The Prince Unfixed from Gender: Revisiting Revolutionary Girl Utena

Hello, everyone! It goes without saying, but this video contains spoilers for Revolutionary Girl Utena.
In my earlier analysis of Utena, I attempted to paint a picture of Revolutionary Girl Utena as a story that allegorically explores adolescence. Then, I began to unpack the meaning of its title - Revolutionary Girl Utena - and I argue that Utena is comprehensively revolutionary in character. One dimension of that revolution is her challenge of essentialistic gender, and her disruption of the idealized narrative of the fairytale. In this video, I explore this topic specifically in an attempt to describe why I think Utena's defiance of gendered categorization is so interesting. It's a powerful message for sure.
Making this video was really fun for me, and I feel like I've learned a lot these past few months - even if I still have a very long way to go.
As always, these are just my thoughts and I don't want to imply that my reading is inherently correct, or that I am in any way authoritative. Utena is a complex work, and I welcome alternative interpretations and further discussion. Thank you all for watching!
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Bonus Notes:
** Just because I think Utena portrays gender as non-essentialistic does not mean that I know definitively whether gender is or isn't essentialistic as a matter of fact. That's a question for anthropologists, sociologists, developmental psychologists, philosophers, and plenty of other people way smarter than me. I'm just a random dude making videos about anime on the internet.
The essentiality of gender is a different topic than the essentiality of sex or sexuality.
The question of whether gender is essentialistic or non-essentialistic is technically a different discussion than the question of whether gender is binary or non-binary. I kind of conflate them here. They're related for sure, but the topics can be approached separately.
I experimented with some audio workflow adjustments, a new script style, and some changes to the way I edit. Please let me know if you think the video is any better because of it (or if I still totally suck super hard).
I wanted to dive into a broader discussion as to the role of queerness in Utena, but frankly the level of research I would need to do before I would feel comfortable engaging with the topic is gargantuan. I really do think it's important though.
My current goal is to say more in less time. Shorter videos are much easier to edit (read: I can make them quicker). If you all would prefer longer videos again, please let me know - although there aren't too many topics in anime that I could fill twenty minutes of airtime on by myself!
This is probably the last video I'll make on Utena for a long time. I love it, but I'm eager to branch out and cover a wider variety of shows.
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Works Cited:
1. Bailey, Catherine E. “Prince Charming by Day, Superheroine by Night? Subversive Sexualities and Gender Fluidity in Revolutionary Girl Utena and Sailor Moon.” Colloquy: Text Theory Critique 24 (2012).
2. Butler, Judith. "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory." Theatre Journal 40, No. 4 (1988), pp. 519-531.
3. West, Candance & Zimmerman, Don H. "Doing Gender." Gender and Society, Vol. 1, No. 2. (Jun, 1987) pp. 125-151.
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Some other related stuff that seemed cool:
mageinabarrel.... - A collection of thorough blog plosts exploring Utena as a multifaceted character.
ohtori.nu/analy... - An exploration of the intertextual relationship between Utena, Hesse's "Demian", and Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence" submitted by Meike Nedervald (although the web formatting is a bit dated).
• Boku Girl and the Anxi... - Pause and Select's excellent video on the concept of Butlerian performativity (in the specific context of the manga Boku Girl).
"Gender and Sexuality in Shoujo Manga: Undoing Heteronormative Expectations in Utena, Petshop of Horrors, and Angel Sanctuary" (2009) by Emily M. Hurford. This essay explores the potential value of particularly queer, particularly western interpretations of Japanese media.
"On the Construction of Gender, Sex, and Sexualities" (2004) by Jeanne Marecek and Mary Crawford. This essay is a succinct summary on, well, the construction of gender, sex, and sexuality.
"Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex" (1993) and "Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity" (1990) by Judith Butler. These books by Judith Butler are interesting, and Butler's argumentation is really strong.
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Music by Chillhop: chillhop.com/li...
Juan RIOS - Colores: / juan-rios-beats
Aso - Seasons: / aricogle
Listen on Spotify: bit.ly/Chillhop...
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Twitter: @WatchesAnime

[@machinaprecis]

One thing that is hard for many American viewers to unpack is that the Japanese have carved out different gender and sexual identities than America or Europe have. It's not too uncommon for girls to have close relationships during periods of adolescence (at least in Japanese media and pop culture) but this is viewed as a transitional stage - a safe but undeveloped expression of romanticism that might be part of a path towards preparing toward womanhood. This might be more positive than American gay panic, but still treats relationships like Utena and Anthy's as immature. Utena is revolutionary (in part) because she refuses this false kindness; she defines her blossoming adulthood through her growing relationship with Anthy. Akio does exactly what patriarchial Japanese society would do: praise Utena's love for Anthy while asking her to move beyond it. That is the nature of his seduction: find her princeliness beautiful and seek to possess and suffocate it.

[@marsirenas]

That is a brilliant observation you had mention.

[@if4597]

First if all, really good point here. But I would just like to bring up that this isn't the only Ikuhara anime that has something to say about Class S relationships (that's what they call those romantic friendships). If you guys liked Utena, then you may want to check out Yuri Kuma Arashi, which focuses on this and how society treats lesbians in general. It's another Ikuhara anime, and it's about 12 episodes long. You won't find many good reviews about it because most of it's critics watch up to episode 3 and then drop it. I would recommend watching at least 4 episodes before deciding if you want to drop it. Also, don't let the trailers and OP fool you, it's really not that fanservicey, and that fanservicey usually means more than it seems to.

[@1234bobfox]

I just finished Revolutionary Girl Utena, and I had the same thoughts about stepping away from labels. I think there's one other thing. When it comes to femininity, there is this ideal about how women must be pure (sexually), while men can be as sexually promiscuous as they wish. The two men that love Utena are both shown as unfaithful Playboy's that take advantage of women and flaunt their sexuality. The viewer is left feeling horrified that Utena would fall for such a corrupt man. End of The World was not trying to just seduce Utena, but make her lose by taking away her innocence. However, I find it important that both Utena and Himemiya are not depicted as being of any less worthy because of this. Utena's childish dreams of her prince were shattered by this corrupt "adult" or "deconstructed" version of the prince.... And as the story progresses, Utena is shown finding the power within herself to fight, instead of taking the Rose Bride's sword, and no longer fought with the Power of Dios. Each season or Act is showing Utena's growth as an independent woman. .... And that's just the tip of the iceberg, huh.

[@1234bobfox]

There are still so many more symbols in the story, it can be hard to unpack them all.... But I think you really covered the most important/prevalent themes in your analysis, and I appreciate that.

[@laurabea660]

"Utena suggests that essentialistic categorization [of gender] is the problem": this is the money statement for me here. god i love this show.

[@kiat982]

To dig into breaking the essentialist idea about gender, the show also criticises the prince princess system all together, trying to be a prince was harmful to utena and in the end being something completely outside this system saved her (she never actually saved anthy like a prince would have in the end she just gave her the means to save herself(anthy)) . anthy was considered a witch because she was a girl who wasn’t a princess which shows the inherent flaw in the prince princess thinking and only outside these could both of them flourish

[@kiat982]

This is sorta what was already said but I wanted to talk about how it explicitly criticises this system and pursuing it even as a girl is working within this system

[@joel0joel0]

I think there is a big blindspot in this analysis, who focuses to much on the performative actions of Utena. The way Utena defies the expectation of being a girl is to be a prince, in other words she adopts the male gender role, yes of course she does it in a way were she retain her womanhood, but she still is a prince and even not the only female prince we see in the show. But this gender role or behavior set is not unproblematic and the series demonstrates that multiple times. For example in the second duel with Touga, Utena doesn't fight to save Anthy who doesn't want to be saved, but to reclaim her identity as a prince. It is clearly pointed out by Touga, which shows us that Utena needs the helpless Anthy, the prince needs the princess in distress, so he/she/they can be the hero. Even if Utena really doesn't want to obtain Anthy like the others, doesn't matter, her identity as a prince depends on Anthys existence as a victim. In a nutshell the show doesn't actually present us queer performittivity as the solution to the problem of sexism, instead its just a shift from male opresses female to male coded opresses female coded, in other words the problematic relation of the binary genders still exist. But that doesn't mean that the show has no solution. In the end Utena defies Akio the ideal prince and tries to save Anthy from his abuse, not to obtain or retain her identity but for the sake Anthy. the same goes in the manga with Touga who defies Akio and helps Utena not because he want to possess her, but for Utenas sake. The show ends with Anthy leaving Akio, refusing to be the rosebride anymore, but she does not become a prince, what she does instead is destroying Akios patriarchal game, who is dependent on a princess, by becoming her self and refusing to comply to his imposed gender role. In conclusion what seems the point of this show is that we can only have healthy sexual relationships, when we are ourselves and don't comply to any genderole at all, because they end up being always opressive.

[@seacrystal6189]

Very well said

[@joel0joel0]

@@Haruka-xi1fl i don't really understand what you are disagreeing with me. But I have some points i am disagreeing with you. First, just because no one can really become the prince, because its impossible, doesn't really mean that the whole thing is just an illusion. Half of the student body tries to be one, even to their own detriment, Utena ends up in this academy because of it and dios dies trying to be the perfect prince, these are real consequences. (Sure othori academy is its own micro cosmos like all these institutions, the real world is not there, but that doesn't mean its not real whats happening there.) 2nd You are right as a child utena wanted to become a prince to save Anthy, but later when she mets her a second time as a prince, she really doesn't care that much about Anthy, sure she "saves" her from being the possesion of others, but more in a way that she imposes her views and ideals on Anthy. 3rd Dios isn't Akio. Yes and No. Dios is the representation of the ideal knight in shinning armor, he loves his sister, he helps princesses. Akio meanwhile is a scheming backstabbing bitch, only concerned about his own power. But Akio is what Dios at the end becomes, he did everything for the other people and even died for them, but got nothing out of it, his sister gets at the end tortured for millenia, just because she wanted to save him. So a part of Dios becomes Akio, the part that survives.

[@TehChibiMage]

What a great reading on the topic, and the fact that you incorporate actual academic theories and papers in your videos is pretty much exceptional when you look at other YT theorists.

[@FPoP1911]

>comes over 7 years ago >drops 3 banger videos >doesn't elaborate further >leaves ABSOLUTE LEGEND.

[@Himewna]

This is probably one of my favorite topics to discuss within Utena because I, at least, relate on a very personal level. It makes me a little biased as to why I love the series so much but, what can I say? I'm weak for queer themes and deconstructing gender essentialism. (Also, your notes and works cited are so well organized and thoughtful I got a little emotional :') great work! hope to see more from you in the future).

[@SamWatchesAnime]

This was a topic I wanted to discuss in more detail before, but I wanted to do my proverbial homework first. Looking back at it now, I'm honestly very glad that I waited and spent the effort. Thanks for watching!

[@Paragonoftrauma]

The only three videos available on this channel are from 5 years ago - but I'm hoping that you might post something again one day, if you have anything you'd like to - I really enjoyed this video so much 😭

[@stratovolcano7813]

another excellent Utena video! She's a very important character to me and I love seeing great, well-worded essays on her so, thanks. :) Gotta check out that person you cited from too.

[@SamWatchesAnime]

Thanks!

[@Aio-Project]

Thanks for such a great analysis of such a great show. it’s depiction of gender really helped solidify where i’m at with gender and sexuality. it’s too bad not more shows really understand the issue of gender in society, cyclical cultural aesthetics, and self expression independent of cultural understanding of identities. Everything you said was really spot on and you did a great job translating the intuitive, general, nuanced level of understanding the show to concrete examples and ideas that a more general audience might understand. glad this show is relevant to someone

[@Portal64]

Watched Utena before discovering your other video on it and was surprised you didn’t touch on this subject but alas this video existed! Honestly Utena is such a layered show that it’s hard to discuss it as a whole in a single video. Personally I felt like the show focused more on this aspect of breaking gender norms and sexuality in extension and covered abuse in all forms than it did on growing up but that’s mainly due to me not catching a lot of the themes and elements of adolescence. I hope that you find time again to continue making videos as I’d love to see you cover this or other anime again!

[@dgraykage231]

Thank you for keeping utena discussions alive! I just bought all the DVD's and had to rewatch the show twice, but its hard dissecting the show without anyone to bounce ideas off of.

[@carilloneticleave4739]

I LOVE it when you get into Utena more. I rarely find videos this good(in my personal opinion) about it on youtube. You and Crabe are much much appreciated. I appreciate your time and patience on this as well. Videos like this makes me value this show even more. It makes it as interesting as my first time watching it because I have these new views and interpretations on it. Prior to finding you two, any time I tried to rewatch it I actually got disappointed because I wasn't getting anything new from it. On the surface, it's really appealing and an average interesting story but not enough to rewatch all those episodes. I never made it to the end rewatching it all the times I tried because I was still looking at it on a surface level with a decent idea of what was going on. I've always heard the show was rich in details but never really got what people meant until these videos. Thank you. c:

[@SamWatchesAnime]

Late response, but thank you very much!

[@pastelclownbaby]

Yesss!!! Keep talking about Utena. 💖

[@machinaprecis]

It's one of those really tight works that it never hurts to revisit :D

[@kuribo04]

I loved this aspect of the show

[@juliarabanal-SPAMrockandfoto]

I'm impress with your analysis about utena, especially the part when you compare the gender issue with the end of childhood and ilussions. Can you create a video about Evangelion?

[@Umbralon]

*Let's live our lives heroically* *Let's live them with style*

[@kuroshindo4413]

Your video about Utena are amazing! I love them! Good job :D

[@somedude2748]

I hope you make more videos soon, your style of analysis and clearly deep knowledge of philosophy and politics was extremely refreshing. Thank you!

[@hamishwilson9924]

I'm absolutely reading everything you sourced here I'm fascinated

[@SamWatchesAnime]

Radical. I hope you enjoy it!

[@DemonicRemption]

The point Sam was getting at from where I sit is that people shouldn't restrict themselves to dictated societal gender norms. I say this because I never really saw gender and biology as the problem what how society dictates genders to behave that's the problem... Guys have to be strong unfeeling meatheads while women have to be emotional and weak... It undermines our potential as a species and shows why we haven't evolved as intelligence and personal expression on both genders is heavily frowned upon it seems...

[@candice44]

Great video!! God this makes me love Utena even more.

[@udryx]

This was most excellent. I hope you'll explore more topics through Utena. :)

[@NeverEverFaceTheDark]

i really like the background music (haha). and i really like what you're saying here. very well put! well....rooted. wow! im not sure about the childish fiction BEING essentialist gender though....doesn't that mean that at the start of the series she has ALREADY mostly divested herself of childish false beliefs associated with that fantasy? in her destructive gender revolution? (I just watched your other video). the last step is then only overcoming the indoctrination of false memories, romantic expectations and Akio's outright manipulations/exploitation....i guess that is the finale to her revolution? ok that makes sense

[@SamWatchesAnime]

+NeverEverFaceTheDark Yep! I apologize if my language was imprecise or confusing. By overcoming Akio’s designs and reaffirming her identity, Utena demonstrates that traditional gender roles are unnecessarily restrictive and (sometimes) harmful. That’s a pretty revolutionary idea! The fairy tale is just a framework the story uses to explore and critique those traditional roles. I hope that’s a little clearer.

[@NoCommentChick]

Please tell me I’m not the only one getting strong Rose of Versailles vibes from this show!

[@TillyJones11]

Thank you so much for addressing this! This very topic is what got me hooked on this show in the first place!

[@user-bj8wb1rb7q]

Superb series of analyses on revolutionary girl utena. Very intrigued by your content and hope to see more.

[@magemalintent]

Never before have I heard so many words used so elegantly to convey an idea so painfully obvious to me that it feels as if it shouldn't have needed saying at all. This world is an odd place.

[@lovelylychee2255]

Categories, labels, are for the sake of simplicity. However the aim of simplicity is for understanding from clarity. At least that’s how I mentally sort it .. I do really adore Utena the Prince, because she is a prince. It’s undeniable, just look at her! and even if you were to try and deny it I doubt you could further end it as “desired” by stopping it. cause you couldn’t stop her female prince ~ male princess ~~ if it’s so then, it’s so. \(^U^)/ personal humblebebumblebeebuh commentary habble-lah-bog aside, I really enjoyed your Utena videos!! super insightful and quite well thought out (not just your ideas but your speech as well, if that makes sense...) anywho, thanks for sharing! :)

[@sabinakafkova9937]

Thank you some much, your explanation of utena gender opinion helped me a lot to determinate my opinion on gender betterI have been thinking about gender a lot recently and couldn't thought what was my problem with nowdays queer definitions. One of my problems was that I feel like that there has been so many "promoters" of LGBTQ+ community, who aren't talking about anything else besides their gender on their social media and their privacy life as if their only essence was only their gender. With these cases I almost feel like that their gender determines who they are, but instead I much more feel like that who I am determines my gender. I know that this point of view can be seen as obvious ,but I personally know some queer people who come across to me like that, and it just doesn't fell right to me. So interpretation of utena's personal gender is much closer to my heart and I think that would nice if over time LGBTQ+ community and world as whole trasformed into something closer to world of utena.

[@ryuichirouaoino2940]

Amazing video. Thank you!

[@rhebratte]

Thanks so much for this! Very interesting and highly relevant!

[@MminaMaclang]

Ah the Nerdwriter Meets Vox of Anime. I've found you. Thank you for this.

[@gingganggoolie]

What makes Utena really special is that while yes, it does deconstruct the childish notions of male princes, and female princesses, and shows how harmful that is, but that the solution is not female princes like Utena initially wants to be. We see time and again the harms of princely behavior, and that the ultimate solution to the problem is not that girls can be princes too, but that we should leave the prince behind and all walk free, as Anthy does

[@mv.h.8357]

Great Scott, good sir! Thank you. Very deep. Utena wrecked my brain even with no translation back then. May I add some thought? Consider a hypothesis: Utena's character is based on Takarazuka characters? And that's basically all there is behind that chardesign decision? (See Princess Knight by Tezuka. Story is different but the overall theatricality of Utena and design of characters tells something about author's familiarity with the concept of Takarazuka. I personally think that visual and narrative of anime should go together. If you analyse a character, you should stick to its looks, animation, colours, figure, voice, and its actions, choises and replicas. Utena is not gender-bender, she never says 'ore' but says 'boku', if I remember correctly. She is never mistaken as a boy in series, yet in film she is. This is not like Ouran High School Host Club (love it). She is as feminine as you can be in my opinion. Utena's character is about chivalry and strong will, love, friendship, extreme beauty and refined fresh elegance, like a rose. Akio on other hand makes me feel sick. Utena has her heart in the right place and fiercely battles for her friends. That's what Sailor Moon does too, btw. Others are slightly off their tracks, obsessed with strange ideas. Utena confronts them and by dedication to basic true things she reminds these people from Student Council, that the shell of their complexes and traumas, that makes their world, is to be left behind if they want to live and truly love again. I'm so sorry, that I have no time to rewatch now and sorry for commenting on your work with only a decade and a half old memories of Utena. But your video got my mind racing. Thank you. What do you think?

[@KATinBLACK]

I was unconsciously drawn to the gender essentialism in Utena. It wasn’t until the end I realized “I can mostly relate!” As a kid I didn’t get why some things are “girly” or “boyish”. Princes are saviors and princesses are the saved. I considered my self a decent prince and my male cat a princess because he always needed to be saved from the relentless teasing from my dad

[@darkest-hero]

wow hope you can do more utena videos! maybe characters or symbols? like to hear your opinions

[@Mikauofthezora]

Please, you need to watch Utena 2, I mean, Revue Starlight!

[@stormRed]

Great video! I think I like this show even more now.

[@SamWatchesAnime]

Thanks!

[@humidgardens1099]

pATRIARCHY ALSO GREAT VIDEO BOTH THIS AND UNDERSTANDING UTENA DUDE

[@link6891]

I wish you would post more :(

[@5zakuro]

wonderful video!

[@nosmaspelledotherwise9413]

Your work is amazing! What do you think about Penguindrum?

[@SamWatchesAnime]

I really like Penguindrum, but I've only seen it all the way through once (and that was a couple years ago). I'd love to make a video on it at some point in the future, but there's a lot of research I'd need to do first!

[@nosmaspelledotherwise9413]

+Sam Watches Anime Good to know! I'll be writing an analysis of it, might become a blog. So, it's good to know that we might have the chance to exchange ideas.

[@SamWatchesAnime]

Sounds like a lot of fun. I hope it goes well!

[@DeviousRy]

Penguindrum needs more videos on youtube, but so does utena i guess haha. both are amazing, and thanks for your enlightening videos.

[@kinoax7]

Thank you

[@zenairzulu1378]

this was cool thanks

[@thedistinguished5255]

I heard someone say that Utena might be any orientation including heterosexual, because it's not explicitly said, but: the nobility can be associated with a knight, while a prince specifically (usually) rescues a princess

[@thedistinguished5255]

knight=tomboy/nb prince=gayyy

[@thedistinguished5255]

u heard it here first folks

[@draculona4431]

you r doing what this video was talking about. confusing gender and sexual orientation when they are not the same thing, knigh=tomboy/nb (gender) prince=gay (sexual orientation) so it doesn't make sense, to me at least...

[@thedistinguished5255]

@@draculona4431 i cant believe i watched utena 4 years ago already, feels like last year! time flies. anyway i wouldve never commented this today i think what along with conflating gender and sexuality what i was getting at was that a prince is a less masculine gender than a knight, which is also an annoying opinion to have but whatever

[@arkhamknight5801]

kino ... great job m8

[@moniquedatu3568]

Girl's can fight and dressing up like a boy so stop judging ok