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 Top01-16-2011 12:27:49 PM

monica
New Student
Registered: 12-22-2010
Posts: 9

Yin/Yang dynamic in RGU

I've been wondering about all the Yin/Yang imaginary that is scattered all over the place in RGU, starting from the opening.

I've noticed many times that to emphasize the yin/yang dynamic between the two characters, they're showed opposite each other with one of them always upside down. The one who is upside down seems to be always representing the yin component (is that so?).

Moreover, I read that in the Buddhist tantra, the right side is associated with masculine component (Shiva) and the left side with feminine one (Shakti). In RGU opening, right at the start when Utena and Anthy are spinning inside their roses - if we look at them from their point of view, Utena is on the right and Anthy is on the left side. I was wondering if that might be symbolic.

But then after the title showing, we have Utena and Anthy walking with the Ohtori Academy in the background and they are on the left and right repectively (the same is when they're inside the greenhouse). And then they're laying somewhere on the school grounds, but this time Anthy is again on the left and Utena on right (but - what I think is important - Anthy is still upside down just like in the beginning).
Then we some action stuff and after they're separation i(again) at the end, we are left only with Utena spinning on the rose, still on the right side.
As we know from the last episode, Anthy is shown walking on left side (just like Utena in the beginning) and yes, she is no longer upside down.

So, does this point at some kind of transition of Anthy from the masculine component into the feminine component even though she seemed to be the feminine one from the beggining and only switched into the masculine one right at the end? Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it?

Anyway, I love all the yin/yang dynamics and I think that it's pretty significant aspect of the whole story.

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