This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)
Seems we haven't had a thread on this. SKU isn't really known for having "cute" moments, what with the emphasis on psychologically twisted powerplays and self-obsessed inner monologues on miracles, power, "shining things," et cetera. But it has its moments, don't you think? What are they?
For me, the cutest moment is this one:
I like how perplexed Touga is at having his advances rebuffed, and how angry Utena is at him. Yet her anger is such that we can tell she's still attracted to him, even though she knows he's no good. Yeah, Touga makes that horrible psychotic face like he's about to violate a teddy bear ("subarashiii!"). But it's still very cute to me.
Last edited by oldboy (12-23-2009 12:50:05 AM)
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My top four are as follows.
4. Anytime Miki blushes
3. The first half of episode twenty, especially when Saionji grabs Wakaba's hand
2. Akio's surprised look in the last episode. I never thought Akio was capable of looking adorable until then.
1. Tatsuya and Wakaba on the hill. It's too bad there was such a sad twist.
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oldboy wrote:
The Utena Gallery at Empty Movement
I like how perplexed Touga is at having his advances rebuffed, and how angry Utena is at him. Yet her anger is such that we can tell she's still attracted to him, even though she knows he's no good. Yeah, Touga makes that horrible psychotic face like he's about to violate a teddy bear ("subarashiii!"). But it's still very cute to me.
This has the opposite effect on me. Makes me sad. Touga isn't as much perplexed as he is amused, which is rather like a boss laughing at a female employee who is angry that he hits on her because Lookie, She's Thinks She's People, and It's Only a Matter Of Time! Utena does look confused, or conflicted, but that's because she's uncomfortable with the sexuality of Touga's advances, and how (on purpose) they make her feel like she's betraying herself and her prince.
That's not nice.
Although, I do find it adorable when Touga gets those genuinely surprised looks on his face, all "wat. shouldn't my cock be in your mouth now?" It may just be the joy in seeing a loss of control on his face, or those blue eyes and long hair making him look all feminely vulnerable. Speaking of which, Saionji when he tries to be all casanova romantique, and utterly, utterly fails. I drink your denial, I drink it up.
(And take obscene mirthful pleasure at your hapless struggles, Saionji)
Looks like another night of one-man twister.
Other cuteness has to be WAKABA.
She poops rainbows.
Fact.
Even when viewed from the back, she's a puupy and kitty trying to fit in the same sock incarnate.
Akio: Gurl, the back a yo' head riddikulus!
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Nanami's hilariously foiled plots to get at Anthy with the various animals while Miki is tutoring Utena in math.
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Miki and Kozue rescuing the baby birds.
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Yeah, the baby birds were adorable and seeing Kozue's more tender and maternal side was nice.
The Nanami's Egg episode had quite a few moments from Nanami socking Saionji in the face to the fact Saionji was trying to be genial while wearing an apron, to Nanami trying to be a mother hen, to her paranoia, to the scene where she's imagining what Utena and Mitsuru would say if they found out she laid an egg, to Juri's ball (I swear the English translation made it it a million times better...childish humor, I realize. Lay me an egg and get over it.).
The ones that stick out first tend to include Saionji. Chibi Saionji (ep 9) was so adorable. The exchange diary thing also ranks there and the "hidden love" gag ranks high up there as well as being one of the most amusing scenes in the entire anime, IMO.
Hmm...what else...every time Utena is looking clueless like a kicked puppy (including the time Juri gets pissed at her for being clueless), it's pretty damn adorable.
And all of the evil Anthy moments are intensely cute, just to show what sadistic tastes I possess.
Oh, and ep 24 with Mitsuru's stalker syndrome is insanely adorable. He's just too cute.
There's a ton of others, but I won't go on.
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Episode 18, when Nanami feels compassion towards Mitsuru and touches his face. It was the moment when I developed strong feelings for that chara
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Last shot of the anime--Anthy and Utena holding hands in that picture makes me all wobbly inside.
And I admit it--I love Chu-Chu. Any moment where he's eating inappropriate items makes me giggle. Also, the scene where he pokes the roly-poly bug with a stick to watch it curl again and again. I used to do that!
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Katieryn wrote:
Last shot of the anime--Anthy and Utena holding hands in that picture makes me all wobbly inside.
And I admit it--I love Chu-Chu. Any moment where he's eating inappropriate items makes me giggle. Also, the scene where he pokes the roly-poly bug with a stick to watch it curl again and again. I used to do that!
I...I like Chu-Chu as well....
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OnlyInThisLight wrote:
I...I like Chu-Chu as well....
I'm really glad to hear that--among my high school Utena-watching friends, it would be like admitting I still watch Sesame Street.
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This. Just... this.
I can't really explain why this scene makes me smile from ear to ear, but it does.
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I love all of the Wakaba shots. I can't help. I've got something of a Wakacrush. If I were Saionji..just yeah.
I also think it's adorable whenever Touga gets the shit kicked out of him.
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Gosh, seconding the kid!Nanami pic! I also thought the beginning (Wakaba waiting for Utena) and the endng with the Shadow Play Girls chatting as quite adorable. In retrospect, I think it's because you actually get to see, er, sane people in these parts.
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Practically every shadow play is cute, but my favorite is the one in Mikage's first episode- the robot who catches the monkeys! Robots never tire, robots are never lonely .... Roboto wa sabishikunai or something like that- horrible, horrible Japanese
Surprised no one mentioned the badminton scene. That was sooooooo great.
Tsuwabuki's episode- when Tsuwabuki butts in on the seitoukai meeting, and when he asks Utena and Anthy in the library what it means to be adult, and Anthy's like, "There are lots of things adult about us, right, Utena-sama?"
-Juri or Touga teasing Miki
-Touga asking Juri about her "hidden feelings"- they're just complete opposites
-After Utena wins Anthy back from Touga and Anthy starts her "I am the rose bride" spiel and Utena's just like, come home, Anthy
-Chu Chu leading Utena right to Juri and then Mikage- caught in a mousetrap and crying! Kind of like a blackrose duelist in an elevator
-Juri giving Utena a sword to fight Touga
-Little Nanami initially giving Touga the cat
-Kind of more disturbing than cute- Anthy and Akio feeding each other shaved ice with oblivious Utena and horrified Nanami
-Utena telling Juri she looks pretty!
-Nanami on the sword-pulling out of chests- did it hurt? Sooooo Freudian.
-Nanami pulls out that crazy photo of her manically hanging on Touga's arm and then starts anime-crying all like "Oh..... my dear big brother... your devoted Nanami will take care of the student council for you!"
-Disturbing-cute- Akio's description of being a big brother- like a moon watching over you!
-Keiko with her umbrella and Touga. You can stand under my um-brella, ella, ella, ay...
-Nanami's slight crush on Miki
-Wakaba- I'm the onion princess!
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Almost all of my favorite cute moments end up being of Saionji somehow. I especially love the rushed crawl under Wakaba's bed, the crab crawl back out from under it, then the dazzling "I'm relaxed and gorgeous" pose afterwords.
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I agree with...like, all of this. And I'm delightfully surprised that I'm not only one who loves to see Touga suffer. I LIKE his character, but mostly when he's emo and frustrated that he can't get what he wants. YOUR TEARS ARE DELICIOUS.
Everything Wakaba is adorable, as well as anyone teasing Miki ever. Utena acting oblivious is cute, especially around Juri because they're such great foils for each other. While we're there, Nanami being oblivious is cute too, even though she's a tremendous bitch when she isn't acting naive.
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There was a scene early on (I think it was when Utena just moved into her dorm with Anthy) where Chu-Chu wants cake and Utena is holding him back. Then when she lets go, Chu-Chu just goes and tosses himself into the cake. I thought that was cute and hilarious. I always laugh way too hard at that!
Hmm, what else? I like cute moments between Utena and Anthy, like the picture cscratch posted. Nanami is pretty cute too, she's so childishly mischevious!
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Katieryn wrote:
Last shot of the anime--Anthy and Utena holding hands in that picture makes me all wobbly inside.
This. Me too! I love that shot.
Also the shadow girls' play starbrigid mentioned about the robot. Though it's less cute than tragic to me. It was one of the more straightforward and unambiguous shadow plays in its meaning.
As for Nanami--I love the moment at the end when Touga is being very dramatic and tells everyone not to take their rings off because nothing has been decided yet, and Nanami is sitting on the ground and says, "I already took mine off." Heh heh. Great Nanami moment.
Last edited by Ico (04-06-2010 01:26:53 PM)
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cscratch wrote:
This scene just makes me melt - Utena is so cute here!
http://kittyfire.com/img/Series_ep23_023.jpg
That moment: seconded, oh so, so, so much. I wibbled.
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cscratch wrote:
This scene just makes me melt - Utena is so cute here!
http://kittyfire.com/img/Series_ep23_023.jpg
This is also one of my most favourite cute scenes in Utena It's so innocent, and Utena looks so adorable, like a curious kitten!
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Personal favorites are:
- Anthy feeding Akio shaved ice (creepy and cute at the same time).
- whenever Wakaba jumps on Utena's back (specially episode 3 when she almost send them over the window)
- Utena and Anthy dancing on episode 3
- Chuchu stabbing Saionji's ankle.
- the cantarella scene (again cute and creepy)
- Utena, Jury and Miki playing squash (ep. 37).
- Miki crying on curry episode, then blushing because he hated himself for buying the photos.
- Utena wearing her football or baseball outfit then hitting Nanami whit all sorts of balls.(hmmm... maybe Anthy was directing the balls??)
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I do agree with Wakaba's cuteness (does this word exists? )
but even more...
look at her, she is just a dollie
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Wakaba's existence is incredibly adoreable to me. I also have to agree that Nanami's plan to ruin Anthy with all those random animals is a moment I'll always love. Basically any time Anthy and Utena hold hands, my heart melts, especially in the scene that cscratch posted, as well as the last frame of the series.
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Calamity wrote:
the last frame of the series.
Agreed. Most emotional scene in an anime ever. It all built up to that one sweet photo. Very overwhelming.
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