Episode 20: Sailor Moon and Fighting Evil By Moonlight

THAT'S GREAT!! The first two madoka movies are basically the full series packed into two films. it's got a few differences and they've changed the look and music to a few scenes here and there but most importantly are transformation sequences that are to die for. i really liked the third movie although i have mixed feelings about some things but mentioning anything further would be spoilery so mouth zipped. if you find a way to get ahold of it i'd like to know what you thought.

I have also seen utena, along with the movie that serves as an alternate retelling/sequel to the series which is so bazaar and fantastic. i enjoyed both a very great deal but i haven't read the manga (i wasn't even aware there was a manga, so i'll have to check it out). it, like madoka, is another deconstructive look at magical girl tropes along with shojo manga (my guilty pleasure) tropes, but in a surrealistic and absurdist way.i do understand what you mean about the discomfort -- one character in particular gets the brunt of a lot of mistreatment even to a point where it can be argued that it isn't commenting on misogyny anymore and is just abusing a character. i'd like to hear your views on that since you have read that men and women react to the show differently. it is a very dense anime and one that rewards repeat viewings because there's so much there but those make for some really memorable shows.

if you like utena i do recommend an anime called mawaru penduindrum -- it's a magical girl anime in a sense but that's just one of the things it's got going on. it's by the same creator of the utena anime so there are some situations that you might run into again that could make for uncomfortable viewing. giving away anything about the story would spoil it -- i even caution looking up detailed plot synopses because they can give stuff away. it's another dense anime and requires a fair amount of attention when watching because it takes the surrealism and imagery motifs that are used in utena and turns it up by 100. and at the very least it's beautifully animated and there are plenty of genuinely funny moments.

Yea that does make sense. And you're right it is hard to talk about it without spoilers so sorry but ANYONE READING THIS THAT HASN'T SEEN REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA, SPOILERS:

You're right about Anthy's ending reveal. It flips the character on her head and adds layers of motivation and complexity to her which was very much needed. She is constantly abused by just about everyone and the metaphor for the misogynistic way that men treat women is really hammered home on an almost per episode basis by the abhorrent acts Anthy is victim to. Her character arc of breaking that cycle in the end, which she does by journeying out of the school that she herself possibly created to find her prince/utena, is a wonderful one that sees Anthy coming a very long way from being basically a scratching post for the rest of the cast.

This brings me to the situation with her brother -- I think the series can be read as Anthy creating an entire world around her in the form of the school and the people there are more or less projections (projections of who, I'm not really sure) and her brother is a projection of herself. This makes the whole sexual relationship less disgusting/weird if it's taken as Akio being the part of Anthy that she loves and explains the relationship between him and Utena. When Anthy is her "best self"/Akio she is allowed to be with Utena, but since she is so preoccupied with self-loathing because of her past she has imprisoned herself and the projections reflect that self-hatred. It could also explain why she doesn't do anything to stop any abuse she encounters even though she is shown to be capable to doing so. This could be a misinterpretation and Akio is real and just the worst pile of trash but it's uncomfortable to sit through either way, especially because it's such an escalation of abuse. Like literally Anthy, what else can possibly happen to you and how are you pretending to have a semblance of normalcy right now!

There's so much that can be picked apart and analyzed in the series that I keep forgetting THIS IS A MAGICAL GIRL ANIME! It's what makes it brilliant. I would like to know how you felt about the situation between Akio and Anthy though because when I think back on the series I keep going back to that plotline. It's really dark and affecting.

Thanks for warning me about the manga. That's such a shame! I never find myself in the mood for bigotry in my media consumption so I'll pass on it.

Late to the party, but I checked out the new series (because I'm an elementary school teacher and want to check out what the kids are watching, right? ahem*cough*).

As I'm watching it, I notice, hey I recognize that place! So I go digging and find out the show takes place in "juban" or in real life "Azabu-Juban." They were using actual places and shots on the streets for the show. I go to grad school in the evening in the area, and about a month ago there were banners on the streets for the anniversary. Anyways, just thought I'd share.
Here is a photo a scene and the real locale (from google street view).
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