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tyrantisterror · 2 months

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I've seen Utena and Evangelion get compared to each other for both being 1. dark coming of age stories that get increasingly surreal as time goes on and 2. supposedly deconstructing their respective genres. And I think there's a good basis for comparison in there, definitely, and they've both become anime I've made a point to revisit because they struck a very strong chord with me.

I think what gets me when comparing them, though, is that Utena gets to do what Evangelion sets up but never managed to finish - and some people inexplicably criticize Utena for it?

Cause Evangelion was clearly meant to be a longer series. They establish early on that there are eight Evas and eight teenage pilots for them. In the series itself we see four - well, five, technically, since an angel posing as a human named Kaworu tricks everyone into letting him pilot an eva, but still. There three side character teenagers introduced early, one of which pilots an eva (to disastrous results) while the other two remain supporting cast. It's possible they were intended to eventually be eva pilots too, but it's also possible the mystery pilots might have been foreignors like Asuka.

Either way, it's clear the story was meant to become bigger, but because of various behind the scenes reasons it didn't - it ultimately remains focused primarily on Shinji, Gendo (the true antagonist), Asuka, Rei, and to a lesser extent, Misato. And don't get me wrong, that still makes for an incredibly engaging show - I wouldn't trade any of the episodes and scenes focused on those cast members for the world, the depth to which those characters are explored is a huge part of what makes the series meaningful for me.

But Utena, while being a similarly character-focused series, does get to expand its scope in the way Evangelion set up but never paid off. The cast of Utena does get larger, and while the focus remains primarily on Utena, Anthy, the true antagonist Dio, and to a lesser extent Touga and Nanami, it finds time to shine the spotlight on a very rich supporting cast of characters. The Black Rose arc in particular is great for this, because it gives the supporting cast members introduced in the first arc - Juri, Miki, Nanami, garbage boy Saionji, and Wakaba - their own arcs and, in many cases, their own relationships with characters outside of Utena and Anthy's direct orbit. The lives and relationships of all these characters become really rich and interesting, with their own quirks and problems to overcome.

And, like, I've seen some people say this is a flaw - that these are "filler" episodes, that you can skip the Black Rose arc entirely, and it's baffling to me. The way all of these characters interplay with each other, how their struggles and arcs mirror and complement each other, is what makes the world and story of Utena so rich. It's still about Utena and Anthy in the end, but Utena and Anthy's arc is also made so much more meaningful by how it reflects the arcs of everyone around them - that ultimately all these characters are sharing facets of the same struggle, and if there's hope for Utena and Anthy at the end (and there is, especially in the movie), then there's hope for all these characters and, indeed, everyone in the audience who sympathized with them.

One thing that'll plague my imagination till the end of my days is the concept of what Evangelion would be if it could have broadened its scope the way they originally planned, and the way Utena broadens the scope of its narrative only fuels that wonder more. I'd kill to see Evangelion's Black Rose arc, and I'm so glad Utena got to have its world grow.

#Valentines with Utena

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psychewritesbs · 2 years

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Okay I just finished Sonny Boy and all I can think about is Megumi and Tsumiki running between worlds like Nagara and Mizuho😭😭😭

It was also disturbing how much Asakaze and Megumi looked alike.

Do you have similar recs?

Hola anon 🤙🏼!

Ok, your head canon of Megumi and Tsumiki running between worlds is cool af! I wonder if Megumi is also into big boobs like Asakaze 😂.

Soooo... Sonny Boy is a truly special experience. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before so, sadly, that said, I am not sure I can make recs that are similar to Sonny Boy.

What I can do is recommend other anime with psychologically-driven storylines or interesting premises that I've loved/really liked...

If anyone else can think of recs don't hesitate to send them over or type them in the chat!

My recs and comments below the cut...

(Yes, I really like Yoko Kano’s music)

Prepare to get scroll happy 😳🖱

Individual shows/movies in alphabetical order...

Akira is a movie I saw A LONG time ago. All I can tell you is that it deserves all the praise it gets. It’s good.

Attack on Titan are you watching this? If you aren’t watching it, why aren’t you watching AoT? It can be hard to get through some parts of the story (lots of talking), but when AoT is on, it’s on like Donkey Kong. Like holy *$HWR^# &*$@^&G. I have really come to appreciate Iseyama’s skill at world building and consider Eren to be one hell of a protagonist (note I have not read the manga’s ending). I’m going to go ahead and assume you’re watching it...

Durarara It’s been a long time since I saw this one too so I don’t remember the specifics of the plot very well. I can tell you I really liked the first season but think I lost interest during the second season. Very psychological!

Ergo Proxy it’s been A WHILE (more than a decade?) since I saw EP but it is defo on my queue for re-watching some day (that’s how you know I liked it A LOT). It’s very psychological and, if I remember correctly, it throws a curve ball at the audience. I am a sucker for well-executed plot twists so all I can tell you about EP right now is that I remember being VERY glad I watched it.

Gankutsuou this is another one I have not seen in a while but will re-visit again someday. Back when I saw it first I absolutely loved it. This is basically a re-telling of Alexandre Dumas’ Count of Montecristo set in the future. The art and music are fantastic.

Made in Abyss Do not be fooled by the cute art style. MiA is brutal. Fuck if it’s brutal. I think I cried at the end of season 1 and waited desperately for the movie and season 2 and then I forgot about it because it took so long. 2022 is a good year to be alive because we are finally getting season 2.

Imagine two kids going into a hole in the earth full of monsters and the shenanigans that ensue. Music by Kevin Penkin (one of my favorite anime OSTs), lore, wholesomeness, tragedy... Absolute amazingness.

RahXephon is a weird anime. It’s been compared to Neon Genesis Evangelion (which I have not seen) and I understand that without Eva’s success, an anime like Rahxephon would not have been given the green light to be produced. Rahxephon is the story about your typical misunderstood teenager who happens to be able to pilot the mecha that no one else can pilot. It has a nice romance subplot.

Sarazanmai The perpetual look on my face while watching this was “what the actual fuck?” But then I learned the director was also involved in Revolutionary Girl Utena and it all made so much more sense. I guess it’s yaoi? or more like a (very much not subtle) queer coded anime of three boys who become kappas in much the same way a magical girl goes through a transformation. It’s wacky af and I really enjoyed watching it.

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju was an anime that I almost missed out on and am sooooo glad I didn’t. If you read the plot description you might be inclined to think it looks boring, and I would have been one to agree with you until I watched it. SGRS is a beautiful story about friendship, love, and passion for one’s work. Don’t sleep on it.

The Vision of Escaflowne Ok, I’ll be honest, I’ve never managed to finish the anime but I own the OVA and I truly love it. Compared to the anime, the OVA is darker and edgier and it is one of the very few works that I watch dubbed.

Escaflowne is basically an isekai meets mecha from the 90s, so it’s nothing like the isekai from this day and age. In other words, it’s good. Also, music by Yoko Kano.

Wolf's Rain is a beautiful story set in a dystopian future where the world has been ravaged and wolves have gone extinct. In reality, the few remaining wolves turn into humans and walk amongst them in search for paradise. Lots of mythological lore, an interesting plot, and music by Yoko Kano. There’s just something about this anime...

Watch anything by these authors/directors:

Urobuchi Gen

Urobuchi Gen I have not decided whether Gen gets to join the “I’ll watch anything by this author list”. I am currently watching Psycho-Pass and find myself liking it more as the series progresses.

Psycho-Pass has got one of my favorite 2D sexy dudes, lots of talk of mental health, and mystery.

Gen’s other work that I REALLY liked is Puella Magi Madoka Magica (also known as “depressed lesbians”), a dark and twisted re-imagining of the magical girl genre. It’s got a fantastic plot twist that is very well-executed. Just like with the Made in Abyss example, do not be fooled by the art style.

The “cat” became one of my favorite characters of all time.

Kon Satoshi

Kon Satoshi ah, Kon-san was definitively one of the best anime directors to have graced the world of anime. It is unfortunate that he departed from this world when he was so young. My respects to the man.

My favorite movie by him is Millennium Actress, a beautiful story about a young girl’s endless pursuit for the man she fell in love with.

But quite honestly all of his movies are amazing and solid.

Tokyo Godfathers is a fun and endearing look at the lives of three homeless individuals in Tokyo.

Finally, Paprika and Perfect Blue are both amazing mind fucks.

Shinkai Makoto

What sets Shinkai Makoto apart is that his movies are always a visual feast. More importantly, you can tell Shinkai is a real romantic at heart because his stories always feature soulmate love.

I first discovered him when I saw The Place Promised in Our Early Days. If it weren’t because I remembered loving that very imperfect movie, I probably wouldn’t have been so excited to see his mega-hit, Your Name.

If you have not seen Your Name, you need to.

You may or may not love it--the movie has got deep plot holes, but if you get emotionally sucked into the story, you won’t notice the plot holes until you’ve seen the movie 20 times... true story.

Above all, Your Name will make you believe that soulmate love is real... also a true story. Just consider that the number of people crying at the movies after having seen this movie was enough to keep Kleenex in business for another decade.

Weathering with You was also a very solid movie featuring global warming, Japanese daily esoterism, and, of course, teenage love--that’s kind of Shinkai’s signature.

Apparently he’s releasing another movie this year (Suzume no Tojimari), so guess who’s going to be at the movie theatre when it comes out in the US?

This nerd right here.

CLAMP

It’s no secret that I am a massive CLAMP stan and I am working my way through all of their manga with a few pit stops to re-read some of my favorites.

Consider that anime based on CLAMP manga is often lackluster compared to CLAMP’s beautiful and super detailed art. So you might want to read their manga instead of watching their anime.

Aside from the beautiful art style, I am a massive Okawa Nanase (the writer) stan because of her ability to create fascinating stories (always with a plot twist) that are full of esoteric lore. Also, I don’t know how she does it, but her characters always feel like actual people.

I want to be like Nanase-san when I grow up.

noa-ciharu wrote a fantastic post on her best intro to CLAMP recs that I highly recommend checking out, but my favorites are Tokyo Babylon (because Subaru), Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and xxxHolic.

Just be warned that CLAMP is out to make you cry.

Watanabe Shinichiro

The thing about Watanabe anime is that it is bittersweetly beautiful and human. Now that I am older, it is also clearer to me just how much thought and attention to detail this man puts into his work. His stories are loaded with symbolism, making them a truly fascinating experience.

That said... Watanabe is a genius in my eyes.

Let’s start with the obvious one. It should be a crime to not have seen Cowboy Bebop. Cowboy Bebop is the anime classic. Also, music by Yoko Kano.

Samurai Shampoo is a solid 9 or 10/10 too.

I am currently watching Carole & Tuesday, which I dare say is Watanabe’s take on the cute girls doing cute things genre, and it has turned out to be a really enjoyable watch. This anime is his latest work.

But my favorite is Terror in Resonance (Zankyou no Terror). If you get emotionally involved, Zankyou will beat the fuck out of your heart and serve you a heavy dose of existential angst once it’s done beating you to a pulp. I know how it ends, and yet, I get chills every single time I watch the ending.

If you happened to be in the same room while I watch that last episode, you would hear me yell “WHO HURT YOU WATANABE?!” at the TV screen. True story.

Zankyou is psychological story meets cute anime boys blowing sht up meets Greek tragedy (emphasis on the Greek tragedy part). In case it wasn’t obvious, it’s one of my favorite anime. Also, OST by Yoko Kano that very clearly inspired Kevin Penkin’s music.

Whatever the case, I can guarantee you I will also be watching anything Watanabe directs moving forward.

Anyways, of course, all of this is up to personal taste, so hopefully you will enjoy some of these titles as much as I enjoyed them.

♥️✨

#a to the q!#anime recs #my anime box

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