Giovanna wrote:

*I'm sorry.

LIAR!
Now I wonder if you modified your argument just to set that up.

Seriously, though, I find the whole what's-holding-people-back thing fascinating, and am developing an analysis of Utena based on it.  Unfortunately, I'm lazy, so it'll probably be a while before anything comes of it.

Well, I hope that not everything has been said yet... For me Anthy decided to stay with Akio because it's convenient - leaving him is similiar to removing appendix from body: when we don't feel pain (or if we like it, as Anthy) there's no reason to go under knife. And, another thing is that it's her brother. Bloodlines stays forever, and I think she is simply attached to him. She lives in greenhouse and she's afraid of withering away from his light.
Maybe she loves being special Rose Bride so much, that she chooses suffering rather that plain's girlish life?

I think his tears are quite honest. But he's full of shit when he sheds them. Anthy is aware of both sides of that coin.

What's ironic, I think that Akio is more infatuated that Anthy is. He doesn't have to sleep with her, he would focus on another, more willing and more submissive lovers. He needs her, of course he does, but I see something more here. He egoistically wants to HAVE her as really obsessive psycho lover.

After this conversation about new, unknown star I realised that Anthy treats him as a child - she respect his caprices, she let him do whatever he wants with her, but her mind is actually floating away. I don't think she's jealous about him when Utena started to date with him, maybe her ego suffered a little bit because it's nice to be at pedestal, but I suppose she desires Utena more that him.