Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till [Paperback]

Chiho Saito (Author, Illustrator), Be-Papas (Author)

Book Description

Series: Revolutionary Girl Utena (Graphic Novels) | Publication Date: June 2003

In the first adventure in the historic series, Utena faces a sword duel, an unwelcome engagement, and a mandate to revolutionize the world!

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 2nd edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569319642
• ISBN-13: 978-1569319642
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Manga > Shojo (Girls)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Shoujo Tale with a Twist, July 20, 2002

By 

ArchFaith (the Northeast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till (Paperback)

I'm not sure how I heard about his story, but when I saw it in the bookstore, I decided to pick it up and see how it was. I was in for a surprise!! I never imagined how beautiful executed the story would be.
Utena is different from pretty much all other "magical girl" type stories in that Utena is nothing special...she never changes into some kind of superhero, she never pitches corny attacks at absurd villains. Utena is just a girl looking for her prince and desiring to be one herself...I was drawn to this manga because here I saw a strong girl willing to battle her way through life to make her dream come true.
Utena's character is very well-rounded, as are the others. Anthy's girliness is perfect to Utena's courage, Touga is mysterious and alluring, Saionji is willful and determined. Everyone flows together so perfectly. You have to get this manga if you're sick of all the Sailor Moon stuff circulating these days!!
By the way, I already have the second book. Why can't I write a review for it? It's out already.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite manga series of all time, March 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till (Paperback)

I've always been a huge Utena fan. From the moment I picked up vol. 1-3 just at the interesting cover design over at Densetsu Manga (Legendary Manga) in Yokohama, Japan I loved it. It is a seemingly simple story at the beginning which quickly develops into a beautiful masterpiece of a manga. It has a deep philosphical message that is presented a bit more in the backround so it doesn't get in the way of the enjoyment of the story (unlike some series which have to lecture you during the last two epiosdes..*COUGH* NEON GENESIS EVANGELION *COUGH*...actually I love Eva and the last two eps. were amazing, so don't get mad at me..^_^;;). The story presents to you characters who are bound by their own insecurites, unable to truly live lives, stuck in the past, obsessed with the future, bound by jealousy or arrogance. The school itself (Ohtori Academy) is the physical embodiment of greed and human selfishness, the students who go there (the main chars. at least)are metaphorically facing their own selfishness. When they talk about "cracking the shell of the world" they are discussing the idea of breaking away from their insecurites and finally being able to actually LIVE. They duel to reach that "outside world" the place where the can be human again...the power to "revolutionize the world". Utena's bonds were broken by her prince, and that is why she is different from the rest of the duelers and also so highly coveted by Kiryuu, Touga. Well...that was my interpretation of the plot at least..anyway...

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A modern manga classic, January 5, 2002

By 

Jamie S. Rich (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol. 1: To Till (Paperback)

I can't begin to tell you how enthusiastic I am about the UTENA manga. Having been a fan of the anime series and the wonderful movie, I have to admit to entering this reading experience with a bit of bias--but I think my expectations have been exceeded.

First up, if you're also a fan of any of the animated versions, you should be aware that the comic is as different to them as the video series is to the movie. What we have here is something akin to the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION manga--an expanded version of the story from the longer video series. The first volume focuses first on Utena's life before going to the Academy, and the bizarre things she discovers when she gets to the Academy. Really, the story is just getting revved up, and we have only seen a small scratch on the surface. Utena is very much a character in development, who is exploring something new and fantastic, and the great thing about the manga is we get to discover along with her.

To be honest, if you're an Utena fan, what this book (and the ones that follow) will likely do for you is give you a deeper insight into the characters you already love. And if you've never seen or read anything about this series before, in any form, well, as a newbie, you're in for a treat. No prior knowledge is necessary, this really starts on the ground floor.

Chiho Saito's art in this book is exceptional. She is really unique among the manga artists--utilizing both sharp, angular lines and smooth, round surfaces at the same time. There is also a very hard to describe quality to her work--she makes things sparkle. That's the only way to say it. It's all quite lovely. There is a real sensual quality to the Utena tail, and she brings it across with flair. (The flashback to Utena meeting her "prince" is of particular note.)

Storywise, the themes are familiar--self-discovery, both in terms of inner strength, gender issues, and as an individual within a society. Heavy stuff, without ever being overtly the focus, never getting in the way of a good tale.

Really, one of the top manga series to come to the states in several years.