[kadrin.livejournal.com]

Nanami's Shield Aura of Incestuous Obsession is indeed powerful, but it can't compare to Juri.

...Man, very little can compare to Juri. Juri's so cool. I want to be Juri when I grow up, just, you know, not as crazy and damaged.

[kadrin.livejournal.com]

Oh, mentioning of Akio reminds me.


Akio hasn't taken to Ansem's fixation with DAAAAAAAAAARKNESS, but they're certainly of a familial mind on the subjects of shoulderpads and sketchy behaviour around teenagers.

[rionaleonhart]

I seem to vaguely recall that you once wrote a fic about Akio and Ansem dining together. The first time I saw Akio, the family resemblance brought it immediately to mind.

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

In the previous entry, I asked whether there was a single sibling relationship in this series that wasn't vaguely incestuous; as one is now explicitly incestuous, I suppose the answer is a slightly hesitant 'yes'.

Oh, Utena!

I suppose it's safest to operate under the assumption that Akio is having sex with everyone. (Even you?)

Is Akio having sex with you? Because I'm fairly sure Akio isn't having sex with me, but that might damage your theory.

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Also, how does this play into the whole "You are Derren Brown and have hypnotized yourself not to remember" theory? Does that make Akio/Derren Brown canon? Is Akio Derren Brown having sex with himself in a needlessly elaborate fashion?

[rionaleonhart]

Akio/Derren Brown is canon because Akio/everyone is canon. He's like an evil Jack Harkness. (Can you be certain he isn't having sex with you right now?)

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure. I mean I'd have noticed, right? I'm not in a car or related to him or anything!

[dots.livejournal.com]

This has brought the vitally important question to mind: In an epic mind-manipulation fight, would Akio or Derren Brown win?

[rionaleonhart]

Oh, dear. I shouldn't want fic, but I do.

If they're not the same person (which is quite possible), I think Akio will probably win, largely because he has fewer scruples.

[darkest-alchemy.livejournal.com]

"Is Akio Derren Brown having sex with himself in a needlessly elaborate fashion?"

This conjures strange ideas in my head; ones that I really don't need to be having right now.

(I am also fairly sure Akio isn't having sex with me. Not that I have any idea who Akio is)

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Come on, you know someone needs to fic that!

[darkest-alchemy.livejournal.com]

I hope it's not going to be me, with some of the ideas it's given me I think I would spontaneously combust from shame if I actually wrote that down.

[rionaleonhart]

"My name is Akio Ohtori," he says, gesturing to the sofa opposite his. "Won't you sit down?"

Derren sits. The chairman of Ohtori Academy is a good-looking man, he notes, but that's something he can think about when they have established why he's here. "Not that I'm not flattered by the attention, but why did you want to see me?"

"I'm interested in you." Akio leans forward, interlocking his fingers beneath his chin. "You seem to have a great deal of power."

"If you want a private performance, I'm afraid you'll have to talk to my agent."

Akio laughs: a dark, rich sound. "No," he says, "on this occasion I shall be the one to show you something," and they are in a car.



(By this point, sex is inevitable, but I'm not sure of how to work the 'Akio is actually Derren Brown' thing in there.)

[darkest-alchemy.livejournal.com]

hmm, a private performance. *starts snickering*

Now this makes me think of Fight Club (the Akio is actually Derren thing, not the 'private performance'). I once read (no idea why, I like the book but it's not something I'd deliberately look for fanfic about) Fight Club fic which had the narrator and Tyler having sex, and that worked pretty well, so I guess that sort of thing is very possible to write.

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Okay, I only know of two of those. Was it comment-fic on Riona's journal?

[darkest-alchemy.livejournal.com]

I doubt it, it was *ages* ago, way before I stumbled across her LJ. I'm pretty sure it wasn't on LJ anyway.

[amy-wolf.livejournal.com]

Okay. If you remember where it was, let me know. I'd be interested to read it. The only two I know of are comment-fic on Riona's journal, and fic on someone else's livejournal.

[dots.livejournal.com]

THE THROB OF THE ENGINE FEELS GOOD, DOESN'T IT, DERREN. MAY I CALL YOU DERREN?

[pointytilly.livejournal.com]

Also, I am becoming increasingly afraid of Anthy.

I saw this sentence first scrolling down and thought of this Anthy (http://sourceforge.jp/projects/anthy/), then wondered a moment whether it was somehow related to the ISSUES I had with SCIM randomly popping up on screen.

And then my brain registered that this was about Utena, not Linux and SCIM being out to get me. Yeah, nice work, Tilly's brain.

I should really watch Utena sometime.

[timydamonkey.livejournal.com]

I think this is my favourite anime episode title:

"For the Snark was a Boojum, you see."

It's even funnier given that most of the other episode titles are all named after various things that tie into psychology and sound so serious which makes it even more out of place!

(Here's the episode title list for curiosity. (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=7817&page=25) No spoilers as, well, it's a list of titles!)

Cowbell of happiness though! What on earth?

[rionaleonhart]

Ahahaha, that really does sound out-of-place amongst titles like 'Homeostasis Synchronisation'.

'Cowbell of Happiness' is a very, very weird episode. Did you know that wearing a cowbell will turn you into a cow? I didn't.

[aestivalis]

I would like to punch Touga in the face \o/! This is a feeling I settled into fairly early in the series, and it only grew and grew over time. That said, he gets some interesting scenes with Saionji now, and I am soft on Touga's broken relationships. Not so fond of him, so much as the people he's ruined forever.

Or, you know, 'ruined forever'. When I started watching, I figured that Saionji and Nanami were more or less the silly/comedy/unsympathetic characters. By around this point, my heart had grown three sizes for both of them. They impress me. And make me sad. (Oh Nanami.)

I do believe Touga and Akio are indeed having sex. And, ahh, you're so very close to the end! I shall have to restrain myself from leaving you the longest comment ever when you get there.

[rionaleonhart]

Touga does seem as if he could do with a good face-punching.

Very much agreed on thinking at first that Nanami was just an unsympathetic comic relief character. And then SURPRISE, ACTUALLY SHE'S GOING TO BREAK YOUR HEART. Oh Nanami indeed.

I am now two episodes from the end! You are entirely welcome to leave me the longest comment ever when I reach it.