Tamago wrote:

It's a good thing that so-called perfect characters are not so perfect, after all, Perfection is Boring! thats one of the key reasons why people hate 'Mary-Sue' fanfics so much but I digress.

Another character that I like, would have to be Tsuwabuki.   His dream of becoming Nanami's 'big brother' was so great that he didn't just stand back and sigh in longing like most people when their dream is most likely out of reach, he schemed various schemes to make himself appear better than Touga in her eyes. 

Makes you wonder if Akio could have been born as Akio instead of being the result of Anthy's 'need to protect' Dios, if he would have being anything like Tsuwabuki when he was at Tsuwabuki's age?

I hoped I expressed myself properly as I get the feeling that somewhere between what I am thinking and what I type out, that something gets lost somehow.

Tsuwabuki is one of my favorite characters. Unlike Touga though, he's already figured out that it's cool to be a hero and act selflessly for someone else (okay he is trying to get close to Nanami but, hey, he's young...). And when Nanami is in trouble (aka turning into a cow) who does he go to for help? Not Touga, nope, he gets Utena and Anthy. Because they are actually the most stable and reliable characters to turn to at Ohtori Academy, um, except Anthy exacerbates a situation that the viewers know she created in the first place. Hmm, maybe Tsuwabuki grows up and appreciates his friend Mari later on in life.

Mari was awesome. Maybe if she had a second apperance she could have gained some cult status.

Mitsuru seems to already appreciate her a lot more at the end of the episode, not that he stops following Nanami around.

Ivy-chan wrote:

jmie5 wrote:

You try to tell him he's wonderful like poor Wakaba in a love note, and he posts it on a bulletin board as a public mockery.  He would never believe it himself.  And I think he knows that he is worthy, but he just keeps getting smacked down.

I don't believe he actually posted it on the bulletin board. I think that was Anthy or Akio's doing to get Utena more interested in the Duels. It doesn't seem like Saionji's style, and I believed him when he said that he didn't put it up on the board. His second comment congratulating whoever did it struck me as an attempt to anger Utena.

...*creeps back into the shadows*

Right. The first time I ever watch SKU, after Anthy threw Miki's duel to Utena in the first arc, I started to get the inkling that all of her duels were set ups including the first one. Akio probably figured it was time for Utena to get in the game and Touga had already told the Seitokai that a new duelist was coming.

Anthy, Anthy, Anthy. I truly believe she is the most complex character in the series. She's innocent in so many ways, but tainted in so many others. Sealing away her brother partly because the people were using him and he was ill, and partly due to her own jealousy and desire to have him be only hers--was she doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, or the wrong thing for the right reasons? Can there BE a combination of both those things? I think with Anthy, there CAN be and is. Why? My analasys is below.

She's suffered for so long, enduring eternal pain and occasional abuse, and playing power games with her own brother by means of sexual intercourse. She's so mistrusting that even Akio, whom she loves above all others and serves unquestioningly, needs to be challenged by her and her passive-aggressive games. She knows so much more than she lets on, and then uses that knowledge to hurt others while appearing the victim (presenting Jury with the orange rose in the hallway, calling Saionji "sempai" rather than "sama" right after he lost her in the duel, telling Saionji eternity dwells in the castle when there really is no castle, causing him to be exceedingly posessive of her to the point of abuse). She seems to have little in the way of emotions, other than a little savage pride in her doings.

Until Utena is engaged in the duel "SOI." Seeing her fighting when there was no way she could win reminded her of how her brother used to be, and produced a single tear. Enough to take the spell from the Sword of Dios, and enough that Utena did win.

One of my favorite parts about her: Even as she cares for Utena, she cares for Akio, and is possessive of them both: this can be easily noticed in her comments to Chuchu, which are really underhandedly aimed at one of the others. As the three of them stand to get their picture taken and Akio moves to grasp Utena's shoulder, she suddenly exclaims "Cut that out...Chuchu!" and retrieves the monkey, although Akio flinches back at this: it's obvious she does NOT want Akio to touch Utena. When Utena asks Akio on a date over breakfast, Anthy takes Chuchu's toast, nibbles it, and then exclaims "I'm sorry! This isn't mine! It's yours, isn't it?" and returns it to him: declaring in a roundabout way that Akio is HERS, godammit, and Utena is just snatching him away.

Her conflicting loves for them (I'm not saying she loves Utena sexually, as she does Akio: I think that point is easily debatable) hit a boiling point when Utena gets her invitation to the duel REVOLUTION. She tests Utena's trust in her by hinting at poison placed in her handmade cookies: Utena continues eating them and casually jokes that she poisoned Anthy's tea. Seeing that Utena trusts her completely, and knowing what must be done to her if they go to the duel, she can't handle to conflict of loyalty combined with her own guilt for leading her on and attempts suicide. Utena, of course, prevents her from jumping. By the time Anthy has repaired the torn invitation, she seems to have come to terms with what may happen, and does.

Akio requires Anthy to stab Utena in the back when she resists, and Anthy obliges. She even goes so far as to say that Utena CAN'T save her, can't be a prince, because she is a girl, reinforcing what Akio said about "Girls brandishing swords." Even so, when Akio demands Utena's sword from Anthy, she hesitates, her eyes almost tearful as she looks at it; and as she goes to her own "crucifixion" at Akio's demand, she thanks Utena for the time they spent together and says goodbye.

Utena gets up, through her pain and injury, and tries opening the gate to Revolution in a different way than Akio: while he hacks at it, trying to get in with brute force, she tearfully admits her joy at the time she shared with Anthy. The gates open to reveal Anthy in a coffin: Anthy is HIDING herself because she can't bear to see the world as it is, just the way Utena did as a child. She's hiding herself from herself: burying her guilt, anguish, pain, and uncertainty so she can go on working with, and for, Akio. When this complete Anthy sees Utena, and realizes that even though she has mortally wounded her, her prince HAS come to save her after all these eons, and cries. She selflessly shouts at Utena to get away and leave her, because the swords will come for her now that she has become a prince. She doesn't care at that point about what she wants or what Akio wants: she cares for Utena's safety. After being screamed at to give Utena her hand, she finally does, but the arena collapses and Anthy falls from salvation.

At that point, she was still in the coffin: Utena had only opened it. She could have shut her eyes again and gone on with Akio, as she did before. Instead, she chooses ON HER OWN to leave her coffin and walk into the world, leaving Akio behind. To find Utena. She is no longer a witch, or a princess, or a Rose Bride. She's just a person with flaws when she leaves the academy. She's just HUMAN, and that's all: her days of playing games are over, she's moved beyond her past pain and come to terms with it, including her betrayal of Utena, and is willing to live her life NOW, rather than in MEMORIES. She goes to find Utena, as a whole person rather than the different fragments we see in the series, and to be with her as her EQUAL: calling her "Utena" instead of "Utena-sama" in the final line proves this.

THAT is why she is my favorite. To err is human, to betray is human, to regret is human...and so is attempting to set things right, all of which she does. But so many people see her ONLY as an abused puppet, or ONLY as a manipulative bitch, when in reality, she's the most human character in the series. I think that people who have issues with themselves or humanity as a whole see her as some evil force or a helpless marionette: others see that she embodies everything we do and are (the admirable, the terrible, and the just plain mundane) and that she's neither good nor evil. She's just herself.

Last edited by Rosemary Bats (10-24-2006 12:05:51 AM)

Mine's a tie between Anthy and Juri. It kinda goes back and forth for me.

My favorite part of Juri is her last duel with Utena, where Ruka was involved and she tore off her rose, the locket shattered, and it began raining. Such beautiful imagery, and I'm in love with that episode.

As of right now, my favorite is Anthy becaue of the best Anthy cosplay pics my sister was so wonderful to show me. (omg that girl is beautiful!!!)

Dani wrote:

Ivy-chan wrote:

jmie5 wrote:

You try to tell him he's wonderful like poor Wakaba in a love note, and he posts it on a bulletin board as a public mockery.  He would never believe it himself.  And I think he knows that he is worthy, but he just keeps getting smacked down.

I don't believe he actually posted it on the bulletin board. I think that was Anthy or Akio's doing to get Utena more interested in the Duels. It doesn't seem like Saionji's style, and I believed him when he said that he didn't put it up on the board. His second comment congratulating whoever did it struck me as an attempt to anger Utena.

...*creeps back into the shadows*

Right. The first time I ever watch SKU, after Anthy threw Miki's duel to Utena in the first arc, I started to get the inkling that all of her duels were set ups including the first one. Akio probably figured it was time for Utena to get in the game and Touga had already told the Seitokai that a new duelist was coming.

Very good point. 

Ha, now I'm laughing.  Those duels are so... well, set-up.  At least the majority of the "important" ones.   Can't believe I missed that.  Probably because I didn't think it was beyond him to pin the letter up, but that is a bit excessive or at least I think now.  To toss it away wouldn't be. 

And yes, he was definitely trying to anger Utena, at least mildly trying to anger the annoying thing.  Thanks for the input.

Giovanna wrote:

Ivy-chan wrote:

I don't believe he actually posted it on the bulletin board. I think that was Anthy or Akio's doing to get Utena more interested in the Duels. It doesn't seem like Saionji's style, and I believed him when he said that he didn't put it up on the board. His second comment congratulating whoever did it struck me as an attempt to anger Utena.

Yeah, I don't think he did it either, it's not in his nature to be that hostile to someone he's never met. That he seems to take responsibility for it doesn't prove it was him, Saionji would grab up any opportunity to demonize himself, I think.

I believe you about grabbing an opportunity to demonize himself.  Silly Saionji, the game is to be a string-pulling, back-stabbing prick for your own devices and not get caught.  Or cooly brush it off.  Well, at least he can antagonize the new student.  Maybe he's learning that that can be fun.

Last edited by jmie5 (10-25-2006 09:10:57 AM)

Dani wrote:

But the best is when he answers questions with a question which he does ALL the time.

Oh god yes, he's about ten thousand verdicts of guilty on that one. It makes him sound like a shrink.

I've... I've never posted here...

Well, my favorite character is Ruka, because he's honest and noble, and he really loves Juri. He's such a great person!

... Okay, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to mock Ruka or his fans. I really do respect every character, but people frequently say mean things about Shiori, so I'm entitled to that right!

Anyway, jumping off the train-that-will-get-me-banned and back on topic, my favorite character is Shiori. So, what's up with that? Shiori is... what is she, really? I like to say that she is like me, and in many ways, she is; but I don't just love her because she reminds me of myself. How conceited would that be? I began to love her in episode 17; in her elevator scene, to be exact. While earlier she had tried so hard to be close with Juri, and had even shown remorse for the loss of their friendship, when she sat down beside that framed butterfly, I'd never before heard such malicious hatred in any anime I'd ever seen. She was spiteful and jealous, and she wanted nothing more than to hurt those who had hurt her. She lived in such deep misery that she'd almost forgotten what it meant to be honest with another human being. She's suddenly thrown into this world where she's expected to make good choices and respect the feelings of another, when prior to this she's been in a world where she'd made nothing but mistakes and had been stepped all over. Those who make no effort to understand her feelings automatically assume she will understand Juri's, and when she acts against that, she becomes wrong. Shiori is someone I relate to on so many different levels, because she is made into this terrible person simply for placing her faith in something that isn't 'right' to the viewers. She puts on an impressive mask, surpassing even Juri's, and can't seem to take control over her own life, because her ill-will prevents it. She makes cruel choices, but does it from fear and insecurity. She doesn't ever want to become what she was, no matter how hard she believed she wanted to be Juri's friend again.

Like I said, it's beyond her simply reminding me of myself. She also reaches out to me in a way I didn't think any character could. In reality, she is someone I'd probably get along terribly with. But, somehow, when I see her on the screen... I want to step in and protect her. I've sympathized with Utena, even wanted to be like her, but I'm also content letting the pieces fall in place. Shiori is the same way. People often sympathize with Wakaba (myself included!), saying that all she wants is a prince who will save her, as if she holds nothing against those who stand in her way of that. Shiori is just like Wakaba, if not even more real. She can't fight against all her negativity. She wants to break free of Juri just as badly as Juri wants to be free from Shiori. Yes, as bad as it may sound coming from a fan, I do think Shiori likes to see Juri suffer. But I don't think she wants to just... just because. She wants Juri to suffer the way she has suffered. She wants to dangle hope in Juri's face and snatch it away, taking control of such an unhealthy balance. She wants Juri to be the company to her misery. But, more than anything, she's afraid of tripping up and letting her grip slip from the reigns. It terrifies her that she will one day lose this power, and that she will fall back into the shadows, perhaps where she was destined to belong. This is why I think Ruka's cruel intentions hurt her so much. Not because she lost Ruka, but she lost her ticket to freedom; she lost her power. She knows it hurts Juri to see her so happy (though not for the reason that she suspects), and she is afraid of losing that hold on her. No matter how her time away and character build-up may have changed her, she's still the same girl she was then. She's afraid. She needs someone to protect her until she learns to stand on her own. For once in my life, I wanted to step into those shoes, and keep her safe. I wanted to be the one to rescue her, but like Juri, I knew I never could. It isn't that this realization hurts me, it just shocks me that any character could make me feel that way.

Perhaps I do take Shiori too seriously. But, perhaps if I start to contribute more about her than just emotional bias, it'll be alright.

Last edited by dollface (11-24-2009 04:36:43 PM)

My favourite? I really adore Utena, Juri and Ruka.

Utena is so strong woman, despite of her innocence and doubts - she prooved her courage in two last episodes. She is noble and sensitive, in good way.

Juri was my number one, an altruistic one. She reminds me Hamlet's attitude to her love, which moves me more because I felt the same.

Ruka, perfect man, what else can I say?

I don't have time at this moment to comment on other people's choices, but I'll throw mine out there.

I think my favorite is...actually...Saionji.

Something about his quest to be something admirable...and his perpetual failure. He's a tragic figure to me. He tries and tries to become something that people will look up to, or at least fear. Even that is a pathetic runner-up to his need for affection from Touga, which has been an impossible dream to him. In the end, he becomes a ludicrous caricature of what a man should be like.

And yes, someone who was like Saionji in real life might inspire me to violence, which would be quite a feat, but...it wouldn't be because I didn't understand.

Razara wrote:

I almost forgot about this thread. I was thinking of making another thread, taking a poll to see who the most popular character is. As I think I already mentioned, "Who's your favorite character?" has always been my favorite question.

(I hate my old posts, because my opinion tends to change so much over time.)

I would love to see a poll. (I didn't know we could make any on the forum) Although, for some, I bet it will be hard to narrow it down to one favourite.

I always hate my old posts too, for the same reason.

ShatteredMirror wrote:

I don't really have a favorite character as such, though I do have a bit more affection for Juri, Ruka and Nanami as I mentioned way-the-hell back when this thread first got started. It's the cast as a whole that makes the show interesting to me and while I find the characters interesting individually I think they'd be less interesting without the rest of the cast surrounding them.

Definitely. Just imagine Saionji without Touga. He'd be despicable.

It seems like without a key character, everyone either becomes their Moive! or their Manga! persona.

And I mentioned before in a long, drawled-out discussion that I absolutely hate older posts I made.

Last edited by dollface (09-13-2009 07:30:46 PM)