[Where I Watch] Revolutionary Girl Utena

[Cailet]

Well ladies, gentlemen and [insert preference here] it's that time again. Time for me to watch a mid-90's anime and tell you just how much it blew my mind. It's a fine tradition and one I rather enjoy upholding.

Rather less fine is my tendency to procrastinate over, well just about everything. As previous readers will be aware I am by nature (I'm working on it) an unpunctual creature and since this is the longest show I've followed yet (39 episodes) the potential for delay is even greater than Duke Nukem Forever. Therefore to counter this the schedule is as follows.

Every Tuesday before I go to work (in other words, before 10PM GMT) I will watch another episode and post my review here just as if it were airing in the normal fashion today. In theory therefore I should finish the whole thing sometime next summer.

So why did I choose Utena? Aside from it being the only one of the Three I hven't watched (the other two being Lain and EVA) it's been recommended so much and so often by people who's tastes I trust that I really couldn't not watch it at some point.

Other than that I know almost nothing at all about the show, it's setting or even the people who made it. Something about princes and gender roles or something. I'll find out soon, in fact I'll start finding out in about 48 hours. I hope you'll join me there.

 

[Topher]

Yay! I hope you like it.

If you don't mind reading subs, I STRONGLY recommend the subbed version, because the dub is terrible. Awful. Heinous.

Topher

 

[salinea]

YAY!

It's been way too long since anyone did an Utena WIW

 

[KoboldLord]

Yeah, I'd stick with subs, if there was any question. It was dubbed back in the Bad Old Days where dubbing foreign cartoons was a humiliating thing that actors did to pay the bills while they were trying for a real role.

The first few episodes might be a little slow, but it will pick up later. And then at the start of the second coure it will ramp up and up and never stop.

 

[TheGrog]

Yay! I hope you like it.

If you don't mind reading subs, I STRONGLY recommend the subbed version, because the dub is terrible. Awful. Heinous.

Topher

Isn't this assumed?

... I kid, but good dubs were still pretty rare in that time.

 

[Cailet]

For this era I'd say subs are my usual approach. Not always, EVA had a fairly good dub, FLCL's has grown on me and Nadesico needs to be heard in English if only for the inevitable jokes about EVA* but in general I assume the dub was horiffic and avoid it unless otherwise advised.

*Also I have a slight thing for fiery mecha pilots voiced by Tiffany Grant

 

[Arseny]

I'll second KoboldLord in every aspect. Japanese cast is very strong, including brilliant Aya Hisakawa and Kotono Mitsuishi, while in the dub… well, two main characters were not bad, but voices for some of the secondary (but nevertheless very important) cast were seriously botched.

Also, subscribed.

 

[Dallbun]

It's a great series - probably my favorite anime. Not that it doesn't have its weak points, but it's strong points are, well, unique and incredible.

Those of us rewatching along - if the desire to discuss and analyze past wherever Cailet is gets too strong, drop on by the Utena forums, In the Rose Garden. Even if you don't want to join in, there's a lot of good threads in there. (/ad)

Japanese cast is very strong, including brilliant Aya Hisakawa and Kotono Mitsuishi, while in the dub… well, two main characters were not bad, but voices for some of the secondary (but nevertheless very important) cast were seriously botched.

A couple were good, though!

Spoiler: Show

I like Lisa Ortiz's Shiori, for instance, and I recall Crispin Freeman's Touga being pretty good.

But no, the dub really isn't a contender.

 

[Jhiday]

Yeah, an incentive for me to get around to finish watching this awesome series !

 

[Arseny]

Shiori was quite good, I agree. Miki, on the other hand...