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Revolutionary Girl Utena - The Movie Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara Number of Items: 1 Format: Color, Animated, Widescreen Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 87 minutes Studio: CENTRAL PARK MEDIA Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2001-11-13 Buy from Amazon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 97 Average rating: 4.5 "A Symbolic Masterpiece" I must say that after looking at...reviews from some of the other people...I was appalled to see how many people had negative tings to say about it and how many actually hated it! My conclusion on those people was that they just don't understand the symbolism in every single scene, the wondrous artwork and storyline that made this movie so amazing. This movie will have you thinking long after the DVD shuts off. The characters are in an alternate universe so there isn't a need to have seen the series, but I will say that you may be a little lost if you aren't at all familiar with Utena. Many people complain about how dark it is, but the point is that is is in an alternate universe! Besides, it follows the manga in that the manga is pretty dark and not as lighthearted as the anime. This movie is a true gem and will add a beautifully crafted, wonderfully drawn piece to any Utena/anime fan's collection. "Amazing... A true classic." I must say... The director of Sailor Moon really outdid himself with this movie. Many people say that it isn't worth the money, but that is because they don't see the symbolism and meanings to this movie. The artwork is amazing, I don't think that anything I have ever seen (and I have seen a LOT of anime), has ever had artwork like this movie. This movie is great for fans of Revolutionary Girl Utena, especially if they want a puzzle for the brain. This movie starts at Utena's first day at the Ohtori Academy, and she thinks she sees Touga, but in actuality, he is only a ghost. She thinks that he is engaged when she sees the Mark of the Rose on his finger, but later she finds that this is the symbol of the duelist, when she recieves on herself. Watch as her relationship with Anthy expands it's roots, and they try to find a way to break free of this world of dueling and magic. "Buy the series, not this movie" Let me start by saying that i loved the first two dvds of the series. Here I am crossing my fingers that they release the rest. I bought the movie, thinking I could get a glimpse of the ending of the series. But I was terribly dissapointed. The movie hardly tracks the lovable series. It is gloomy, dark, and uncomfortable to watch. The themes of incest and rape are very prominent. A little too much. There are no jokes or funny situations like in the series. You sink emotionally and dont come back up. There are many things that go against what you know from watching the series. And I couldnt care less for the car racing at the end...it was out of character...all of it. Perhaps there is artistic value, if you repackage it as something else but Utena. But if you are a fan of Utena from the series, you will end disappointed like me. "Wow..." I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this DVD. By the cover, it appeared to be a shoujo anime (pink, very pink). The first time I watched it, I was left disturbed, with a vague "Huh?" feeling similarly produced by the finales of Lain and Evangelion. The second time around it was more understandable, but was still unsettling. The movie, Adolescence of Utena, is visually stunning. Rose symbolism coats everything. Many characters are beautiful, and the architecture of the highschool is elegant and creative. Anthy's field of roses high above the school makes a good example. As for themes, this movie is full of most any controversial one you can imagine. Instances of lesbianism, murder, incest, child molestation, and suicide might make this movie inappropriate for children's viewing. Not having seen the television series or manga of Utena, I don't know whether or not to recommend this movie to fans of those. As a standalone production, I would only recommend it to a mature, open-minded audience. On a final note, I wouldn't suggest getting too attached to the characters, as half of them are dead even as the movie is going on. I had to watch it twice to fully figure this out. Also, watch out for the ending. Utena, Shiori, cars...??? "You've Heard the Good, Bad, and Ugly..." As any Utena fan would know, there are good and bad reviews about the Utena movie. You get one extreme where the viewer can't stop saying it was amazing and then you get the other extreme where the viewer can't stop saying it was confussing and that it made absolutely no sense. Well, truth is, you need to do a teeny bit of homework before you see/ get this movie (both DVD and VHS). My personal advice is see the first twelve or so episodes dubbed, then go on web sites on the movie to get a little clue at what the hell you'll be watching. Then you should get a little hint. I myself went to Utena movie site to get some 411 on it. Ofcourse for those who are even smarter, see all the 39 episodes (dub and sub)! My personal review on this film is 5 stars all the way. the movie was great, with music, art, and plot that kept you into the movie the whole way. I admit there are somethings I wasn't to keen on like the nudity and a few mature sceens in it, but there's always some bad things to good things. I guess you could call me one of the people who can't stop saying the movie's amazing. It sure is better than other movies I've seen like Sailor Moon and Pokémon- thougth I do like those shows too. This is no way any hum-drum Disney fairy tale, and is no hum-drum animated film. I definatly rate it PG 13 and caution parents with young children. There's very mild violence, but there's a lot of nudity and mature sceens, but the movie's perfect for any animé lover, but I give you fair warning- do your homework on this and don't just go into it untill you know a little about the show and the movie, other wise, the movie'll be a waist of cash. Hope this helped you! ^_-