Yeah, there's no way I would be able to avoid doing the same thing. Also, that still of Touga is just freakish and terrifying altogether.

Stormcrow wrote:

Also, that still of Touga is just freakish and terrifying altogether.

Truer words ne'er been spoken.

Seeing that of Touga so early on in the series probably had something to do with my inability to warm up to his character at all.  At all.  I can warm up to Akio...Akio more than I can warm up to that...thing.

Sorry Touga fans.  I am truly sorry...but no.

...I think that section of the ep was done by the B-key framers. Or possibly the C- key framers.

Here we are, Episode 1 of the remasters (thank you Copyman), trying to gather how I feel about the series after all this time. I first watched Utena back in the year 2000 or so, which is to say I scored the CPM DVDs on e-Bay at a steal compared to their retail price on the advice of fan-fiction writer E. Liddell (of the BSSM epic fanfic The Crystal Weaver Saga fame). It would be some time before I'd be able to complete the series; only the Student Council Arc was available at that time and I eventually broken down and purchased VHS fansubs of horrific quality just so I would know what came next. Since then, I've probably watched the show in its entirety nearly ten times, though I'm not certain exactly how many.

I'm going to start off by talking about the opening credits. The remasters' subs use a different scheme than I used to. I am used to the CPM translations and as they were the first subs I was exposed to, I have a bias towards them. Ordinarily, variances in translation don't really seem to bother me, but there are two stanzas that have always resonated with me.

Empty Movement's Audiology section provides this translation:

Let's go on living, heroically and with style...

CPM's Rinbu Revolution sub begins:

Let's live our lives heroically, let's live them with style.

Most fansubs will use the line:

Bravely, heroically, I'll go on with my life.

Copyman's remasters use a variant of this:

Heroically, with bravery, I'll go on with my life.

I'm not going to comment on the accuracy of any of the four, but the CPM line has always resonated with me more so than any others. The inclusion of "go on" in the lyric has always implied a resignation to me, a sense of "I don't wish to move forward." Which could mirror the young Utena's feelings after the death of her parents. The rest of Rinbu Revolution, the lyrics that are cut out the Opening Credits, don't always seem to have the show's spirit in mind; the line about " They say money can't buy me love," but can love buy me money? They said so on TV," has always struck me as horribly out of place for Utena herself, so I don't necessarily equate the Opening Credits with Utena the character so much as I do the series as a whole. In that sense, the CPM version seems to speak for the entire cast of Duelists, a sense of declaration about their desire to change the world and themselves; or Utena and Anthy together after the series is over and their desire to continue being noble even after the transition they have been through. Either way, that appeals to me far more, and it colors the way I see the series and how the Opening Credits sets the stage for me.

The second stanza is near the end.

Empty Movement's Audiology section provides this translation:

What I want is to find my place in life and self-worth, taking who I've been up until today
and heroically stripping her down until she's bare like the roses whirling in freedom.

CPM Rinbu Revolution translation:

I wanna find out where I am, the value of being me. Gonna take who I've been up 'till now
and find the strength to throw it all away. Strip down to nothing at all, become like a rose petal blowing free.

Most fansubs (Copyman's included) will use something similar to this:

What I want now is to find out just where I belong and my self-worth, up through today
Heroically, I throw away my clothes 'til I'm nude like roses dancing around me whirling free.

I hate the line about throwing away clothes. This ruins a startlingly powerful idea and makes it seem very brave, but stripping one's clothes off is not as brave as you might think. Stripping one's self down to nothing, completely, and starting over is far more brave in my estimation. Could you do it? Eliminate your quirks, your obsessions, your inhibitions, your hobbies, your job, etc, and start completely over? I've pondered this endlessly during times of my greatest self-loathing, and tried to figure out exactly what it would take to do that. It's staggering. Giving away possessions are the easy part. I think when we look at the Duelists and what they want, what Utena herself essentially did once, the EM/CPM translation is much more in the spirit of the series.

As we move past the credits and into the show proper, I sometimes wish as I often do, that I could watch the show for the first time again. As it is, it is impossible not to see how the series connects to itself now.

I'm not going to comment on the Princess opening during this episode. Maybe in a later one.



The opening shots of Ohtori Academy combined with the triumphant music are hypnotic. Can you imagine actually attending a school like this? It's fascinating just to look at the architecture of it and realize just how big the forest is compared to the rest of the academy, but even without the forest the structures are simply massive. Exactly how many rooms does the main building have?



This image gives some perspective on the matter. These archways are not small. This tends to get forgotten as the school itself isn't the focus of the show, but I'm always struck by the scope and size of Ohtori Academy, even after so many viewings.

Now we have Utena being Utena means being admired and loved. It's interesting to see how much she encourages her campus-wide fan club; one might even say she loves the attention she gets. We will continue observing this trend as the series progresses, but here at the start, she seems quite happy to have towels provided to her by a fanatically loyal audience.

Soon after, we are introduced to Saoinji, and Anthy, and the first of many slaps the series gives us on Anthy's behalf. The first time you see this it's kind of shocking. Part of it is Anthy's wide-open mouth and clenched eyes as the back of Saionji's hand strikes her.



What's even more shocking about it is the silence. We never actually hear what Saionji says, but we hear the slap. Oh, do we hear the slap. And Anthy says...nothing. She does not cry out. Even on the verge of tears, she makes no sound at all. Such the victim. It's a masterful job on the part of both the creators of the series and Anthy as a person within the story to make us feel anger at this. But knowing what I know of Anthy now, I feel nothing for her.

Wakaba bounds in then, and refers to Saionji with the "sama" honorific. Interesting that she holds him in such high-regard: it is a conceit of anime that "sama" gets tossed around like its use is very commonplace but even this strikes me as wildly disproportionate.  The girls of Ohtori Academy certainly love their princes, but I don't think the girls that chase after Touga refer to him with "sama" in tow. Another thing to watch for.

Something Wakaba mentions that is noteworthy:

Wakaba:  The only reason they're together is because they're both part of the Student Council.

In the eyes of the rest of the student body, Anthy is a Council member. Think long and hard on that. It will come up again later.

On to our introduction of the Student Council proper. God, I love the Legend: The God's Name is Abraxas. Could anything have set the ominous nature of the Student Council better? The shadows, the maroon curtains...Who is Sailor Mercury with a stopwatch, and her bishounen friend with the striking golden hair? And End of the World is behind them? Without knowing who Akio is, this is incredible stuff. Overblown and melodramatic, sure, but if you want to paint a mystery and hook your audience, this is perfect.

And yes, I honestly looked at Juri as the truly bishounen character of the story until her gender was made a bit more obvious. Too many times in anime you think she's a she until you find out she is he who likes pretending to be a she, or is effeminate in ways no mortal boy generally can be. I wasn't going to be fooled again, darn it all.

I mean, seriously, look at her:



Not the best picture of her, but this is our introduction and she's got the mysterious-might-be-a-girl-but-is-a-really-pretty-boy thing down pat. Breasts hidden by the frame, reticent mouth, narrow eyes...

Saionji is telling us that Anthy is his to do with as he pleases. And Anthy is backing him up. It's really hard for the Student Council to feel for her, you know. It's one thing to be told, hey, here is this girl you're all going to fight for, and she is yours to do with as you please. It's another thing when one of your peers beats her like a pillow and she just takes it and backs him up. What was she like prior to Saionji becoming the One Engaged? Do they remember? The manga indicates Ruka was The One Engaged at one point in time...the anime makes no mention of the Time Before Tenjou Utena Disrupted Their Happy Little World, but you have to imagine there was at least one day where Himemiya Anthy was an unengaged Rose Bride before the first duel was fought.

Coincidently, the remasters all refer to an episode as a Duel, even when no Duel takes place.

Utena is now confronting Saionji about Wakaba's letter. For the first time, I find myself questioning Utena here in this scene. Obviously, she's mad that Wakaba has been hurt, but the real vermin in this situation is not Saionji. It's the student that retrieved the letter from the trash and posted it up. Utena is completely unable to see past this and insists he should have thrown it away where someone wouldn't have gotten to it. Um, hello, Utena? He threw the thing away. You're not mad that it was thrown away. You're mad because it got tacked up. It's not as though Saionji meant for it to appear on the board. You are frightfully self-righteous here. Maybe it is because you saw him slap Anthy as well, and you figure even if he didn't do it, he deserves it anyway. But at this point, you just want to hurt someone for Wakaba's sake and you don't care who it is.

Now she is challenging him to a Kendo match. This is important to keep in mind in the scope of her other duels. Obviously, she knows some technique if she's planning on seriously challenging the Captain of the Ohtori Academy Kendo Team. But even so, this is a bold move for someone who wants payback for Wakaba. This guy is good at what he does, and you'd have to be pretty confident to challenge him if you're expecting to teach him a lesson.

Saionji now makes mention of the forest, and Utena refers to it as the one no one is allowed into. Isn't this a red flag for Saionji? Shouldn't he be asking something to confirm that yes, this is actually someone sent by End of the World? Pity this conversation is cut off by a scene transition.

And now, the Shadow Play girls. Everybody's "What the Hell???" moment. Did anyone not have a "What the Hell???" moment the first time they saw this? Anyway, we should pay attention to the Shadow Play girls, because they know about the rules of the Rose Seal and what happens in the forest. How much do they know, exactly?

The dueling Arena and Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku...the first time this happens it is very surreal. The visuals, the music, the climb up to the top, the castle. All of it. It is mystery and spooky and absolutely beautiful. The first time you see it, it isn't a transformation scene. There's no Anthy waving her hands to make some poofy skirt and bulky epaulettes appear on Utena, it's just a flawless wide-eyed expression of surprise as she sees the castle for the first time, just like us.



Magnificent.

And who wouldn't be intrigued by this point? A spiral stair at an impossible angle? An inverted castle? I want to see what's inside that castle as desperately as I want to see what is inside Stephen King's Dark Tower.

Saionji makes a point of saying:

Saionji:  What surprises me is someone outside the Student Council possessing a Rose Signet.

This is again important for reasons that will come up later, so bear it in mind.

I love the Bells that start and end the Duel. It's interesting that wherever they are, the Dueling Arena can be seen in the distance. Are they within the forest? Part of the school? Can the people in their dormitories hear them? At this point, we have no idea.

"When? Where? Who? Which?" The duel choruses make this show. I love every one of them with varying degrees. Although they are not the longest, I found this Arc's choruses to be among the most powerful of the show, at least from a music standpoint. I love how this one builds and builds to the climax.

On the ambidextrous note, Saionji fights Utena left-handed. He will fight right-handed the next two times they duel.

Touga watches from afar with binoculars. Again, this is important for something later, so keep it mind.

I want to talk about the conclusion of the duel. If we completely strip away conceit of the animators and the deus ex machina of the storytelling, let's try to examine it as though this really happened.



Look at the conclusion of this duel. It's absolutely crazy. Utena passes on Saionji's right. Which means his rose is on his left. And she cut it off with a stub of a shinai. Think about that. She reached across him to cut it off with the stub of a shinai while he was driving towards her with the Sword of Dios?

I know a lot of people would like to say that he's just overconfident and also wasn't expecting someone to pull a crazy attack like that. Either way...for someone who Ruka will praise highly several episodes from now, this is an unfathomable loss.

Would you call this victory more miraculous than the one with Juri? I'm sorely tempted to. I almost think that Utena actually missed Saionji's rose entirely and Anthy just intervened to make Saionji's petals scatter during the pass. If Anthy did not intervene, think of it this way: Utena is actually a much better swordswoman than anyone suspects and Saionji just got punked by a girl who has a fraction of his reach, with a weapon that was little more than a hilt, and had to reach across him to get to his rose.

Last edited by Ashnod (08-10-2012 10:42:05 PM)

I've had some issues with the offical translation myself (the one that came with the actual release) but that's way later in the anime so I'll wait until then.

The first ep I caught of Utena was ep 7, so I never had that moment with Juri but....well now I can't unsee it.   ....maybe someone will do fan art??

Ashnod wrote:

Wakaba bounds in then, and refers to Saionji with the "sama" honorific. Interesting that she holds him in such high-regard: it is a conceit of anime that "sama" gets tossed around like its use is very commonplace but even this strikes me as wildly disproportionate.  The girls of Ohtori Academy certainly love their princes, but I don't think the girls that chase after Touga refer to him with "sama" in tow. Another thing to watch for.

I'm pretty sure all Touga's admirers call him -sama, but you're the one rewatching the show, so you tell me

Wakaba:  The only reason they're together is because they're both part of the Student Council.

In the eyes of the rest of the student body, Anthy is a Council member. Think long and hard on that. It will come up again later.

This is a new one on me!  Interesting!

Utena is now confronting Saionji about Wakaba's letter. For the first time, I find myself questioning Utena here in this scene. Obviously, she's mad that Wakaba has been hurt, but the real vermin in this situation is not Saionji. It's the student that retrieved the letter from the trash and posted it up. Utena is completely unable to see past this and insists he should have thrown it away where someone wouldn't have gotten to it. Um, hello, Utena? He threw the thing away. You're not mad that it was thrown away. You're mad because it got tacked up. It's not as though Saionji meant for it to appear on the board. You are frightfully self-righteous here. Maybe it is because you saw him slap Anthy as well, and you figure even if he didn't do it, he deserves it anyway. But at this point, you just want to hurt someone for Wakaba's sake and you don't care who it is.

Hey, a little harsh there!  It's not clear whether Saionji posted that letter or not.  In the subs I watched, he initially claimed to have thrown it away, but when pressed, said "oh right, that letter was so hilarious I thought it deserved special treatment," or words to that effect.  Of course, the subs may have been mistaken, or Saionji could be lying so that he doesn't have to admit that people can go through his trash undetected, but.

This is why the Duelists are, by and large, adolescents. The only adult Duelist is Mikage, and he has been held in statis so long that he has been stunted.

Mikage is presented as a "genius high-schooler," too.  No idea whether he believes himself to be in high school.  He's deluded enough that he might.

Anthy is inside cleaning the room and she claims to have been doing so since the previous night, after Utena won the duel. How fascinating. Where has she been staying up until this point? Where does Saionji stay? He obviously doesn't have a residence like Touga and Nanami. Has Anthy been sleeping in an empty dorm this whole time? Do the Student Council already know she is the sister of the Chairman? Has Saionji been going to the Tower this whole time to visit Anthy? So many unanswered questions...

I assume Anthy's been staying with Saionji, in his dorm or wherever he sleeps.  (Or maybe not, since his sexual frustration is important to Akio.)  More interesting, maybe, is where Utena has been staying this whole time.  We get a lot of mixed messages about how new she is to Ohtori.  New enough not to know who the Student Council is -- but not new enough to not be best friends with Wakaba.  New enough for her Rose Seal never to have been noticed -- but not new enough to not have a substantial fan club.  Episode 1 isn't the first time she's been challenged about her uniform, either.  She must have lived somewhere before the East Dorm.

The Shadow Play girls make their second appearance. Not only do they know about the Code of the Rose, they know when duels are about to happen. How is this news given to them? If we are to assume that they are real students, and not just pretty symbolism, then someone has talked, and someone has listened..."They say there will be another duel..." Who is they, pray tell?

Just pretty symbolism.    I don't think the SPGs can be twisted into making sense within the confines of the narrative.

Last edited by satyreyes (10-15-2009 01:30:46 PM)

satyreyes wrote:

Hey, a little harsh there!  It's not clear whether Saionji posted that letter or not.  In the subs I watched, he initially claimed to have thrown it away, but when pressed, said "oh right, that letter was so hilarious I thought it deserved special treatment," or words to that effect.  Of course, the subs may have been mistaken, or Saionji could be lying so that he doesn't have to admit that people can go through his trash undetected, but.

Well, in the CPM subtitles, they are essentially mirroring the dub which has the exchange you are referring to. I'm not sure what the most accurate translation is, but I'm willing to bet the fansubs are probably closer to the truth. You are correct, of course, the CPM version paints him to be the guilty letter-hanger.

Mikage is presented as a "genius high-schooler," too.  No idea whether he believes himself to be in high school.  He's deluded enough that he might.

Mikage is presented as a genius high-schooler. Nemuro was a young professor. He was still an adult regardless of the Mikage mask he wore.

I assume Anthy's been staying with Saionji, in his dorm or wherever he sleeps.  (Or maybe not, since his sexual frustration is important to Akio.)  More interesting, maybe, is where Utena has been staying this whole time.  We get a lot of mixed messages about how new she is to Ohtori.  New enough not to know who the Student Council is -- but not new enough to not be best friends with Wakaba.  New enough for her Rose Seal never to have been noticed -- but not new enough to not have a substantial fan club.  Episode 1 isn't the first time she's been challenged about her uniform, either.  She must have lived somewhere before the East Dorm.

Episode 1 makes it clear that this is the new term.  Which means that Saionji had been the One Engaged prior to the start of this term. Episode 2 in all incarnations pretty much says that dorm assignments have just been announced, which means everyone's living situation is called into question. Wakaba makes reference to her new dorm assignment as well. It's obvious Wakaba and Utena are not living together at the start of Episode 1,  and that Wakaba was hoping to room with her.

Utena knows who Touga is, but not Saionji. She isn't completely clueless about the identity of the Student Council, but I have a feeling that prior to her involvement with the duels she simply did not care enough about them to remember who was on it and who was not.

Just pretty symbolism.    I don't think the SPGs can be twisted into making sense within the confines of the narrative.

Ordinarily, I would agree, but the writers make a pretty good case for doing that when they have the Shadow Girls meet Utena in Episode 34, so...mileage varies on just how far you want to take their symbolism.

I thought it would have been better if she kept the dress on, yes. It also wouldn't have to explain where in hell she hides her uniform under that thing! The dress is off the shoulder!

About Nanami....I think she gets away with stuff by virtue of being Touga's sister. And it could be, because she's Touga's sister, that she knows Anthy isn't actually on the council and won't be punished for slapping her silly.

satyreyes wrote:

As for where the uniform comes from: the same place the train on the Seitokai balcony does.

Bah. I disagree. We're too early in the series for the BS symbolism that comes later. Right now things are relatively within the realm of normalcy. It's only later that the absurd shows up and ruins everything.

Ashnod wrote:

satyreyes wrote:

As for where the uniform comes from: the same place the train on the Seitokai balcony does.

Bah. I disagree. We're too early in the series for the BS symbolism that comes later. Right now things are relatively within the realm of normalcy. It's only later that the absurd shows up and ruins everything.

Then, um, where do you think the uniform comes from?    [/setup]

satyreyes wrote:

Ashnod wrote:

satyreyes wrote:

As for where the uniform comes from: the same place the train on the Seitokai balcony does.

Bah. I disagree. We're too early in the series for the BS symbolism that comes later. Right now things are relatively within the realm of normalcy. It's only later that the absurd shows up and ruins everything.

Then, um, where do you think the uniform comes from?    [/setup]

Why, Utena's womb, of course!


Oh, episode three...because it's an episode that primarily features Nanami, my knee-jerk reaction is to think, "It's just silly filler" and ignore any symbolism that may or not be present.  However, there's loads of covert information about Anthy in this episode, so you can't really ignore it entirely.

Ashnod wrote:

Nanami is not as effective at plotting social destruction as she believes she is...

But, if Utena hadn't intervened, Nanami would have accomplished just what she wanted: seeing the object of her scorn be humiliated.  In general, Nanami seems much more concerned with immediate gratification; the after-effects of her schemes don't factor into her thought process at all.  And I wouldn't say she's all that inneffective with her social revenge, since she brings Keiko down pretty mercilessly in episode 21.  I think it's just when it comes to Anthy that her schemes fall flat.  Then again, she's what, thirteen?  At that age, I think most people's revenge plans are pretty weak.

Episode 4



We begin in the Dueling Arena. The wind is blowing through Miki and Utena's hair. There is no other sound, just the wind. Utena asks Miki if it has really come to this. It is rhetorical. Of course it has. They would not be here otherwise. Miki, perhaps not sensing that Utena didn't require an answer, gives us one. He must have his glow, his shining thing.

Juri watches from afar, in Touga's significant spot. She is relaxed while holding the binoculars. Far away, in the arena, Utena tells Miki that she prefers him behind the piano. Juri reads the younger woman's lips and agrees.

Miki takes offense to this. His sword has never been more sure, though we have yet to see this. He tells Utena that victory will be his, even if she must be hurt.

This is all awesome. This entire scene frames the first two chapters of the Sunlit Garden episodes, and it is rare to see it out of order like this. It works in every way. I wish the series would have taken more narrative trips like this, though not necessarily in the same manner.

We go to the title card and are immediately in the past without any explanation that what we have seen has not yet happened. It is unnecessary. After all, we know nothing about Miki at this point except that he is the boy with the watch, Sailor Mercury with her computer that none of the other Senshi use or even comprehend. A mystic language that makes sense to him and him alone.

Nanami and Miki are now in the piano hall. Miki is playing The Sunlit Garden, and Nanami applauds with wide-eyed awe. Miki is having none of it. This song, this beautiful series of gentle notes symbolizes everything that is wrong with his life. He plays it in mourning for something that he yearns for and cannot have back, and he cannot escape from it. Every tap of the keys is pain, a dagger through his heart, and yet he is compelled by hope. It is the only solace he has.

Nanami, for a moment, believes perhaps she is the intended audience. Her joy is short lived when she finds Anthy's picture amidst the sheet music. Her jaw tightens and her eyes narrow. Even Miki, she thinks. Saionji, Touga, and now Miki. All of them have fallen under Anthy's spell.



In the classroom, Wakaba and Utena commiserate over their respective failure in math. Wakaba is beautifully animated here as she gives some ludicrous advice from her mother about logic, men, and women. The angle of her head and the features of her face are both fantastic, and were she wearing anything but her Ohtori uniform, you would suspect her of being one of the special people she longs to be.

The 4th Slapdown breaks us into the next scene. Anthy, again, says nothing. This pain, while stinging, is nothing. She has known pain greater than we can possibly imagine, but we don't understand this yet. We see the terrified girl she wants everyone to believe she is.

Keiko explains that Miki did not play the piano because of Miki, and Anthy has no response for them. Her protests fall on deaf ears.

Miki arrives to see the hoi polloi beating on a member of the Student Council, and yet, he does very little in retribution. How quickly we have forgotten that Anthy is a member of the Council. Keiko, Aiko, and Yuko again get away with doing Nanami's dirty work, and Nanami's scheme again, backfires.

Miki knows she is the Rose Bride but this doesn't matter to him. He sees only the pretty face and the delicate hands. She is older than he is, but that matters little to him. Anthy is elegant and mysterious in a way no girl his own age, and perhaps, his own nationality, can be.

Wakaba explains to Utena that Miki is in seventh grade. He is Nanami's classmate, but he is a prodigy and takes university level courses. He also is ranked nationally for fencing and piano. The older girls adore him; one day he will make a fantastic mate.

Miki is grading papers in the library. Ohtori's library is almost all wooden: bookshelves and chairs and tables and staircase. It is as ancient in feel as it is the school itself must surely feel. Again, I'm taken with the beauty of the Academy itself.



Juri comes to Miki, and finally she is as beautiful as she was meant to be. Finally bishoujo and not bishounen, though one must wonder about Miki... She asks him about the test he is grading, and he instead asks about happiness. She ignores him; happiness is not Juri's specialty. In another genre, far away, Juri might be known as Mara Jade. Mara's name is sometimes translated to "Bitter Stone."

Miki does not answer her. He has his secrets, but we know it is Himemiya's. Juri apparently did not bother to read the name on the test. He is speaking with Anthy about the teacher and tricky questions, and Anthy looks grateful. Utena is jealous; she blames the duels for her poor performance in the class even though it has thus far consumed only two of her nights. If the school prodigy is going to help Anthy, well, she has the same problem Anthy does.

Miki introduces himself. Utena, showing her typical naivete, does not make the connection between his uniform and his Student Council position. But she catches on immediately that he is crushing on her friend. It's fascinating to see how she can be utterly perceptive about some things and completely clueless on others.

Miki insists he is different from his peers. Utena is skeptical, but she feels the need to lash out. The Council is the source of all her problems, and he is the most convenient scapegoat at the moment. All Miki hears is that Utena failed the test...

Back in the piano room, where we started. One Kiryuu sibling began this story, another continues it. Touga compliments Miki. Miki doesn't really hear him. All that matters right now is that the song is not bringing pain. He smiles; hope is not lost. Hope is here. Hope is now. The promise of his Shining Thing, his glow, is just before him.

Touga says that he envies Miki. Perhaps he really does. Nanami, on the other hand, suspects that it involves Anthy. Somehow. She just doesn't know the how. It matters little to her. She's seen this girl ensnare the heart of three members of the Student Council and she's determined to know why. In the process, she will crush Anthy if necessary.

Miki comes to tutor Utena and Anthy. With Nanami tagging along.



The lighting in this moment is stunning, especially on Utena herself. This show does sunset so well it almost hurts.

Thus begins Operations: Humiliate Anthy parts 2-4. I don't have much to say about this, except that it's really odd that a girl that spent all night trying to catch a snake is rattled by a pencil case full of snails. Particularly when she had a snail in hand already.

Anthy draws little animations and laughs. Though it is only obvious on re-watch, she is plotting her revenge even now. There are elephants in Nanami's future, and only Anthy knows this. This is completely innocent appearing right now, and you have to applaud the writers for not paying this off immediately.

It is time to eat, and Nanami pulls a bento box half the size of her torso  out of a school bag flatter than her hand.


Bag


Box

Nice one, animators.

Chu-Chu, the bane of the series, has somehow crawled inside the closed box which was inside the flat, closed bag and consumed all the food. Anthy rushes off to make shaved ice, but Nanami's had it. After her failed attempts to humiliate Anthy, this was her chance to save face and it, too, was ruined by another of Anthy's animals. She demands to know why everyone is so attracted to Anthy.

But Anthy is gone.

She's playing the Sunlit Garden...how convenient...again, a play on some level. She knows Miki is taken with her, but how to best pull his strings is still in the air.

But more interesting than that, she says, "maybe takoyaki would have been better for dinner." Tako, really? Right after the octopus incident? Cute. But what is interesting is that no one is around her right now, save Chu-Chu? Who is she talking to? This line isn't a ploy, and if it is, the only people it is meant for is the audience. Assuming she isn't aware of the audience, that means she's speaking to herself.

Is she honest in this solitary moment, then? Is the discord in the other room something she'd prefer to have avoided?

Miki doesn't care about shaved ice, or Nanami's disrespect, or even the tutoring he came to perform. Anthy, the girl he is taken with, is playing his song, and she can actually play it.

He glows.

Last edited by Ashnod (08-10-2012 10:46:08 PM)