angel out in the wild columbine

Casca:

Fandom sidelines her or pretends she doesn't exist so they can feel comfortable shipping the main guy with another guy. Demonizes her for being an imperfect trauma survivor. Blames the writer's decisions for her storyline (which are also rooted in misogyny) on her, a fictional woman, instead of the actual living man who wrote it.

Casca is amazing. She's smart, kind, brave, and flawed in very human ways. I believe she is the beating heart of the story despite the author's prioritizing the male characters. Many of the story's themes are embodied in her storyline and by her. She is one of a very few women of color, potentially a Black coded woman, who stars in a fantasy manga and later a show from that particular era. Not only that but she's the love interest. Neither her romance or her trauma are handled with care by the author IMO, but nevertheless many survivors including myself have related to her story and found her to be a powerful and moving character. She deserves to be cherished and loved much more. While she may be an imperfect character because of her author's prejudices I still adore her.

imagine being a character of one of the most influential manga of all time that has been running for 40 years and you are hated every moment of it. even at her peak she was heated. experienced trauma so severe she was left mentally disabled and in canon being treated with kindness and protected in an incredibly cruel world and the misogynistic fans see her as useless and slowing down the story

Anthy Himemiya:

Fandom acts like her relationship with her brother was "mutual abuse" (he is a grown man who is raping her and she is 14) and that she really wanted him and that she was evil for manipulating Utena when she was being abused by Akio the whole time. Especially concerning given that she is the only brown female character in the cast.

Anthy is a weirdo who keeps snails in her pencil case. Enough said…

Anthy is an abuse victim who hides her feelings, and has done what her abuser wants her to do even if that involves hurting other people. Some corners of fandom take this to mean that she is an evil emotionless bitch