The fact that Juri's duels line up like that is something I've always wondered about, and what kind of attached me to those couple of episodes -that and that Ruka is one of my favorite marginal characters . I'm glad someone else noticed those, and I'm not totally insane. I've always wanted to attribute it to the fact that Juri and utena parallel each other. I think that might have a tiny part in this, helping to showcase how Utena could've been Juri, and vice versa, with some coaching from Akio, but I'm totally in agreence with Rosemary Bats on everything.

Edit:In the second set, I think it's about the sixth one down, did anyone notice that the way Juri is pushing Utena is much more forceful then the way Ruka pushes Juri? On rereading the thread I noticed that, and it somehow bothers me. It could just be the quality of the caps, I guess, but Ruka seems to have this almost gentle, maybe even gleeful expression, while Juri's looking at Utena with absolute contempt, maybe even a little rage. That got me to wondering if SHE is realizing the parallels herself, and even though she's fighting Utena, she's really seeing the battle from Ruka's perspective, and seeing herself. Is she becoming contemptuous of herself, maybe even self-loathing? Or if not neccessarily herself, but her beliefs and her feelings about things?

Last edited by morosemocha (11-03-2006 09:56:52 AM)

I always thought the irony of Juri's character is that she doesn't want to believe what she really does believe. She sees through the game but wants it to be real. It's like she's a brilliant divinity student at a devoutly religious school...but deep down, she's an atheist. How could she not shoot herself in the foot at every second step?