* Character Impressions *

(Also see Icons ~ Meet the members of the drama for more general character information.)

A lot of the characters were changed for the movie. Some of the changes were good. Some of them were bad. Some characters weren't even in the movie. What do I think about them? Well, let's begin, shall we?

Tenjou Utena * The heroine of our story, as always. She's not as confident as she was in the television series, having a different tragic past that continues to haunt her and cause her pain. Her hair is short, which takes some getting used to - I like her better with her television hair cut or when her hair grows when Utena's wearing her dueling outfit. However, she's still an awesome character. She seems to have a little more depth in the movie - her past involving a relationship with Touga is a lot more interesting to me than a child who lost her parents when she was very young. My rating of the new Utena: Very good and very interesting.

Himemiya Anthy (The Rose Bride) * The other heroine of the story. In the movie, she is truly a heroine. In the television series, Anthy is a quiet, obedient girl who follows others without questioning them. In the movie, Anthy is much more active and outgoing, following her own ideas and defying authority at many points in order to do something she feels is right. Her character design is beautiful! I love her longer hair and the lack of glasses, and her Rose Bride dress is really gorgeous. My rating of the new Anthy: Excellent! My favorite character in the movie!

Chu-Chu * The little mouse-monkey pet of Anthy doesn't have a role in the movie except for the mistaken 'scandalous video' involving Nanami as a cow. My rating: Waah, I wished more of Chu-Chu was in the movie...

Shinohara Wakaba * Utena's best friend in the television series becomes more of an acquaintance in the movie. She reaches out to befriend Utena in the first scene of the movie, explaining various things about Utena, but doesn't have a chance to really build up the same friendship. She's got less character development in the movie, but she's still very kind-hearted, coming out to help Anthy and Utena when they are escaping the Locust Cars. My rating of the new Wakaba: Fairly good.

Kiryuu Touga * The President of the Student Council in the television series has become more of a ghostly reminder of Utena's past in the movie. He was Utena's boyfriend who mysteriously disappeared (more is revealed later in the movie) and has a much lesser role. However, his relationship with Utena serves to make her past much more interesting and developed, and their love is very sweet. He's no longer the playboy - that role seems to have been placed on Akio - and this makes him much more endearing. My rating of the new Touga: Very good.

Saionji Kyoichi * The playboy of the Student Council is still the playboy of the Student Council. He treats Anthy in a similar way, abusing her because he is the one engaged (and thinks he can do anything with her) and angry when Utena challenges him - angrier when he discovers she's a woman. Except for the first duel, however, he doesn't show up until the end of the movie, when he's helping (along with the other student council members) Anthy fix the Utena Car. My rating of the new Saionji: Good. It's nice to see not everyone's changed entirely.

Arisugawa Juri * The woman who didn't believe in miracles in the television series has risen in the ranks of the Student Council in the movie to be the leader. She's much more commanding in the movie and more confident in her own abilities. Curiously, she's now Miki's girlfriend, and the two do make a cute couple. My rating of the new Juri: Very good! She was awesome in the television series and she's still awesome in the movie.

Kaoru Miki * No stopwatch-clicking or piano playing anymore! He's Juri's boyfriend (which I thought an interesting twist) and still remains the quiet, slightly withdrawn and intelligent member of the student council. I thought it sweet when he got jealous when Shiori began clinging to Juri, but I have no clue what's going on with his sister. My rating of the new Miki: Fair, he doesn't get all that much development in the movie.

Takatsuki Shiori * Juri's girlfriend and the one who got involved in the whole Juri-Rukawa mess in the television series is back as one of the movie's villains. I just don't understand this girl! Maybe if I saw the movie subbed or something I'd understand her motives, but she's seen sleeping with Touga, then clinging to Juri, then as the Shiori-car attacking Anthy and Utena. And what is with the scene where she turns into a butterfly? My rating of the new Shiori: What is this girl up to? I'm confused.

Ohtori Akio * The big baddie from the television series is still the big baddie of the movie, although his involvement with the Student Council is much less. His character design has been changed a lot. He's still the playboy - more playboy than before, it seems, and he's still searching for the power to revolutionize the world (a key this time), but he seems a lot shallower. Maybe it's his new voice, which hasn't the depth and slightly sinister feel of the previous seiyuu. Maybe it's because he looks so much younger. The scene where he kills Anthy and then commits suicide wasn't very convincing for me. He's cool in the end, being very evil, but otherwise he's much too wimpy for people who are used to him being the Lucifer of the television series. My rating of the new Akio: Very poor... I like television Akio much better.

Kiryuu Nanami * Wha? Where's Nanami? While annoying at first, she develops and grows up a lot in the television series. But she's nowhere to be seen in the movie - except for the mistaken 'scandalous video' which has Nanami-the-cow running around, moo-ing, running into 3 Elephants (of Doom) and running into Chu-Chu... My rating of the new Nanami: Waah! I wish she was actually a player in the fight for the world revolution!

The Shadow Girls [E-ko and F-ko] * What Utena show would ever be complete without commentary from the Shadow Girls? The provide rather random entertainment in the television series (Do you wonder what I wonder?) but actually provide much more in the movie. They advance the plot at several stages, playing the 'scandalous video' that shows the altercation between Akio and Anthy, and later help Anthy and Utena escape to the outside world via the radio. My rating of the Shadow Girls: Great! Funny and helpful, with a surprising revelation in the last bits of the movie.

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