This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)

#1 | Back to Top08-17-2007 03:33:21 PM

Razara
Marionette Mistress
From: Wuzzy Happy Akio Town (What?)
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 4694

The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

In an anime magazine called Anime Insider, they rated the ten biggest jerks in all of anime. Who was number one? The results?:

1.) The Entire Cast of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena.'

The article wrote:

It was so difficult to select one character from Revolutionary Girl Utena that we're awarding a "collective jerk" honor to nearly the entire cast. Saionji isn't the only jerk on the student council, either. President Touga is a conceited playboy who manipulates his way into upper levels of the school's secret society. He uses numerous head games on Utena, and though he's partly trying to protect her, he's ruthless about it, even sending his adoring sister Nanami into the fray. Nanami is no angel herself; jealous of her brother's attention towards Anthy (and anyone else), she pulls plenty of mean-spirited pranks on her.

Even the supporting characters are cruel: Shiori deliberately plays off her friend Juri's affections, driving her to jealousy for no reason. (emot-mad) And then there's the mastermind behind the show's "Black Rose" series of battles: Mikage, who turns innocent and troubled students against Anthy.

Yet there's no jerk quite like Anthy's own older brother, Akio. A scheming womanizer, Akio takes advantage of just about every woman he meets, including Anthy herself and the strong-willed Utena. He's also responsible for pulling Mikage's strings and bringing about the duelling war. For that, he ranks above all others in this especially jerk-intensive series.

To no one's surprise, when I got my hands on this, I skimmed through the article until I found Shiori's name. Then I abruptly yelled "FUCK YOU," at the top of my lungs, and fell out of my chair, which was mildly painful, since I feel inbetween the arm rest and the chair itself. (Unfortunately, I'm not kidding.) It's just that they said she does it for no reason that bothers me. I should write an angry letter and demand that they apologize. school-chef

So, what are your thoughts on this? Are the SKU characters really the biggest jerks in all of anime?

Edit: Disclaimer: I don't care if you guys think that Shiori is a jerk. I've probably done the falling out of a chair reaction before, and I wasn't really expecting to react that badly to seeing Shiori listed there.

Last edited by Razara (08-17-2007 04:06:49 PM)

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#2 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:03:50 PM

Rae
Black Rosarian
Registered: 01-10-2007
Posts: 390

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

I'll admit that Utena hosts the biggest psychological messes in anime. As for jerks, no way! I find that the characters represent real kinds of people ... yes, these types of people do exist. Their internal struggles are something we all share. Calling the cast a bunch of jerks is just an ignorant response. You have to understand (or get the gist of) the whole meaning of why the characters are the way they are. Utena's not a shallow anime ... which is what the result of that list is.

Whoever compiled the list is really too used to general anime themes. Well, friends, there's nothing general about Utena.

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#3 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:10:55 PM

MissMocha
Bettie Page Princess
From: Tallahassee, Fl
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 4632

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

You know, a jerk to me is someone that's classless and unintelligent. I don't really think anybody falls into that catagory for SKU. What pisses me off is that by far the biggest manipulator of the whole damned series (aside form Akio) is Anthy. And does she get any nod? No. People, wake up and smell the goddamn passive-agressive dueling roses. Anthy. Is. Just. As. Shitty. As. Akio (for most of the series anyway).

I'm so happy I don't read anime mags anymore. They're always so damned schlocky, and it seems like everyone has to adhere to the same damned formula or they slam the anime. Ugh, ugh, ugh.


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#4 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:11:22 PM

Epi_lepsia
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From: Madrid, Spain
Registered: 11-26-2006
Posts: 1429
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Razara wrote:

In an anime magazine called Anime Insider, they rated the ten biggest jerks in all of anime. Who was number one? The results?:

1.) The Entire Cast of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena.'

The article wrote:

And then there's the mastermind behind the show's "Black Rose" series of battles: Mikage, who turns innocent and troubled students against Anthy

*AHEM*



....well, in some way they ARE right. You know why? I realized that Utena is the most humanizated series ever made. That means, they are the biggest jerks in the universe, just like us. They are people.

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#5 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:24:10 PM

Alithea
Dark Whisperer
From: Westminster, CO
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 1152
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

I think I could kind of agree with that he seems to have forgotten that Juri, Ruka, and Kozue are all jerks too. I don't care what anyone says (and I love her dearly) but Juri is jerk (she has her slapping Anthy monents too you know). Shiori is a jerk , but it's unfair to single her out when Juri is a jerk too.


"The only reason to write is to write for love. Write for passion. If you have the privilege of being able to write, then don't do it for any other reason." - Stephen Sondheim

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#6 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:41:39 PM

Razara
Marionette Mistress
From: Wuzzy Happy Akio Town (What?)
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 4694

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Alithea wrote:

I think I could kind of agree with that he seems to have forgotten that Juri, Ruka, and Kozue are all jerks too. I don't care what anyone says (and I love her dearly) but Juri is jerk (she has her slapping Anthy monents too you know). Shiori is a jerk , but it's unfair to single her out when Juri is a jerk too.

You read my mind. Shiori is a jerk, but you can hardly leave Juri and Ruka out of it. (I didn't even think of Kozue. How could they forget her?)


For the most part, I do agree with this article. SKU does have a lot of jerks. Almost everyone does have at least one moment where they could do something that could be considered the behavior of a jerk. However, the thing that sets this apart from other anime is that they all have a good reason for behaving the way you do. These characters aren't jerks simply because it helps the plot along.

Look at other animes... They're always filled with characters who are jerks just for the hell of it. A lot of times those characters exist so that they can make the main character look like a hero. The villans are usually just born as jerks, making it seem horribly unrealistic. "I'm a jerk because I can be," is the worst kind of jerk. Though the number of jerks in SKU is rather large, none of them behave in the stereotypical manner of a jerk in other anime. If SKU was filled with those kind of jerks, I'd probably hate it, because watching people like that pisses me off.

I wish that I still had the magazine with the other jerks in it, but my friend just showed it to me while she was visiting for a little while earlier today.

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#7 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:45:18 PM

MissMocha
Bettie Page Princess
From: Tallahassee, Fl
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 4632

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

I never realized how weird the word "jerk" was until this thread.

It's a strange word.


The first time you looked at her curves you were hooked
And the glances you took, took hold of you and demanded that you stay
And sunk in their teeth, bit your heart and released
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#8 | Back to Top08-17-2007 04:50:18 PM

Asfalolh
Knight of Gates
From: Barcelona (Catalonia)
Registered: 10-23-2006
Posts: 2005

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Razara wrote:

"I'm a jerk because I can be," is the worst kind of jerk. Though the number of jerks in SKU is rather large, none of them behave in the stereotypical manner of a jerk in other anime.

Word.

I wonder if the guy who wrote it had watched SKU, or only had googled it.

Last edited by Asfalolh (08-17-2007 04:52:15 PM)

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#9 | Back to Top08-17-2007 05:01:03 PM

Alithea
Dark Whisperer
From: Westminster, CO
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 1152
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

In all honesty, the characters of Utena, most of them, aren't really jerks at all, but as Razara pointed out each character has a human moment when they act like jerk. They have their reasons for acting like a jerk, and their reasons do not make their actions excusable, but they have reasons as most people do. I think depending on the character the audience likes it's easier to forgive certain jerky behavior. But this is what makes the show wonderful, right, that the characters are truly human. They are not perfect.

Heck even Utena has a moment or two when she's being a jerk. It's rather subtle and perhaps it's just more being stupid, but there you go.


"The only reason to write is to write for love. Write for passion. If you have the privilege of being able to write, then don't do it for any other reason." - Stephen Sondheim

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#10 | Back to Top08-17-2007 05:35:09 PM

Hiraku
Easter Elf #40
From: Singapore
Registered: 02-21-2007
Posts: 6342
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Everyone can justify their actions, but if the peers refuse to try to actually understand where they came from, then those people are just as big of a jerk as the SKU cast.
I mean, even Akio has his reason to lash out against the world. His sister did something to protect him, and people branded her as a witch for doing so. If anyone's the jerk, it's the close-mindedness and foolishness that lie within society because THAT is what twisted or even destroyed whatever could've been wonderful and beautiful in people's heart and soul. (Those goddamn swords at the end of the series)

Last edited by Hiraku (08-17-2007 05:35:25 PM)

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#11 | Back to Top08-17-2007 06:36:25 PM

Nilamarthiel
The Icon Icon
From: Northern Michigan
Registered: 02-05-2007
Posts: 3972
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Jerks? HA. No.

Jealous, heartbroken, selfish, obtuse, demonstrating "tough love", manipulative, normal teenagers in an abnormal situation? Absolutely.

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#12 | Back to Top08-17-2007 07:53:54 PM

Baka Kakumei Reanna
Atlantean Singer
From: Wisconsin
Registered: 07-31-2007
Posts: 572
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

I think it's overly simplistic to call them jerks. This is just like people calling Sasuke from Naruto "emo." They lack the capacity to analyze a fictional character beyond what they can describe using a single word.


We see things not as they are, we see things as we are.

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#13 | Back to Top08-17-2007 08:01:46 PM

Maarika
Someday Shiner
From: Estonia
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 2510
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

That means whoever wrote that is a jerk too 'cause they couldn't even see the depth to it.
And I'm annoyed about Anthy being left out of the list! emot-mad She's the Queen of all Jerks in SKU!

So who were the runners-up?


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#14 | Back to Top08-17-2007 08:49:04 PM

Ragnarok
Caption Captor
From: Canada
Registered: 10-20-2006
Posts: 4472
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Alithea wrote:

Heck even Utena has a moment or two when she's being a jerk. It's rather subtle and perhaps it's just more being stupid, but there you go.

I was going to mention this, but you beat me to it. emot-smile

The article says "The Entire Cast of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena" so why does it go into detail on some people and not others? It's as if someone wrote the title and then someone else wrote the explanation for it. By selecting a few characters to talk about it undermines the concept that everyone is a potential jerk in the series. Plus the little summaries aren't entirely accurate, either. C'est la vie.


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#15 | Back to Top08-17-2007 09:23:44 PM

Hiraku
Easter Elf #40
From: Singapore
Registered: 02-21-2007
Posts: 6342
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Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

I'd say just consider this as another "Tale of the Rose". The performers and critics prefer to talk about the "fairy tale" version of the story rather than what's actually there.

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#16 | Back to Top08-17-2007 09:27:14 PM

Shelleh
New Student
From: back of my mind
Registered: 01-27-2007
Posts: 2

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Look Razara! I'm posting in the forums all by myself! You must be so proud of me!! X3

For those wondering who the other "jerks" that made the list were,

10: Mugen - Samurai Champloo
9: Ilpalazzo - Excel Saga
8: Genjo Sanzo - Saiyuki
7: Katsuhiko Jinnai - El Hazard
6: Sae Kashiwagi - Peach Girl
5: Byakuya Kuchiki - Bleach
4: Char Aznable - Moble Suit Gundam
3: Gendo Ikari - Evangelion
2: Vegeta - DBZ

Kinda amuzed that SKU beat out Vegeta...  Also amuzed by the kinda unknown series. I thought no one remembered El Hazard. ;;  And I'm pretty sure there are a LOT more jerks out there. Those that have seen Trinity Blood: Cain? Dietrich? For pete's sake, "I 'love' you. Oh, and by the way, that vampire you're locked in the cell with, who is a good friend of yours now, is going to go crazy with hunger if you don't kill him. Kthxby."

Yeah, most of list is really just personal opinion. I'm sure there are bigger jerks out there.


"I shall fly at you and eat you!!" **shakes fist of anger**


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#17 | Back to Top08-17-2007 09:34:49 PM

Raven Nightshade
Someday Shiner
From: Louisiana
Registered: 12-17-2006
Posts: 2925

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

It's funny...I wouldn't call most of the people on that list jerks either. What exactly is their criteria for jerk-itude?


Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.
It's so far and out of sight.
I really need someone to talk to and nobody else
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#18 | Back to Top08-17-2007 09:42:42 PM

Razara
Marionette Mistress
From: Wuzzy Happy Akio Town (What?)
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 4694

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Shelleh wrote:

Look Razara! I'm posting in the forums all by myself! You must be so proud of me!! X3

Yes! Very proud! emot-keke

I'm rather surprised that the cast of SKU beat Vegeta, as well. I mean, didn't he once save an entire planet from enslavement, triggering a happy romantic scene between two people, and then destroyed the entire planet just for the fun of it? And he's among the 'evil for no reason' group of people.

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#19 | Back to Top08-17-2007 10:06:58 PM

Raven Nightshade
Someday Shiner
From: Louisiana
Registered: 12-17-2006
Posts: 2925

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Well, that explains why Gendo is only #3....


Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.
It's so far and out of sight.
I really need someone to talk to and nobody else
Knows how to comfort me tonight.

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#20 | Back to Top08-17-2007 10:15:10 PM

Alexandra
Covert Diarist
From: Dreamworld
Registered: 04-07-2007
Posts: 808

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Once again, Anthy gets away scot-free.  Of course.  She's never bad. emot-keke

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#21 | Back to Top08-17-2007 10:41:07 PM

Hiraku
Easter Elf #40
From: Singapore
Registered: 02-21-2007
Posts: 6342
Website

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Gendo isn't a jerk! He's just scared and insecure about facing his son after he lost his wife, is all. And, Jinnai is a tyrant, but a fair one because at least he'd like to keep his subjects alive despite the fact that he's an arrogant prick.

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#22 | Back to Top08-18-2007 12:52:17 AM

Shance
Miki Molester
From: Ottawa, Canada
Registered: 10-29-2006
Posts: 32

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Utena is a character-driven anime.  Characterization is what makes the anime as great as it is.  If people have no interest in character depth, it's probably not the anime for them.

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#23 | Back to Top08-18-2007 01:33:49 AM

SleepDebtFairy
Revolutionary
From: Washington DC
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 2096
Website

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Wow, that's... amusing. XD

I basically agree with what everyone else has said. Also, I find the characters in SKU refreshing, personally. Sure, they're 'jerks' if you want to simplify it. But they're also very human. I guess that says something bad about humanity, but I also think most of the characters are very sympathetic. I get annoyed with most animes because the characters are too damn perfect and good.

..and why isn't Anthy up there? XD

Last edited by SleepDebtFairy (08-18-2007 01:35:00 AM)

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#24 | Back to Top08-18-2007 02:12:02 AM

Maarika
Someday Shiner
From: Estonia
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 2510
Website

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Apparently, the author thought that Anthy was an innocent victim and didn't feel right to include her with all those jerks.

Also, I'm hoping this article will make more people watch Utena. There are probably people who think that "Wow, I gotta see this anime because the entire cast is made of jerks!" and then they watch it and after that they'll either be "Why didn't they include Anthy in the jerks list!??! She stabbed Utena!!! emot-mad " or "Why didn't the article mention anything about the depth of the characters and symbolism? emot-confused ". But that depends on the viewers anyway.

school-sherlock I'm also starting to believe that whoever wrote that article hasn't seen all of Utena. Otherise I'm pretty sure they would've included Anthy too.


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#25 | Back to Top08-18-2007 02:26:00 AM

Shance
Miki Molester
From: Ottawa, Canada
Registered: 10-29-2006
Posts: 32

Re: The SKU Cast: Biggest Jerks in All of Anime

Maarika wrote:

Apparently, the author thought that Anthy was an innocent victim and didn't feel right to include her with all those jerks.

Also, I'm hoping this article will make more people watch Utena. There are probably people who think that "Wow, I gotta see this anime because the entire cast is made of jerks!" and then they watch it and after that they'll either be "Why didn't they include Anthy in the jerks list!??! She stabbed Utena!!! emot-mad " or "Why didn't the article mention anything about the depth of the characters and symbolism? emot-confused ". But that depends on the viewers anyway.

school-sherlock I'm also starting to believe that whoever wrote that article hasn't seen all of Utena. Otherise I'm pretty sure they would've included Anthy too.

It reminds me of the article on the Utena movie that is ("was", if that site is gone or different now) on the Anime Parents Guide site.  They complained about it being "too sexual" compared to the "tame TV series".  The TV series is "tame"?  Yeah, let's forget all about Akio's lovemobile, among other things...  Sounds like whoever wrote the article has seen next to no Utena.

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