I'm not absolutely sure if this is what you mean but:
- stairs to the duel arena looks alike Archimedes' screw
- stairs form the above are shaped like a golden spiral

And there are also many references in songs, majority of them rather obvious but still.
I remember:
Shangri-La, Paradise Lost, Sodom in Absolute Destiny Apocalypse
Dante, de Sade, Swift in Allegory, Allegorier, Allegoriest
Scypio in Spira Mirabilis something
so many monuments in I Am All the Mysteries in Creation

satyreyes wrote:

Um, Ohtori means phoenix, as does the manga's "Houou City."  That's a direct allusion of sorts, though I'm not sure whether it's an allusion to the Western phoenix or the Eastern one.  It's Ikuni, so probably both?

I'd assume the Eastern one, as Houou is a derivation of Fenghuang, the Chinese name for phoenix.

To take it a step further, I would like to note that Kiryuu means "paulownia living". A paulownia (originally spelled Pavlovna for a Russian duchess) is also known as a "princess tree", "empress tree", or a "foxglove tree". Relating to the phoenix, it is said that one will land on a paulownia tree when a good ruler is in power. Actually, here's the Wikipedia article on the specific species of tree that this legend refers to. The tree's descriptions alone are just rife for symbolism about Touga and/or Nanami.

Last edited by Raven Nightshade (06-11-2015 10:30:22 PM)

Giovanna wrote:

These are all great!! I'm still torn on whether to include the duel choruses in this part of the site, which is going to be just a single page listing. I'm thinking more that over time I'd like to let the page break off into a list of the duel choruses with their respective references listed. Otherwise it'll get clogged with that content.

I think duel songs should be definitely listed separately; the content of certain duel songs can be enough to fill an entire essay and that's just with listing definitions, before even going into analysis. XD

One of my favorite references but from a duel song, is the Spira Mirabilis. I have "Eadem mutata resurgo" written on the magnetic board above my desk.


What about all the Anthy x Utena room scenes where the camera pans constellations and other heavenly bodies in the window? Has anyone ever made a collection of what each one is? That would be a great reference to list, I'd like to know what they all are. I feel like when people analyze SKU they just come to the end and there's so much shit going on that the giant planets in the window are the least of their worries.

Other things that come to mind: the red poppies that Akio enjoys eating for symbolic reasons (or peonies?), Kanae's white lilies. And are the statues in Juri's episode where she flips out on Utena based on real ones, or just purely there for coolz?

Last edited by YamPuff (06-15-2015 04:45:18 AM)

I guess you could add Chiho Saito's Magnolia Waltz from the second episode to the list.

I think constructivist architecture heavily influenced the set designs in the movie, and is subtly present in the series as well, particularly in the design of the dueling tower. Tatlin's Tower comes to mind, the interesting thing about it is that it had a tilted elevator and spiral staircase planned. Segments that revolved individually on a daily, monthly and yearly basis were also part of the plan.

As for more vague architectural influences, I have a few guesses, but just as personal observations.

The Nemuro Memorial Hall seems like a mishmash of styles and influences, mostly classicistic. It's elongated proportions seem distinctly Roman, but its high postament reminds me a bit of how the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus is often portrayed. The ruined pillars in front look like they have Egyptian capitals,if proportions are to go by, with closed papyrus or lotus flower motif. Individual parts (portal, balustrade, loggia/balcony, windows) look renaissance. I find that quite interesting, since the rest of the campus displays more recent styles. Well, the school building archways and courtyard are very renaissance too, palaces and monastery grounds had a similar concept. It's impressive how well different styles communicate in Ohtori.

And I'm sure the dueling arena gate being a reference to Hortus Conclusus (ahem) was already mentioned on the forums, and the way to open it being by getting everything wet

Ikuhara borrowed heavily from Night on the Galactic Railroad in Penguindrum, but few people seem to note the reference to it near the end of the Utena series and in Adolescence.

I'm going to have to spoiler this in case people still want to see Galactic Railroad and it's a pretty huge reveal in the movie. [I'm talking about Juri's story about a boy who rescued another child from drowning and died as a result. In Galactic Railroad, this is what is found to have been Campanella's fate.]

Demian's got me thinking about the movie, in particular, and how many long-dead characters are still reacted to and discussed as if they're out there, chilling.

In the same way our boy in the novel is never () making up anything about Demian, he's a totally real guy who's out there doing stuff, and... mother! you had me, but I never had you!

That's for the Indirect Reference thread, though.

The apple shooting scenario performed by the shadow play girls makes mention of the legend of William Tell.
Apparently it's a legend from Switzerland.

Arale wrote:

Also on the subject of duel songs, don't forget what Mikage's duel-song was really referencing - that one photography technique thing by that guy. Yeah I'm very specific but you know what I'm talking about!

The daguerreotype process?