omg, Alexa, thank you so much.   I appreciate all the trouble you went through.  :eagerly reads:  And it is very legible.  I'm saving these unless you say otherwise.

Already reading, this changes my initial perspectives on SKU, such as making me think how the movie would be the most direct portrayal of the themes...that seems astonishing but in a sense, it makes sense.  I'm going to have to think about this and reflect to really put this in perspective.  I will start picking quotes once I digest this.

My initial reaction is how Saito presents what  I see as the core of SKU, stripping past just the story and what the viewer actually sees (note:  I have not yet read the manga) and explains it in such simple terms and yet captures the depth that grabs you but makes it so easily understandable. 

Also, certain concepts resonate on a personal level.  I like how it is said that Utena wears the boy uniform not because she necessarily wants to be a guy or to attract a particular sex, but because she likes it.  It's always been that way with me.  I never minded wearing clothing of the opposite sex, within reason (due to a sense of security or insecurity and thus a personal comfort matter) and it was never because I wanted to be male or wanted to attract my own sex, but it was just a part of me.  And even now, if I'm wearing say a suit jacket and complimentary pants, I know it is not feminine at all and catches the attention of same sex friends who like both sexes to varying degrees, but I only do it because it feels like me and it is what I like.  :shrug:

I like the fact that the bike shorts thing was cleared up.  I always thought it was an odd match, but showing off her well developed legs...hm...

The part about not trying to appeal to a particular sexuality was also welcome confirmation because I was never clear if she wanted Utena to swing a particular way (hate that phrase, btw, but I use it), but stating it as just loving another person...that was refreshing to read, really. 

This whole short interview is remarkably inspirational for me and has made my week thus far.  Thank you again.  I'll ramble more later.

Last edited by spoon-san (02-15-2010 12:46:55 PM)

spoon-san wrote:

...certain concepts resonate on a personal level.  I like how it is said that Utena wears the boy uniform not because she necessarily wants to be a guy or to attract a particular sex, but because she likes it.  It's always been that way with me.  I never minded wearing clothing of the opposite sex, within reason (due to a sense of security or insecurity and thus a personal comfort matter) and it was never because I wanted to be male or wanted to attract my own sex, but it was just a part of me.  And even now, if I'm wearing say a suit jacket and complimentary pants, I know it is not feminine at all and catches the attention of same sex friends who like both sexes to varying degrees, but I only do it because it feels like me and it is what I like.  :shrug:

I like the fact that the bike shorts thing was cleared up.  I always thought it was an odd match, but showing off her well developed legs...hm...

The part about not trying to appeal to a particular sexuality was also welcome confirmation because I was never clear if she wanted Utena to swing a particular way (hate that phrase, btw, but I use it), but stating it as just loving another person...that was refreshing to read, really. 

This whole short interview is remarkably inspirational for me and has made my week thus far.  Thank you again.  I'll ramble more later.

I think this interview was probably one of the reasons I've always viewed Utena with a very feminist slant.  I think some of the clearest and most important themes in SKU are about what it's like to deal with the traditional roles that women are pushed into, and how those roles affect us.

I really like the part about "just one human who loves another human," too.  It is very refreshing, especially because I think our society tends to view human sexuality in a very narrow way.  You're either one way, or you're the other (and maybe you're allowed bisexuality as a third option).  Even the Kinsey scale, although it's certainly better than most of what's out there, seems to view attraction as being determined first by sex and gender: i.e., people view only those in a certain categories as prospective partners, and how large that pool is depends on close the center of the scale they are.  I'm not saying that's wrong, but for me personally, I've always felt like I was attracted first and foremost to a whole person.  Of course, that person's sex, sexuality, and gender are all important parts of who they are, but they're just parts of a whole.  So it's nice to know that SKU was developed with an idea (something) like that in mind.

This is wonderful. Thank you so much for posting it. and

A late thank you but a sincere one all the same, thanks so much.