Of course it's always possible that ChuChu is Anthy's familiar, making them one and the same.
But down that route...lies mind rape.

Miss Bluesky: Of course it's always possible that ChuChu is Anthy's familiar, making them one and the same.
But down that route...lies mind rape. emot-gonk

I love that route, I've always loved that route.
Although ChuChu being Anthy's familiar doesn't make him the same as Anthy I reckon...it just makes him...intimately connected to her. In a very confusing way, depending on what your definition of a familiar is.

A_Man: I've always felt like she said this because she didn't want to admit to Anthy that she was really dueling for her.

You managed to say in one sentence what I tried to say in about 10.

I agree that Utena was put off by Anthy's eccentric personality, sharnii. Yeah, she didn't like seeing her abused, but who wouldn't be creeped out by her at first? Maybe Utena just didn't want to be associated with somebody uncool. That's my theory, anyway.

I've always thought that Utena was engaging in a bit of subterfuge here. I think she disapproves of Anthy's complicity in the dueling game, and doesn't want to come right and say that she was protecting Anthy because it makes her a little bit of an accomplice as well. Of course, this is a rather delicate thought for our heroine, so it may be that she didn't understand it herself. On the other hand, there's no way that Anthy could have missed it, so I think she reacts with shock at being subtly told off. The other thing is that if Utena were a poser, she would have made more of an attempt to appear as a prince in the situation, rather than finding an excuse to do the right thing.

And I do agree that this is the beginning of the true connection between the two. I think that Utena did something that Anthy didn't expect and forced her to look a little more closely at her.

Definitely agreeing with the last two posts.  And also, having just rewatched episode 32, did anyone else notice that, when Utena questions Nanami about dueling again, Nanami threatens ChuChu?  She specifically saying something like "oh, don't you care what happens to him?".

I wonder if that was just a callback for observant viewers, or if it's meant to imply that Nanami is aware of Utena's stated motivation for protecting Anthy.  (Of course, right after dueling Saionji again she duels Miki, who seemed to be perfectly fine with ChuChu.  But I could still see Nanami mocking Utena by bringing it up.)

Stormy: I've always thought that Utena was engaging in a bit of subterfuge here. I think she disapproves of Anthy's complicity in the dueling game, and doesn't want to come right and say that she was protecting Anthy because it makes her a little bit of an accomplice as well.

Fascinating. I've never thought of that...it is subtle for Utena, but it's also in character. Hmm hmm. I shall think about it and perhaps add it to my own understanding of Utena and characterizing of her in fanfic.

Stormy: And I do agree that this is the beginning of the true connection between the two. I think that Utena did something that Anthy didn't expect and forced her to look a little more closely at her.

I always found it to be a very powerful moment. And a beginning.

spoon: On a more serious note, I agree that Anthy's smile was a happy one and a sincere of a smile she can sorta muster while in Rose Bride mode.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure her creepy smiles are well...creepier. Like the one she does in the bedroom with Akio (after they've put their clothes back on) and you only see his eyes and her mouth. Cree...py.

End: And also, having just rewatched episode 32, did anyone else notice that, when Utena questions Nanami about dueling again, Nanami threatens ChuChu?  She specifically saying something like "oh, don't you care what happens to him?"

Excellent observation. That is so intriguing; and somehow so Nanami.

satyr: By tying that duel to Chu Chu Utena is trying (in a way that must be utterly transparent to the experienced Rose Bride) to say "you're strong, Anthy, you don't need my help" in a way that's not inconsistent with her success in the duel.  I'm not sure whether Utena intended this small duplicity to be transparent or not, but either way she's not saying the words "you need my help," which is what I think she's really trying to avoid.

You explain this very well. Hmm I can see how Utena would be transparent to Anthy (whom I imagine feels a little derisive, and a little bit pleasantly shocked at this point), and her "small hypocrisy" is very typical of her later actions too. Wow, more musing on the character of Utena is in store for me. Something to look forward to.