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NEWS: I.G: Right Stuf Has Utena Movie License

Have to say, while the visuals are mind-blowing and the music gets an upgrade, I do not care that much for the movie. I loved the character development of the series, and all that complexity pretty much disappears and gets replaced with... well, naked bobsledding lesbians. Which, while fun, isn't quite as good IMnsHO.

... correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't one of the major thrusts of Utena that categorising social roles by gender, and thus to a large extent gender itself, is harmful?

... and we're discussing whether or not the text says that one of the characters, one of the lead characters, whose breaking of these self-imposed roles frees someone who is suffering under them, has, even after they've done this, a sexual identity inextricably tied to gender?

This seems... misguided.

Before western contact, Japan did not have a system of identification in which one’s identity was determined by one’s biological sexual preference. In fact, “the tripartite taxonomy of sexual types that has resulted from the social construction [homo-, bi-, heterosexuality-], held no currency in Japan.”[4]

However, this does not indicate that sexual behaviors between individuals of the same sex were not practiced. In fact, such behavior was so common in Japan that documentation of same sex relationships dates back over a thousand years.

Provided they are legal adults,...

Kind of interesting to hear this debate about whether or not they are lesbians and sexual identity vs gender. If anything Japanese history shows it used to be all separate with none inextricably tied to the other. I had mentioned once here before that prior to the Meiji period, "Nobody blinked an eye at sexual orientation and no one used it as a means self identification."

So I'm assuming this remastered as well? Rightstuf, will you ever cease to amaze me?

The King of Harts wrote:

So I'm assuming this remastered as well? Rightstuf, will you ever cease to amaze me?

Unfortunately i am not as pleased with this. since nozumi/right stuff is using the same strategy as Sentai , it may mean bad news for dubbers like myself.

Will he keep it the same? Adapt it? Turn it into something brand new? Simply redraw the setting in Israel and make Section 9 an Israeli Intellegence Angency and change Major Mikoto's name to Michal (kind of how Lilo and Stitch was remade into an anime featuring a Japanese girl and her alien pet in Okinawa)?

Quote:

Kind of interesting to hear this debate about whether or not they are lesbians and sexual identity vs gender. If anything Japanese history shows it used to be all separate with none inextricably tied to the other. I had mentioned once here before that prior to the Meiji period, "Nobody blinked an eye at sexual orientation and no one used it as a means self identification."

1. Ikuhara, the mind behind this show, doesn't subscribe to that stuff though. This comes out on his commentary track for the movie when he says that the guy he's doing the commentary with could be straight, gay, or bi after they get into a conversation about how his car had a male petname.

2. This phenomena didn't only occur in Japan. The idea of homosexuality vs. heterosexuality is a relatively new concept even in western thought. Japan is no more special than England or wherever else in this regard. Some of these beliefs persisted longer in Japan though, maybe.

3. I'm also going to add that these patterns of belief are highly sexist and usually result in girls being forced into marriage with men whether or not they were actually attracted to the opposite sex. Some people in Japan believed that lesbianism was only a phase not that long ago, but it's foolish folklorish nonsense. I don't think this kind of nonsense should be given any credence. It's about as dumb as the previous belief that women don't experience pleasure from sex which was also assumed to be true everywhere not that long ago. Notice how that article mainly talks about the sexual freedom men experienced in Japan during those ancient periods. I don't think that's a coincidence. In traditional Japan (and sometimes current Japan) women only have one role and that is to serve the father, husband, and son. Men didn't have to live with those restrictions. Obviously, certain recent social constructions have also created problems in certain ways, but that doesn't mean the past that existed before these constructions were super peachy keen either. People were still oppressed over these and related issues, just in different ways.

* A bit buzzed on Tequila right now, so I hope this all makes sense. lol

Such relationships established an unquestionable acceptance of same-sex practices and were not restricted to men.

This change was significant because it allowed women to establish more prominent positions within the household through which they were able to exert more influence. In turn, this allowed a kind of sexual liberation for many women

Onnagata (female-role) and wakashū-gata (adolescent boy-role) actors in particular were the subject of much appreciation by both male and female patrons,

Male prostitutes (kagema), who were often passed off as apprentice kabuki actors and who catered to a mixed male and female clientele

...
Having touched on the sin of idolatry and on the other faults committed by the Japanese, he arrived at the sin of Sodom, which he described as ‘something so abominable that it is more unclean than the pig and more low than the dog and other animals without reason’. ...

The King of Harts wrote:

So I'm assuming this remastered as well? Rightstuf, will you ever cease to amaze me?

Unfortunately i am not as pleased with this. since nozumi/right stuff is using the same strategy as Sentai , it may mean bad news for dubbers like myself.

Um okaaaaaay, am I the only person baffled by the announcement seeing as Utena is NOT a Production I.G work??? lol Maybe they hold the master license now or something who knows. Crazy Anime industry and their shenanegans Nice news though

Wondered about that myself. I guess it has to do with who invested in a production and ended up with licensing rights.

At the time, J.C.STAFF (before they became as strong as they are now) and Production I.G. did co-produce certain titles together, such as Parappa the Rapper and The Prince of Tennis.