Adolescence of Utena - Transformation scene

The scene in the Revolutionary Girl Utena film Adolescence of Utena, in which the titular character is transformed into a car.
I uploaded this to show the grandiose surreal design of the film, although I'm left with the bitter taste of uploading such disembodied scenes failing to convey their meaning without the context of the whole film (and series). Since around 2/3rds in the entire anime becomes just one giant pile of surreal, brilliant allegories while an instantly recognisable plot is devoured by a metaphorical firework.

[@madelinejackson1995]

*Walks up to lesbian couple* So which one of you is the car?

[@andrewabbey3669]

The official symbolism is that the car clearly represents Ikuhara's unquenchable desire to turn Utena into a car :D

[@XsvruploaderX]

I like how at first she's screaming to Utena because she's genuinely worried, but when Utena comes out as a car she's like "Wait....what the fuck?"

[@Krendall2]

+wearelegion103 The clip cuts before Anthy can say, "Utena...nan no?" which basically means, "Utena... What the?"

[@damiester1]

@@Krendall2 Na no means "is it"

[@mina352]

Best part about the scene is that it puts Anthy in the driver's seat, giving her power - AKA she was the one who escaped, on her own. Utena was the vehicle that allowed the escape. It pretty much says what the TV series does that Anthy is not a helpless princess that needs saving. She's a strong independent women who can escape on her own - all she needed was a vehicle.

[@Rachctor]

This is my favourite Fast and Furious film.

[@HaganeNoGijutsushi]

The Fast and the Furious: Lesbian Drift

[@VervainVanity]

I like how everyone has their theories about this scene, even though the director simply admitted to wanting to have a pretty girl turn into a car. Which is fine.

[@vincentmuyo]

Sometimes you just want to turn a character into a car. There's no shame in it.

[@Popcultureguy3000]

Vervain Vanity So sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[@edl01reviews]

Rule 1 of Ikuhara interviews: He's a bloody liar! Seriously he once told a fan who asked who the shadow girls where that they were aliens who spoke to him through radio waves and another guy that Miki's watch contains the secrets of the universe. The guy knows he confuses us and seems to take every opportunity to confuse us more!

[@Lightice1]

Vervain Vanity There is an explanation, actually which is pretty plain when you get down to it: Utena is the vehicle that allows Anthy to escape Ohtori. It's just very...literal depiction of the fact.

[@HaganeNoGijutsushi]

I mean, cars have always been kind of a metaphor for sexual maturity throughout the show. You can tell from all the scenes where Toga and Akio lay strewn... shirtless... sexy... on the hood of a convertible. Which is not gay nor sexual at all. Nope.

[@FloatingSunfish]

Is this what puberty is like in Japan? No wonder they have the best cars.

[@nothri]

Nope. Sorry movie. I watched the series. There is nothing you can do that will faze me. Utena is a car now. Fine. We'll just roll with that.

[@Xariks]

***** Why would he not intend that pun lmao

[@standardheadache]

He'd have to be driving automatic on this, though. There's no stick to shift with.

[@somedumbhoe7123]

Head shats please stop you sound like a fool

[@NightmareTemm]

Did I just see a car wash eat somebody, just to spit out a car? I knew my fear of car washes was justified!!

[@vincentmuyo]

Nah, it turned her into a car. So you know, totally unjustified. You know you want to be the car.

[@anikiyamada3314]

Utena's age-of-coming makes herself lose the dream of "becoming a prince" thus, having more "real life" dreams, the car is a metaphor of Utena's will of driving Anthy away from the previous station of life. I'm no native of english, but here is my theory.

[@librahoshino6752]

Utena literally becomes the vehicle of Anthy's great escape from her oppression.

[@inazumanfrash]

Utena, Transform and Roll Out!

[@PeachWookiee]

I wish I could like this a thousand times.

[@miriam5047]

Gotta admit, I never thought the power of lesbianism would be the key to defeating Megatron, but that was a fantastic plot twist.

[@xAznSkyxx]

They told me puberty was weird, but this is ridiculous!

[@starwarzchik112]

They see me rolllin' They hatin'

[@nagisadies7967]

Stop.

[@sebastian122]

Aside from the fantastic transformation, the BEST part of this movie is @0:04 Here, Anthy hangs like the empty doll she is, waiting for the attention of her princess to animate her. Kunihiko Ikuhara is a freakin' genius.

[@BenjaminSteber]

If you were paying attention this was totally foreshadowed.

[@PeachWookiee]

Whatever the director is on, I want some.

[@IncarnationOfNeutrality]

PeachWookiee That must be some good weed he/she's been smoking, whatever it is, it's probably even better than what Tetsuya Nomura's been smoking, and he created Kingdom Hearts for fuck sake, I thought nothing could get more weird yet serious at the same time than that game franchise, but this is somehow even more mind boggling!

[@PeachWookiee]

@@IncarnationOfNeutrality I saw this without having seen the series first. Slightly post-college me was rather confused.

[@PsychoCalibur]

Revolutionary Turbo Teen Girl Utena

[@carlthompson170]

I saw a lecture by Crispin Freeman once that described the third act of this movie as a metaphor for the steps toward spiritual transcendentalism. Blew my goddamn mind.

[@luminabalderson3315]

Headcanon is that this will wear off in a few days, and Utena will come out of it naked and utterly confused.

[@ToaOfGallifrey]

Isn't that what happens though? (minus the few days and confusion?)

[@--baphomet]

+Toa of Gallifrey Yes that does happen. They go to the real world

[@gabriel300010]

This anime isnt weird. This anime is perfectly normal. absolutely, perfectly normal. just a regular anime. with no weird things happening. thats what this anime is.

[@TBoneTony]

Utena is the car for Anthy's escape from the school. Thus is the reason why Utena turns into a car. The Adolescence of Utena has allot of symbolism that can be interpreted in many ways. One of my favourite parts is the video of Nanami the Cow. Unless if you have seen the series that moment will be total loss for words for you.

[@fourandtwentyblackbirds3316]

I think that Anthy struggling to pull Utena out of the transformation machine was similar to when Utena tried to pull Anthy out of her coffin in the original series. Perhaps this is where Anthy went when she left her world to find Utena, and maybe driving Utena is her guiding her to safety.

[@gokudomatic]

I'm always amazed at the whole machinery. It's mostly useless, with lot of unrelated things rotating, turning and moving around without purpose. Completely useless but awesome, therefore it's essential.

[@--baphomet]

Utena was just about leaving her childhood ways and becoming an adult. This movie and show has alot of symbolism. The car scene was just her become an adult. :)

[@julesgray810]

Yes I love the machinery animation! This is the only scene without much color, everything whirring with a sense of urgent inevitable purpose but no actual functional machine is depicted. I love how they animate the atmosphere

[@missem.y5405]

Just when I thought Utena couldn't get any weird. Nopenopenopenope. *gets in the nope car

[@tenorfab]

End of the World lured every duelist he came across by taking them for a ride. Here we see someone whose been in said car bent on choosing to create a new path for someone whose only known the path that end of the world has shown.

[@mustardwizard]

"i will turn a [person] into a convertible" - dababy

[@marshmelleau]

At least she's a cool car

[@TheChrisSchaefer]

the director just went from part-time marijuana in tv series to full-time meth in the movie.

[@Pdalow]

But....nothing about this is like a meth induced fantasy. This is in line with dropping acid and eating shrooms.

[@bananahead6289]

the new transformers movie looks great

[@ANGELILYworks]

+Nanarox Nation LMAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO

[@Miniaturasecia]

¨Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the decepticons !¨

[@susanhutton7]

They said that I could become anything when I grew up... So, I became a car... As amazing as this series is, I still don't get why she turned into a car.

[@misscrumpet791]

Susan Hutton The way I see it is this: Revolutionary Girl Utena was about growing up, leaving childhood behind, and entering the adult world. It is about loss of innocence, finding oneself as a person, who you truly are, and not who you want to be. Adolescence of Utena is about finding and embracing your sexual orientation and your sexuality. Utena turning into a car seems to symbolize her acceptance of both these things, and also as a metaphor for "driving/entering" the world of adult relationships, and being mature/in control enough to do so. Anthy "driving" Utena seems to represent being Utena's soulmate/chosen one, and also going along with Utena into the world of adult relationships as her love. God, I love this series.

[@ZacharyTatom]

It's because Utena is, quite literally, the vehicle for Anthy's salvation--her escape from the cage of Ohtori Academy.

[@sabetasama]

According to the Director, it was meant to symbolize Sleeping Beauty. Utena being Sleeping Beauty, and Anthy being her prince.

[@katelynpringle5506]

SYMBOLISM!

[@RandomosityRules]

sabetasama how

[@keilercollier5880]

“Get in loser, we’re going shopping.”

[@Fl4mekit]

“So how was your day?” “I turned into a car. And you?”

[@chaeryeongships3991]

Now this is what i call Car-achter development

[@UltimateGenosyko]

Even with context this can't be explained. Beautiful style and animation though

[@thanotosomega]

It's a metaphor for Utena being the Vehicle of Anthy's escape, it shows how you can't drag a person out of their abusive relationships only help them leave on their own terms,

[@ForgottenSonata]

I just watched the movie and spent the last 20 minutes with my mouth hanging open from absolute confusion.

[@aserta]

Damn, that description.

[@authoravatar]

The fact that the battle theme plays during this segment just makes it even more damn insane.

[@zinzolin14]

Anthy's expression at the end is the exact same as mine.

[@CrystalArtest]

Anthy.... why is there a car wash in your rose garden? What, I don’t think even you know why let alone why Utena is a car now. It’s kinda nice to see Anthy be the one to be confused and speechless.

[@julesgray810]

This scene is basically what happens if you drink a bottle of Delsym cough syrup.

[@DAeSLADE]

The classic transformer sure are weird

[@kstarnovagal6672]

Nobody can convince me otherwise that scripts somehow got mixed up during the storyboarding

[@zanzibart3]

I hate it when that happens.

[@erisi236]

I guess this symbolizes every young girls dream to become a car. I will never get tired of this movie.

[@TruthinessChibiOtaku]

Lol, that's the point. It's an allegory for just that. The car and the driver becoming one. THEIR FIRST TIME. XD

[@ZahnwehZombie]

Okay... my girlfriend became a car. How in the hell am I gonna explain this to my folks?

[@CerebrateHyatt]

Baby you can drive my car! !!!VROOM!!!VROOM!!!VROOM!!! You gonna be a star!

[@_sashitheedreamangel24_]

Utena the turbo child

[@queenofspades84]

@brinpol Man Utena is so deep...I once heard some ppl interpret Utena/Anthy as the same person during the TV show....that's a pretty clever interpretation...

[@Rathdrgnknight]

I watched this years ago (One of my first real exposures to anime--besides something 4kids) and I was so confused, but this part has always been my favorite (especially the music)

[@ABwingz16]

this movie is weird as fuck...but give them points for A) one of the most romantic dance scenesever, and B) THE MOST EPIC OUT OF PLACE CAR TRANSFORMATION EVUR!

[@oshkeet]

You have to imagine what the overseas animation company thinks when they have to work this out. Or maybe it's like actors who don't bother to watch the movie they're in while acting.

[@smavie]

@Nenna333 Cars in Utena symbolize freedom. By becoming a car, she allows Anthy and herself to find a way to freedom and away from the oppressiveness of her older brother. Its a symbolism thing - you have to look at what the car represents in the movie. Not what it is. The whole movie is like that.

[@gonehollow1319]

"I wanted to see a beautiful girl turn into a car."

[@rufusfan]

Especially the car part. "WHY IS THIS PINK HAIRED BITCH A CAR?!" *wipes tear from eye*

[@YozuLuv]

You have to admit, utena makes for one sweet ass ride. Her car transformation is killer too(bad joke but had to do it XD)

[@TruthinessChibiOtaku]

...THIS IS AN EVEN BETTER EXPLANATION THAN I WOULD HAVE IMAGINED ANY RGU FAN SAYING.... And S-shiori...didn't have Juri...so she... ;_;

[@Faustus960]

tfw you turn into a car #relatable

[@Snev]

I want to see Anthy drive Utena in Initial D.

[@SailorMiMi770]

She turned... into a car... what the fuck why is Revolutionary Girl Utena so weird...

[@KnightedSilverWolf]

WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST WATCH? IF THERE WAS A AWARD FOR THE WEIRDEST MOMENTS IN ANIME THIS WOULD WIN. HOLY SHIT

[@emilefoy-legault1031]

And I tought what happened to Sokka girlfriend was weird...

[@AlonsoMontero]

Beautifully explained.

[@phox008]

I still can't find an meaning for the ending of the AoU. But what I can sum up is "I don't always duel but when I do I grow up I turn into a car."

[@Gwern0]

What I love about the scene is that it is a dead-on parody of _Neon Genesis Evangelion_ & _End of Evangelion_. The red pipes of the opening scene evoke everyone tanging, the scene is a pitch-perfect imitation of an Evangelion launch scene complete with unnecessary bolts screwing & unscrewing and platforms ascending/descending - you even have a nameplate 'UTENA' in the NGE stretched-font style! All played absolutely dead-serious, and at the end you see... Utena emerging from a carwash as a racing car! 😆

[@nyarlathotep8723]

what everyone who owns a 3D printer wants you to think they do with it

[@ilovethelegend]

What... the fuck did I just watch.

[@animejunky2003]

wtf a CAR!!!really a freaking car 0-0

[@Crystalwatcher]

I AM SO FUKING CONFUSED!Not sure if ok with this.

[@BATCHARRO]

At the car wash! Transforming into a car while ominous music pays at the carwash!

[@thearomanticshipper4468]

This franchise is a drug trip.

[@KATinBLACK]

WTF! I liked it better when she just turned into a prince not a...a car!

[@omniexistus]

Elio should make an Utena Car for real.

[@YaukmoXIchigo]

OMG that was strang. And Anthy and Utena did not become the same person.

[@otakugril67]

WHAT EVEN IS THIS MOVIE? !

[@Spitestar]

Wait...What? She got turned into a car? Wow. That's original. And Creepy.

[@Phox-in-a-Box]

They just don't make anime like they used to...

[@CommentReader]

the car was also used as a symbol of "freedom"

[@BobLogical]

Turbo Teen: The Movie

[@RouzekiTadayoi]

When I watched this movie at age 16 - WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SEE? A decade later - WHAT THE BLUEBERRY FUCK DID I WATCH?

[@butchdeadlift10]

Look up Jesuotaku and Oancitizen. They actually explain this film in a very funny way

[@user-gr8hw1jf3h]

メカの描写がハンパないですね。

[@angryalienspaceship4115]

This scene wasnt in the anime, is it from the movie?

[@anaalicia2750]

Yes :)

[@RavenKavanagh]

Wait, instantly recogniseable plot? What am I missing?

[@Louchan2]

Ikuhara is a fucking genius.

[@sayadiva123]

totally the best part

[@seanemery1917]

[Insert Rick And Morty Joke Here]

[@mustardwizard]

She turned herself into a car, funniest shit I've ever seen

[@cue0987]

i love anthy with her hair down

[@jasontachin]

rw:1 word for all this :weird

[@calcifieddirt4120]

I have several questions.

[@--baphomet]

Space Police What's the seventh one?

[@emmalols]

I don't think it even has to be sex, although the sexual symbolism is, yes, quite obvious. I think the car chase is adolescence, where the school is childhood and the outside, unknown world is adulthood. It's all about the process of growing up and how to become an adult. The car and the driver represent how it takes 2 people who care about each other to get out, as both Utena and Anthy were vital to their escape. Shiori's car crashes because she had no driver to see where she was going :P

[@ticianeal1505]

why a car

[@suchiuomizu]

Because Utena

[@rufusfan]

And the joke just went right over your head XDD.

[@Angryneck]

The Incredible Turbo Teen!

[@shaymin123able]

a freaking car! sweet

[@powerrangerfan121]

This is a Kamen Rider Build Henshin

[@shahoney]

Now it all makes sense, lol.

[@Nerdicaful]

Car Utena: Get in, betch.