https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CXR … tQSbyrZs0/

Here's the ongoing transcription of the text that Dallbun's working on.

I'm not doing anything important anyway, just my job. I'm halfway through ripping the text so.

Honestly I'm not surprised we don't get more inside Kozue's head. Saito seems to prefer to keep that level of darkness at a remove from her writing, she's never seemed comfortable writing the more fucked up characters or story arcs. I'm still shocked she put the CSA in the movie manga, but Touga made it easy by having a pathos that includes himself reducing it to like, nbd pillow talk. There are a few conversations with series and manga Akio basically saying the same thing, and she never failed to take the actually creepy subtext out. I think it's just a relative difference of style where she's not as dark a storyteller.

I'm still excited, though. I have to say she's honestly done pretty good here not making a god damn unholy mess of the characters, she pretty consistently hit the middle ground as far as themes, interpretations, and how to make as many people happy. (At least in Japan.) That said, I think it's pretty obvious which installment most deeply held her attention. XD



also, hot take, the new musical is the best interpretation of SKU after the series, fucking fight me

Well, we didn't get an explanation as to the disaster that set the stage for this manga, but I also get the feeling that it doesn't quite matter; that it's merely another lens through which to filter Utena's basic structure.

This hasn't been my favorite version of Utena, but I'm very glad we got it at all, and it's making me want to rewatch the show again, though more likely just the movie because 39 episodes is a lot oAo

Dallbun wrote:

The linking thread throughout the three chapters of young Utena searching for Anthy was pretty cool. I'm glad that we get some closure on the end of the manga, where Utena has that last conversation with Touga and then sets out in search of An...

Wait, no, that's not right. I'm getting confused. This manga is much more anime-based than anything. What I meant was, the ending of the anime, where Utena confronts Akio and then leaves Ohtori to search for... wait

I'm

kind of confused

Lol it's not much but I do appreciate Saito's genuine effort to make as 'meaty' stories as she could. She's at least aware that hardcore fans like us exist.  Still, fangless chaste af kozue? /:

Also, I'm super ambivalent about Miki's quote to Kozue - "Our relationship is still evolving"

Pros:
If something, including a relationship, isn't quite at the stage you'd like it to be, recognising it as such first is key to improving it. Goes with the confronting reality theme they have rather nicely.
Solid(ish) answer? Kozue seems happy with it at least.

Cons:
There's such a thing as always thinking you're in a transitional or "I'm still learning" state and...never actually learning. Because you use it as an excuse every time.
Ambiguity galore! And ambiguity, as we've seen in the series, is a great set up for misunderstanding and manipulation.

Thank you for doing this! At the same time, though…I've been using the scans to practice my rusty Japanese. Any chance you can put the raws back up?

Thanks so much!

You can read the whole thing translated, along with the other two installments, in the gallery on this website!

http://ohtori.nu/gallery/20th-Manga