Rose Bride

From UtenaWiki

If you were looking for the first episode, please see Bara no Hanayome.

Rose Bride is the term used in reference to the mysterious Himemiya Anthy - a young, seemingly Indian girl (based on her bindi) who is "engaged" to the winner of the dueling game. At the beginning of the series (episode 1), Anthy is engaged to Saionji Kyouichi - an arrogant, green-haired teenager, who is also the captain of the Kendo club at Ohtori Academy. By the end of the first episode, she becomes engaged to Tenjou Utena, next (for the span of an episode) to Kiryuu Touga, and at last returns to Utena. When Anthy acts as the Rose Bride during the duels, she wears a small golden crown and a red dress that resembles a wedding dress. The Rose Bride is somehow connected with the Power of Dios, as the Sword of Dios can be drawn from her body before each duel.

In the second arc, Mikage Souji plots to replace Anthy with Chida Mamiya as Rose Bride. (Mamiya objects that he ought to be called a "Rose Groom.")

The term "Rose Bride" is also used loosely to refer to the characters in the third arc from whose chests the duelists' swords emerge.