The Failing Revolution
DISCLAIMER: The following half-essay is not meant to be insulting to any entity, living or dead, neither is it meant to be something that slightly leans upon the hierarchical masculinity POV. Although I am a male, I will try to keep this as objective as possible. This may and actually, scratch "may", will contain spoilers.
The animé series, "Revolutionary Girl Utena" (Shojou Kakumei Utena) is made of 39 TV episodes, and a movie, "The Adolescence of Utena", which pushed the themes of lesbian relationship a bit further with a more in-your-face approach. Despite the sexual theme in the background, the series featured a girl named Utena whom had met a prince after her mother and father died. The prince gave her a ring, telling her that it would lead her to him one day. Impressed by the prince, Utena decides not to become a princess, but a prince that will save princesses. Her attendance to the Ohtori Academy is because of the Academy's symbol being the same as the one on the prince's ring; which led her to believe she will be closer to him. Featured as androgynous, Utena finds herself in the middle of duels that are taking place for the possession of The Rose Bride (Anthy Himemiya is her name). The champion of the duel becomes engaged with The Rose Bride (regardless of the gender of this champion). It is said that the one that possesses The Rose Bride will have the "power to bring the world revolution". The duels are scheduled by the letters coming from an entity named "End of the World". The duels are the reflection of how this woman figure is desired by male (mostly) entities within the capitalist society – they are ready to fight for it, which is a metaphor of oppression.
Ultimately, The Rose Bride appears extremely passive, prone to do housework and likewise, and obedient towards her fiancé. She does as she is told, does not question her fiancés ways. The Rose Bride represents the ideal woman that was pictured by the patriarchal society that was brought forth by earlier capitalism... on a rather extreme scale. She is a subordinate servant that would not question her fiancé's moves, words, and would take anything from him/her.
"Anything" is most likely to be abuse in this case. Kyouichi Saionji (The captain of the Kendo team in the academy) was Anthy's present fiancé when Utena found herself in the duels. Despite his claims of loving her (which are omnipresent) he does not hesitate to physically or verbally abuse her whenever she seems to stray from his desired ways. In this case, Saionji is the ideal man of the same idealism; correcting "his woman"s errors with a "firm" hand, and while there are no references to whomever is the breadwinner (the concept is brought forth by Max Weber), if such thing existed, Saionji would most likely be it.
At that point, Utena defeats Saionji and becomes engaged with The Rose Bride. She, however, has different ideas; she wants Anthy to not keep all to herself, make friends, and not spend her days in loneliness. Utena, represents the woman figure that is idealized by feminists mostly. She does not take anything from anyone (hence her ultimate refusal of agreeing the duels scheduled by the End of the World, which is, refusing to obey in general; her finding the concept of dueling for the bride ridiculous; her desire to protect Anthy from harm at all times; her desire to help her become a more independent person.). Utena may also be seen as the way a woman should be, as described by feminists, not bound by the gender-based inequalities. Her wearing a boy's uniform to the academy, and her comment of "It looks good on all the boys here", is yet another clear expression of the feminist struggle; to not be classified as another class based solely on gender, and that the female can be on the same level as the male, so to speak.
Utena's one weakness appears to be the prince, which is the reflection of a protective male figure. Utena's feminist structure seems to fail when it comes to the prince himself, not because she is likely to be overwhelmed by the first great guy she has seen; but simply because the prince showed her something 'eternal' (explained later) and had her continue her life. What Utena feels is gratitude, not love, although she does confuse them. She is confused about whom her prince is; because she expects him to keep his promise and find her as she finds him; another reflection of Utena's feminist side.
Touga Kiryuu, the student council president, uses her weakness towards the prince to defeat her in a duel, and prove to her that The Rose Bride only does as her fiancé wants. This happens through Touga asking a few questions to Anthy, met by the desired answers hidden within the questions. This shows Utena that Anthy tried to be more friendly because Utena wished so; a warning that the only threat may not come from the male, but the female also. A finger, in this scene, was pointed at the wars going on within a singular gender.
Devastated, Utena seems to accept that she is a girl, and is meant to be a princess, and there is no hope for The Rose Bride (women). She then wears a girl's uniform; showing acceptance of her position within the society. After she picks her heart up and defeats Touga, she returns to her roots. This demonstrates how the battle for equality will wear most down, but there is always a way to pursue it on.
Utena clears the final duel (named "Revolution") which is performed against her prince himself. The fight breaks out solely because of the following reason;
Akio had tried to make her a princess.
In other words, he had tried to make her accept her position, and become the woman figure the society wished for. Utena is defeated by Akio; with help from his sister, Anthy. Anthy stabs Utena in the back, impaling her on a sword and telling her that she cannot become her prince, because she is a girl. This reflects on how the patriarchal society looks down upon the feminist struggle; simply summing up the difference through the expression of gender.
The final bit of the story reveal that, Utena, refusing to get out of the coffin that was accidentally sent to her house, was encountered by the prince, who took her, and showed her Anthy, his sister. Anthy is impaled on a cobweb of swords, and suffering intensely. Anthy is in such a situation because one day, the prince was sick, and the people wanted prince to save them; when Anthy told them that the prince was gone, they unleashed their wrath onto her. This is a clear representation of how the society itself (or mostly the male part most likely) will react to the downfall of patriarchal structure... violently. That "eternal" thing the prince showed Utena, was pain – which is a way of explaining how this pain of being undermined seeming eternal while not being so.
Utena's revolution, which was followed by her death, was the redemption of Anthy from the cycle of duels. Anthy, in the end, represented the desired ending result of the feminist struggle, which, at this point of time, already is existent in the individual level; which is why Akio kept claiming that Utena had caused no revolution to occur. Akio represented the patriarchal society itself, refusing to believe such a "revolution" (the change of mindset) has occurred; as is the common sense today suggests. In the last ordeal of Utena, we bear witness to her own death (or do we?), and Akio's as well. Akio, whom actually used to be the prince, is revived shortly afterwards, such as Himemiya herself. Akio's revival signal the masculine view to the patriarchal society; everlasting. However, in the final conversation between them, Anthy mentions a fact; that Utena did not die, she had merely vanished from "his" world, and that he should, "by all means, stay in the cozy coffin of his, and continue to play prince"; meaning that, Utena's revolution was her ultimate denial of the patriarchal society, and that, even though masculinity would never cease to believe in their superiority, it was all façade.
Summing up, I strongly believe that the series, despite their romantic and fantastic elements, contains a very political message; hidden neatly to the details. The things mentioned above aside, "Revolutionary Girl Utena" is a joy to watch; and after realization hits, it's twice as enjoyable, I daresay.