Atropos wrote:

Hmm. Here's how I see it:

In the series, Kozue is the one who throws herself entirely into the vices of adulthood: sex, (presumably) drugs, and who knows what else. Her hair is "dark" to show that she has lost her childlike innocence, something Miki still clings too—even as it inevitably slips away from him. Note that Ruka's hair is two-toned: his forelock is light while the rest of his hair is darker. This suggests that Ruka represents the best compromise between Miki and Kozue's behaviors: he embraces utilitarianism and the need to do bad things while not compromising his larger ideals.

In the movie, however, Kozue is the one who clings to her past. She appears paranoid that Miki will try to leave her, and forces him to bathe with her—sibling bathing being a common practice among young children that they should have given up years ago. Miki, in the movie, is the one who admits that "We can't go back to the garden," and his darker hair represents a more "adult" view of the world.

I was being a tad facetious, honestly, but those are really good points. I find it interesting how their relationship does a full 180 between the series and the movie (I haven't read the manga or the light novel, so I have no idea what the Kaorus are like there). It's a shame Kozue wasn't a more prominent character in the series, and in the same vein it's a shame we never get to see the minute differences she would have had against the darker, more adult movie!Miki.

Would an arc for movie!Miki resemble series!Kozue's sexuality and dabbling in 'adult' matters? Perhaps movie!Miki would play at being a casanova, a more subtle and 'gentlemanly' version of Touga (and/or Akio). Maybe movie!Miki would have appreciated series!Kozue's concern for him more (We all know for a fact series!Miki would be thrilled to meet movie!Kozue-- Regress to Childhood Innocence City, population: them).

Your observation about Ruka is also eye-opening. Touga also has a lighter lock of hair in front, but it's a lot less noticeable than Ruka's. Maybe this suggests that while Touga isn't in it for the same wholly evil reasons as Akio, but that he also isn't the pure Prince of Utena's memories. (Related: It's also interesting how in the movie, Touga states that he first grew his hair long when he was being handed over to his abusive adoptive father. Why keep it that way even after [presumably] the abuse is over?)

It's sort of interesting how Akio has much lighter hair than Anthy, on the same note. Maybe he bleaches his lighter.

Last edited by KC (10-15-2014 10:57:08 AM)

Atropos wrote:

Touga sees his suffering as having ennobled him: as he suffered, he became determined to protect others from the same suffering, and took up the role of the Prince.

It's sort of interesting how Akio has much lighter hair than Anthy, on the same note. Maybe he bleaches his lighter.

It also represents the image they put out to society: Akio presents himself as a noble prince, while Anthy is a hated outcast.

My thoughts are scattered heavily, but I have been sparked by your commentary about this.

Your comment on Touga's motivations-- that's extremely interesting. Again we see a mirror between Touga and Akio: Touga still believes his own heart to be pure despite his actions, hypothetically presented in the fact that he allows his hair to flow freely, without being bound ask Akio's is. Akio's rat tail could represent an attempt to repress his own true urges (which unlike Touga's are not towards a greater good as much as working towards Akio's own good). He's the suave grown man keeping emotionally immature Touga in his shadow. 

Still On the subject of Akio's hair, it also seems to be a way of communicating his disassociation from Anthy emotionally. Perhaps my own supposition is right and he superficially lightens his hair. What message does that and in relation to Anthy? Is it an attempt to present himself as a separate individual from her? Perhaps a subtle jab at Anthy's own subtle (and not-so-subtle) rebellions? Could it also tie in to some level of conformity with a (possibly oppressive as IRL) 'social requirement' relating to the color of his skin? (I don't want to be nitpicky or problematic with racial matters as so little is actually known of the Himemiyas' actual origins, but it was looking me right in the face. Demanding attention...)

Tl;dr: Absolute fanwank nonsense.