Where can I buy a sword?

And now I have a THEORY. So. Get ready.

When I say,

Utena’s outfit is imaginary,

I mean that from episode ONE, when the teacher approaches her to chew her out for being GNC? She says “You can’t wear a boy’s uniform.” Which Utena’s outfit absolutely isn’t — that is, her uniform is not the uniform that boys at Ohtori Academy wear — but I don’t actually think it’s (just) for aesthetic reasons. It’s suited to her; it fits her body, it works with her apparent need to do lunges at any given free moment (I love her), etc. And I’m starting to think it’s a metaphorical representation of what she’s comfortable in, which could also be why her prince’s outfit is so similar: she’s already trying to BE a prince.

This also works with ep 3, where she transforms from the party dress, which someone else gave her and which she’s clearly uncomfortable in, transforms into her prince’s outfit so she can fill the role she wants to.

What the teacher’s reaction to Utena proves to me though is that this isn’t what others are seeing. It’s Utena’s self-concept, what she gets out of wearing a boy’s uniform.

And I think the fact that her duel outfit is so similar actually matters a lot because she’s bringing her own sense of what being a duelist means to the duels. She wasn’t in on it from the start. Which leads me to the conclusion that I think… everyone in-universe SEES the main cast as wearing regular uniforms, just Utena’s is the “wrong gender”.

The student council

(Much more under the cut)

a girl in constant motion; pulling stretches during awkward conversations, doing headstands against people’s walls, twisting her ring when she’s trying to sit still

joining the basketball team because the exercise leaves her feeling calm and whole, makes her feel alive

a natural at dancing, at fencing, they’re similar, her feet moving to the rhythm of the universe, the beat of revolution

she tests well but she can’t focus in class, and once the dueling starts she can’t focus at all, but that’s okay because her self image isn’t built around grades, she’s still a prince, still has her nobility

even lying in bed flattened by depression, her fingers still twist around that ring

sitting in Akio’s car, knees bouncing against the dashboard, and he says, there’s no need to act so childish, you know, i prefer you when you are elegant and graceful, and she stares at her kneecaps and for the first time in her life wishes for them to still, but they don’t, they can’t

9 yo me: I love Alexa from Barbie: Diamond Castle! She has a similar style to mine, loves flowers and is into magic, just like me!