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Symbols from Ep. 22. Nemuro Memorial Hall (Utena)
Most of the things being pointed out symbolize Professor Nemuro, and the true feelings of the computer like man. Like so many of the characters in the series,
what's really going on inside is shown through images, and as Nemuro is an individual who is not used to expressing his feelings, and in fact seems to realize
for the first time he has them and is more than the computer like man, each symbol the hand points to either is a reflection of his feelings or a symbol of change for Nemuro.
1. black cat - maybe Nemuro himself; a sidenote is that traditionally black cats have been a symbol of magic or witches but don't know if that has any bearing here
2. kettle/pouring tea - companionship perhaps, something Nemuro is not used to, and experiences for the first time with Tokiko
3. mounted butterfly - change, a symbol for the soul of the dead in Japan; perhaps not just for change but forshadowing the dead students or the figurative death of Nemuro into
Mikage; another thing is that the butterfly is dead and mounted, ie it's image is frozen, and somehow this little image reminds me of time in the Academy,
and Mikage, both have stopped or held frozen, dead but not dead, unchanging; it's also mirroring the elevator sequence, it's flashed between other images in Mikage's flashback,
and will be linked with the leaf later
4. 2 black cats - Tokiko and Nemuro; their friendship grows and Nemuro's feelings deepen
5. 2 cats & kitten - family, love, the kitten possibly could be for Mamiya; the family Nemuro feels he has for the first time, or at least it's a reflection of what Nemuro
longs for (he'll sacrifice his soul and his students for it, it's that important to him)
6. 2 students holding hands - Nemuro is noticing affection and companionship in others, the computer like man is becoming more aware of these emotions
7. lipstick smudge - an intimate symbol, possibly an indirect kiss; this symbol goes back to the candybar with Mitsuru, it's an indirect kiss and
very intimate which shows Nemuro's attraction for Tokiko, and his growing love for her
8. Mamiya & Tokiko in garden/greenhouse - very intimate family scene and shows the deep love Tokiko has for her brother; this memory will stay with
Nemuro and will be one of the memories, if not the memory, that truly fuels Mikage
9. the leaf - another symbol of change, and as mentioned it's put in here to follow up with the butterfly as a link to the elevator sequences in earlier episodes
10. the teacup - Nemuro kept Tokiko's teacup, shows his value of her companionship
11. the lipstick smudge from Tokiko's lips - while the teacup itself was for the companionship, the lipstick smudge is more intimate, and a symbol of Nemuro's love for Tokiko
12. Tokiko & Akio kissing - Nemuro probably has too many feelings to go into in such little space, but surely he feels deep sorrow and is desperate to grasp eternity;
this is the event that drives Nemuro to action to take the lives of the students, believing he will somehow gain eternity for Mamiya and maybe even for himself & Tokiko by doing so
If one looks at the placement of the two mounts (the butterfly and the leaf) in the montage, I think the whole flashback in a way is a kind of confessional sequence for Mikage and a mirror to being in
the confessional elevator as the duelists were.