Revolutionary Girl Utena: Episode 5

Juri, an orange-haired woman on the Student Council, notices how Miki's confidence is higher during their fencing practices but tells him that his sword is not for battle, implying that his nature is not one suited to violence.  It becomes obvious that Miki is attracted to Anthy's innocence, comparing her to the figure in the garden of his memories.

We learn that the song he's always playing, 'The Sunlit Garden', is a song he and his sister co-wrote when they were young.  They were always playing together and considered young prodigies.  Miki convinces his sister to attend a big concert with him where they will showcase their talents, promising to be there with her.  The night of the concert he has to stay home with the measles and their parents make his sister go alone.  She runs off the stage and never plays the piano again.  Miki still carries the guilt of causing her to abandon music and is trying to regain the feeling of contentment and love he shared with his sister in that garden.

Utena supports a relationship between Miki and Anthy and cannot understand Anthy's insistence that, since she is Utena's bride, she cannot be with him.  Miki proposes dissolution of the Student Council so that Anthy is free to make her own choices.  Touga states that it's his youth talking and that the world doesn't work that way - that sometimes things have to be smashed (AKA people conquered) for true freedom. 

After this meeting, Miki encounters his sister leaving the music room where she has been making out with Touga.  The relationship between these siblings is now very cold, although they both profess to still care about each other.  It's obvious that Touga is using Miki's sister to upset him.  He tells the boy that if you don't 'protect what you love people will take them away from you', convincing Miki that the only way to ensure Anthy's happiness is to make her his bride.  Although Miki sees this as helping Anthy, there's no doubt that his ultimate motive is a selfish one to retain the feeling of 'his shining thing'.

He encounters Anthy playing the piano and she emphasizes that she will only play the piano if Utena lets her.  Here is another glimpse that perhaps Anthy is part of the manipulation of duelists.  This is the final prod that inspires Miki to challenge Utena.  Initially confident in his purpose, Miki manages to hold his own against Utena, drawing in for the final blow.  Anthy's cry of support for Utena breaks his sense of purpose which causes him to lose.  Despite the loss, he is determined to remain in the competition to preserve his 'shining thing'.  The episode ends with Miki's sister talking to one of her friends, admitting that she never played the piano well, it was simply her brother's exceptional talent that lead others to believe so.

Herein is our first look into the psychological underpinnings of a member of the Student Council and why they compete for the Rose Bride.  Although each member speaks of 'bringing the world revolution', it is becoming clear that the goal each seeks is entirely personal. It is also apparent that they are being led astray since the goals each strike for are achievable only by themselves, not by outside forces.  This depth is what kept me watching the show and I recall now that there is much more intensity to come.

Images courtesy of  http://ohtori.nu/