mars-flame-sniper:

And this is Utena meeting Anthy, free from the images and expectations anyone has placed onto her about who Anthy is. She is finally meeting her, not as the Rose Bride, or a Witch, or as a girl to be protected, but as her own self, as that scared girl hidden away from the world and all of its terrors.

That’s the girl Utena wants to get to know. Not that she’s disregarding all Anthy’s shown her up until now, but what she also wants is to meet this side of Anthy that she’s been too scared to expose, she wants to meet Anthy who has no need for masks or deceptions or mysterious behaviour, she just wants to meet Anthy for who she is, not for who she feels she has to be.

And even if it’s not someone Utena can get used to right away, or even if Anthy takes time to completely come out of her shell, it will be worth it to Utena, to give Anthy the choice and ability to do this if she wishes. Because Anthy Himemiya is important to her.