Welcome to Ghost Divers, the foremost podcast for tracing the influences on Cromartie High School.

We’re here to discuss the second half of the Student Council Saga spanning episodes 8 through 13 of Revolutionary Girl Utena! We talk about Anthy’s intentions in even a goofy episode; how the show complicates issues of intention and will and demonstrates the difficulty of moving outside the limits defined by systems of oppression; our hatred of the straight shipping of Utena x Touga; the flashback and the interrelation of myth, fable, past, memory, and present; theory bullshit about Eliade’s Myth of the Eternal Return; the character of Nanami and her role is both comedic foil and dramatic rival in her own right; an unplanned announcement about our upcoming Cro High manga read-through podcast; all the gender happening in this series; and more!

Write into our Question Bucket at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited

The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard Trask

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Sexism Abusive relationships Manipulation Possessiveness Suicidality Animal cruelty and death Incest Sexuality and sexualized images Alcohol (in the post-ED outtakes section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

We’re trying something new for this episode where we just very intentionally do a synopsis of the entire arch right at the top and then get into a more freeform discussion. The synopsis honestly takes a while because we have a lot to cover, so if you want to skip it, you can jump ahead to 55:35. Just be aware that we do include some commentary as we go.

After the synopsis, we get into a discussion of the themes of the Black Rose Saga, including the contrast of above and below; visual parallels between Mikage Souji and Chida Mamiya and Utena and Anthy; the tensions between reality and uncertainty or incoherency; the psychological tensions for the need for liberation vs. the danger of unrestrained ego and individualism; the way that the series tests Utena’s intentions and actions; the metatextual figuring of the minor characters of the series as the duelists in this arch; the continuation of the series’ focus on religious practices with an additional tying in of psychoanalysis and psychology through its parallels with Catholic confessionals, and how these relate to deviant forms of desire; the complexities of the relationship between Juri and Shiori and also the way it complicates our understanding of the relationship with Utena and Anthy; some specific discussion of individual characters; an extended take on how Revolutionary Girl Utena and Cromartie High School relate thematically; and more!

Write into our Question Bucket at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Arson and death by burning
Sex, sexuality, and the sexualization of women
Discussions of incest
Discussions of age differences and pedophilia
Discussions of homophobia/queerphobia/ideas around the deviancy of queerness
Drinking blood
Alcohol chat (in the post-ED section)

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! We got you a gift of this discussion episode for what might be some of the darkest episodes of the series (although I suppose we haven’t gotten to the Apocalypse Saga yet, have we?)

We start our discussion of the Ohtori Akio Saga with a lengthy synopsis of the arc, then start with the lightest material we can by looking into the “Cro High” episodes around Nanami that help ease us into the series’ darker series around the exploitation of sexuality before zooming out into a broader discussion of the general themes across the entire arc. In running through the episodes, we hit on topics including Akio as the tempter and grand manipulator; Akio’s car as a symbol of toxic (and phallic) masculinity; the temptation of Nanami and the way she is confronted with her desires in the form of Akio’s abuse of Anthy; the sympathy the show presents around Juri and how it pairs her desire to save someone else up against Utena’s desire to save Anthy; the relationship between Juri, Shiori, and Ruka and the competitive desire between Shiori and Ruka to possess and control Juri; an extended look at what’s happening with Utena, Anthy, and Akio; and the way the show understands and frames what is happening to Utena as grooming and rape even as it depicts her own struggles with the feeling she wants it and blaming herself for what happens.

Write into our Question Bucket at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Incest
Puberty and menstruation
Homophobia and conversation therapy
Sexual harassment and assault
Rape
Grooming
Post-ED discussion: Drug use, eating food on mic, chocolate-based body horror, extended jokes about squirting

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Happy New Year! It’s our first annual New Year’s Special and we hope you enjoy it.

If you will permit us, we start with a bit of self-indulgence as we look back at the first year of the podcast, including us ranking our favorite series we’re covered on the show.

If you will not permit us, you can jump to 1:29:30 where we start our discussion of Halldór Laxness’s Independent People. We start with a fairly lengthy section of Niamh providing historical context around the novel before getting into our conversation around the themes of the novel. We then finish with some emails from fans!

You can check out our notes from Independent People here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zIDcah4_tid-1GnNNPsle08DzYMovtAixqTiLWQclGY

You can write into future Question Buckets at [email protected] and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

A History of Icelandic Literature edited by Daisy Neijmann

“Halldór Laxness and the CIA” by Chat Lemoine

"Do not praise that piece of shit Bjartur: Independent People, reviewed" by Sam Knight

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Slavery / indentured servitude
Violence, death, and child death
Sexism
Cycles of abuse
Brief mention of sexual abuse and rape

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

We have made it! The final discussion for the show! Of course, we will be back in two weeks with an episode on Adolescence of Utena, hopefully with Special Guest Star Autumn Blake (we still haven't even recorded it).

We start with a decent synopsis section and talk a little bit about what’s left after this episode (the movie and the manga), then get into a discussion of the end of the show. Topics covered include the various myths and fables of the prince and his encounter with the orphaned girl; the themes of becoming a prince and Utena’s fight against gender essentialism and its ties to themes of nobility; the final episodes of the series; Utena and Anthy’s relationship and understanding Anthy’s betrayal of Utena; different readings of what is happening in the series overall and its competing “realities”; Juri and Shiori's relationship and its comparison with Utena and Anthy's relationship; themes of queerness throughout the series and how it relates to ideas of representation, resonance, and other topics; and a final look at how maybe Saionji and Touga are fuckin.

Write into our Question Bucket at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Works Cited in this Discussion

The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard Trask

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Impalement and torture
Sexual harassment, grooming, sexual abuse, and rape
Incest and pedophilia
Poisoning
Attempted suicide
Patriarchy, heteronormativity, sexism, and gender essentialism
Unreality, memory loss
Post-ED section: Alcohol talk

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

We did not plan this bonus episode at all but Autumn finished the show in preparation for joining us for Adolescence of Utena and decided to call me to make sure we were on the same page, and we just decided to record it for you all. As such, don't listen to this until you've finished the series!

If you liked this episode especially, you should really check out Ornate Stairwells is you haven't yet.

Our Discord connection was a little weird and got kind of out a sync a few times, so sorry if there's any weird moments where it seems like we are talking over each other or weird pauses in our back-and-forth.

Write into our Question Bucket at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Grooming, pedophilia, & rape
Arson & death by burning

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

It’s time for what if Magic Knight Rayearth was Redline!

We talk about the relationship of the movie to the show; look at some of the characters that only briefly appear in the movie; the unreality and unreality of Adolescence of Utena; our different reads on the movie, which honestly might just be our attempts to describe the same unified read but fractured through our own perspectives in the same way different characters speak of eternity, that which shines, miracles, or the power to revolutionize the world; the outsized presence of Shiori in the movie compared to some of the other minor (and even major) characters from the show that barely appear in the movie; what the hell is going on with Touga; the image of liberation at the end of the movie and how it relates to ideas of potentiality rather than the promise of utopia (including a call back to our least favorite series we covered last year); and more.

Also, don't forget that we will be recording the Question Bucket soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is January 29, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Garfield Read Aloud: @GarfReadAloud

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Rape
Sexual abuse
Grooming
Sexual exploitation
Sex and sexuality
Pedophilia
Child abuse
Violence
Suicide
Drowning
Homophobia

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

We are joined again by Autumn Blake to talk a little about the Utena manga and answer all your emails! We also have some updates about our new diving schedule with official announcements of our planned guests for future series Baccano!, Serial Experiments Lain, Paranoia Agent, and Kino’s Journey.

For the manga, neither Connor nor Autumn had the chance to read all of it, so Niamh gets a little into her takes but we move on pretty quickly to your wonderful emails. Highlights include good shōjo pulls; the gang mostly not knowing Homestuck; why we all love Nanami; Niamh’s well-documented hatred of all ATLUS games; how Connor and Autumn apparently just wish Utena was Yu-Gi-Oh!; an extended diversion into the best cooking competition show ever made, MasterChef Australia; tucking; Revolutionary Girl Pootana, poo; and which Utena character is a toxic gamer.

You can write into future Question Buckets at [email protected] and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Autumn: @Autumnal_Coffee
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Our Diving Schedule: exportaud.io/divingschedule
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Content Warnings for this Discussion

Grooming, rape, sexual abuse, and sexual assault
Alcohol and drug use
Sex and sexuality
Animal death

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

“In that fleeting moment when Connor and I were facing off against the Major, we envisioned the outcome of our discourse, and the hairs on the back of our necks stood on end. After assessing the situation and taking all the factors into account, our experiences as podcasters led us to one conclusion: we were about to die.”

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh's mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Our Diving Schedule: exportaud.io/divingschedule
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornate stairwells

Release Schedule

[S1E1] Intro: February 18, 2022
[S1E2] Ornate Stairwells Crossover Event: Ghost in the Shell (1995): March 4, 2022
[S1E3] Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence: March 18, 2022
[S1E4] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 1–6: April 1, 2022
[S1E5] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 7–13: April 15, 2022
[S1E6] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 14–19: April 29, 2022
[S1E7] Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig, eps. 20–26: May 13, 2022
[S1E8] Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society: May 27, 2022
[S1E9] Question Bucket: June 10, 2022

Works Cited

“The Major’s Body (10): Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

The Ghost in the Machine by Arthur Koestler

Content Warnings for the Anime

Gore / Head Trauma / Dental Trauma
Violence / State Violence
Suicide (especially episodes 12 & 13)
Torture
Domestic Violence
Sexual Harassment / Abuse
Dyadism / Sexism
Sexuality / Partial Nudity
Depictions of Sex Work and Exploitation
Pedophilia / Child Sexual Abuse (especially episode 17)
Ableism
Rapid Flashing / Loud Noises / Rapid Gunfire

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co

Welcome to the overstuffed Ornate Stairwells / Ghost Divers crossover event! Niamh watched Ghost in the Shell (1995) and recorded a Stairwells episode about it with Autumn, then a few days later recorded a Ghost Divers episode about it with Connor. Then fae stitched both conversations together. It’s a whole lot of Niamh and a whole lot of Ghost in the Shell. It's also, hopefully, two interestingly different but connected looks at the same work.

Next week Niamh and Autumn will be back to talk about Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song.

Don't forget that Ghost Divers will be recording the Question Bucket for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence soon. The deadline to write into our Question Bucket for this series is March 11, 2022. You can write into ghostdiverspod@gmail and follow us on Twitter!

///////Credits for Ornate Stairwells (00:00:00):

You can follow Niamh on twitter @FoxmomNia and listen to faer other podcast, Ghost Divers, by going to exportaud.io/ghostdivers

You can follow Autumn on twitter by going to @Autumnal_Coffee and listen to all of their podcasts by going to exportaud.io.

You can see how we rated this stairwell and all the other stairwells by going to exportaud.io/stairwellquality

///////Credits for Ghost Divers (02:24:24):

The Show: @ghostdiverspod
Niamh: @FoxmomNia
Connor: @rabbleais
Niamh’s mediamh pile: @mediamh_pile

Export Audio Network: exportaud.io
Ghost Divers: exportaud.io/ghostdivers
Ornate Stairwells: exportaud.io/ornatestairwells

Work Cited in Ghost Divers: “Ghost in the Shell: the Major’s Body (1)” by Claire Napier (full series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Content Warnings for this Discussion: Depression, suicide, body horror, dyadism, sexism

You can also get listen to Ornate Stairwells (and could've listened to this episode of Ghost Divers) a week early by giving us a dollar on the patreon!!!

Find out more at https://ghost-divers.pinecast.co