Search - Revolutionary Girl Utena - Impatience and Longing (Vol. 4) on DVD

Don't underestimate Kunihiko Ikuhara...

J. C. Cleaver | San Diego, CA USA | 11/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the best sets of episodes of this series that will be released, for one very important reason: It's here when you absolutely learn *NOT* to underestimate the series or the Director!Everyone who I've shown the fan-subtitled version of these episodes to has *begged* me to put in the next tape after they were done. The plot and intrigue begin to quicken their pace now, though things don't really take off until the beginning of the next saga. A word of warning: watch your neck from here on out! The type of mental "whiplash" you'll experience here will begin occuring at a regular frequency until the series end. =)"Impatience and Longing" is one of the best titles CPM could have come up with for this DVD, as those are precisely the emotions these episodes deal with... * Episode 18 showcases Tsuabuki Mitsuru and his inner desire to "grow up".
* In episode 19 someone from Wakaba's past shows up at the campus, but why is he courting Utena?
* And episode 20 deals with, well... the after-effects of episode 19.Doesn't sound interesting? Well, episode 18 continues the Black Rose saga's ability to probe deeply into the psychological makeup of the "secondary" characters; showing us who they really are and why they're acting the way they do. In fact, the entire Black Rose saga could be (and has been) used as an teaching aide in a college-level psychology couse. Episode 18 also introduces one of my favorite secondary-secondary characters, Mari, and perhaps the funniest risque two-liner in the entire series. (You'll know it when you see it. :) )It's hard to talk about episodes 19 and 20 without giving anything way, so I'll just repeat what I tell all my friends before I show these to them. --> Don't underestimate the series and don't underestimate Kunihiko Ikuhara. =) There's a lot more going on in R.G.U. than you realize (yet). This one's a keeper, folks. No matter how intruigued you've been about the series before, this DVD will get you completly hooked on it. And once your obession with Revolutionary Girl Utena has been catalyzed, you'll be banging down CPM's door to get the next one out."

Prelude to the intense 3rd arc

Edwardia | new york, ny | 11/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ah *-* Finally, the entirety of the Utena series is coming to release and these are some of the best episodes. Though the 3rd arc is my favorite, the conclusion of the 2nd arc is still excellent and leaves lots of room for discussion. Perhaps, these episodes are some of the most psychologically taxing in Utena, which only makes them more exciting to watch!
The reason that Utena holds the title for my favorite anime is because it is not only stylish, beautiful, and meaningful, but the characters are rich with life and are all interconnected in a plot that is bigger and broader than all their lives. The talk of revolutionizing the world and the jealousy and pain one might go through to gain that objective is very much parallel to people in real life, despite the fact that most of us don't go around screaming "I want to revolutionize the world" with our kendo stick and dueling uniforms. But we can imagine ourselves doing that can't we?"

The Black Rose saga

K. Nguyen | United States | 07/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ok to sum it up in two words if possible: completely mind-blowing. and of course i mean the entire black rose arc, not just these episodes. a lot have mention that the black rose arc is the most predictable and the weakest of the Utena story arcs. As a stand alone, it is predictable and formulaic but the twist at the end of Mikage's duel will leave you speechless or like me mind-[twisted]. But looking at this arc in terms of the greater context of the series, it is the most essential arc as it provides a mirror to how the rest of the series will unravel with a twist. i won't spoil it for the rest who haven't seen it but it's definitely worth watching Utena in its entirety. as far as this DVD is concern, the Wakaba-centered episodes were my favorite."

Utena at its weakest is still stronger than most others.

ashnod | Kansas City, MO | 04/20/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The DVD release of SHOUJO KAKUMEI UTENA in America has been long awaited by the fans here who've only heard rumors about it or those who've had to suffer through poor quality fansubs. It's great to see these episodes in this format after waiting so long.The "Black Rose" arc is the weakest of UTENA's chapters. I say this because although the focus is rightly placed on the supporting cast and we are given some fascinating backstory and development on them, the entirety of the metaplot comes to a screeching halt for the majority of the arc. One of the interesting dilemmas of the "Student Council" arc was that we never really knew if Utena was going to triumph. Her victories in these episodes are not even in question: the viewer can hit fast-scan through not only every single playing of the music Absolute Destiny Apocalypse but every duel that follows it. This is really where UTENA becomes "episodic;" the backstory of the main cast is on hold for a slew of stories involving minor characters and their associations to the main cast, nearly every story neatly brought to a head by a "duel of the day" fight where any expected conflict was disappointingly easy for her to overcome. Saying that, there are some awesome stories here: noteably Wakaba's 2 episode exposition, Shiori's introduction (as she becomes focal in the third UTENA arc), and the very under-rated Keiko story. But aside from some hints at what Anthy is up to (the Cowbell of Happiness story is not what it appears to be) and the 2 episode finale about Mikage, we have learned little about the duels or the purpose behind them. The Black Rose arc suffers much the same way Ikuhara's SAILOR MOON SUPER S did: the routine nature of the metaplot's conflicts distract from the otherwise superior stories of the supporting cast. Fortunately, the length of the arc is much shorter than that of the Amazon Trio arc in SUPER S. Upon 2nd viewings of the entire series, the Black Rose episodes make a lot more sense in the metaplot, but that doesn't increase their watchability or the enjoyment one will have watching them. They are, however, necessary to understand the full UTENA narrative, and that's what makes them so disappointing. Trying to watch the far superior 3rd arc without viewing the Black Rose arc will leave one horribly confused. Watch them, but realize this is the slowest point of the series and things will pick up."