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Character Analysis: Arisugawa Juri
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This episode introduces Juri as the fencing captain who is adored by the students and respected and/or feared by the teachers.
She is also a very jaded person who expresses doubts about the duels and this mystical "power to revolutionize the world". She admits that fighting duels is a stupid idea, but believes that the Rose Bridge will give her the power of miracles.
We learn Juri's background with Shiori and that Shiori no longer goes to Ohtori
Academy, but Juri still remembers her words - "Believe in a miracle, that your wish
will come true."
Juri duels Utena on this principle, and she loses only by a miraculous accident. It is revealed, after this happens, that the person Juri was in love with... was Shiori.
Episode Analysis
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Takatsuki Shiori returns to Ohtori Academy. She is recognized as an old friend of Juri's, but says she no longer deserves that friendship.
Juri meets up with Shiori. Shiori apologizes for 'stealing' that boy. Juri tells Shiori that she never had feelings for that boy. And then she leaves Shiori wondering what that means.
Utena later asks Juri why she can't just forgive Shiori for whatever happened in the past. Juri says that Utena is just like Shiori, cruelly innocent. Juri throws her locket into the lake and it finds its way onto Shiori's desk. Shiori discovers the picture becomes a black rose duelist in order to surpass Juri.
Shiori tells Juri that she knows her secret, torments her, and then draws the spirit sword from Juri. In the duel with Utena Shiori loses. Juri wakes, finds her locket on the floor and puts it back on. Life goes back to normal, only now Shiori knows her secret.
Analysis Forthcoming
A Side Note on Takatsuki Shiori
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This episode marks the beginning of something very important for Juri. At the start of the
episode, a new student arrives at Ohtori - but we quickly find out that he is not new, but
returning, and was once the captain of the fencing club... even more skilled than Juri
herself. He is also a Duelist.
When Ruka begins to show interest in Shiori and the two start actively dating, Juri
confronts Ruka and tells him to keep his hands off Shiori. Ruka refuses by responding
that he has decided to spend his life the way he wants, in carefree romance or anything
else he desires. Later, when Juri sees him and Shiori together, Ruka makes eye contact
with her, and it is clear that he is only courting Shiori in order to get to Juri. Juri
warns her about him, but Shiori's only reply is hateful.
After a ride in Ends of the World's car, Ruka and Shiori challenge Utena to a duel to
take the "Power of Miracles." When the power of Dios comes into Utena and she defeats
Ruka, the car Shiori is riding in crashes and she goes through the windshield. She wakes
up, still hopeful, and tells Ruka that he's sure to win the next time... but he tells
her that there will be no next time, and publicly dumps her, leaving her devastated,
and Juri wondering what he's after.
Episode Analysis
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Shiori is depressed, and although Juri says it's none of her business, Shiori's happiness
is the only thing she really desires. When she offers Shiori comfort, all Shiori does is
spitefully throw it back in her face and insult her kind intentions.
Juri even goes back to Ruka, trying to convince him to get back together with Shiori in
order to make her happy, but Ruka only insults Shiori. His true intentions become clear
when he forces a kiss on Juri, and he agrees to make up with Shiori when, during the kiss,
he has stolen Juri's locket. Juri asks to duel him; if he wins, she'll do whatever he
wants, but if he loses, he'll take Shiori back.
Juri loses the duel, but Ruka only wants her to meet someone. As they ride in the back
of Ends of the World's car, we find out that all Juri would use the Power of Miracles
for is to free Shiori from Ruka's hold, to give her happiness. To keep Ruka from getting
his way, she agrees to duel Utena again.
During the duel when Utena lunges at Juri her sword flies at Juri's rose, and is just barely deflected - just enough to sever the chain of Juri's locket and send it flying. After it shatters on the ground, Juri tears off her own rose and drops it in defeat.
Episode Analysis
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