Movies / Animé and Toons

Revolutionary Girl Utena: the Apocalypse Saga Box Set

By Chris Zimmerman
February 4, 2012 - 20:24

All good things come to an end, and the same holds true for classics; after all, most great series are measured by their endings, and the final collection of Revolutionary Girl Utena trots out all the duels, innuendo, and absurdity fans would expect from the shojo masterpiece. Containing the final twenty five episodes, along with the Adolescence of Utena film and boat load of extras, Right Stuf’s last entry in the series is a worthy follow-up to cap off its Utena releases.

Through numerous challenges, Utena Tenjou has come out successful in her defense of the Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya. However, being the victor doesn’t mean an end to her challenges; a greater threat awaits her on the horizon, and as the mystery behind the entity known as End of the World takes center stage, Utena must not only confront her fate but also free Anthy of the chains that bind her.

The final arc brings Utena face-to-face with the master manipulator behind the events of the series, Akio – otherwise known as Anthy’s older brother and chairman of Ohtori Academy. Given everything that has happened, Akio has grown restless with the state of things and decides to create a new threat for which Utena must conquer. Whereas Utena once had to simply defeat single duelists, she now finds herself faced with threats who have their own partners similar to Anthy. Much like Utena’s relationship with the Rose Bride, the stronger the bond, the greater strength of the sword the duelist wields.

Along with the twist in plot, the series also throws a curve ball with the return of Saionji. The character is of a different breed from the other characters on the show, with a disturbing touch of the real world. Saionji is akin to an renegade teenager, full of anger and abusive to everyone. In his first appearance he was caught beating Anthy, setting him up as the closest thing to a “villain” as the series as seen – that is until Akio came along.

After facing her new challenges, everything comes down to Utena and Akio in one of the most intense fights the series has produced. The confrontation occupies the last two episodes, and throws in plenty of surprises to keep audiences guessing what comes next.

Revolutionary Girl Utena has always been heavy on symbolism, but this set amps it up the the nth degree. The images are striking, containing infectious and psychological elements that are not just stylish in their complexity, but thought provoking and detail the show’s distinctive flair. The only fault found here is not even the series’ fault, that being the designs look dated, being a product of their time.

Talking about the extras may get old but they demand mention. Right Stuf/ Nozomi deliver yet another spectacular effort, with a sturdy and stylish artbox, booklet, and an entire disc devoted to extra features. These include animated story boards and interviews with those involved with the series’ production. Also of note is a commentary track for the movie with director Kunihiko Ikuhara.

Filling out the boxset is the film, Adolescence of Utena. Originally released by Central Park Media, the movie also finds itself restored to immaculate condition. Sporting a standalone story along with some very different character designs, the film unleashes a hailstorm of random plot elements that resemble a drug induced haze. To give potential viewers an idea, one such scene see’s Utena transform into a pink car with Anthy driving her, only to turn back later on, lacking any clothes lying alongside Anthy, who also somehow discarded her wardrobe. The animation however is a strong effort and worth watching for.

Revolutionary Girl Utena is a classic that lives up to that distinction. The entire story is deeply enthralling and rich with unique characters and themes. The plot is complex (the film more so) but provides a rewarding viewing experience for any anime fan.

A+     

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12