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 Top04-22-2011 11:29:51 AM
- monica
- New Student
- Registered: 12-22-2010
- Posts: 9
Utena's uniform
HI!
Does anyone know what is the meaning behind Utena's uniform? I mean why is it black when clearly her symbolic color seems to be white?
And what about Anthy's red dress she wears as the Rose Bride? I heard that red is typically a color of witch and in Anthy's case it is supossed to represent her "sin".
Offline
#2 | Back to Top04-22-2011 03:11:00 PM
- spoon-san
- Someday Shiner
- Registered: 03-18-2009
- Posts: 3423
Re: Utena's uniform
I always presume the colors are there for aesthetic reasons and nothing more. Character design for the sake of character design.
Offline
#3 | Back to Top04-22-2011 06:30:04 PM
- Dallbun
- Tour Guide to Crawling Chaos
- Registered: 10-19-2006
- Posts: 719
Re: Utena's uniform
Working off of memory here, but isn't there a four-panel bonus in the manga where Saito relates how Ikuhara was trying to decide between white and red for the colors of Anthy's dress? (And asks Saito her opinion, then ends up choosing the other one?) I think red being associated with sin is a good reason, though. White would have emphasized the "bride" angle, but red seems to suit Anthy's character better. (And I guess it matches the "rose" part of the Rose Bride, too.)
Speaking of uniform colors... in the earlier manga materials, I think Utena's uniform was originally drawn as being pink/rose-colored. Later on, Saito started drawing it as black in accordance with the anime.
Last edited by Dallbun (04-22-2011 06:31:37 PM)
Longer Translation Projects: Utena Sega Saturn Game, Utena Novel 2, Utena Novel 1, Movie Draft, Let's Plays
Offline
#4 | Back to Top04-22-2011 08:08:25 PM
- Randamonian
- Rose Bride
- From: Australia
- Registered: 11-07-2010
- Posts: 102
Re: Utena's uniform
^
I remember that panel, where Ikuhura asked her whether the anime uniform should be black or Red. Her Utena has a PINK uniform and so she said RED! Then Ikuhura scrunches up his brow and says "I'm going with the black". Then she has a frozen half smile and thinks "Why did you ask me then?"
At least, that what I remember. It's in the 2nd volume.
But on the flipside - it could mean something. Like, why did Touga have a black uniform in the movie (Cause it looks good) and Utena a white and black one?
Offline
#5 | Back to Top04-23-2011 06:46:17 PM
- Malacoda
- Sunlit Gardener (Finale)
- Registered: 07-26-2009
- Posts: 180
Re: Utena's uniform
Black seems to be Utena's color of choice (when it comes to clothing), like she's always in mourning.
In the manga, Utena starts with a pink uniform, but when it gets ripped, someone (Akio, I think) gives her the black one.
Anyway, I think she has a black uniform for juxtaposition. All of the regular duelists (save Nanami) + Akio have white uniforms. The Black Rose duelists have dark uniforms, maybe because they are fighting for memory, just like Utena.
Does that make any sense?
Offline
#6 | Back to Top04-24-2011 05:16:03 AM
- monica
- New Student
- Registered: 12-22-2010
- Posts: 9
Re: Utena's uniform
I thought that her black uniform might not be so much a conscious choice on her part but rather, because Utena is so pure and almost a symbol of only goodness in Ohtori world that to counterbalance that extreme pureness she's choosing to wear something darker.
When in her Rose Bride dress she looks like an archetypical image of a princess (pink hair, fair complexion, white dress) so maybe unconsciously she wants to separate herself from that image when she's in her prince-mode.
Offline