{"id":1960601,"date":"2026-05-28T17:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1960601"},"modified":"2026-05-28T17:00:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:00:45","slug":"you-should-race-to-your-local-theater-to-see-adolescence-of-utena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1960601","title":{"rendered":"You Should Race to Your Local Theater to See \u2018Adolescence of Utena\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-6-1200&#215;675.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"post-2000764513 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-anime tag-adolescence-of-utena tag-anime tag-gkids tag-revolutionary-girl-utena\">\n<div class=\"entry-content prose dark:prose-invert lg:prose-xl prose-io9 dark:prose-io9\">\n<p>Whenever a movie releases in theaters, there\u2019s always that tug-of-war over whether it\u2019s worth making a trip to see it or if you\u2019re better off just streaming it from the comfort of your home. Allow us to reach out from behind your screen, cup your face in our hands, and tell you that if you love anime, you should make time to go see <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> expeditiously next month.<\/p>\n<p>GKIDS has established itself as an entertainment company putting in the work, bringing imaginative anime films from the past and present to Western audiences, ranging from certified classics to hidden gems, to home video and limited-time theatrical runs. Its latest announcement of the <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena\u00a0<\/em>movie, <em>Adolescence of Utena,<\/em> coming to theaters in June, adds yet another feather to its cap.<\/p>\n<div class=\"not-prose video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ADOLESCENCE OF UTENA | Official Trailer - In theatres June 21 &amp; 22\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PZlqkPaKYP8?feature=oembed\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara (<em>Sailor Moon<\/em>), written by Y\u014dji Enokido (<em>Evangelion<\/em>), with art by Shichiro Kobayashi (<em>Angel\u2019s Egg<\/em>) and music by J.A. Seazer, <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> is the 1999 film re-imagining of the classic shojo series <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em>. Like its anime predecessor, <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> follows Utena, a tomboy who enrolls in a prestigious academy with the goal of becoming a prince. Upon entering the academy, she gets caught up in a series of duels among its students fighting over Anthy, the \u201cRose Bride.\u201d What follows is a series of battles between Utena and Anthy\u2019s would-be suitors as the two grow closer and fight to free themselves from a world in desperate need of a revolution. Sometimes a revolution starts by magical-girl-transforming your gal pal into a sword to fight the patriarchy.<\/p>\n<div id=\"gallery-1\" class=\"not-prose gallery galleryid-2000764513 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full\">\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-5.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Utena looking up at a platform raining down rose petals.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764627\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764627\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Utena gazing at Anthy.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764628\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764628\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Anthy gazing at Utena.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764629\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764629\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Anthy and Utena dancing.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764630\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764630\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Saying\u00a0<em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em> is one of those out-there anime is a bit of an understatement. It\u2019s awash in visual metaphors, often delighting in spelling them out explicitly, even going so far as to employ YouTube thumbnail-style arrows to draw attention to them as its characters talk around or get to the heart of their issues with one another. And despite the show\u2019s flowery, unassuming appearance, those issues delve into heady subjects, including interpersonal relationships and abuse. But it\u2019s the show\u2019s unflinching approach to gender politics, via unabashedly queer shojo sword fights, that makes the series such a classic, with its impact felt today in cartoons like <em>Steven Universe<\/em>\u00a0and anime like\u00a0<em>Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"not-prose\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@rebeccasugar\/video\/7338533897900133663\" data-video-id=\"7338533897900133663\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\">\n<section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@rebeccasugar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@rebeccasugar?refer=embed\">@rebeccasugar<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Replying to @Mars Anime Club part 2, Revolutionary Girl Utena \ud83c\udf39<a title=\"revolutionarygirlutena\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/revolutionarygirlutena?refer=embed\">#RevolutionaryGirlUtena<\/a> <a title=\"animeclub\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/animeclub?refer=embed\">#AnimeClub<\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Rebecca Sugar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7338533918406085406?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Rebecca Sugar<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<p>In io9\u2019s retro review for <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em>, we said the series was as Lynchian as shojo anime has ever been, writing, \u201cWhile many a Utena fan will attest to the necessity of multiple rewatches and supplemental YouTube video essays to digest the series\u2019 depth of metaphors, foreshadowing, subtle visual clues that hint at characterization, and where its sequel film (<em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em>) falls in the equation, like any Lynchian work, seeking concrete and clinical intent behind the \u2018why\u2019 to its artistic and narrative choices matters far less than the gut feeling you have as you walk away from the show\u2019s 39th episode. You can glean any array of meanings from the anime, be it butting against the patriarchy, not-so-subtle queer representation, or how seeking comfort in nostalgia will stifle revolutions of the heart. No matter how you look at it, <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em> is a Lynchian anime that was both ahead of its time and timeless.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span>If all of that sounds a bit daunting, take solace in knowing that <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em>\u2014which we\u2019d compare to the <em>Rebuild of Evangelion<\/em> films\u2014is a little less hard to parse than its anime TV predecessor by acting as a pseudo-standalone sequel to the anime that focuses on Anthy and Utena\u2019s relationship. Though, for what it\u2019s worth, we still recommend checking out the OG anime (on YouTube) to appreciate the full brunt of the anime\u2019s brilliance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fans can decide for themselves what to make of <em>Adolescence of Utena <\/em>when it hits theaters on June 21 and June 22.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what\u2019s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"entry-content prose dark:prose-invert lg:prose-xl prose-io9 dark:prose-io9\">\n<p>Whenever a movie releases in theaters, there\u2019s always that tug-of-war over whether it\u2019s worth making a trip to see it or if you\u2019re better off just streaming it from the comfort of your home. Allow us to reach out from behind your screen, cup your face in our hands, and tell you that if you love anime, you should make time to go see <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> expeditiously next month.<\/p>\n<p>GKIDS has established itself as an entertainment company putting in the work, bringing imaginative anime films from the past and present to Western audiences, ranging from certified classics to hidden gems, to home video and limited-time theatrical runs. Its latest announcement of the <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena\u00a0<\/em>movie, <em>Adolescence of Utena,<\/em> coming to theaters in June, adds yet another feather to its cap.<\/p>\n<div class=\"not-prose video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ADOLESCENCE OF UTENA | Official Trailer - In theatres June 21 &amp; 22\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PZlqkPaKYP8?feature=oembed\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara (<em>Sailor Moon<\/em>), written by Y\u014dji Enokido (<em>Evangelion<\/em>), with art by Shichiro Kobayashi (<em>Angel\u2019s Egg<\/em>) and music by J.A. Seazer, <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> is the 1999 film re-imagining of the classic shojo series <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em>. Like its anime predecessor, <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em> follows Utena, a tomboy who enrolls in a prestigious academy with the goal of becoming a prince. Upon entering the academy, she gets caught up in a series of duels among its students fighting over Anthy, the \u201cRose Bride.\u201d What follows is a series of battles between Utena and Anthy\u2019s would-be suitors as the two grow closer and fight to free themselves from a world in desperate need of a revolution. Sometimes a revolution starts by magical-girl-transforming your gal pal into a sword to fight the patriarchy.<\/p>\n<div id=\"gallery-1\" class=\"not-prose gallery galleryid-2000764513 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full\">\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-5.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Utena looking up at a platform raining down rose petals.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764627\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764627\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Utena gazing at Anthy.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764628\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764628\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Anthy gazing at Utena.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764629\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764629\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"gallery-item\">\n<div class=\"gallery-icon landscape\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1036\" src=\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Adolescence Of Utena still of Anthy and Utena dancing.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-2000764630\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text gallery-caption\" id=\"gallery-1-2000764630\"> \t\t\t\t\u00a9 J.C. Staff\/GKIDS \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>Saying\u00a0<em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em> is one of those out-there anime is a bit of an understatement. It\u2019s awash in visual metaphors, often delighting in spelling them out explicitly, even going so far as to employ YouTube thumbnail-style arrows to draw attention to them as its characters talk around or get to the heart of their issues with one another. And despite the show\u2019s flowery, unassuming appearance, those issues delve into heady subjects, including interpersonal relationships and abuse. But it\u2019s the show\u2019s unflinching approach to gender politics, via unabashedly queer shojo sword fights, that makes the series such a classic, with its impact felt today in cartoons like <em>Steven Universe<\/em>\u00a0and anime like\u00a0<em>Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"not-prose\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@rebeccasugar\/video\/7338533897900133663\" data-video-id=\"7338533897900133663\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\">\n<section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@rebeccasugar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@rebeccasugar?refer=embed\">@rebeccasugar<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Replying to @Mars Anime Club part 2, Revolutionary Girl Utena \ud83c\udf39<a title=\"revolutionarygirlutena\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/revolutionarygirlutena?refer=embed\">#RevolutionaryGirlUtena<\/a> <a title=\"animeclub\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/animeclub?refer=embed\">#AnimeClub<\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Rebecca Sugar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7338533918406085406?refer=embed\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Rebecca Sugar<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<p>In io9\u2019s retro review for <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em>, we said the series was as Lynchian as shojo anime has ever been, writing, \u201cWhile many a Utena fan will attest to the necessity of multiple rewatches and supplemental YouTube video essays to digest the series\u2019 depth of metaphors, foreshadowing, subtle visual clues that hint at characterization, and where its sequel film (<em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em>) falls in the equation, like any Lynchian work, seeking concrete and clinical intent behind the \u2018why\u2019 to its artistic and narrative choices matters far less than the gut feeling you have as you walk away from the show\u2019s 39th episode. You can glean any array of meanings from the anime, be it butting against the patriarchy, not-so-subtle queer representation, or how seeking comfort in nostalgia will stifle revolutions of the heart. No matter how you look at it, <em>Revolutionary Girl Utena<\/em> is a Lynchian anime that was both ahead of its time and timeless.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span>If all of that sounds a bit daunting, take solace in knowing that <em>Adolescence of Utena<\/em>\u2014which we\u2019d compare to the <em>Rebuild of Evangelion<\/em> films\u2014is a little less hard to parse than its anime TV predecessor by acting as a pseudo-standalone sequel to the anime that focuses on Anthy and Utena\u2019s relationship. Though, for what it\u2019s worth, we still recommend checking out the OG anime (on YouTube) to appreciate the full brunt of the anime\u2019s brilliance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fans can decide for themselves what to make of <em>Adolescence of Utena <\/em>when it hits theaters on June 21 and June 22.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what\u2019s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/adolescence-of-utena-movie-theaters-theatrical-release-2000764513&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/05\/adolescence-of-utena-6-1200&#215;675.jpg&#8221;] Whenever a movie releases in theaters, there\u2019s always that tug-of-war over whether it\u2019s worth making a trip to see it or if you\u2019re better off just streaming it from the comfort of your home. Allow us to reach out from behind your screen, cup your face in our hands, and tell you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,53],"class_list":["post-1960601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-gizmodo-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1960601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1960601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1960601\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1960601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1960601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1960601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}