pixiv, why do you ruin my life?!: "Revolutionary Girl Utena" Edition

[greywing]

Oh god, I've discovered the Shoujo Kakumei Utena tag at pixiv.

Why is so much of it so pretty? Delicious ensemble pics. And cute?! ;_; Argh, we can't pretend this was a happy show!

Too. Many. Lush. Utena. Anthy. Pics. Really. For reals. On and NSFW on. Sigh. Never this happy canonically. Who tops? Neither (NSFW) in defiance of gravity!

Even

Comments

[greywing]

In the show itself, it's a lot more ambiguous.
... like other sexual things... :3

In this case, it's just like everything else in the show. The show as you watch it unfold is pretty horrific as pieces fall into place, but then you start looking back at things in retrospect and everything ambiguous starts taking on shades of greater and greater horror. It's almost worse because it's all inference and allusion. We're never told outright just how horrific and monstrous everything was . . . again and again and again. You can't even begin to imagine the number of lives Akio and Anthy have ruined or the number of ways Anthy and Akio have ruined each other's lives. When you think about Utena simply being the latest in a line of Duelists . . . Some fanfics really start unraveling this, like Archimage, where Anthy talks about some of the previous failed attempts and it's just sad. :(

The adolescent angst of SKU is more jarring when you're supposed to believe that Utena is only 14 in the scope of all the things that she goes through. (Jesus, Nanami too is around that age and the sheer amount of mindfuckery rained on her is terrifying to really consider.) Then you factor in Akio's and Anthy's ages and realize that they truly are playing around with children (in so, so many ways) and it's just D: D: D: D: Dwelling on SKU tends to be a disservice for your brain. XD

And this is something I don't get, but SKU is not a story to definitely and completely understand ;)

I have to say I sympathize with Juri way more now at this point in my life. The heart knows no reason, as they say. The show never explains why she fixated on Shiori, but it's clear that even Juri is agonized over her heart's choice. I feel like when Ruka is yelling at her about Shiori being unworthy of her affections, those thoughts have already occurred to Juri. Though it is a good question about whether she perceives Shiori as deliberately trying to hurt her; she makes a comment to Utena that Utena and Shiori are alike: "Innocently cruel." Hm. I can't remember what she said to Ruka about his treatment of Shiori. Argh, must not rewatch. But, overall, she's been a glutton for Shiori's emotional punishment, probably feeling it justified because of that "homosexuality is bad" clause.

SKU leads you into a false sense of watching something with eccentric weirdness only to turn that weirdness into nightmare fuel.

Oh, Juri talks a big talk about miracles not existing, but it's probably a case of "She doth protest too much." Why else would she fight the duels unless she does want to attain the miracles that Shiori spoke of? A part of her has to believe that somewhere it exists--the power to revolutionalize the world, her world, Shiori's world--or she wouldn't have a reason to fight. The duels, though, turn that on her in a painfully ironic way. (Also ironic in that Kitono voices her, so it's like Sailor Moon wants to stop believing in miracles.)

I remember watching some of Noir, but I couldn't stop laughing at all the "action scenes." I can't remember much beyond that. XD

[ifuritka]

Another wall of text ;D

Before I forget: if you decide to go to Europe, you may visit Utena city in Lithuania :)

Very well said, nothing really to add :)

Ok, I see you really want me to read this fic. XD I don't promise, but I put it on my e-reader. I know it will be angst x 2 and I am into mush and good sex scenes, so we'll see...

Ah well, I do understand this getting content by personal experience/feelings. Actually I love it :) But if I was agonizing over every stupid bimbo I had ever a crush on, I would be dead by now But I've seen Utena long ago and I remember only that most of protagonists were not nice and likeable. Sorry :D When I first started watching Utena it was just after a premiere and I knew nothing about it, except maybe that it was shoujo (lol, so wrong) and maybe another magical girl show (wrong, wrong, wrong!). So you can imagine the brainwork needed to adapt to reality of SKU ;D But I also remember that despite all this implied sex I had this feeling that this was not about hetero/homo/bi, but more like about being a good person or a total asshole in difficult circumstances and the sex was a way to show it. Or something like that :3 And still I think there is plenty of weirdness in SKU, maybe the word is wrong, but, how to put it... I like when a car is a car and not something else? XD SKU symbolism and surrealism is sometimes way too... surreal :D I won't even touch this dimensions of SKU, the simple task of interpreting what a rose and a sword symbolizes makes me dizzy :D
Still, one of the best anime I've seen :)

LOL, because Noir must be watched how noir movies are :D Action scenes must be... dumb? :D Anyway, I asked because this is another title with almost-yuri? (you can compare it to SKU in this aspect that complex relations between people are more important than who sleeps with whom?) :D I remember also Read or Die or rather Read or Dream to be another example :)

[greywing]

Ok, I see you really want me to read this fic. XD

AHAHAHAHAHA. But I mentioned "Archimage" once and Alan Harnum once. Alan Harnum did not write "Archimage"--he attempted his own epic sweeping sequel, "Jaquemart," which he did not finish and which took a drastically different route from "Archimage" in speculating what the aftermath of Utena's revolution might have been like--but if I were giving out fic recommendations, these two would be near the top of the list. Alan Harnum's short fics are crafted really well with an eye for voice and characterization. "Archimage" manages to echo a lot of the spirit of the show, somehow managing to capture the surreality using text--no small feat when much of the surreality of SKU was a combination of visual and aural. For anyone interested, I remember liking a fanfic by Dreiser, "A Special Case" by Erica Friedman, and "Ten Years After" by Chris Davies. That is like a list of the Old Guard of fanfic writers. XD

But if I was agonizing over every stupid bimbo I had ever a crush on, I would be dead by now

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. In Juri's defense: she's like 16 or 17, Shiori is probably her first love? infatuation? obsession?, and this girl just happened to be her childhood friend who could have been her best friend and who was unduly cruel to her in a myriad of ways. Awkward. XD Juri's not quite blind to that last part either and it makes her angry and resentful and trapped. Rationally she knows she needs to walk away, she just . . . can't.

shoujo (lol, so wrong) and maybe another magical girl show (wrong, wrong, wrong!)

It was all these things . . . subverted. Hurting your brain was exactly what the show wanted to do. XD

but more like about being a good person or a total asshole in difficult circumstances and the sex was a way to show it.

It's about growing up and what it means (or doesn't mean) to become an adult or find an identity. It's about not wanting to grow up or thinking you want to grow up but not knowing what that entails. Sex was a part of that, but whether or not having sex was actually a sign of being an adult is ambiguous--a lot of the characters see it as a gateway into adulthood, but it's clear that that's not necessarily true considering the maturity level of some of the more (implied to be) promiscuous characters. Sex is neither good nor bad; every character sees it differently: as romantic, as forbidden, a tool of manipulation, as something recreational, even as violation.

The show has a lot of repeated themes for the sake of looking at one thing from a lot of different ways: it feels like half the cast has an unrequited love that is coped with in manners outwardly and inwardly destructive; the shades of incest fall on all parts of the spectrum and when it's taken to its conclusion, it's devastating; the whole idea of wanting the power to revolutionize the world is analyzed along a spectrum of selfless and selfish motivations--and it's never quite clear if the two aren't just the same thing, depending on the point of view. The show doesn't pass judgment and so it's up to the audience to argue back and forth about what the heck everything means and how good/bad a character is. XD This is perhaps its greatest strength and its most frustrating aspect.

Yeah, I know that Noir has shades of yuri, but I just . . . couldn't. The age dissonance didn't help either. I have seen Read or Die. I think The Paper's power is pretty damn badass. I remember embarking on watching Read or Dream, but I can't remember if I got through the whole thing.

[ifuritka]

My bad. But you've mentioned Archimage before, that's why I have it in 'to read' folder...among hundreds of other files... And I blame you! :D I've read post-end short story by Alan Harnum and I did not like it. A lot. Actually it reminded me why I am against fanfiction in general. While being a fanfic addict :D This dichotomy brought much desired angst. It felt sooo good. Finally I felt like a human and not this strange creature who is happy with her life ;DD Thank you! XD
But now I am back to normal, so, these fics you've mentioned, are they fluffy?
;DDDD

Ok, ok, I get it :) I am sorry that I am not so sympathetic about Juri, maybe it is because I decided a long time ago that most of SKU characters are not nice, so actually seeing them suffer is all right. Duh, it sounds quite sadistic... oh well...

It's about growing up and what it means (or doesn't mean) to become an adult or find an identity.
Sorry, I must be bad now :D And which teen anime isn't? ;P
That's why creators of SKU went great lenghts to make their story distinguishing? This is not a bad thing, but I prefer Utena (or NGE) to be famous for something else than a storyline than f**ks your brain so badly? ;)
BTW Obviously jen_chan_shaw has much better way with words than I. You know, with this 'sex is a tool in Utenaverse' thingie? :D

The age dissonance didn't help either.
*blank stare* 2 to 4 years? Wow, extreme :D But this is all right, no need to like Noir ;D

[greywing]

Actually it reminded me why I am against fanfiction in general. While being a fanfic addict :D

I don't understand this.

these fics you've mentioned, are they fluffy?

Actually . . . Yes? "Archimage" will take you through the wringer, but the Dreiser's, Friedman's, and Davies' stories actually aren't entirely angsty!

LOL, you don't have to be sympathetic for Juri. Deciding whether or not you're sympathetic towards any of the characters is part of the experience of watching SKU.

This is not a bad thing, but I prefer Utena (or NGE) to be famous for something else than a storyline than f**ks your brain so badly? ;)

This is like candy for me. All these little pieces I can turn over in my mind. One can argue with oneself all day.

That's all?! Oh, anime, stop assigning ridiculous ages to your characters.

[ifuritka]

I don't understand this.
This is complicated? ;D
Well, actually it is simple. In most cases - ie. shows, books etc. - I don't see a need for a fanfic: everything was said and done and there is not a place for much more. So fanfics written in these cases are usually way off character (like these crappy pairings) and when reading them, instead of enjoying creativity of fic writers, my brain hurts. Also in many cases the fanfic writer's perception/vision of a book/show is so different from mine, that it hurts. Last, but not least in cases of books/mangas (ie. single authors) I have a feeling that digging in their creations is kind of disservice to them, and it hurts, even if I realize that many fics come out of love, not a frustration over bad storyline :D
And now, some shows are obvious exceptions and screaming for fanfics. Sometimes a reason is subtext, or open threads, or open/unfinished ending, or uber invitation or some other 'opening' creators made on purpose or not, that needs to be 'filled'. And these fics I seek and read with a great pleasure. Does it make any sense now? :D

This is like candy for me. All these little pieces I can turn over in my mind. One can argue with oneself all day.
LOL So true!

[greywing]

. . . I don't understand you. I don't understand how this can be the case for you, but you read so much fanfic (even in cases where you don't think fanfic is needed?) and clamor for me to write fanfic.

I mean, I share a lot of the sentiments you expressed, but in actuality, I don't read much fanfic. I'm much faster to hit the "Back" button the moment I start disagreeing with a fanfic rather than bother with frustrating myself.

[ifuritka]

LOL Because actually I don't read much fanfic. :D
I've been reading fics from only three fandoms, of which two are not very productive anymore and one caused an overload and I don't read it anymore (well, almost) :D
With other fandoms I rarely try, and if I do, I bet I am faster than you with this 'back' button :P

And you are special case. Your writing style is spectacular. But I've told you this already :3

[greywing]

See, that makes much more sense.

Thank you for the compliment. (Even if it doesn't feel that way, especially lately. XD)

[ifuritka]

Heh :)

And Happy New Year!

[greywing]

Happy New Year, Mary!