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少女革命ウテナ [Shōjo Kakumei Utena] #1-6
Utena, la chica revolucionaria. Integral.
¡LA EDICIÓN DEFINITIVA DE ESTE CLÁSICO DE CHIHO SAITO!
Utena Tenjô acaba de entrar en la prestigiosa Academia Ohtori y descubre con sorpresa que el anillo que le regaló el príncipe que le salvó la vida de niña le abre las puertas de la arena de los duelos, donde podrá competir por el poder de la revolución. Pese a no tener el menor interés en ello, se enfrenta a uno de los engreídos miembros del Consejo para darle una lección y su victoria la convierte en la duelista vencedora… y en dueña y señora de Anthy Himemiya, la Novia de la rosa.
Edición integral en dos tomos en cartoné con cofre contenedor y póster de regalo.
Utena Tenjô acaba de entrar en la prestigiosa Academia Ohtori y descubre con sorpresa que el anillo que le regaló el príncipe que le salvó la vida de niña le abre las puertas de la arena de los duelos, donde podrá competir por el poder de la revolución. Pese a no tener el menor interés en ello, se enfrenta a uno de los engreídos miembros del Consejo para darle una lección y su victoria la convierte en la duelista vencedora… y en dueña y señora de Anthy Himemiya, la Novia de la rosa.
Edición integral en dos tomos en cartoné con cofre contenedor y póster de regalo.
1096 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2017
39 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
May 23, 2022
So much more than beautiful art. This story is actually incredibly hard hitting and tackles issues such as abuse, trauma, sexism, and lgbtq issues. Intriguing lore, interesting and complex characters, and stunning, whimsical art. One of my favorite manga, it redefines the shojo genre.
December 10, 2017
Hey Book Peeps
I feel like the people that are going to pick up this set are those who are familiar with the anime and want to relive the nostalgia of the series in manga form. Which is not a bad reason given that this box set is incredible and exquisite to hold and look at.
The story however was very much like the first time I watched Utena, a bit confusing. I especially think this is the case when dealing with the Adolescence of Utena in the second volume. I never understood it very much before and it is still a bit hazy now but I made it through and I was semi satisfied.
The one thing I felt was not really expressed in the manga was Anthy and Utena’s love for each other especially in the first volume. I remember that in the anime it seemed very apparent that Anthy and Utena had feelings for each other but in this first volume I could not tell really at all. By the second volume you can see a bit more develop in their relationship but it still isn’t much. By the time of get to The Adolescence Of Utena the relationship seems so extreme that it feels a bit off in a scary way which is exactly how I remember feeling watching the OAV.
In the end I still had a good time going through the manga and it would be a set I would look at purchasing for my shelves. If this set has done nothing else for me , it has reawakened my need to re watch the entire anime all over again. If you are thinking of venturing into this series at all I would start with the anime and then read this box set. I feel like the anime series brings information together a bit better than this set and so you are able to follow along easier. Once you’ve watched it then definitely read this to get a different feel of the story and its characters.
I hope you love either version though as it is ,overall, a well done story about love, strength and sacrifice and how those three things can help you revolutionize the world!!
Happy Reading
Jo
I feel like the people that are going to pick up this set are those who are familiar with the anime and want to relive the nostalgia of the series in manga form. Which is not a bad reason given that this box set is incredible and exquisite to hold and look at.
The story however was very much like the first time I watched Utena, a bit confusing. I especially think this is the case when dealing with the Adolescence of Utena in the second volume. I never understood it very much before and it is still a bit hazy now but I made it through and I was semi satisfied.
The one thing I felt was not really expressed in the manga was Anthy and Utena’s love for each other especially in the first volume. I remember that in the anime it seemed very apparent that Anthy and Utena had feelings for each other but in this first volume I could not tell really at all. By the second volume you can see a bit more develop in their relationship but it still isn’t much. By the time of get to The Adolescence Of Utena the relationship seems so extreme that it feels a bit off in a scary way which is exactly how I remember feeling watching the OAV.
In the end I still had a good time going through the manga and it would be a set I would look at purchasing for my shelves. If this set has done nothing else for me , it has reawakened my need to re watch the entire anime all over again. If you are thinking of venturing into this series at all I would start with the anime and then read this box set. I feel like the anime series brings information together a bit better than this set and so you are able to follow along easier. Once you’ve watched it then definitely read this to get a different feel of the story and its characters.
I hope you love either version though as it is ,overall, a well done story about love, strength and sacrifice and how those three things can help you revolutionize the world!!
Happy Reading
Jo
June 11, 2021
As someone familiar with the Revolutionary Girl Utena anime, I was fascinated by the differences between it and the manga. Since Chiho Saito and Kunihiko Ikuhara are both members of the Be-Papas collective, they were able to take the same story in different directions within their media of choice.
An encounter with a mysterious prince as a young girl inspires Utena Tenjou to want to grow up to be a prince as well. She wears a boy's uniform at school, excels at sports, and generally acts the tomboy. But mysteries abound at her school, Ohtori Academy. Seeing one of the student council members striking a girl, Utena intervenes. Apparently the council hold regular duels, with the girl, Anthy Himemaya, as a prize. Utena quite rightly believes Anthy should belong to herself, and gets caught up in the duels, which seem to have metaphysical connotations, with the power to revolutionize the world as the ultimate prize. And then things get weird …
As with the anime, RGU works best on surreal and symbolic levels. It doesn't always make logical sense, but you feel in your heart--at least I did, anyway--the truth and rightness of it. There are definitely yuri overtones, particularly on the poster that was included in this lovely boxed set.
Unlike the anime, at least no one turns into a car here …
The main storyline comprises most of volume one, plus about the first third of volume two. The rest is side stories, elements of which will be familiar to fans of the anime, plus "The Adolescence of Utena," which is sort of a darker re-imagining of the original story. Again, while some parts of "Adolescence" will be familiar to fans of the movie, it's fairly different in the manga.
As I said, the boxed two volume set is lovely. Definitely worth buying over any Kindle version. The packaging will delight anyone who revels in physical media. I think that, ultimately, I like the anime better. But this is definitely some prime manga. Highly recommended!
An encounter with a mysterious prince as a young girl inspires Utena Tenjou to want to grow up to be a prince as well. She wears a boy's uniform at school, excels at sports, and generally acts the tomboy. But mysteries abound at her school, Ohtori Academy. Seeing one of the student council members striking a girl, Utena intervenes. Apparently the council hold regular duels, with the girl, Anthy Himemaya, as a prize. Utena quite rightly believes Anthy should belong to herself, and gets caught up in the duels, which seem to have metaphysical connotations, with the power to revolutionize the world as the ultimate prize. And then things get weird …
As with the anime, RGU works best on surreal and symbolic levels. It doesn't always make logical sense, but you feel in your heart--at least I did, anyway--the truth and rightness of it. There are definitely yuri overtones, particularly on the poster that was included in this lovely boxed set.
Unlike the anime, at least no one turns into a car here …
The main storyline comprises most of volume one, plus about the first third of volume two. The rest is side stories, elements of which will be familiar to fans of the anime, plus "The Adolescence of Utena," which is sort of a darker re-imagining of the original story. Again, while some parts of "Adolescence" will be familiar to fans of the movie, it's fairly different in the manga.
As I said, the boxed two volume set is lovely. Definitely worth buying over any Kindle version. The packaging will delight anyone who revels in physical media. I think that, ultimately, I like the anime better. But this is definitely some prime manga. Highly recommended!
July 30, 2018
Utena don't turn into a car/10
January 10, 2021
Increíble ❤️
August 20, 2020
I read this on and off for a while but never updated my status on GR. I think a lot of the story and stuff went over my head, so I didn’t really enjoy this a ton. I’ve heard that this inspired Sailor Moon some so I wanted to give it a shot, but I think Sailor Moon is better, at least for me. I also have Rose of Versailles, which I originally thought was the English manga’s name for Utena (god was I confused), and from what I read that was partially inspiration for this series so I’ll try reading that soon and see what I think. I hope that all made sense lol
March 23, 2025
It took me a while to warm up to the entire 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' manga. Much like I did with the anime.
I started watching 'RGU' as a teenager, which really wasn't the right age stage to see, much less understand, such a complex and symbolic series in order to "get it". It wasn't until years later - as an adult whose worldviews have changed significantly, and who has reached a realisation about, and a respect for, the line between childhood illusions and reality - that I finally rewatched and finished the anime properly, so I could fully appreciate it for the work of art that it is. Now 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' is one of my favourite anime of all time.
To this day, twenty years after it first aired, there has been nothing else like it. An early, refined shōjo anime and Magical GirlTM anomaly (it barely fits into those genres, it is that unique), it cannot and should not be compared to anything else. It is a feat in visual and structural storytelling, fairy tale deconstruction, and feminist narratives. Weird, harrowing, uncomfortable, but necessary; full of heart and genius for an allegorical coming-of-age story.
What does it mean to be revolutionary? Indeed, there are fine bursts of ways 'RGU' is revolutionary. I could go on and on about its countless themes, symbols and metaphors throughout its 39-episode run (seriously, each is like a painting; not a single dud (bad bud?) among them, they blossom fully in potential), but that's for another time and place.
After that unplanned long praise, here is a review of the manga series:
It is a condensed adaptation of the anime, by the original creators, Be-Papas, and Chiho Saitō, with mixed results. The characters are fine and easy to connect to, especially Utena Tenjou, who is a badass youth, and the story takes a slightly different yet interesting approach to the fairy tale and growing-up themes from the anime. Utena asks a lot of questions and is much more suspicious of the Ohtori Academy Student Council and its duels and the Rose Bride/Dios/World's End cult than in the anime, by and large making her a stronger, more fully-rounded and relatable main character. The whole box set makes for an entertaining read.
But on the other hand, it is much less subtle than the anime, which respects its audience's intelligence enough not to overtly reveal too much too soon, and it almost never uses dialogue for exposition dumps. The manga does explain more about the plot and characters, notably towards the end, which can hinder it a bit.
There are major character changes: Miki is in love with Utena here, not Anthy, thus depriving Utena of a good male friend who isn't a love interest; Touga is given way too much sympathy and panel time with Utena, in my opinion; but worst of all, in the absence of Shiori, Juri is made to be in love with Touga, and another male character. Yeah, she's heterosexual now. And she is easily manipulated by both men. This is the only change which seriously angered me, and it is not the only "straightwashed" aspect of the manga, which I'll refer to in a bit.
Another disappointment is that Nanami literally only appears in a photograph in one panel. Out of the entire manga collection. She ends up being utterly pointless. Poor girl, she can never catch a break, can she?
Utena, Anthy and Akio are treated well, at least - the closest to staying true to their characters. There is less of an indication of a romance between Utena and Anthy, however - it's barely even subtext in the manga - and their relationship doesn't pick up in development until the last few volumes, in time for when its needed resolution reaches the climax; the story's epic peak.
By all accounts the girls are just friends. What a slap in the face to the anime and its director's intentions.
The manga also has questionable moments for its "feminism" and subverting traditional and dangerously limited gender roles, which the anime manages beautifully, especially for its time. In some parts the manga seems smart, nonconforming and self-aware, but there are others that left me with one eyebrow raised (a figure of speech, since I sadly can't actually do this proper). One example is Utena forgiving the boys in the Ohtori Student Council too easily for abhorrent acts, such as kissing her when she's asleep (Miki), and never leaving her alone no matter how many times she tells him to bugger off (Touga). She's a great swordswoman, a lovely friend, and possesses a caring heart - embracing her feminine as well as her masculine personality traits - but she still falters sometimes as a heroine who rejects fairy tale conventions and roles for females; being too much obsessed with finding her "prince" (whom she calls "Mr Licky-Lick". Ew), who saved her life as a tragic, recently-orphaned child. This takes precedence over spending time with her "princess", Anthy.
The artwork is wonderful and fits the anime series magnificently. I will leave off by mentioning that the side story of one of the volumes, where Anthy's monkey Chu-chu accidentally causes Utena and Anthy to switch bodies, is one of the funniest things I've ever read in any manga. 'The Adolescence of Utena', based on the anime movie, is also included in this box set. It is... okay. In a number of ways it is better than the film, in fact, except there is no overt lesbianism (can Touga just go away, already?). Plus I can't decide whether I'm relieved or disappointed that Utena doesn't turn into a car at the end...
So the 'Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set' is a decent if disadvantageously-truncated retelling for any 'RGU' fan to check out and own. If this review reads as being vague and confusing, well, the anime can be like that too, though I am nowhere near as smart. I'm rambling, really. What a muddle.
I'll end it all with: Consider this revolutionary product reviewed. And recommended. In order for other, various interesting conclusions to be reached, like the stars.
Final Score: 3.5/5
I started watching 'RGU' as a teenager, which really wasn't the right age stage to see, much less understand, such a complex and symbolic series in order to "get it". It wasn't until years later - as an adult whose worldviews have changed significantly, and who has reached a realisation about, and a respect for, the line between childhood illusions and reality - that I finally rewatched and finished the anime properly, so I could fully appreciate it for the work of art that it is. Now 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' is one of my favourite anime of all time.
To this day, twenty years after it first aired, there has been nothing else like it. An early, refined shōjo anime and Magical GirlTM anomaly (it barely fits into those genres, it is that unique), it cannot and should not be compared to anything else. It is a feat in visual and structural storytelling, fairy tale deconstruction, and feminist narratives. Weird, harrowing, uncomfortable, but necessary; full of heart and genius for an allegorical coming-of-age story.
What does it mean to be revolutionary? Indeed, there are fine bursts of ways 'RGU' is revolutionary. I could go on and on about its countless themes, symbols and metaphors throughout its 39-episode run (seriously, each is like a painting; not a single dud (bad bud?) among them, they blossom fully in potential), but that's for another time and place.
After that unplanned long praise, here is a review of the manga series:
It is a condensed adaptation of the anime, by the original creators, Be-Papas, and Chiho Saitō, with mixed results. The characters are fine and easy to connect to, especially Utena Tenjou, who is a badass youth, and the story takes a slightly different yet interesting approach to the fairy tale and growing-up themes from the anime. Utena asks a lot of questions and is much more suspicious of the Ohtori Academy Student Council and its duels and the Rose Bride/Dios/World's End cult than in the anime, by and large making her a stronger, more fully-rounded and relatable main character. The whole box set makes for an entertaining read.
But on the other hand, it is much less subtle than the anime, which respects its audience's intelligence enough not to overtly reveal too much too soon, and it almost never uses dialogue for exposition dumps. The manga does explain more about the plot and characters, notably towards the end, which can hinder it a bit.
There are major character changes: Miki is in love with Utena here, not Anthy, thus depriving Utena of a good male friend who isn't a love interest; Touga is given way too much sympathy and panel time with Utena, in my opinion; but worst of all, in the absence of Shiori, Juri is made to be in love with Touga, and another male character. Yeah, she's heterosexual now. And she is easily manipulated by both men. This is the only change which seriously angered me, and it is not the only "straightwashed" aspect of the manga, which I'll refer to in a bit.
Another disappointment is that Nanami literally only appears in a photograph in one panel. Out of the entire manga collection. She ends up being utterly pointless. Poor girl, she can never catch a break, can she?
Utena, Anthy and Akio are treated well, at least - the closest to staying true to their characters. There is less of an indication of a romance between Utena and Anthy, however - it's barely even subtext in the manga - and their relationship doesn't pick up in development until the last few volumes, in time for when its needed resolution reaches the climax; the story's epic peak.
By all accounts the girls are just friends. What a slap in the face to the anime and its director's intentions.
The manga also has questionable moments for its "feminism" and subverting traditional and dangerously limited gender roles, which the anime manages beautifully, especially for its time. In some parts the manga seems smart, nonconforming and self-aware, but there are others that left me with one eyebrow raised (a figure of speech, since I sadly can't actually do this proper). One example is Utena forgiving the boys in the Ohtori Student Council too easily for abhorrent acts, such as kissing her when she's asleep (Miki), and never leaving her alone no matter how many times she tells him to bugger off (Touga). She's a great swordswoman, a lovely friend, and possesses a caring heart - embracing her feminine as well as her masculine personality traits - but she still falters sometimes as a heroine who rejects fairy tale conventions and roles for females; being too much obsessed with finding her "prince" (whom she calls "Mr Licky-Lick". Ew), who saved her life as a tragic, recently-orphaned child. This takes precedence over spending time with her "princess", Anthy.
The artwork is wonderful and fits the anime series magnificently. I will leave off by mentioning that the side story of one of the volumes, where Anthy's monkey Chu-chu accidentally causes Utena and Anthy to switch bodies, is one of the funniest things I've ever read in any manga. 'The Adolescence of Utena', based on the anime movie, is also included in this box set. It is... okay. In a number of ways it is better than the film, in fact, except there is no overt lesbianism (can Touga just go away, already?). Plus I can't decide whether I'm relieved or disappointed that Utena doesn't turn into a car at the end...
So the 'Revolutionary Girl Utena Complete Deluxe Box Set' is a decent if disadvantageously-truncated retelling for any 'RGU' fan to check out and own. If this review reads as being vague and confusing, well, the anime can be like that too, though I am nowhere near as smart. I'm rambling, really. What a muddle.
I'll end it all with: Consider this revolutionary product reviewed. And recommended. In order for other, various interesting conclusions to be reached, like the stars.
Final Score: 3.5/5
July 30, 2021
3.5
I'm still not sure on how to process what I think about this one so I'll be back eventually with a review maybe.
I'm still not sure on how to process what I think about this one so I'll be back eventually with a review maybe.
January 2, 2024
Oficialmente lo doy por abandonado por infumable. Quizá no haya entendido la sátira, pero es que me parece ilegible. Todo pasa repentinamente y porque sí, los personajes generan cero interés, son injustificablemente violentos unos con los otros... Es posible que todo lo que me ha parecido horrible forme parte de la parodia del género, pero una parodia tiene que tener un elemento de credibilidad y además debería, como poco, resultar divertida o interesante. Para mí, Utena manga es simplemente desastroso.
January 27, 2025
nunca se ha hecho ni se hará historia tan icónica como la de utena y anthy❤️❤️❤️
May 1, 2025
i no penso ni desenvolupar
July 11, 2024
Aviso de que estoy obsesionado con Utena, asi que esto es especialmente subjetivo. Esta edición es preciosa, eso es innegable. Las páginas más grandes que el típico volumen de manga son geniales para apreciar el arte y las composiciones de página, que son increíbles. Me gusta ver las variaciones de la misma historia entre el manga, el anime y la película. Admito que de los tres el manga tiene la historia que menos me gusta, supongo que porque tampoco puede dar tanta profundidad a los personajes. Aún así, sigue teniendo una atmósfera y trata temas que pocas otras obras tocan, así que está muy recomendado. No había leído el manga de la película, que está incluido, y me ha gustado bastante! Aunque también es diferente (no hay coches snif) creo que encapsula bien la temática y al final te viene la lagrimilla.
September 7, 2025
que bueno… los dibujos son preciosos y ayuda a entender mejor la historia tras ver el anime que es bastante confuso, aunque utena no se transforma en ferrari me temo
May 1, 2017
The first half of this series was pretty good. The last part... not so much. I felt like I was reading bad fan fiction.
January 3, 2021
This new edition is absolutely fucking gorgeous. I've become an Utena fan all over again ;w;
February 28, 2025
l'anime és infinitament millor
June 13, 2021
CW for rape in The Adolescence of Utena in Volume 2 of this box set.
Vol 1 review: I didn't really care for this part of the story, tbh. I confused by everything and that obviously kills most of the enjoyment. It was alright, not much else to say.
Vol 2 review: I did like this volume better than the first, probably because I was more used to the story and all the weirdness of everything (taking a break between volumes was probably also helpful). And even though this is a pretty short series, Utena "falling in love" with Akio happened very quickly and really I just wanted her to kiss Anthy at that point.
I really enjoyed how, after Utena .
Adolescence gave me whiplash it went by so fast, which is understandable since its an adaptation of a movie that went through the whole (adapted) plot of the manga. And honestly I didn't like Anthy in Adolescence since she was basically a different character, though I did like that she and Utena .
Vol 1 review: I didn't really care for this part of the story, tbh. I confused by everything and that obviously kills most of the enjoyment. It was alright, not much else to say.
Vol 2 review: I did like this volume better than the first, probably because I was more used to the story and all the weirdness of everything (taking a break between volumes was probably also helpful). And even though this is a pretty short series, Utena "falling in love" with Akio happened very quickly and really I just wanted her to kiss Anthy at that point.
I really enjoyed how, after Utena .
Adolescence gave me whiplash it went by so fast, which is understandable since its an adaptation of a movie that went through the whole (adapted) plot of the manga. And honestly I didn't like Anthy in Adolescence since she was basically a different character, though I did like that she and Utena .
November 19, 2025
Alright, this was a bit of a slog. It is a romance comic where stuff keeps happening and the girl just can't help herself or resist in the worst way possible (from a modern point of view anyway). I just wanted our Main Character to just do something and stop going with the flow, she just lets things happen to her.
What makes this interesting though is the whole:
MC is female but wants to be a male. Wants to be a prince.
Becomes engaged to another female. They spend a lot of err time together.
The main story is rather short. This boxed set has a bunch of other stories but except for the Chu story is just a retelling of the original story over and over again. Though the final story has a real end after being rather more "adult" in nature.
Was it all just a dream?
What makes this interesting though is the whole:
MC is female but wants to be a male. Wants to be a prince.
Becomes engaged to another female. They spend a lot of err time together.
The main story is rather short. This boxed set has a bunch of other stories but except for the Chu story is just a retelling of the original story over and over again. Though the final story has a real end after being rather more "adult" in nature.
Was it all just a dream?
October 21, 2020
this is possibly the weirdest manga I've ever read, like a surrealist, Exquisite-Corpse mash-up of (barely) a boarding school Bildungsroman and fairy tales. I don't remember ever lowering a book in order to just exclaim wtf! What is happening?! so many times ever. So, obvs it's amazing. Sexuality and gender: so weird. Narrative: so weird. There are four bonus pieces, two side stories and a 2-part apparent remix of the original story, as if someone was given a one line description of the Utena story and a list of characters and then just retold the story with everything else different. !!!??? I love this, but I can't believe it was popular. Proof that masses can adore the avant-garde.
October 8, 2024
Okay, so, mixed feelings a tad bit!
I am not going to write too much about it since i could spend an hour writing a review and i just dont really want to right now, but all in all it was different but enjoayable! There were a few things i disliked (most of them can be attributed to the fact Chiho Saito, the creator of the manga, was not actually the biggest fan of utena and anthy becoming a romantic couple. While, as you know, that is quite different in Kunihiko Ikuhara's version.)
The art is very gorgeous. I would tell people who loved the anime to read this, but don't expect it to be the same as the anime, or else you may be disappointed.
I am not going to write too much about it since i could spend an hour writing a review and i just dont really want to right now, but all in all it was different but enjoayable! There were a few things i disliked (most of them can be attributed to the fact Chiho Saito, the creator of the manga, was not actually the biggest fan of utena and anthy becoming a romantic couple. While, as you know, that is quite different in Kunihiko Ikuhara's version.)
The art is very gorgeous. I would tell people who loved the anime to read this, but don't expect it to be the same as the anime, or else you may be disappointed.
March 4, 2019
3.5 stars
I'm here for the 90s manga aesthetic and I love the set up and i would die for Utena and Anthy lmao.
However 90% of the male characters are trash, literally cannot stand them and the storyline is a little questionable? 4 star up until the Adolescence of Utena and then after that it starts to lose the plot for me, with really questionable and uncomfortable scenarios.
I wish it focused more on Utena and Anthy's relationship rather than with the men, though I hear the anime improves on this.
Overall, it's enjoyable aside from a few scenes and I love the aesthetic.
I'm here for the 90s manga aesthetic and I love the set up and i would die for Utena and Anthy lmao.
However 90% of the male characters are trash, literally cannot stand them and the storyline is a little questionable? 4 star up until the Adolescence of Utena and then after that it starts to lose the plot for me, with really questionable and uncomfortable scenarios.
I wish it focused more on Utena and Anthy's relationship rather than with the men, though I hear the anime improves on this.
Overall, it's enjoyable aside from a few scenes and I love the aesthetic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2023
Reading this somehow felt like my head was being scrambled around… it got incredibly confusing at times but i do believe i picked up on most things.. SO HEARTBREAKING I WANTED TO DIE MULTIPLE TIMES AAGAHHGSJS… im gonna rewatch the anime since i watched it when i was a child and hope ill understand much more.. but this is definitely a new favorite. Im so sad. gosh but theres nothing i hate more than this shojo male troupe of them forcing themselves onto the female characters like get a grip please..
December 18, 2025
La historias del manga, el anime y la película de Utena son bastante diferentes unas de otras, pero se complementan entre sí y son clave para descifrar todo el argumento. Siempre es un placer volver a revolucionar el mundo.
April 8, 2019
Legendary...
July 30, 2024
Gayer than I was led to believe, but not gay enough.
Also, highly upsetting there was only a brief appearance of the main character, Nanami.
Also, highly upsetting there was only a brief appearance of the main character, Nanami.
June 24, 2025
I’ll always prefer the anime, but this was still a treat in its own right.
March 3, 2018
The boxset is gorgeous: 2 hard cover volumes, with full color illustrations. Trully, this manga couldn't be published in a better edition.
But maybe because I grow up with the anime, the manga felt somehow a little disappointing.
I wanted to understand the anime reading the original manga, but I find out that the story doesn't go the same way (even the characters felt different, but I can't tell that for sure since it's been years since the last episode I saw).
The story is good nevertheless, although I think I liked more the anime.
December 30, 2021
General Thoughts: (Sans spoilers!)
First and foremost? To anyone new to Utena looking for a "yuri" or lesbian love story - this is NOT that. People often market Utena like that (which I partially disagree with as it is often overplayed to potential readers/watchers), but I will warn you that the manga is especially sparse (in comparison to the anime) on the genuine portrayals of LGBT+ characters, actually managing to remove a few prevalent ones that I enjoyed in the anime.
With that out of the way...
As someone who has watched the anime and movie several times, I went into the manga with mixed expectations. I was aware there were several changes to the plot (in comparison to the anime/movie) and that the story was more of Chiho Saito's brainchild than Kunihiko Ikuhara's piece. That said, as an Utena enjoyer, I wanted to read the manga anyways to get more of a contextualization of the series.
Overall? I enjoyed it, though not nearly as much as I enjoyed the other Utena media.
I would definitely recommend watching the anime and movie first before reading the manga, as even with that context, this story feels a bit confusing... but not for the same reasons as the anime. While it's true there are surrealistic moments here and there, the manga's story feels difficult to grasp onto due to pacing. It moves fairly quickly, unlike the anime, and unfortunately, that makes the story's plot have a lot less of a pay off in the end. Personally, I also found this ending to be a bit odd/not as impactful as the anime/movie endings.
Also, for the anime fans - several characters are changed drastically, with some minor characters/side characters with plot relevance never appearing at all. If you want a 1 to 1 story, this manga is not going to satisfy your desires. But, if you're open to simply reading this story and having a bit more context/a different take on the anime's story, this might be a good one to try out. Due to this product's high price tag (I struggled a LOT to find it for it's market price) I would say it's best to simply read the normal manga volumes if you are more of a casual fan who isn't looking for a display piece.
As far as the books/box go, I LOVED the designs. The colored artwork in the books was a treat, and I adore the box design. I personally had little issue fitting the books inside (it's snug, which I like), and my only real gripe is I'm not the biggest fan of the poster included, as I would rather not put (censored by hair/limbs thankfully!) nude figures of high schoolers on my walls... but hey, that's just me.
Characters and Plot: (SPOILERS BELOW - read at your own risk!)
Now, moving into spoiler territory because darn do I have a lot to say about the characters in this manga! More specifically, how the manga butchered a lot of the characters into blander, more one dimensional elements of the plot.
Utena Tenjou: She's a mixed bag for me here. I do quite enjoy her dedication to being a prince, and I really enjoyed seeing a bit more of an origin story for her (how she was living with her aunt and transferred to Ohtori due to the letters she was sent from "her prince"). I was surprisingly interested in her internal monologue, and I even felt that at certain times, the manga did a lot better with that than in the anime. Where she, as a character, was at her worst in the manga I felt was when interacting with the other student council members and Akio. Her relationship with Touga at times and Akio (literally all the time) was extremely uncomfortable, and I was not a huge fan of how these relationships were displayed. That said, I loved some of the Anthy and Wakaba interactions, and found myself awwing at certain panels.
Anthy Himemiya: Anthy is... there. She's around and she does rose bride things. Yay? Now, I loved Anthy to bits in the anime. Took me a couple of watch throughs, but the subtly of her character? Mwah, perfect! In the manga? She loses that. What is most disturbing is how the "casual" relationship between her and her brother is not criticized or scrutinized. It's very off-putting to see the lack of thought put into how messed up her relationship with him is (which is... not her fault, by the way - her brother is a sick, sick guy). There's a couple cute moments she has with Utena, sure, but overall, I don't really care for the blandness of her character in this adaptation.
Juri Arisugawa: Look. Look how they massacred my girl! Honestly? I felt like I wasn't reading things right when Juri showed up pining for men and insulting Utena just for show. It felt like an alternate reality. To put it simply: I hated her character in this adaptation. In the anime? I loved her. She was such an interesting, thought out character who was clearly struggling with a lot of internal issues and external pressure from an abusive friendship. The manga manages to throw all of that away in favor of a heterosexual relationship that is bland, boring, and has zero payoff or reason for existing. I think I'd have preferred not seeing her at all than to see such an uncomfortable, uninteresting rendition of Juri.
Touga Kiryuu: Man, I did NOT expect Touga to be so different here. Unlike the anime, he genuinely seems to care for Utena at times, and I found him following her after she won against him to be moderately amusing. He is a much more redeemable character here and I'm a bit torn on how to feel about him. Ultimately, I do prefer the anime adaptation of him though because I feel like he works best not as a love interest, but as more of an antagonistic character. I can see why people might like this interpretation better, though.
Kyouichi Saionji: Well, he was... there? He was mean to Anthy and that was about it. I was pretty disappointed by his lack of relevance and the fact he barely showed up at all. He was very amusing to me in the anime, and I feel he's much more one note in the manga. Not much else to say about him besides that.
Miki Kaoru: Yikes. Miki in the manga was very, very off-putting to me. I did not like his fixation on Utena, and I found him to be a distorted shadow of his anime self. The only thing I can give him is that he was drawn well and was... nice at times? Yeah.
Akio Ohtori: Woof. Another one of my least favorite character adaptations. He's given a more solid backstory, sure, but I do not like the idea of him being a god and Anthy a goddess. I found the anime backstory of princes and princesses far more relevant and engaging. Plus here, he's still a creep but is never called out on his crap. Which... is disturbing. He's a sick, twisted man and the way he's almost romanticized in some sections of the story is nauseating. Granted, he is a bad guy, but there's no real "hey this is messed up you're doing this weird crap with KIDS," only a "hey bro maybe don't use people like tools?" Overall I prefer the anime adaptation of him because it is FAR better at displaying how truly disgusting and heinous this man is.
Other character notes: Nanami come backkkkkk. I miss her so much, and was so sad to see her never show up! Wakaba was actually one of the few characters I enjoyed seeing, so my only gripe is I wanted to see her show up more. Kozue is awful, but again, like Akio - her actions and their destructive effects are better seen in the anime. Shiori, for as much as she's an awful person, should have been here to save Juri from her bland heterosexual pining that never really goes anywhere. Ruka here is meh, his relationship with Juri is also meh because it lacks any sort of depth. Chu-chu is... Chu-chu? He's cute, but also not incredibly relevant.
FINAL NOTES:
This manga was... okay. The overall plot diverges pretty early on from the anime, and I must say... I prefer the anime more. The art in the manga was nice, and I liked the backgrounds, but... eh. That alone can't make up for an inferior plot. Rushed, less thought out, and full of obligatory straight ships that don't really do anything useful, this manga is sort of a mess. That said, I did find it shockingly helpful for understanding the context of the Utena movie. Touga, for example, is much closer to his movie counterpart, and to a lesser extent, so are Anthy and Akio.
In the end, this is a book set I do not regret purchasing. It is flawed, yes, but the beauty of this set (design-wise and color-wise) is undeniable, and I did find interest in picking apart the different adaptations of the Utena characters. If you're as big of an Utena fan as I am, I'd definitely say give the manga a try! Though ... maybe check it out of a library if you're not sure you want to dish out big money for a read through.
First and foremost? To anyone new to Utena looking for a "yuri" or lesbian love story - this is NOT that. People often market Utena like that (which I partially disagree with as it is often overplayed to potential readers/watchers), but I will warn you that the manga is especially sparse (in comparison to the anime) on the genuine portrayals of LGBT+ characters, actually managing to remove a few prevalent ones that I enjoyed in the anime.
With that out of the way...
As someone who has watched the anime and movie several times, I went into the manga with mixed expectations. I was aware there were several changes to the plot (in comparison to the anime/movie) and that the story was more of Chiho Saito's brainchild than Kunihiko Ikuhara's piece. That said, as an Utena enjoyer, I wanted to read the manga anyways to get more of a contextualization of the series.
Overall? I enjoyed it, though not nearly as much as I enjoyed the other Utena media.
I would definitely recommend watching the anime and movie first before reading the manga, as even with that context, this story feels a bit confusing... but not for the same reasons as the anime. While it's true there are surrealistic moments here and there, the manga's story feels difficult to grasp onto due to pacing. It moves fairly quickly, unlike the anime, and unfortunately, that makes the story's plot have a lot less of a pay off in the end. Personally, I also found this ending to be a bit odd/not as impactful as the anime/movie endings.
Also, for the anime fans - several characters are changed drastically, with some minor characters/side characters with plot relevance never appearing at all. If you want a 1 to 1 story, this manga is not going to satisfy your desires. But, if you're open to simply reading this story and having a bit more context/a different take on the anime's story, this might be a good one to try out. Due to this product's high price tag (I struggled a LOT to find it for it's market price) I would say it's best to simply read the normal manga volumes if you are more of a casual fan who isn't looking for a display piece.
As far as the books/box go, I LOVED the designs. The colored artwork in the books was a treat, and I adore the box design. I personally had little issue fitting the books inside (it's snug, which I like), and my only real gripe is I'm not the biggest fan of the poster included, as I would rather not put (censored by hair/limbs thankfully!) nude figures of high schoolers on my walls... but hey, that's just me.
Characters and Plot: (SPOILERS BELOW - read at your own risk!)
Now, moving into spoiler territory because darn do I have a lot to say about the characters in this manga! More specifically, how the manga butchered a lot of the characters into blander, more one dimensional elements of the plot.
Utena Tenjou: She's a mixed bag for me here. I do quite enjoy her dedication to being a prince, and I really enjoyed seeing a bit more of an origin story for her (how she was living with her aunt and transferred to Ohtori due to the letters she was sent from "her prince"). I was surprisingly interested in her internal monologue, and I even felt that at certain times, the manga did a lot better with that than in the anime. Where she, as a character, was at her worst in the manga I felt was when interacting with the other student council members and Akio. Her relationship with Touga at times and Akio (literally all the time) was extremely uncomfortable, and I was not a huge fan of how these relationships were displayed. That said, I loved some of the Anthy and Wakaba interactions, and found myself awwing at certain panels.
Anthy Himemiya: Anthy is... there. She's around and she does rose bride things. Yay? Now, I loved Anthy to bits in the anime. Took me a couple of watch throughs, but the subtly of her character? Mwah, perfect! In the manga? She loses that. What is most disturbing is how the "casual" relationship between her and her brother is not criticized or scrutinized. It's very off-putting to see the lack of thought put into how messed up her relationship with him is (which is... not her fault, by the way - her brother is a sick, sick guy). There's a couple cute moments she has with Utena, sure, but overall, I don't really care for the blandness of her character in this adaptation.
Juri Arisugawa: Look. Look how they massacred my girl! Honestly? I felt like I wasn't reading things right when Juri showed up pining for men and insulting Utena just for show. It felt like an alternate reality. To put it simply: I hated her character in this adaptation. In the anime? I loved her. She was such an interesting, thought out character who was clearly struggling with a lot of internal issues and external pressure from an abusive friendship. The manga manages to throw all of that away in favor of a heterosexual relationship that is bland, boring, and has zero payoff or reason for existing. I think I'd have preferred not seeing her at all than to see such an uncomfortable, uninteresting rendition of Juri.
Touga Kiryuu: Man, I did NOT expect Touga to be so different here. Unlike the anime, he genuinely seems to care for Utena at times, and I found him following her after she won against him to be moderately amusing. He is a much more redeemable character here and I'm a bit torn on how to feel about him. Ultimately, I do prefer the anime adaptation of him though because I feel like he works best not as a love interest, but as more of an antagonistic character. I can see why people might like this interpretation better, though.
Kyouichi Saionji: Well, he was... there? He was mean to Anthy and that was about it. I was pretty disappointed by his lack of relevance and the fact he barely showed up at all. He was very amusing to me in the anime, and I feel he's much more one note in the manga. Not much else to say about him besides that.
Miki Kaoru: Yikes. Miki in the manga was very, very off-putting to me. I did not like his fixation on Utena, and I found him to be a distorted shadow of his anime self. The only thing I can give him is that he was drawn well and was... nice at times? Yeah.
Akio Ohtori: Woof. Another one of my least favorite character adaptations. He's given a more solid backstory, sure, but I do not like the idea of him being a god and Anthy a goddess. I found the anime backstory of princes and princesses far more relevant and engaging. Plus here, he's still a creep but is never called out on his crap. Which... is disturbing. He's a sick, twisted man and the way he's almost romanticized in some sections of the story is nauseating. Granted, he is a bad guy, but there's no real "hey this is messed up you're doing this weird crap with KIDS," only a "hey bro maybe don't use people like tools?" Overall I prefer the anime adaptation of him because it is FAR better at displaying how truly disgusting and heinous this man is.
Other character notes: Nanami come backkkkkk. I miss her so much, and was so sad to see her never show up! Wakaba was actually one of the few characters I enjoyed seeing, so my only gripe is I wanted to see her show up more. Kozue is awful, but again, like Akio - her actions and their destructive effects are better seen in the anime. Shiori, for as much as she's an awful person, should have been here to save Juri from her bland heterosexual pining that never really goes anywhere. Ruka here is meh, his relationship with Juri is also meh because it lacks any sort of depth. Chu-chu is... Chu-chu? He's cute, but also not incredibly relevant.
FINAL NOTES:
This manga was... okay. The overall plot diverges pretty early on from the anime, and I must say... I prefer the anime more. The art in the manga was nice, and I liked the backgrounds, but... eh. That alone can't make up for an inferior plot. Rushed, less thought out, and full of obligatory straight ships that don't really do anything useful, this manga is sort of a mess. That said, I did find it shockingly helpful for understanding the context of the Utena movie. Touga, for example, is much closer to his movie counterpart, and to a lesser extent, so are Anthy and Akio.
In the end, this is a book set I do not regret purchasing. It is flawed, yes, but the beauty of this set (design-wise and color-wise) is undeniable, and I did find interest in picking apart the different adaptations of the Utena characters. If you're as big of an Utena fan as I am, I'd definitely say give the manga a try! Though ... maybe check it out of a library if you're not sure you want to dish out big money for a read through.
April 28, 2018
Revolutionary Girl Utena, in all of its forms, is very dear to me. The anime resonated with me when I was a kid. Getting older, I kept expecting to grow out of it, to find some fatal flaw in the story that would make me put it aside for good, but each time I revisited it - in high school, in college, now on the cusp of my 30s - it became, conversely, more and more meaningful.
The manga is a distilled version of the anime. It cuts away a lot of the fluff and subplots and repetition that bog down the TV series at times. The art is unbelievable, just stunning, and the hardcover boxset is the most eye-catching thing on my shelf. A huge part of RGU's appeal is its aesthetics, and the manga, especially in this form, is no exception. It is a treasure.
There are a few differences between the manga and the anime that are worth mentioning, in case these are important to a particular reader. I don't think anything qualifies as a spoiler, but if you want to delve into the story without expectations, skip the next paragraph.
Though Juri's personality is somewhat consistent between the two mediums, her motivations could not be more opposite. In the manga, she is shockingly, childishly petty and also firmly heterosexual; there is no Shiori, and her jealousy has a very difference source. Nanami is mentioned only once and does not appear in person. Miki, Juri, and Saionji don't get much screen time, so to speak, because the manga is focused on Utena's experience almost exclusively. We get more of her backstory and how she arrived at Ohtori. The entirety of the Black Rose saga is a brief side story at the end of the series with no accompanying duels. Touga is a surprisingly dynamic character, particularly in the "Adolescence of Utena" bonus story. The ending of the manga is a little different, but not by much.
Which leads me to one last thing.
The anime, I think, blends the original manga story with some aspects from the manga version of "Adolescence of Utena," the latter apparently being the source material for the anime's more adult content (consider that a warning, but if you've seen the anime, it is nothing you haven't already seen or know to expect). What makes Revolutionary Girl Utena such a fascinating series is how it takes so many different forms, but the core of the story is always the same. It reinforces those themes of absolute destiny and the pursuit of something eternal - different details, same outcomes. Looking back, it also makes the ending of the anime - Anthy, empowered, rejecting and ending her violent, cyclical hell - that much more special.
The manga is a distilled version of the anime. It cuts away a lot of the fluff and subplots and repetition that bog down the TV series at times. The art is unbelievable, just stunning, and the hardcover boxset is the most eye-catching thing on my shelf. A huge part of RGU's appeal is its aesthetics, and the manga, especially in this form, is no exception. It is a treasure.
There are a few differences between the manga and the anime that are worth mentioning, in case these are important to a particular reader. I don't think anything qualifies as a spoiler, but if you want to delve into the story without expectations, skip the next paragraph.
Though Juri's personality is somewhat consistent between the two mediums, her motivations could not be more opposite. In the manga, she is shockingly, childishly petty and also firmly heterosexual; there is no Shiori, and her jealousy has a very difference source. Nanami is mentioned only once and does not appear in person. Miki, Juri, and Saionji don't get much screen time, so to speak, because the manga is focused on Utena's experience almost exclusively. We get more of her backstory and how she arrived at Ohtori. The entirety of the Black Rose saga is a brief side story at the end of the series with no accompanying duels. Touga is a surprisingly dynamic character, particularly in the "Adolescence of Utena" bonus story. The ending of the manga is a little different, but not by much.
Which leads me to one last thing.
The anime, I think, blends the original manga story with some aspects from the manga version of "Adolescence of Utena," the latter apparently being the source material for the anime's more adult content (consider that a warning, but if you've seen the anime, it is nothing you haven't already seen or know to expect). What makes Revolutionary Girl Utena such a fascinating series is how it takes so many different forms, but the core of the story is always the same. It reinforces those themes of absolute destiny and the pursuit of something eternal - different details, same outcomes. Looking back, it also makes the ending of the anime - Anthy, empowered, rejecting and ending her violent, cyclical hell - that much more special.
March 6, 2018
Omg, it's been so long since I've read manga. Om nom nom, just like candy.
Shojo Kakumei Utena is the rare example of a work that was greatly improved by television adaptation. I'm not going to insult Utena by calling it "conventional." Its visuals, characters, and plot are stirringly original. But Kunihiko Ikuhara is a peerless genius, and he injected more depth, conflict, comedy, drama, and characterization into every adaptational choice. He gives the sense that underneath the world we see is a sickening darkness. It's grand and glorious, and I immediately started rematching the series. Zetai! Unmei! Mokushiroku!
Thank you, god, for letting me enjoy the shit out of melodramatic Japanese comics with strong lesbian undertones well into my twilight years. (I am 31, where is my caaaaane!)
Shojo Kakumei Utena is the rare example of a work that was greatly improved by television adaptation. I'm not going to insult Utena by calling it "conventional." Its visuals, characters, and plot are stirringly original. But Kunihiko Ikuhara is a peerless genius, and he injected more depth, conflict, comedy, drama, and characterization into every adaptational choice. He gives the sense that underneath the world we see is a sickening darkness. It's grand and glorious, and I immediately started rematching the series. Zetai! Unmei! Mokushiroku!
Thank you, god, for letting me enjoy the shit out of melodramatic Japanese comics with strong lesbian undertones well into my twilight years. (I am 31, where is my caaaaane!)
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