Himemiya Anshi: The Witch, Also the Princess
"Bride of the Rose"

"When one has devoted oneself to the story of the Soul and its Salvation, as I have, one recognizes similar instances; they are innumerable... she wanders, displaced, like a ghost through all the ages, taking on multiple guises, transforming herself... only rarely does the Princess appear as herself, and only when the final stages of the purification process are near completion...and she waits, unaware, for the moment of her Salvation." -- "Lulu", Hermann Hesse.

Tarot Card(s):
The Hanged Man (beginning)
The World (end)
Quote:
"Utena-sama, I.... .... No, never mind."
Name Meaning: The Imperial Princess of the Flowering Gate

The Witch, the persecuted Princess. The core of a suffering world. To what end does this mysterious and regal young woman allow herself to be abused? What purpose does it fulfill? Is it the scourging of a heavy conscience laden with unbearable knowledge and sin? The just punishment of a woman who withheld the Prince from the world? Why does the Princess exist at all, unless to motivate and counter the Prince who comes to her rescue?

Her Story

Himemiya enters the story as the toy of Ootori Gakuen's Student Council, a plaything 'owned' by Saionji and subject to his abuses; he frequently slaps her and calls her names though she does nothing but submit to all his commands. A mysterious, strange girl feared and distrusted by most of the school, (though much admired by the school's male population) Himemiya's tightly curled and styled hair is the physical symbol of her merciless internal repression. Punishing herself for the past, she has seemingly managed to completely suppress her will to the desires of whomever happens to be Victor of the Duel. Anshi is a creature hanging in suspension, not fully living, yet not dead either, fearful of life and of change.

Himemiya and her memories are the template that all the other characters in the series reflect like shattered mirrors; her primal trauma regarding Dios/Akio is echoed in Miki and Kozue's tragic estrangement (the crucial event being a failing of the brother to defend the sister in the past) and in the tense, traumatic interplay/rivalry between Saionji and Touga, for examples. Indirectly or directly her life history is tied to each of the cast members.

Within her body she holds the "Sword of Dios", a key that will, in the hands of the right Victor of the Duel, unleash the power of world revolution, and change the world... It is in this function, as a living sheath for the sword of power, that she serves as "Bride of the Rose" for the duellists, and it is this power that each Duellist covets, knowing or unknowing.

Anshi is kind to all animals, a strangely mothering attitude as she keeps snails in her pencil case (each with its own name), a mongoose in her desk drawer; like Utena, she pities and befriends the small and voiceless. Perhaps she sees too much of herself in them...? Yet, she could also be considered cruel, as she keeps her 'friends' locked away in small, dark places... with the exception of Chuchu, her 'pets' are kept in drawers or closets.

She often proclaims that her only real friend (or should that be 'familiar'?) is the squeaky monkey-mouse Chuchu, though she also seems to have affection for Utena and Miki. Her attempt to befriend Juri is met with a harsh rebuttal. She dislikes Saionji, who still believes that they are meant to be together, and is grateful for Utena's interventions as Saionji attempts to dominate her. She and Touga seem to have a kind of knowing, but silent relationship; they ignore each other as they seek different goals.

When Utena 'wins' Anshi in the first duel, Anshi happily accepts the change, allowing herself to show her satisfaction as she coldly brushes off her former 'master'. She turns her service and attention toward the will of Utena... yet, Utena's will is that Himemiya should be her own person... And it seems Anshi is not able to speak her mind freely, not even to Utena in whom all her hopes reside.

Anshi doesn't even ATTEMPT to keep up the facade of being a student- her grades are the lowest of anyone's, 0 on some tests, in a voiceless but obvious act of defiance and rebellion against... something. She has routine Saturday night 'meetings' with her brother Akio in his planetarium, meetings which are usually cruel, humiliating experiences for her where she is molested.

The reason for her giving in to Akio's desires is unclear- she may be sacrificing herself to spare others, Utena in particular, in an attempt to contain Akio... But at times, it's unclear whether she or Akio is really the dominant force in their bizarre struggle for power over all around them; both siblings are equally manipulative, secretive, and jealously grasping of what they desire. Her quality of manipulation is so subtle that she can literally hide her schemes out in the open and have it not be seen until it comes to full fruition. Take for example the knitting she's doing during one of the Nanami 'comedy' episodes- only at the end is it clear she's knitting a red sweater, which enrages the 'cow' Nanami to violence, which forces Utena to defend her...

Only very slowly, as time passes, does the facade of perfect submissiveness and silence begin to crack in Himemiya's dark features. Her hair starts to come down at night; her true emotions show as she sees Utena falling more and more deeply under Akio's spell, as she begins to feel desperate for her salvation, promised so long ago. She is finally shown to be the motivator, in tandem with Akio, of the force that seeks Revolution- the power behind the End of the Earth.

At the very twilight of the world, her fear overwhelms her and she opts to attempt to maintain the status quo, betraying Utena in the final moments of the Duel of Revolution... But Utena's love and persistence triumphs anyway- Himemiya's self-imposed 'coffin' is shattered by Utena's courage, and she is released...the Revolution having been achieved after all.

But at what cost?