Wait wait wait. Dios wasn't self-sacrificing?
He nearly died because of his relentless efforts to save everyone! I doubt it would have been beyond him to die for a cause.
And I wouldn't say Utena has a kamikaze attitude. I don't think the importance was the sacrifice, the importance was the unconditional love she showed for Anthy.

He's pretty clearly straining himself in reaction to the people's calls for help. And notice Anthy is holding him down, and she locks him up inside. If there was any screwing, Anthy was screwing Dios, not the other way around. Perhaps Akio's seduction of Utena was a cathartic way to replicate how his own sister violated him in his youth?
While Plot Armor may have been present, there's no way Dios could know that. And there was Plot Armor to protect Utena all the way up to the very end.

E: To sound less confrontational.

Last edited by Atropos (03-01-2012 06:57:34 PM)

In cybernetic terms, you could term that as a networked, complex adaptive systems model as opposed to a viable system, in which there is a clear division between the "brain" of the firm, its tools, and the environment with which it interacts.

Also, in an idealized control loop, one creates variations in one's output while limiting variations in one's input. Dios' response to every problem (the output of their system) was to ride in on his horse and crush it, while the problems that he solved (the inputs to the system) were moderated by Anthy, someone who is clearly an amplifier of variation. This is why they could not maintain control; his violent, simplistic actions created chaos and dependency, while his sister's failure to screen his calls caused him to exhaust his energy tackling an infinite variety of trivial problems.

At Ohtori, Akio, the attenuator, is the one who selects the duelists, while Anthy the amplifier is the one who creates the environments and does the bulk of the interaction, which explains why the new system's control over its environment seems to be much more stable and complete. This system, however, was forced on individuals whose temperaments do not fit the tools with which they serve these roles, which creates internal stresses despite its effectiveness.

Actually, no. The problem is that Akio learned to amplify variation in his outputs, while Anthy didn't really learn to attenuate her inputs until she became focused on finding Utena. This became a problem because Akio did nothing to attenuate Anthy's inputs; in fact, he worked very hard to expose her to as much variation as possible, which created most of the tension.

Everything that Akio says is a lie, even the things he believes to be fundamental truths. When he says that "Ideals are not enough, what you need is power," what he's implying is that when he was Dios he was powerless, while being Chairman of Ohtori Academy gives him power. This is false; what he lost was power, and what he gained was knowledge, or a wealth of ideal forms.

His sister is the opposite.

Last edited by Overlord Morgus (03-03-2012 01:26:01 PM)