Steven Universe, Utena, & Friendships that Shine
Вставка
- Опубліковано 11 жов 2019
- Finishing out this series on the parallels between Steven Universe and Revolutionary Girl Utena, we look at the protagonist pairs of both shows in parallel--Utena and Anthy, and Steven and Connie. We also take a look at some of the ways Rose Quartz and Pearl's relationship takes after the pair, too.
Hope you enjoyed this series! I'll be heading back to Homestuck for a while now, finishing out our series on Aspects and then moving on to videos on Homestuck's own core heroes: The Beta Kids! Starting with Rose Lalonde. Hope you look forward to it.
Til then, keep rising.
Support the channel on Patreon, or with merch!:
/ optimisticduelist
www.keep-rising.org
Wanna check out Sam Keeper's writing? Find it here:
www.stormingtheivorytower.com...
www.stormingtheivorytower.com...
And here's her Homestuck books!:
www.stormingtheivorytower.com...
www.stormingtheivorytower.com...
Check out the free Steven Universe fan album, Songs from Planet Earth, which was largely done by former Homestuck music team members!!:
songsfromearth.bandcamp.com/a...
Whimsy:
songsfromearth.bandcamp.com/t...
Circlejourney:
songsfromearth.bandcamp.com/t...
Grace Medley:
songsfromearth.bandcamp.com/t...
"Overture" is from the Revolutionary Girl Utena OST. - Ігри
![Zagreus - Prince/Bard of Blood [Hades]](/img/n.gif)
An odd coincidence is that Steven and Connie even share the same colors as Utena and Anthy. Both their skin color and the color that they wear. Heck, Anthy even has glasses.
It may not be a coincidence, since the video says Rebecca Sugar was a fan of RGU.
@@alienswillcomeAWC Indeed.
Not a coincidence at all.
I don't tend to watch much/full OD's videos about Utena, since I don't want spoilers.
And she got rid of them because she didnt need them
it doesn't detract from the broader point about partners drawing out each other's strength, but Anthy pulling the sword out of Utena is one of the darkest parts of their relationship. Its the final stage of Utena being groomed to produce a fitting prince's sword. The sword of Dios disappeared because it was time for the training wheels to come off and for Utena to start demonstrating her commitment to the role of the prince.
5:11 - 5:16 I dont read that as Anthy in a trance or squinting at the light. That's a withering glare of resignation, pity, and spite.
I consider this totally correct, but as it often the case with Anthy, I still think there's a messy kernel of sincere emotion in her performance. In this case I think that specifically because whether it's part of the plan or not, Utena manifesting the sword herself *bothers* Akio, as he makes clear to Anthy later in the same episode. The vibe I got was that even if it is part of the process, it still struck a nerve that made him jealous or possessive, which in turn implies there's something real about Anthy's feelings for Utena. It's messy!
Every time I'm reminded of the ending of Utena I cry. I didn't even really like the show upon first viewing, it was way too confusing and hard to wrap my head around, but when that final scene of Anthy walking out into the world clicked in my head, I burst into full on sobs. Utena didn't become the prince and aquire the power to revolutionize the world, but she did revolutionize Anthy's, and that's all that really matters.
Basically what I'm saying is that it took me a few times to get through this video.
I'm glad you used overture for that moment because if missing link started playing someone woulda had to pick me up from the floor.
i find the parallels between utena and rose especially compelling when it's viewed under the lens you described at 7:43 ; just as utena was unable to love herself as she is, just as she views her worth not in her true self, but in an idealized, ultimately fake version of who she thought she should and could be- rose quartz was unable to love herself for who she was. she created a version of herself that was a lie because she thought the only way to be good, be loveable, be worthy, was to be someone else entirely.
but, in a way, rose and utena were opposites as well: utena idealized the prince and what it represented because she didn't see the power to revolutionize the world within herself as enough, and rose idealized the power to revolutionize the world because she didn't see the power to know better and save people (things the prince represents) within herself as enough. in fact, neither of them saw those traits within themselves at all, despite being traits that define them in the eyes of other people. it isn't a clean-cut translation between the two ideas, but i find it interesting, especially when you compare how they both succeeded and failed in their respective stories: both made a difference in the people and world around them through kindness and appreciation. they both made their loved ones feel seen and heard and understood as much as possible, after working to gain the ability to do so- and yet, neither of them truly learned to open themselves to other people, not as their true selves (unless we count the utena movie??). both of them learned through love, and both of them had to disappear for the changes they made in their worlds to take full effect. they both sacrificed themselves, all in the hope that their attempts to help the people they loved would take effect.
for utena, this was reaching out to anthy while embracing anthy's past, trauma and faults, and disappearing as a result. she might not be able to heal anthy, she might not be able to save anthy, but she wants to be there regardless because the best way to help is to be present, no matter the circumstance or cost; for rose, this was deliberately giving up her life to make steven- someone who she hoped could place the final piece of the puzzle. she hoped steven could love himself, and help others do the same, because she viewed that as the last thing holding her back from truly "healing" others from the affliction that is self-hatred. she knew she couldn't truly love herself, not as she was, not with what she'd done- and she hoped that steven could, as a blank slate, do what she had failed to in her thousands of years of life: love himself, and help others love themselves through example.
thank you for making this series. it made me think and analyze the characters in a way that i wouldn't have been able to otherwise. you're also sort of the reason that i got introduced to utena in the first place and oh god oh fuck i can feel utena becoming a special interest aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
also they both kinda remind me of calliope and roxy for some reason
If i could say what other pair Utena and Anthy remind me...i will be killed by a certain sector of a really old fandom. Hope who them can shine, again but more freely, in another life. Thanks for your work, amazing like always. Keep rising too!
Steven Universe Future is giving you more Utena to work with if you continue this series.
What are your thoughts the anime "Princess Tutu?" It's a show that has some parallels to RGU, and SU.
Oh I ADORE Tutu! It's more explicitly meta than Utena and really fun to experience, though I've only watched it once. The whole Fakir/Rue/Mythos/Ahiru quartet is wonderful.
@@optimisticDuelist Oh yeah I've always wanted to study it from a ballet perspective. The references are phenomenal. Glad to hear you adore it too!
Even when I'm not familiar with one of the subjects (IE: Utena) I always enjoy and find value in your videos. Thanks for making these
When SU and Utena are taking notes or get inspiration from Night on the Galactic Railroad
I'm really looking forward to your view on SU:Futuree, if only because Volleyball was perhaps the Most Utena Episode.
ahhh awesome series. the intertextuality here is great! great stuff.
this series was a masterpiece, thank you !
This video is SOOO good!!! As a huge fan of both shows I'm so glad this exists✨
Cannot wait for your opinion on volleyball
This was an incredible series, Taz. I'm considering watching RGU soon, so I'm glad I got to watch this series.
I know I technically spoiled myself on the series by watching these videos, but I feel like in this case it might help me get more invested in the story. Spoilers don't usually really bug me for that reason. I remember trying to get into Ikuhara's series Mawaru Penguindrum back when it first came out and I just...idk I think I was overwhelmed or overthinking the symbols and stuff in the series that I just dropped it. I need to learn to just turn my brain off when watching his stuff and just take things at face value the first time around. So maybe after RGU I'll give Penguindrum another shot.
Also, It's funny how part of the title in this video alludes to a fusion of Utena and Anthy and with you hoping to see that fusion, then months after this vid came out we see Volleyball and Pearl fuse into Mega Pearl, who literally looks like a fusion of Anthy and Utena. It's amazing.
I hope you continue this series. There is definitely more to discuss with the series conclusion in SU Future. Great video btw!!!
this has got to be the best analysis of shojo kakumei utena i;ve ever seen
Make a Barzum and Baizli video coward they’re just as iconic as Folykl and Kuprum
Love mawaru as well! Are there any similarities or recycled inspiration that Rebecca Sugar has potentially used on Steven Universe from Mawaru?
Neat
Your Steven stuff is cool, but oh my God, please talk more about Utena.
I don't watch the anime but you always make it entertaining