Shoujo Kakumei Utena: After the Revolution
Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution

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After the Revolution is by no means a perfect manga.

It exists as a sequel to 1997's Revolutionary Girl Utena to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and thus takes place 20 years later. Because of its nature as a 20th anniversary celebration, it was never going to be, well, revolutionary, but that doesn't mean it isn't enjoyable or doesn't have some interesting ideas.

These three chapters are essentially about the spirit of Utena helping the student council members heal from their lingering trauma left over by the events of the main story. It doesn't line up with the anime's plot details 100%, but it's Utena; no two versions ... will have the same details.

A common criticism of this manga is that it is hard to believe the characters haven't changed in twenty years, but to that I say: trauma will do that to you. Utena is a series about trauma and how it plants its roots in you and fundamentally changes you as a person, and this manga shows that (although I do agree that the character designs not changing after twenty years is a bit silly. As I said, it's not perfect).

Ultimately it doesn't have the time to deliver everything I could want out of a follow up to Utena but considering its only three chapters, it uses its short runtime wisely, covering just about everything that needs to be covered, even if it cannot get to everything.

It is a poignant and heartwarming story about how the effects of trauma are long lasting but it is never too late to heal. It's not perfect, but for what it is, it works well.

I read this a while ago, and forgot to review it. Whoops! 😅

Personally, I'm satisfied with the story. Yes, they were still repeating a lot of the same mistakes, but that's life in general. Some people don't grow. Some regressed.
Though the ending to the stories were satisfying. The only chapter I didn't all the way care for was chapter 3. If you know, you know. Even then, the ending of chapter 3 was heartwarming with Utena and Anthy.

Personally, I like it and recommend it. Though cautious: it isn't as surreal as the anime ... or as deep. It's just a quick wrap up of the series, which was good.

This manga is pointless.

The story takes place twenty years after Utena’s revolution, but that doesn’t really matter.

There’s hardly any insight into how the lives of the student council members have changed. All of their stories begin with them almost immediately going back to Ohtori academy or getting drawn into a vision. They each have a meaningless duel, and then they...change? Somehow? It doesn’t really matter because their stories each get cut off soon after their duels are over.

Though Utena and Anthy are on the cover of this manga, don’t expect to see much of them. The council members don’t even remember them, so they ... aren’t discussed much. Utena only appears in visions, and Anthy is almost completely absent.

The art is pleasant, and thankfully the manga is short. That’s about all the praise I can spare.

In the manga’s afterward, artist Chiho Saito explains what happened when she was asked to do a 20th anniversary Utena manga. She consulted with director Kunihiko Ikuhara, and together, the two of them realized that they barely had any ideas.

It shows.