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

#51 | Back to Top12-31-2006 07:54:00 AM

Clarice
Well hello, Clarice...
From: New Zealand
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 3102
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Re: Visual wackery

Tamago wrote:

One simple point of inconsistancy I have noticed is whenever they look up at the castle from the duelling arena, the castle looks perfectly still but when they show a side view of both the castle and the arena, the castle is rotating at about the same rate as a 33rpm record... is it just a random pointless thing (which is unlikely considering the nature of this show) or is there a special meaning behind the still from one angle and rotating from another? school-freud

In English it could be a pun on the word "revolution," but I don't know you can extrapolate that from the original Japanese. emot-biggrin I suppose the other way of looking at it is this -- the world turns, and we don't know about it. You have to look at it from an external viewpoint with relative bodies to compare it to in order to realise the world is turning and that it's NOT at the centre of the universe. If that makes any sense in context. emot-wink


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#52 | Back to Top12-31-2006 09:57:09 AM

Maarika
Someday Shiner
From: Estonia
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 2510
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Re: Visual wackery

I like your interpretation of poppies, Clarice. I'll have to think about it some more though.

Clarice wrote:

The cacti are probably symbolic of Akio himself. Firstly he's lying amongst them half-naked -- so he's presenting himself as a sexually available entity, but look at the prickles you have to dodge to get to him (I SAID PRICKLES NOT PRICK STOP LOOKING AT HIS CROTCH). He's being represented as a reward of some sort, but then again...is the journey worth it? (From a moral viewpoint; the sexual ecstasy is not in question here, emot-tongue) You could also say he's being portrayed as equal to the environment of the cacti, i.e. a moral wasteland, or desert. In that case, what do the fortified plants represent? His morals, his emotions, his locked-away "good" self in the form of Dios?

Any thoughts?

Oh, I had a different interpretation about the cacti.
I've always been thinking thatthe cactuses have more to do with Touga than Akio. "The Love that Blossomed in Winter" - the title of the episode refers to the fact that Touga had feelings for Utena at this point. Ironically, his love for her was not meant to survive because nothing can grow or bloom in winter. Utena didn't return his feelings because she was much more interested in Akio. Then again, cactuses may bloom in winter 'cause there are no seasons in the desert (as far as I know) but since deserts are such desolate places, who would notice it? Or what meaning does a single blossom in the desert have if it's all alone?

I think Akio lying among the cactuses represents his power over people. He could manipulate every single one of them and  have absolutely no guilt or regret about doing so. I think so because the cactus he's holding doesn't have any blossoms, nor does it look like it's about to bloom, while the cactus Touga's holding burts into bloom right at the end of their conversation. I think this shows that despite everything, Touga was able to develop feelings for someone (Utena in this case), while Akio remains a cold-hearted manipulator.


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#53 | Back to Top12-31-2006 05:48:32 PM

Tamago
God of Comedy
From: Minami Goushuu
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 14280
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Re: Visual wackery

Clarice wrote:

In English it could be a pun on the word "revolution," but I don't know you can extrapolate that from the original Japanese. emot-biggrin I suppose the other way of looking at it is this -- the world turns, and we don't know about it. You have to look at it from an external viewpoint with relative bodies to compare it to in order to realise the world is turning and that it's NOT at the centre of the universe. If that makes any sense in context. emot-wink

That answer sounds as good as anything that I can think of. school-sherlock

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#54 | Back to Top01-01-2007 05:24:30 PM

iruka
Rose Smilee
Registered: 11-11-2006
Posts: 134

Re: Visual wackery

I last watched Utena a long time ago and have no analysis skillz, but bear with me here. emot-biggrin


episode 35 wrote:

Akio:  The red poppy is native to Southern Europe, and is also known as Gubijin flower.
Akio:  There's a legend that they grew on the spot where Gubijin, who was loved by Kouu, was buried long ago.
Akio:  Because of that, in the language of flowers...is something wrong?
Utena:  Um, no. I just thought that all you knew a lot about was stars.
Utena:  But you know a lot about plants too.
Akio:  I wouldn't say a "lot".
Utena:  So what do red poppies mean in the language of flowers?
Akio:  In the language of flowers, the red poppy means...

Akio never finished. But the red poppy means "pleasure". (also, poppy in general is sleep/oblivion) So I, uh, kinda never questioned it any further after finding that out. Just thought it meant something like Utena blindly falling in lust with Akio.

And the cacti... I thought it symbolised Akio being a bastard. If you try to come near to him, you'll only get pricked by his thorns. Touga has one too, but try as he might he can't be a bastard like Akio; so his cactus has a soft spot in the shape of a pretty little flower.

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#55 | Back to Top01-01-2007 06:17:30 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
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Re: Visual wackery

iruka wrote:

Touga has one too, but try as he might he can't be a bastard like Akio; so his cactus has a soft spot in the shape of a pretty little flower.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooh, way to word this. cool I've never really thought much about that scene but that definitely rings true; especially that the flower blooms right then and Touga's having a rebellious moment in his mind against the direction Akio's taking him. (Or that he thinks Akio is taking him.)


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#56 | Back to Top01-01-2007 08:20:10 PM

Dani
IRG Messiah
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 361

Re: Visual wackery

iruka wrote:

Akio never finished. But the red poppy means "pleasure". (also, poppy in general is sleep/oblivion) So I, uh, kinda never questioned it any further after finding that out. Just thought it meant something like Utena blindly falling in lust with Akio.

In English lit class in college we talked about the poppy. In the 19th century, English authors and poets used the poppy to symbolize someone who didn't know what was going on in the plot or that there was something going on behind their backs. So I always thought that was the reference Akio meant since Utena certainly is oblivious to what's going on around her. But either works. It seems lately the poppy is worn to symbolize peace or rememberance of soldiers who have died in war.

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#57 | Back to Top01-01-2007 09:29:53 PM

Frau Eva
Voodoo Queen
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 803

Re: Visual wackery

Dani wrote:

In English lit class in college we talked about the poppy. In the 19th century, English authors and poets used the poppy to symbolize someone who didn't know what was going on in the plot or that there was something going on behind their backs. So I always thought that was the reference Akio meant since Utena certainly is oblivious to what's going on around her. But either works. It seems lately the poppy is worn to symbolize peace or rememberance of soldiers who have died in war.

HOLY CRAP, that's amazing. Maybe I shouldn't be shying away from the Victorian lit classes in favor of medieval after all. I love flower language so much. etc-love  I always just assumed the poppy was a symbol of Akio's power as master of illusions, since, well, opiates are derived from it. Even the little things seem to spring up so many possible meanings.

I really wish I could find specific meaning on the legend of Gubijin though. emot-frown Maybe I should get out Babelfish and try to start getting some rough translations of Japanese pages.

Last edited by Frau Eva (01-01-2007 10:03:26 PM)


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#58 | Back to Top01-02-2007 07:22:46 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
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Re: Visual wackery

Clarice wrote:

Akio's plucking of a petal with his teeth could refer to two things -- the fact that he controls the dream and its potency, or the fact he's screwing with Utena (both figuratively and literally). After all, plucking flowers is an image associated with the loss of virginity, so...

Dani wrote:

In the 19th century, English authors and poets used the poppy to symbolize someone who didn't know what was going on in the plot or that there was something going on behind their backs.

Frau Eva wrote:

I always just assumed the poppy was a symbol of Akio's power as master of illusions, since, well, opiates are derived from it.

My god the layers. THE LAYERS. etc-love Even after nine years, I still have moments where I fall in love with this show all over again. I always made the virginity connection and the opiate connection but this plot device in literature one is new on me. Awesome.

But you know...Touga's episode in the first arc where he plays his prince card to win the duel is called 'Graceful and Ruthless; The One Who Picks the Flower'. Now obviously this isn't a metaphor for sex, but it could apply to the other two, since he's picking the flower, thereby revealing, her ignorance to the events around her, and in doing so also sobers her prince-induced high.

I wasn't going to attempt to connect the two, but now that I think of it, it's Touga that picks the flower Akio sinks his teeth into. school-devil/school-freud/emot-dance


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#59 | Back to Top01-02-2007 09:18:16 AM

Dani
IRG Messiah
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 361

Re: Visual wackery

I was thinking (always scary) that if the poppy can also symbolize forgetfulness, that might tie into the scene where Akio is questioning Utena on the couch about her recollections of her meeting the prince. First he asks her AGAIN if it's hard to be Anthy's friend and Utena blushes in protest. Then he queries her about the time that she met her prince, "what time was that?". And she says she just can't remember. Is he making her forget somehow?

Edit: Since there seem to be several possible meanings for poppies, it's no surprise that Akio doesn't answer Utena's question about their meaning. Another multi-layered symbol with multiple interpretations...

Last edited by Dani (01-02-2007 09:47:58 AM)

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#60 | Back to Top01-02-2007 10:15:50 AM

Dani
IRG Messiah
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 361

Re: Visual wackery

Hmm, a lot of this poem could speak to Akio and Utena.

   
              The Poppy
   Francis Thompson. 1859–1907

SUMMER set lip to earth's bosom bare,   
And left the flush'd print in a poppy there;   
Like a yawn of fire from the grass it came,   
And the fanning wind puff'd it to flapping flame.   
 
With burnt mouth red like a lion's it drank          5
The blood of the sun as he slaughter'd sank,   
And dipp'd its cup in the purpurate shine   
When the eastern conduits ran with wine.   
 
Till it grew lethargied with fierce bliss,   
And hot as a swinkèd gipsy is,   10
And drowsed in sleepy savageries,   
With mouth wide a-pout for a sultry kiss.   
 
A child and man paced side by side,   
Treading the skirts of eventide;   
But between the clasp of his hand and hers   15
Lay, felt not, twenty wither'd years.   
 
She turn'd, with the rout of her dusk South hair,   
And saw the sleeping gipsy there;   
And snatch'd and snapp'd it in swift child's whim,   
With—'Keep it, long as you live!'—to him.   20
 
And his smile, as nymphs from their laving meres,   
Trembled up from a bath of tears;   
And joy, like a mew sea-rock'd apart,   
Toss'd on the wave of his troubled heart.   
 
For he saw what she did not see,   25
That—as kindled by its own fervency—   
The verge shrivell'd inward smoulderingly:   
 
And suddenly 'twixt his hand and hers   
He knew the twenty wither'd years—   
No flower, but twenty shrivell'd years.   30
 
'Was never such thing until this hour,'   
Low to his heart he said; 'the flower   
Of sleep brings wakening to me,   
And of oblivion memory.'   
 
'Was never this thing to me,' he said,   35
'Though with bruisèd poppies my feet are red!'   
And again to his own heart very low:   
'O child! I love, for I love and know;   
 
'But you, who love nor know at all   
The diverse chambers in Love's guest-hall,   40
Where some rise early, few sit long:   
In how differing accents hear the throng   
His great Pentecostal tongue;   
 
'Who know not love from amity,   
Nor my reported self from me;   45
A fair fit gift is this, meseems,   
You give—this withering flower of dreams.   
 
'O frankly fickle, and fickly true,   
Do you know what the days will do to you?   
To your Love and you what the days will do,   50
O frankly fickle, and fickly true?   
 
'You have loved me, Fair, three lives—or days:   
'Twill pass with the passing of my face.   
But where I go, your face goes too,   
To watch lest I play false to you.   55
 
'I am but, my sweet, your foster-lover,   
Knowing well when certain years are over   
You vanish from me to another;   
Yet I know, and love, like the foster-mother.   
 
'So frankly fickle, and fickly true!   60
For my brief life-while I take from you   
This token, fair and fit, meseems,   
For me—this withering flower of dreams.'   
.      .      .
The sleep-flower sways in the wheat its head,   
Heavy with dreams, as that with bread:   65
The goodly grain and the sun-flush'd sleeper   
The reaper reaps, and Time the reaper.   
 
I hang 'mid men my needless head,   
And my fruit is dreams, as theirs is bread:   
The goodly men and the sun-hazed sleeper   70
Time shall reap, but after the reaper   
The world shall glean of me, me the sleeper!   
 
Love! love! your flower of wither'd dream   
In leavèd rhyme lies safe, I deem,   
Shelter'd and shut in a nook of rhyme,   75
From the reaper man, and his reaper Time.   
 
Love! I fall into the claws of Time:   
But lasts within a leavèd rhyme   
All that the world of me esteems—   
My wither'd dreams, my wither'd dreams.   80

Last edited by Dani (01-02-2007 10:16:24 AM)

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#61 | Back to Top01-29-2007 10:44:03 AM

Nico
New Student
Registered: 01-25-2007
Posts: 4

Re: Visual wackery

This is an odd one and there's plenty else I could say.. but I like it when the Boeing 747 Nanami leaves for India on turns into a silhouette during the shadow play girls talk and the sound effect that goes with it.

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#62 | Back to Top01-30-2007 05:25:17 PM

brian
Atlantean Singer
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 589

Re: Visual wackery

Just being pedantic but cacti do bloom at specifc seasons.
Also the Japanese are great fanciers of cacti, they have bred many new varieties.

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#63 | Back to Top02-19-2013 04:49:25 PM

Riri-kins
World's End
From: Cloud Nine
Registered: 09-22-2008
Posts: 2354

Re: Visual wackery

I love the way movie Utena's hair grows and the umbrellas on the desks during Keiko's duel. I also like the toy chick that hit the wall in episode twenty-six and all of the puberty/motherhood/premarital sex/wedlock metaphors in episode twenty-seven.


Proud Saionji and Mikage fangirl
My Utena fanfiction: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2000115/Riri-kins

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#64 | Back to Top02-20-2013 02:26:18 PM

SheikFanel
Wakaba Wrangler
From: NY
Registered: 02-15-2013
Posts: 18
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Re: Visual wackery

My favorite visual is the scene when Utena gets her ring in the film. Oh my gosh..its just so breathtaking. The petals everywhere, and the music..

I love how Utena's hair goes from short to long like magic.

I also really love the dance scene of course emot-smile

Its been a while since I've watched the series through, I've seen the movie twice last week so its more fresh in my mind.

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#65 | Back to Top12-13-2013 12:52:11 PM

Snow
Troublesome Insect
From: under the dogstar sail
Registered: 09-30-2013
Posts: 643

Re: Visual wackery

Gonna necro this baby so hard

An interesting thing I noticed in the poppy field scene, which may or may not be relevant and symbolic (but hey, it looks pretty!).
The first shot of Akio and Utena surrounded by poppies makes it look (from the viewer's perspective) as if they're standing in the middle of an open meadow with wild poppies growing freely all around them, very romantic and poetic and whatnot.

Then we get the shot from above, and it becomes evident that they are standing in the middle of a strictly organized,labyrinth-like garden of poppies...

An image that creates an atmosphere of freedom, love, passion, is replaced by an image of control, confusion and obfuscation.
To top it off, we see the sex-car of sex slowly slide into view, a symbol of Akio's reign as End of the World - the ultimate puppetmaster.
It could be a cue intended for the viewers, paralleling Utena's current situation in the story...

...Or it could just be a comparison of English vs French-style landscaping...

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