Over time, both critics and the general public have come to recognize certain media as "Lynchian," a term that refers to how video games, movies, and TV shows capture the dream-like essence of the late filmmaker David Lynch. Many works labeled as Lynchian draw inspiration from seminal pieces such as Twin Peaks. However, no show quite encapsulates the elusive, yet striking storytelling style of Lynch like the influential shojo anime series, Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, animated by J.C. Staff, is a 1997 anime adaptation of the manga series by Be-Papas and Chiho Saito. The narrative follows Utena Tenjou, a tomboy princess who, after the loss of her parents, meets a prince who presents her with a rose ring and a promise of a future reunion. This encounter inspires Utena to embody the traits of the prince who once saved her, rather than conforming to being a traditional princess.
This ambition leads Utena to engage in a series of duels with members of her school’s student council for the right to the Rose Bride, a girl named Anthy Himemiya. While her peers compete for control over Anthy to harness her power to achieve an ambiguous idea of world revolution—often objectifying and abusing her—Utena undertakes these duels (drawing a sword from Anthy’s chest) to free the Rose Bride from her grim fate.
Initially, Revolutionary Girl Utena appears to be a whimsical fantasy series, with much of the early rhythm focused on repetitive weekly battles. Each episode predictably sees her opponents struggle with a vice symbolic of a deadly sin before facing Utena in a duel. Similarly, Utena ascends an ornate spiral staircase to an anthem about birthrights and destiny, undergoes a magical girl transformation, and typically emerges victorious. Between these elements are moments of absurdism: spicy curry resulting in a body swap, Utena outplaying boys in basketball to mixed reactions, and student council members plotting while peculiarly exposing their chests.
Like Twin Peaks, Utena establishes a comforting yet slightly off-center rhythm that seems meandering. Its broader mysteries give way to random antics, removing any urgency to reveal the show’s direction. Just as it feels like the journey may outweigh the destination, Utena accelerates to a revolutionary conclusion.
Similar to Agent Dale Cooper’s entry into Twin Peaks amid the mystery of Laura Palmer’s death, the duels in Utena have dual significance. Each duel becomes a character study in which students at Ootori Academy, including Utena, are trapped in time, forced to evolve or metaphorically perish. This evolution involves confronting idealized memories and moving on from the past. Instead of solely seeking to save Anthy and her adversaries, Utena encourages them to save themselves.
Transitioning from a fluttering shojo fantasy to an existential meditation akin to Neon Genesis Evangelion is significant, yet Utena achieves this gracefully in true Lynchian style, presenting its themes overtly and indirectly. Repetitive lines and highlighted objects draw viewers’ focus, while a theatrical play-within-a-play interlude enriches the anime’s themes of love and revolution. The dialogue is equally thought-provoking.
Characters in Utena convey emotions aggressively, often shouting, provoking insecurities, or remaining conspicuously silent. The English dub can seem as awkward as the performances in Twin Peaks, yet the characters’ motivations are clear. As the series progresses from its mid-season slump into its "Who Killed Laura Palmer" equivalent in the Black Rose arc, even once-irritable characters like Nanami transform into complex, strong voices of reason.
Visually, Utena has influenced other anime, Western cartoons, and comics, including Sailor Moon, One Piece, Code Geass, Fullmetal Alchemist, She-Ra, Steven Universe, and Scott Pilgrim. The series also inspired the core premise of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, as evidenced by anime writer Ichiro Okuouchi’s involvement in both projects and Code Geass.
Despite its modest appearance, Utena is a shojo series that rivals notable josei and seinen series like Nana and Berserk, addressing topics such as abusive relationships, struggles for autonomy, and nonlinear paths to recovery. Its relationships are often more complicated than they appear, with sibling dynamics adding another layer of disturbance. The series is captivating, full of unexpected twists and revelations.
Fans of Utena often attest to the need for multiple viewings and supplemental analyses to fully appreciate the series’ intricate metaphors, foreshadowing, and character development, as well as its sequel film, Adolescence of Utena. As with any Lynchian work, seeking precise meaning in its artistic and narrative choices is less significant than the emotions it evokes. Whether addressing patriarchy, subtle queer representation, or the perils of clinging to nostalgia, Revolutionary Girl Utena remains a Lynchian anime that was both ahead of its time and timeless.
