Blade: Mostly because I know Utena is The Greatest Series Of All Time, and Aaron is a godless heathen scumsucking worm.

Epsilon: This I don't deny, but it doesn't have anything to do with my opinion of Utena, which is that it's a GOOD series (if you're into that sort of thing), but the greatest of all time...?

Blade: In an uncharacteristically rational note...I'll say that is more or less the point. For the sort of show it is (character-based, symbolism-driven, intended to be thought-provoking rather than giving all the answers), there really isn't anything better than Utena, at least that I've seen or heard of.

Epsilon: I've seen series' that I like all three aspects in better, and ones where I liked the "questions raised" aspect better as well. Not all at once, I'll grant, but...

Blade: Okay, fuck rational. DIE! DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!!

Epsilon: I'd be more intimidated if those weren't just words; in fact, if they weren't just bits of electronic information. I shall live forever! In the Internet Wayback Machine, if nothing else!

Blade: This means I shall have to obliterate the Wayback Machine to destroy your blasphemous commentary. Fine, I'll add it to my "to do" list.

Epsilon: Right after "obliterate USENET" and "obliterate half the other websites in existence", I'm sure.

Blade: Actually, it's right after "obliterate Reality TV Shows". We're talking about something pretty important, after all.

Epsilon: Now that you mention it, I am seeing strange parallels between "Utena" and "Survivor". In every episode they eliminate someone from the competition, there is lots of backstabbing involved in the process, and a whole bunch of archaic semi-plausible rituals.

Blade: ...just...shut up, okay? Let's return to talking about Utena.

Epsilon: No, wait, I think I'm really on to something here!

Blade: No you're not.

Epsilon: For instance, in both cases, the one who "wins" in the end is usually the biggest asshole, and...

Blade: I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.

Epsilon: So, we were talking about Utena?

Blade: Yeah, so, what's it about? Hmm...actually, that's hard to describe.

Epsilon: No it's not. "Strange girl who thinks she's a prince goes to strange school where she has strange fights with strange people over a strange power that's never really defined." Strange, isn't it?

Blade: Okay, that's actually pretty accurate, but doesn't really give a good feel for the series to someone who hasn't watched it.

Epsilon: Sure, there's lots of backstabbing and incest. A whole lot of incest in fact, and implied incest. Okay, so there's more than that. For instance, there's lesbianism, and lesbian incest, and statutory rape, and...

Blade: You can shut up now. Clearly, there is no good way to describe the whole of Utena except by watching it for yourself anyway.

Epsilon: Or you can just watch the movie and your brain will explode about 2/3 of the way through, obviating any need to understand the series.

Blade: (GLARE OF DOOM)

Epsilon: I'm sorry, did you have something to add?

Blade: YES. Ignore this idiot, he's only giving you misleading ideas.

Epsilon: But that's all we ever do in our reviews.

Blade: But I like Utena more, and want other people to try it!

Epsilon: That's why I need to get in all the misleading information I can. It's not like YOU'RE going to bash it.

Blade: How would you know? It's not like I've had a chance to put two uninterrupted sentences together in this whole review.

Epsilon: Well, yeah, but you said right at the beginning you think it's the best series ever made, so what other opinion could you possibly have?

Blade: I...that is...well...oh, fuck it. I'm fighting a losing battle here, so why don't we just get into the review part of the review?

Epsilon: Well, Revolutionary Girl Utena is a fine shoujo show. It's about complex character development and interaction between adolescents, with a bit of mysticism thrown in. Don't watch it if you're into action-packed fight scenes, because the fights aren't really about the characters fighting each other. Watch it if you're into relationship dramas and fantasy. B-.

Blade: I actually agree with most of the above, but will add that Utena is a show of layers that continuously get more deep and complex...

Epsilon: ...and pretentious...

Blade: (beats Aaron into bloody unconsciousness) ...as it goes along, much more so than for most shows that people describe that way. *coughcoughEvangelioncough* It is true that it is a show that is much more inclined to raising questions for the viewers than giving definitive answers to them, so if that annoys you, you probably won't like it. It is also very shoujoey in character design and in how the show starts off, and most of the fanservice is of guys, so those things might also turn you off, unless you're one of those dozen or so North American female anime fans. Or gay. However, if you have an open enough mind to get past those things, and a taste for deep, well-thought-out plotlines and characters, you are likely to discover why many Utena fans are extremely devoted to the show. A+.

Epsilon: Yes, it's indeed a multi-layered show. One character has this whole speech about how they're like an onion and everything!

Blade: How can you still be alive!?

Epsilon: First, it was only "bloody unconsciousness". Second, you can't really hurt me here, remember?

Blade: Shit.