The Duels

This section will cover the first seven duels, which occur during the first thirteen episodes. It should be obvious that this section contains major spoilers, so if you don't go for that stuff, don't read any further. For lyrics from each duel chorus, check out the Music page.

The rules of a duel are simple. One duelist challenges the current Victor of the Duel. The duels take place in the dueling arena. The Victor of the Duel fights with the Sword of Dios (which is pulled from the Rose Bride's chest), while the challenger provides their own sword. Both duelists wear a colored rose on their chest. If the rose gets knocked off, the duelist loses. In the end, whomever is the Victor becomes engaged to the Rose Bride.

First Duel: Friendship. (Opponent=Saionji. Episode One: The Rose Bride) Utena's best friend Wakaba has a crush on Kyouichi Saionji, and writes him a love letter. Saionji, exhibiting his typical arrogance, scoffs at her affections and places her letter on display for all to mock. Utena becomes enraged and challenges him to a duel. This is Utena's first encounter with the Dueling Arena, the Rose Bride, and the machinations of End of the World. Utena wins the duel, shocking the over-confident Saionji.

Second Duel: Choice. (Opponent=Saionji. Episode Two: For Whom the Rose Smiles) Utena is concerned by Anthy's warning - now that she is the Victor of the Duels, other Duelists will want to challenge her. So when Saionji challenges Utena to a re-match, she plans to purposefully lose. She pretends not to be affected by the fact that her defeat means that Anthy will become Saionji's bride and once again be subject to his abuses. In the arena, however, her true feelings are shown when she merges with the spirit of Dios and defeats Saionji - again.

Third Duel: Reason (Opponent=Miki. Episode Five: The Sunlit Garden - Finale) Miki loves Anthy (and her piano playing, and her uncanny resemblence to his sister as a child). He becomes angry when she admits that she would stop playing the piano if Utena told her to. Miki's reasons for challenging Utena to a duel are kind of muddled - he wants to free Anthy from Utena's rule, but also wants to make her his own. "I swear I'll make you mine" is followed by "I swear I'll set you free." He is also haunted by an image of Touga telling him to fight for those things important to him. Miki is ultimately defeated by Utena: he loses his will to fight when he hears Anthy cheering for Utena.

Fourth Duel: Love. (Opponent=Juri. Episode Seven: Juri's Unfullfilment.) Juri challenges Utena to a duel, hoping to disprove the existence of miracles and shatter Utena's faith in her prince. It is probable that Juri wishes this upon Utena because she sees a younger, more naive version of herself in Utena. It is not fair that Utena should still be able to love, while Juri herself pines in the same way yet has given up pursuit of her loved one. During the duel, Juri rarely does more than toy with Utena, for her skill with the sword is far superior. Finally, she pushes Utena down, raises her sword for the final strike . . . and is defeated by a miracle.

Fifth Duel: Adoration (Opponent=Nanami. Episode Ten: Nanami's Precious Thing) Nanami has ample reason to challenge Utena to a duel. First, her beloved older brother injured himself terribly while saving Utena's life. (Therefore, it's all Utena's fault that he got hurt. Sure, um, that's logical.) Second, it is painfully obvious that Touga has fallen for Utena, and therefore she has stolen him from Nanami. "It's your fault - you came between my big brother and I," Nanami says during the duel. Even though Utena knocks the rose off Nanami's chest, Nanami pulls a knife from her jacket and keeps fighting in a blind rage. She does not stop until Touga tell her to.

Sixth Duel: Conviction. (Opponent=Touga. Episode Eleven: Gracefully Cruel - The One Who Picks the Flower.) Touga convinces Utena that he is her long-lost prince, then challenges her to a duel. His strategy is simple - he does not expect her to fight her prince. At first, Utena forces herself to fight for Anthy's sake. As the duel progresses, Utena calls upon the power of Dios. Touga suddenly stops fighting and appears to surrender. Unable to defeat her prince while he makes such a noble surrender, Utena stops also. Touga cuts off her rose before you can say "dirty double-crosser."

Seventh Duel: Self. (Opponent=Touga. Episode Twelve: For Friendship, Perhaps) Utterly humiliated by her defeat, Utena loses all her self-confidence. She begins to wear the normal school uniform for girls and no longer stands up to Touga when he harrasses her. Wakaba becomes angry because of Utena's behaviour. She says to Utena, "Something important was stolen from you, and you have to get it back." Utena suddenly realizes how much she misses Anthy (who has been hanging out with Touga and been getting treated like dirt by him). Touga is surprised when Utena challenges him to a re-match. At the start of the duel, he summons Anthy's powers to protect his sword, giving him tremendous advantage over Utena. Utena keeps fighting, and Anthy wonders why she would keep doing so when the situation is hopeless. Realizing why Utena keeps fighting, Anthy becomes so moved that her protection leaves Touga's sword. This allows Utena to move in for the final stroke.