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Shoujo Kakumei Utena
Revolutionary Girl Utena

Once upon a time, years and years ago...

... there was a little princess, and she was very sad for her mother and father had died. Before the princess appeared a traveling prince riding upon a white horse. He had a regal bearing and a kind smile. The prince wrapped the princess in a rose-scented embrace and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Little one," he said, "who bears up alone in such deep sorrow. Never lose that strength or nobility, even when you grow up. I give you this to remember this day. We will meet again. This ring will lead you to me, one day." Perhaps the ring the prince gave her was an engagement ring. This was all well and good, but so impressed was she by him... that the princess vowed to become a prince herself one day. But was that really such a good idea?

Another world? you may ask. Well, the world of Ohtori academy is like none other - it is almost as if the world of 18th Century French aristocrats (and their silly honor duels) has been fused with that of modern-day Japanese exclusive high-schools.

Tenjou Utena, the princess who-would-be-prince, attends the exclusive and ancient Ohtori Academy. Here, she is somewhat of a tom-boy celebrity — wearing a boy's uniform (kind-of), excelling at sports, and giving her teachers fits. Merely seeking retribution for the humiliation of her best friend, Wakaba, Utena challenges the Student Council Vice-President. She enters the school's forbidden forest, and finds herself embroiled in a strange and dangerous battle.

When Utena wins the battle, she finds herself in possession of a very strange new friend/roommate Himemiya Anthy. Anthy, and the other members of the Student Council, describes herself as the "Rose Bride," the goal and prize of any victorious duellist. Though Utena struggles, she is drawn ever deeper into the world of the Duel, and closer to a terrible secret harbored by Ohtori Academy.

Though drawn to the Duels, Utena always keeps her goal in mind — to find her prince, or to become a prince herself. Through the Duels with the Student Council, the Black Rose Society, and some of the leaders of Ohtori itself, Utena proves herself to have the heart of a true prince.

The television version of Utena comprises three seasons, the first of which is currently available in North America, courtesy Software Sculptors. The movie, recently released in Japan on LD and DVD is titled Adolescence Apocolypse, and takes the story from a later, and more mature angle (like an alternate universe). There are 6 tankubon volumes of manga (I think).

Strictly Shoujo Utena Information

Strictly Shoujo Utena Sites

URL - Utena Revolutionary Links

Great Utena Sites

The Utena Encyclopedia
Themes of the Revolution
The Utena Network

URL provides a list of links, as well as polls to rank them for this series, as well as offering a small seperate image gallery here.

Strictly Shoujo Notes on Shoujo Kakumei Utena:

Utena is not for everyone. There are some clearly (and blatently) homosexual overtones throughout the series, though they are not the beat-you-over-the-head kind. Actually, quite tasteful. And, without giving away too much, the ending is not what you would expect. Though, if you look at it in the right way, it is the only one possible given the circumstances. However, for true fans, one might look at the ending to the movie as somewhat of a justifying point (like above, it is an alternate universe, therefore ending — Terry Pratchett would refer to it as "being down the wrong trouser-leg of time." — sometimes one decision can alter the whole space-time continuum).