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 Top05-13-2010 12:00:53 AM
An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
TVTropes' Better Than It Sounds pages enumerate thousands of anime, books, movies, and other media using summaries of just one or two sentences. An ideal summary is short and funny, and (for bonus points) makes the work sound pretty boring to people who aren't in on it. For example, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is summarized: "The whole school is endangered by a girl writing in her diary. It takes a full school year to resolve the situation."
Utena is on the list. Unfortunately, its description is lackluster:
A girl enrolls in a mysterious academy where fencing is practically a way of life and everyone has issues.
Accurate but boring. We can do better.
How would you summarize Utena in a couple sentences?
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#2 | Back to Top05-13-2010 04:30:10 AM
- Katzenklavier
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A transvestite gets engaged to a bespectacled Indian, under the condition she pull a sword out of her fiancee's chest and humiliate a group of prestigious horny emos.
A pervert with a mullet encourages pretty teenagers to solve their problems through metaphorical violence and pop philosophy for no particular reason.
An evil chairman and his pet ginger attempt to get a crossdresser to wear a skirt so they can get in it. It takes an entire series.
A school tries to show an idealistic girl that spousal abuse is okay.
Last edited by Katzenklavier (05-13-2010 05:59:53 AM)
We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not forward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.
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#3 | Back to Top05-13-2010 01:15:06 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Katzenklavier wrote:
An evil chairman and his pet ginger attempt to get a crossdresser to wear a skirt so they can get in it. It takes an entire series.
For about three seconds, I thought the pet ginger was his car. 
A Freudian cautionary story about coming of age, aimed at Japanese schoolgirls and American liberal arts students.
If I did this wrong it's because I'm full of delicious jerk chicken.
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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#4 | Back to Top05-13-2010 01:43:31 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Katz, I love your first one especially! 
An off-IRG friend of mine suggests:
Trust-fund kid and his hot sister make their drama everyone's drama. Tomboy won't play along.
I'm not sold on Akio being a trust-fund kid, and it seems to me that Utena plays along pretty well, but this is pretty funny.
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#5 | Back to Top05-13-2010 03:03:40 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
I thought about this for a while and could only come up with an inferior version of Gio's.
Katz's first one is great, although 'prestigious horny emos' rings a little off. Mostly because the tone of the sentence changes a lot using those particular words.
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#6 | Back to Top05-13-2010 07:19:29 PM
- winksniper
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A tomboy with hopes too high gets herself sucked into an isolated school where she meets a two-faced Indian woman and tries to save her from herself. Whether or not the tomboy returns to real life is unknown.
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#7 | Back to Top05-13-2010 07:25:10 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Katzenklavier wrote:
A pervert with a mullet encourages pretty teenagers to solve their problems through metaphorical violence and pop philosophy for no particular reason.
This one has my vote. It's utterly accurate
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#8 | Back to Top05-13-2010 11:23:42 PM
- Blowfish
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A pervert with a mullet encourages pretty teenagers to solve their problems through metaphorical violence and pop philosophy for no particular reason.
An evil chairman and his pet ginger attempt to get a crossdresser to wear a skirt so they can get in it. It takes an entire series.
I approve of both of these, for different reasons. 
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#9 | Back to Top05-14-2010 01:19:51 AM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Sadly I have a few, due to trying to get my brother to watch the show whit me, unfortunately they are all alike, 
(or start alike ) anyway here it goes:
-the brief ones (or as brief as I managed to made them.)
"Symbolism, humor, drama, incest and sexuality are all mixed up in this interesting story, whose main characters are trying to obtain a mysterious power to solve personal problems"
"Follow a tomboyish and naive girl being swept into the intrigues of the student council who's members are all part of secret duels, whose prize is a magical sword sealed inside an enigmatic girl's chest."
-the long one.
"Tomboyish and naive girl tries to stay true to a promise by becoming a prince. Watch her trying to help a mysterious friend who is the prize of a secret dueling game and being slowly seduce by said friend's older brother and mastermind behind the game."
Last edited by teyhy (05-14-2010 01:20:23 AM)
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - H. Berlioz.
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#10 | Back to Top05-14-2010 01:53:59 AM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A pervert with a mullet encourages pretty teenagers to solve their problems through metaphorical violence and pop philosophy for no particular reason.
An evil chairman and his pet ginger attempt to get a crossdresser to wear a skirt so they can get in it. It takes an entire series.
Let me give my own try to butcher the series up 
I don't think I can simplify it well enough.
In a High school with a distinct lack of a therapist, student extracurricular activities include pulling weapons through chests so they can gain magical powers to fix their brains. Think Sailor Moon meets Evangelion.
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Its an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be in San Francisco-Oscar Wilde.
Anyone get the feeling finding Utena is going to be a lot like where in the world is Carmen San Diego?
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#11 | Back to Top05-14-2010 11:19:09 AM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
satyreyes wrote:
Trust-fund kid and his hot sister make their drama everyone's drama. Tomboy won't play along.
At first, I definitely thought this was Touga and Nanami, which would work with the trust-fund statement. It wasn't until I read your comment that I realized Akio and Anthy make much more sense.
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#12 | Back to Top05-14-2010 02:27:17 PM
- Imaginary Bad Bug
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Hmm, I'll take a crack at it, though with a slightly different approach...
"Rings. Princes. Roses. Engagement. Duels. The End of the World."
Last edited by Imaginary Bad Bug (05-14-2010 02:29:37 PM)
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#13 | Back to Top05-14-2010 03:00:47 PM
- NajiMinkin
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Hm...
"Private school students have lots of sex and fight with swords with no blood shed and no boobs shown."
"Stylish man with a mullet tries to attain godliness by harnessing the power of teenager angst."
"Crossdresser cries her way into a coffin. Former prostitute escapes with her monkey."
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#14 | Back to Top05-14-2010 04:59:25 PM
- Katzenklavier
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Naji: "Crossdresser cries her way into a coffin. Former prostitute escapes with her monkey."
Bam. Favorite.
teyhy:"Follow a tomboyish and naive girl being swept into the intrigues of the student council who's members are all part of secret duels, whose prize is a magical sword sealed inside an enigmatic girl's chest."
Sounds like the back of a DVD cover, in a good way. I would buy the shit out of this.
A young girl's molestation by her imaginary boyfriend leads her to develop adolescent penis-envy...with sexy consequences.
A former creative artist for Sailor Moon grows despondent over his inability to have the characters brainrape each other to his satisfaction. SKU happens.
We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not forward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.
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#15 | Back to Top05-14-2010 05:03:25 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A former creative artist for Sailor Moon grows despondent over his inability to have the characters brainrape each other to his satisfaction. SKU happens.
Probably the most fitting description for why SKU exists at least.
{livejournal} {youtube}
Its an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be in San Francisco-Oscar Wilde.
Anyone get the feeling finding Utena is going to be a lot like where in the world is Carmen San Diego?
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#16 | Back to Top05-14-2010 05:35:14 PM
- Raven Nightshade
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
THIS...
haelsyx wrote:
In a High school with a distinct lack of a therapist, student extracurricular activities include pulling weapons through chests so they can gain magical powers to fix their brains. Think Sailor Moon meets Evangelion.
PLUS THIS...
satyreyes wrote:
Trust-fund kid and his hot sister make their drama everyone's drama. Tomboy won't play along.
EQUALS...
Cruel Intentions meets Evangelion.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again.
It's so far and out of sight.
I really need someone to talk to and nobody else
Knows how to comfort me tonight.
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#17 | Back to Top05-14-2010 05:36:47 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Why must is the mullet relevant enough to get wormed into once sentence summaries of the show?
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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#19 | Back to Top05-15-2010 02:32:53 AM
- Itsuke
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
A 39-episode-long journey of self discovery in which a pink haired tomboy discovers she is a dyke; her journey is shrouded with metaphors, metaphors, and more metapors.
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#20 | Back to Top05-15-2010 11:57:28 AM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
I'm not that creative, but I'll give it a shot:
Sad girl loses parents. Sad girl meets boy. Boy gives girl ring. Girl seeks boy. Girl finds another Girl, and everything else that comes along with her to crush her morality and sanity. It took 39 episodes.
Last edited by Hiraku (05-15-2010 11:57:55 AM)
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#21 | Back to Top05-15-2010 05:18:33 PM
- Trench Kamen
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Katzenklavier wrote:
A pervert with a mullet encourages pretty teenagers to solve their problems through metaphorical violence and pop philosophy for no particular reason.
I'm voting for this one.
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#22 | Back to Top05-15-2010 09:20:26 PM
- minervana
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
The devil and his sister turn teen angst into rosewater. It tastes delicious.
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#24 | Back to Top05-15-2010 11:56:00 PM
Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
Haha, these are all so fantastic. The show just became even better. I took a swing:
A series about a school official and half the student population using salmon and asparagus omelettes as psychological foreplay.
Shadows on a decorative wall tell a disturbing feminist fairytale through metaphorical one-bit comedy routines. Various rose-based jams and jellies also appear.
Rule #1: Cardio-- the Gondola won't appear for 2 more acts.
Also: Chibiusa gets taller and dumber.
ah, man does not exist; ah, within the darkness; ah, the sound of the waves
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#25 | Back to Top05-16-2010 12:14:59 AM
- Syora
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Re: An Utena abstract: Let's improve TVTropes!
These are fantastic! 
Jumped-up preps duel each other in order to gain metaphysical powers to solve their problems instead of learning common sense and proper communication skills.
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