During the Rose of Versailles, by wearing the uniform, Oscar hid her own body line - her own femininity. But now, times have changed. Even though it’s not yet a world where all women are free, this costume might allow her the chance to be a “woman.” We’re trying to envision a world where a woman can decide what she does with her own body. Utena decided to show off her own beautiful legs. She’s comfortable with her own beauty. That’s the type of world we were trying to portray.
— Kunihiko Ikuhara, Animerica Extra Magazine, 2000