His Story

Until Akio appeared openly, Touga was *the* man in charge, the President of the Student Council who wryly and evenly ruled over his fellow students. A playboy and man-about-town, there's little that could escape the coolly aristocratic gaze of the Seitokaichou.

He seems bemused by much that goes on around him; he also is unfocused, preferring pleasures and instincts of the moment to any long-term future goal. His sister, Utena, the student body, the other Duellists- all are appraised and used for their worth, and nothing more. He is usually seen in someone's company, rarely alone unless he chooses to be. Somehow, he always manages to be in exactly at the right place at the right time.

This may be because he's, figuratively at first and then *literally* later, 'in bed' with the Ends of the Earth- he definitely knows more about what's going on than any of the other Student Council members, though he feigns ignorance. For a time, fascinated by Utena, he toys with her, pretending to be her Prince, but this is a facetious claim; he *was* there in Utena's past, and he somehow led the Prince to her, showing her the 'something eternal' that saved her life, but he also left her to her own fate. Though, signs that his callousness with Utena are only skin-deep abound...

He suffers a severe shock to his being when (after defeating Utena for control of the Bride and nearly causing her to abandon all hope, intending to make her vulnerable to -his- advances) Utena soundly *thrashes* him, without any of the miracle powers, in the subsequent Duel; the turnabout and rejection hits Touga so hard he disappears into emptiness for roughly a third of the story, similar to Saionji's retreat after Utena's victory over him. The truth is, Touga actually loves and admires Utena- her fearlessness and strength- he wants her to become his.

But when Akio emerges, Touga is somehow revitalized, and takes his place not only as Akio's most trusted lieutenant, but as a visionary of the Revolution; he knows with certainty that Utena is the key to the future. He begins to try, in small and subtle ways, to warn Utena away from Akio; he sees the Victor's growing infatuation with Akio as a threat to the state of the world balance.

He pleads with Utena repeatedly to change her path.. even openly declaring his love for her, his desire to become her Prince. He's loved her ever since that first meeting, in the church, in the rain... and it can't be said Utena doesn't respond to this final confession with some feeling of her own...

But in the end, all he does is deliver his warning and, once more, stands aside to let Utena face the fate she made for herself...Their fingers drift apart, and they must say farewell to each other, the could-have-been forever pulled apart...Could there ever be even a chance of their doomed romance to sprout anew?