Episode 37: The One who Brings the World Revolution

Utena nearly loses her resolve, but makes the decision to go to the arena and claim the revolutionary power in order to save Himemiya.

This is a summary of episode 37 of the anime series Revolutionary Girl Utena.  You are welcome to link to it, but not to repost it elsewhere.  For more information, and other episode summaries, see the index.

Utena broods for a long time on her memories of the prince, and her dream of being one herself.  Eventually, she takes off her rose crest ring.  At breakfast the next morning (presumably the next morning after the end of episode 36), Akio notices she isn't wearing it and she tells him that everyone has secrets they need to keep.  Then she asks him to spend some more time with her - and clarifies that yes, she means a date.

Touga and Saionji comment to each other that they've gotten farewell letters from End of the World, but Utena has probably gotten a very different kind of letter.  Utena, riding in Akio's car, tells him she didn't think the ring suited her.  He says that she seems more girlish than usual now, and reveals that the stars don't interest him at all.  On arriving back, she has a cryptic conversation with Himemiya.

Touga and Saionji meet with Akio and he tells them that Utena still has to make her choice; then in a sequence intercut with footage of her playing basketball, we see her tear up the letter from End of the World, still unread.  Jury and Miki approach Utena to ask what she's planning to do next; both joke (or are they serious?) that they've fallen in love with her.  Nanami advises her to stay away from Akio and Himemiya.

There's a brief scene of Akio and Anthy, in their Prince and Rose Bride costumes, riding in the car - Akio is driving even more recklessly than usual, and Anthy is writing in agony/ecstasy in the passenger seat.  Then Himemiya (in school uniform) and Utena snack on tea and cookies, and joke (or are they serious?) about murdering each other with poison.  They promise to drink tea together again ten years later.  Next we see them in pyjamas; Himemiya tries to commit suicide by jumping off the tower, and Utena saves her.

Utena prepares to go to the duelling arena to enter the castle and achieve the revolutionary power.  Touga and Saionji warn her that she's a fool to do this for "true friendship", because there's no such thing, and Utena says that, okay, she is a fool, because she's going to do it anyway.  Himemiya presents her with the re-assembled letter that was torn up earlier, but is pleased when Utena refuses it.  She says, "Let's go," and holds up her hand - she is wearing the ring again.

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