At time like this, it's best to sit them down and convince/force/intimidate them to watch all 39 episodes and the movie with you.
It's the only way to show them the full glory of UTENA.

Last edited by Itsuke (04-15-2009 11:38:33 AM)

Itsuke wrote:

At time like this, it's best to sit them down and convince/force/intimidate them to watch all 39 episodes and the movie with you.
It's the only way to show them the full glory of UTENA.

Haha, that's what I'm doing right now. I got my flatmates into it and now I'm slowly trying to introduce Utena to the S.O.

Utena is a town in northeast Lithuania known for its famous brewery. It has a population of about 30,000 people and is found in Utena County.

You can find more information on it here.

I love it when questions have simple answers.

Alithea wrote:

I usually tell people it's a fairytale, but in every sense of the word.

To be more precise, it's a postmodern ultra-surrealist fairytale~
and you should add: only smart people get it~  Now that will get your friend(s) watching~

Last edited by Itsuke (04-15-2009 04:54:57 PM)

spoon-san wrote:

I saw a facebook group for Utena which was entitled "If SKU was a book, you'd be reading it in college."  It's so very true.  Utena is so meaty that people can and do engage in literary analysis and so far, I've only seen that which scrapes the surface.

Oh oh oh, if only SKU is offered in my school, I am so gonna change my change MA major.

spoon-san wrote:

And yes, getting my shonen-loving friends to watch Utena is hard not that I've been pushing.  Only problem is that Utena will likely make most other anime look dull and pointless.

Very true indeed! One can never look at other animes or even one's life quite the same after watching SKU. So I guess, Siatiger, if you want to explain what UTENA really is, start by saying the show is one of the few great animes produced for the past ten years. It's literally a life-changing work. That should get your friends interested.

For people familiar with anime I usually say although it is labeled Shoujo defies that sort of categorization, a very mind-warping series. I tell everyone that I typically hate shoujo and Utena is my favorite anime ever. This usually intrigues them enough to watch a few eps.

For people unfamiliar with anime I say its a post-modern fairy tale that explores and defies gender roles and societal roles.

thanks sharnii simple and good:rofl:

Answer 1: Utena is a beautiful mind fuck.

Answer 2: Utena is a faster-paced soap opera where you actually want to keep watching.

Answer 3: Utena is undiluted angst with peaks of random orgasmic pleasure interspersed. Kinda like a relationship.

Answer 4: You're not leaving until we've watched it all, so siddown and STFU. (like Itsuke said)

brian wrote:

If they liked Patrick McGoohan's The Prisoner they will love Utena.

Good one! I wouldn't have thought of that comparison.

When asked, I just relay the first section of the Naji Minkin dub, which I have conveniently committed to memory:

So there was this chick, and her mommy and daddy bit the dust, and she was all sad and she would cry like 'boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo.' So then, Michael Jackson showed up! And he said, "if you don't stop going 'boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo,' I'll eat your face! And don't try to run. I put a tracking device on this ring here, and I'll find you. I will. I'll throw your babies over bridges and molest all your little kiddy friends...
So you should crossdress and help people.

And she did.

Miss Bluesky wrote:

An excellent excuse for a drinking game. Possible suggestions for point-scoring include:

1) phallic symbols
2) dysfunctional sibling relationships
3) gender-bending
4) roses

Only don't do that last one because you will fucking die.

Been done before. Chris Rain, of the Satellite of Revolution, wrote up a complete Utena Drinking Game. Even tested the rules out with a few buddies. It was strongly advised that you only choose one section and stick to low-alcohol drinks if you plan to play for an extended period of time...unless, of course, you have a death wish.

BioKraze wrote:

Miss Bluesky wrote:

An excellent excuse for a drinking game. Possible suggestions for point-scoring include:

1) phallic symbols
2) dysfunctional sibling relationships
3) gender-bending
4) roses

Only don't do that last one because you will fucking die.

Been done before. Chris Rain, of the Satellite of Revolution, wrote up a complete Utena Drinking Game. Even tested the rules out with a few buddies. It was strongly advised that you only choose one section and stick to low-alcohol drinks if you plan to play for an extended period of time...unless, of course, you have a death wish.

You cut me to the core

For me Utena is a "surrealistic pillow". Who listen to Jefferson Airplane, knows.