Juri Arisugawa is a deuteragonist in the animated series Shōjo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena). She's a member of the student council and renowned and feared across the school for her competence and cool - students say she can make a teacher quit just by looking at them. She's a talented fencer and a model, and she even runs an intelligence network throughout the school.
But Juri is trapped by a memory from her past - her childhood friend Shiori Takatsuki, who suspected their shared friend had a crush on Juri, 'stole' him from her. Juri fights to possess the Rose Bride in order to try to free herself from these feelings. The full truth comes out at the end of Juri's first episode: Shiori's betrayal hurt so much because Juri was in love with her.
Yuri Feats[]
- Juri is a lesbian and in love with a girl.
- Many girls have crushes on Juri. They cheer her on as she fences and gossip about how cool she is.
- Juri always wears a locket underneath her shirt that she touches when feeling vulnerable. It has Shiori's picture inside.
- In Episode 7, Juri sees hope and naivete in Utena and precludes trying to rip Utena's ring from her with gently stroking Utena's hair and leaning close. She repeats this sentiment in Episode 28: "You're just like Shiori... So cruelly innocent..."
- Official commentary on Episode 7: "This story came together quickly as a 'story about relationships.' 'He' and 'she' only appear within Jury’s memories. The ending in the final script is different than it was in the first draft. The endgame is still about getting a better idea of who Jury really is; that didn’t change. But the first draft ended on a 'Could it be?' sort of a note. As the script was finalized, I decided to come right out and say, 'She was in love with a girl.'"
- Juri's duel is called 'amour', love.
- In the Black Rose Arc, Episode 17, Shiori transfers back into their school. Juri is silently tormented by Shiori's presence, but pretends to be unmoved, only admitting that she was never in love with the boy Shiori 'stole' from her, to Shiori's shock. Later on, Shiori manages to overpower Juri and take her sword by mockingly flirting with and taunting her in equal measure.
- In Episode 19, Juri wryly jokes with Miki Kaoru and Nanami Kiryuu, her fellow student council members, that it's a shame they can't change who they love. The two stare at her, knowing and unamused, and Juri admits that changing who she loves would help her too.
- In Episode 28, a student named Ruka returns to school and seduces Shiori. Juri warns him not to hurt Shiori. In Episode 29, Juri learns that Ruka has hurt Shiori and confronts him; this escalates until Juri loses a duel to Ruka and is forced to duel Utena.
- In the duel, Juri's locket is torn from her chest and shatters (severing a rose from a duelist's chest means the duelist loses, but Utena missed). Juri, gasping and shocked back to reality, halts the duel entirely and pulls her rose from her chest herself.
- In Episode 37, right before the final showdown, Juri and Miki find Utena and play badminton with her. Juri reflects on her feelings for Shiori and how they've changed over all this time, and wonders bittersweetly, yet contently, why she can't set her feelings free. She then asks Utena what she will do with Anthy; after all, "You love her, don't you?" This prompts Utena to think critically about how much she cares about Anthy.
- Soon afterwards, Miki lightheartedly admits he's been thinking about Utena a lot. Juri teases that Miki's confessing his love and then asks Utena if she can give her a picture of herself so she can put it in her new locket. Miki jokes that Juri is a 'dangerous rival', and the three laugh together.
- When the series ends, a glimpse of Juri is shown: Shiori has joined the fencing club, and Juri shows no sign of bitterness towards her.