Revolutionary Girl Utena: Episode 6

Nanami is walking home from school when she realises she is being followed.  She runs, trips and is nearly run over. Thankfully, she escapes uninjured, but in the car's headlights manages to see that someone was indeed following her. The next day Nanami explains to her brother that she thinks someone is trying to kill her. He brushes off her words as nonsense.

A baseball accident following this discussion leads Nanami to suspect that Utena might be behind the attempts on her life (which include flowerpots dropping from high buildings).  While confronting Utena about her situation, they overhear Touga in the greenhouse with Anthy discussing killing something and Nanami assumes it's her.   Heartbroken that her brother wants her dead, Nanami runs off in tears, leaving Miki and Utena to discover that the two in the greenhouse were actually talking about killing pests that were infesting the roses. 

A distraught Nanami is caught unawares by a run-away horse and is saved by a boy. Miki and Utena learn that Nanami has made the fellow her boyfriend and personal bodyguard, despite the fact that he is half her age.  Utena is disgusted that Nanami is using the boy's dedication to her in such a way. Miki explains that her actions, although not justified, can be understood since she has always seen her brother as the pinnacle of manhood and his apparent desire to kill her has shaken her perceptions.

Saoinji, in a rare moment of insight, also contributes that being abused by your loved one is preferable to being separated from them.  Although he is twisted, Saoinji apparently does actually like Anthy which is the first positive sign for his character that we've seen.

Meanwhile three guys in her grade confront Nanami about why she's dating an elementary school boy when they've been trying to win her hand.  She commands her 'boyfriend', Mitsuru, to beat them up which he does, but only barely.  Utena and Miki come upon him and learn that, since he witnessed Touga saving Nanami when they were children, he's aspired to be a chivalric big brother ever since.  Mitsuru reveals he's been putting Nanami in danger to accomplish this.  Since she was eavesdropping, Nanami is furious at the discovery, but this drama is put from their minds when a run-away boxing kangaroo appears.  Yes, this episode is weird

Although Mitsuru is willing to die to protect her, Nananmi carries him off stating that she needs guys like him to work for her so she doesn't want him to die.  Touga saves the day and the three walk away as a very odd family dynamic.

I can't say I have much to say about this episode except that it illustrates how people's perceptions shape the world.  Nanami believes that someone is trying to kill her so she reads meaning into the conversations of others, Mitsuru wants to be a hero so creates dangerous situations to become one and Saoinji believes himself in love with Anthy.

Images courtesy of  http://ohtori.nu/