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Adolescence of Utena

Play trailer 1:06 Poster for Adolescence of Utena 2000 1h 26m Fantasy Adventure Anime Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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Utena enrolls in the prestigious Ohtori Academy on her quest to become a prince, and stumbles into a mysterious cabal of students dueling for possession of the "Rose Bride." The role belongs to their classmate Anthy, an enigmatic girl who equally captivates and confuses Utena. While fending off powerful rivals, Utena must uncover the secrets surrounding Anthy and her own desires. As the relationship between the girls intensifies, their thirst for freedom crescendos into a need for revolution. ADOLESCENCE OF UTENA is a standalone genre classic that brings together the creative genius of director Kunihiko Ikuhara (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon), writer Yoji Enokido (EVANGELION franchise), and art director Shichiro Kobayashi (ANGEL'S EGG) with J.A. Seazer's transcendent music. Straddling the line between fairytale and surrealist opera, the film stands as a bold display of the ways social roles chain us--and demands we smash through them.

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Adolescence of Utena

Critics Reviews

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Isaiah Colbert io9.com 02/21/2025
No matter how you look at it, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a Lynchian anime that was both ahead of its time and timeless. Go to Full Review
Tim Brayton Alternate Ending 03/08/2021
4/5
Extravagantly lush. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 06/23/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Steven Jun 24 I loved everythinggggggggg See more Thomas Jun 23 Simply one of the best. See more Dane Jun 23 A truly unique film experience, even among other anime. As a note, the series, Revolutionary Girl Utena, is absolutely required viewing, as this film serves as a fast-paced reimagining of the events and themes of that story. Utena arrives at a prestigious school and immediately becomes entangled in a contest to control the power and affections of a mysterious fellow student. The story plays out like a wild dream, with the surreal setting acting as a character in its own right. The framing, lighting, and architecture are stunning throughout, and the huge scale looks amazing in a theatre. It also continues the absurdist humor from the show, fitting in a surprising amount of hilarious sight gags and callbacks. The leads, Utena and Anthy, have a more vibrant and playful relationship in this story, which was a pleasant surprise. The overall experience is beautiful and relentlessly odd, with a final act that is notorious for a bizarre bit of symbolism. The visual and audio quality of the presentation was excellent. The image was sharp with no visible upscaling artifacts. See more Mae Jun 23 I LOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH See more Anthony P Jun 23 I really enjoyed it a lot. it's been 6 years since i watched the anime, and i never seen the film, but it's truly awesome. See more ali Jun 23 Amazing movie, and seeing it in theaters was an amazing experience. See more Read all reviews
Adolescence of Utena

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Movie Info

Synopsis Utena enrolls in the prestigious Ohtori Academy on her quest to become a prince, and stumbles into a mysterious cabal of students dueling for possession of the "Rose Bride." The role belongs to their classmate Anthy, an enigmatic girl who equally captivates and confuses Utena. While fending off powerful rivals, Utena must uncover the secrets surrounding Anthy and her own desires. As the relationship between the girls intensifies, their thirst for freedom crescendos into a need for revolution. ADOLESCENCE OF UTENA is a standalone genre classic that brings together the creative genius of director Kunihiko Ikuhara (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon), writer Yoji Enokido (EVANGELION franchise), and art director Shichiro Kobayashi (ANGEL'S EGG) with J.A. Seazer's transcendent music. Straddling the line between fairytale and surrealist opera, the film stands as a bold display of the ways social roles chain us--and demands we smash through them.
Director
Kunihiko Ikuhara, Shingo Kaneko, Toru Takahash, Katsushi Sakurabi
Producer
Yuji Matsukura, Atsushi Moriyama
Screenwriter
Yoji Enokido
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Genre
Fantasy, Adventure, Anime, Romance
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 30, 2000, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jun 21, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 26m