Analysis of Kunihiko Ikuhara Anime 

I like yuri animes, but I am also interested in subtle symbols and experimental animation, like in the Monogatari series. These animes look cool.

This is awesome! I just finished watching Yurikuma Arashi and loved it. Sha ba da do! 🐻

Yurikuma arashi is so gooooooooodddd and I can never find any out of canon material for it 😪

I really enjoy this video, your analysis is incredible. Revolutionary Girl Utena and Yurikuma Arashi were bout incredible. And the sytle. Thanks for the video.

June was some kind of miracle month where obscure anime youtube decided to cater itself to me, specifically, I guess? Can't believe I missed this but I'm excited to watch it later and see what you have to say about one of my favorite directors.

10:02 I truly believe the movie fully makes sense as a continuation of the series, not a retelling. A soft reset of the world from Anthy after her journey out of the academy, returning to kill akio and allow Utena to revolutionize her own world and being able to live with her. That’s why also touga is dead, he was only kept alive by akio to be used just like Mikagenwas used. Touga dying trying to be q prince saving the drowned girl as mentioned in the last episode by Juri. In a weird way and after a long thinking it’s what makes sense to me.

I am excited to go watch penguin drum and analyze the events, good and bad, for myself. Because although I can totally understand why you don’t like it, and usually that would make me steer clear of something, I’m interested to see how it flows over all. And will let you know if anything comes to mind about the bad representation of Yuri.

thanks for explaining the symbolism in Yuri Kuma. I like it more now that I understand it better.

LOVED the video, agreed on everything (which really surprised me as I have some unpopular opinions), also I felt validated for not liking Penguindrum as much as others seem to. Yuri being a rapist was a huge issue for me, especially in how sexualized and seemingly 'not creepy' that scene was. I feel like Ikuhara really redeemed himself with Yurikuma though, and now I look as Yuri's character like she's an example of a trope on which Yurikuma comments on. However, it would have looked better if a) if she was supposed to be an example of a trope, some clear commentary was necessary - which thankfully Yurikuma does or b) her rape should've been treated as if she was a male character doing that to a young girl and not ignored later on and if Ikuhara didn't see these two situations equally, I'm pretty sure while creating Yurikuma that must have changed. Overall I don't get why most people claim Yurikuma to be his weakest work, the argument I see the most being that it wasn't long enough to fully flesh out the symbolism and comment on everything-- but personally, it was very much enough. I love nearly everything about this anime and I see it as equal to Utena in a lot of ways.

penguin drum has actually three scenes of attempted rape one is yuri trying to rape ringo, in the other one ringo drugs this high school teacher and tries to have sex with him when he is incapacitated and the last one is ringo giving said highschool teacher another drug, which manipulates him to want sex with her. While I agree that this whole raping stuff, isn't adressed by the show, nether are the rape scenes and the sexual violence in utena discussed, except the ones with Anthy. So this is a theme ikuhara is using very often, with out discussing it.

Hey Shadowrules, I love all 3 animes and I wasn't aware that they are from the same direktor. As a queer girl who likes Art and symbolism I just have to love them, but I love how men try to really feel in lesbian romance and their problems. But I don't understand it. Yaoi for girls is often really flat and unrealistic (not always) compered to Yuri. Maybe you or someone male here can tell me what you love about it? Thank you

YES, YES :D Love to hear talk about Utena and YumiKura Arashi :D My fav goes to Utena as well; I'm a romantic I like princes and princesses ♥

You are a treasure 👑

wow okay I never heard such a wrong interpretation about revolutionary girl utena, the sacrifice of utena didn't allow anthy to leave the academy, anthy could have gone from the academy all along., there was nothing really holding her back. What Utenas sacrife does, is not revolutionizing the world, but it shows anthy, despite everything she's done, that she is still worth loving, which gives anthy the strength and resolution to leave akio and in doing so revolutionizing her own world.

Interesting...

ユリ熊嵐!!!!

Sometimes Ikuhara does have questionable 'this is OK' scenes (heck it's also in other shows, if a girl is abusive its not seen as serious) Otherwise Penguindrum was one of my favorites due to the other variety of symbolism (especially my fave was with the Library ep). I've tried to watch Yurikuma Arashi but I found that the moe style + almost hentai nudity was distracting and I had trouble feeling sympathetic to Kureha without feeling like she's a useless protagonist (she was training with rifles against BEARS, and when the bears actually show up, she did squat nothing!) I think due to mainstream fanservice had a negative effect on me, I'd prefer a strong girl like Utena over Kureha's story.

I just recently finished Yuri Kuma Arashi again. I strongly think that this show isn't really about homosexuality, but more a story of overcoming division in the name of love. Sure lesbians imagery is all over the place in Yuri Kuma Arashi, however i feel that its more used for aesthetics than actually talking about it. If it is about homosexuality, then what does the story mean in regards to the species divide, murder or eating others, and switching over species? Those story elements say alot more negative stuff than Yuri preying on Ringo.

you just don't like penguindrum for the lack of lesbian action