Bara no Hanayome (episode)
From UtenaWiki
| Bara no Hanayome | |||||
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| The Rose Bride | |||||
| Story Arc | Student Council Arc | ||||
| Duel | Saionji | ||||
| Episode 1 | |||||
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Bara no Hanayome (JP: 薔薇の花嫁; EN: The Rose Bride) is the first episode of the Shoujo Kakumei Utena TV series.
Plot highlights
The series opens with a flashback to the childhood of Tenjou Utena, who remembers a fairy-tale version of the death of her parents and her visitation by a comforting prince who gave her a Rose Seal. Flashback!Utena swears to become a prince herself one day. The flashback sequence will be revisited verbatim in a number of future episodes.
Early in the episode, Utena is called out by an Ohtori administrator for wearing a boys' uniform. Based on their dialogue, Utena attended Ohtori in this uniform the previous academic year as well. Utena points out that the student handbook does not forbid girls from wearing boys' uniforms, winning the verbal battle.
Later, Utena watches from the balcony as Himemiya Anthy is bitch-slapped by Saionji Kyouichi by the rose garden. Student Council president Kiryuu Touga appears to hold Saionji back from another blow. Shinohara Wakaba, Utena's self-appointed girlfriend, explains that Saionji is the vice president, but denies that he could possibly be romantically interested in Anthy.
At the series' first Student Council meeting, Touga and the other council members express their concern about Saionji's treatment of Anthy, whom they call the Rose Bride. They imply not only that he is being inhumane but also that he may be breaking the rules of the Rose Seal. Saionji pooh-poohs their complaints, and Anthy does nothing to argue her case, passively agreeing that Saionji can treat her however he likes.
Subsequently, Utena and Wakaba find several boys gathered around a bulletin board where a graphic love letter has been posted. The letter proves to be Wakaba's; she had sent it to Saionji in confidence. Outraged, Utena challenges Saionji to a duel, hence inadvertently enrolling herself in the dueling game.
Utena meets Saionji after school at the dueling arena, displaying only token curiosity about the magical arena gates, the upside-down castle in the sky, or the Sword of Dios that Saionji pulls out of Anthy's chest. Touga watches from the nearby parapets. In spite of facing Saionji and the Sword of Dios with a wooden practice sword, Utena cuts the rose from Saionji's chest before he can do the same to her, winning the duel called Amitie. Saionji is baffled, and Utena is almost equally so upon discovering that she is now engaged to the Rose Bride.
External links
Script of this episode, hosted at Empty Movement. With translator's notes.
