Revolutionary Girl Utena (RGU) is a 1997 magical girl/shoujo/fairy tale-inspired anime series. It is also so much more.

RGU falls into these genres, but in reality, the show's main goal is to analyze and deconstruct common tropes from magical girl, shoujo, fairy tales by recontextualizing them using heavy allegories, symbolism, surrealism, and abstract storytelling. It can be dense and difficult to decipher on a first watchthrough, but as soon as the pieces begin falling into place there's nothing you can do to make it stop. And it's just so satisfying when they start falling into place.

Many people might know about it or have heard of RGU because of what it has to say about sexuality and gender — more specifically compulsory heterosexuality, homophobia, gender roles, misogyny, and the gender binary/gender performance — which was revolutionary (no pun intended) for its time. This is especially impressive when it comes to how tastefully it tackles these topics and how much they resonate with many members of the queer community, even today.

RGU also masterfully and subtly tackles other important themes like friendship, coming of age, puberty, pressures of conformity and social expectations, cycles of abuse/trauma, and recovery. No matter your life experiences or positionality, odds are that there is something somewhere in this show that will resonate with you, and maybe even change your outlook on the world or your own experiences. Furthermore, the lessons RGU imparts and portrays are timeless, whether you watched it when it first aired or you are finally getting around to it now, 25 years later.

Although RGU has a large ensemble cast to impart these lessons, almost everyone receives thoughtfully written, well-fleshed out story arcs, and distinct characterizations, without detracting from the main characters’ arcs or the overall plot. It’s so impressive how the writing team is able to gradually reveal more of their stories throughout the course of the show in order to constantly challenge and alter your preconceived ideas about these characters and the world they inhabit. Even the villains are complex and genuine; you’ll absolutely hate them, but you’ll love the way they’re written. The story might seem fantastical and exaggerated upon first glance, but its characters are so deeply rooted in reality and their struggles are so relatable that it can be scary at times.

If you’re considering watching RGU, I highly encourage you to do so. It feels like something that should be required viewing for anyone from any marginalized community, any fan of animation, or anyone simply interested in a unique and poignant love story. However, one final note you should know is that RGU can become almost deceptively heavy, dark, and potentially triggering. Make sure you consume it cautiously and read a warning list beforehand (here are a few, of various specificity). However, I'd argue that this is often balanced out with a lot of genuinely funny and absurd humor that can make the show, as a whole, a fun and insightful time.

Once the overall picture starts to come together, RGU — its plot, characters, themes, storytelling devices, dark and light moments — will stick with you for a long time, for sure. It is a piece of media that you can analyze to death and rewatch a hundred times, but still learn and notice new details every time. If you’re anything like me, you’ll still be stuck awake late at night well after you finish the show, just thinking and theorizing about it (for better or for worse).

Now:

You have no choice but to revolutionize the world. The way before you has been prepared.

ps: no matter what anyone says don’t skip a single episode!! no, not even the Cow One.

[[Originally written for Letterboxd]](https://letterboxd.com/fatimaj1/film/revolutionary-girl-utena/1/)