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(WARNING: Evidence of Pairing sections may contain SPOILERS! Proceed at your own risk of spoilage!)
(TV)
Pairings: Utena/Anthy, Juri/Shiori (one-sided)
Ages: Early to Late Teens
Evidence of Pairings:
There's little 'genuine' evidence for shoujo-ai between Utena and Anthy in the series, but there is an incredible amount of subtext, as it becomes clear that Utena would do anything to help Anthy break free from the metaphorical coffin she is in. She's also possibly the only character in the entire series who does not try to blame Anthy for everything that goes wrong at Ohtori and in their personal lives.
Juri loves Shiori, though. That's made clear in the series. It is a fairly one-sided love, mostly because Juri was unable to communicate her feelings, and so Shiori (a girl with incredibly low self-esteem) misunderstood how she was acting. It's not completely clear when Shiori does realize Juri's love for her - she definitely finds out during the Black Rose arc, but there is evidence that that entire arc never happened. The end of the series leaves a certain ambiguity about the relationship - Juri asks for a picture of Utena for her locket, with Shiori looking at this from a window possessively, but this could simply be the Utena director being metaphorical again. In any case, by the final episode Juri and Shiori are at least speaking with each other again, and seem to be more happy than they were during the series itself.
Juri has become a heroine for many fans of Utena, being smart, beautiful and 'cool', yet still unable to find happiness and plagued by inner doubts and insecurities. As a result, Shiori has tended to receive the brunt of the criticism in this 'relationship', being called selfish and manipulative (this is true, although her attempts at manipulation are horrible - see the Ruka episodes for an example), or being called a slut and mean and basically pure evil in a purple-haired package (mostly untrue). However, seeing the Utena manga, where Juri is in love with Touga and rather dull, has led some people to appreciate what Shiori brings to the show - in a way, she defines Juri's character.
Oh, and Wakaba jumps on Utena and screams that she loves her. But for once, this is merely sempai-ish adoration.
Pairing Listing Author: Sean Gaffney
Pairings: Utena/Anthy, Juri/Shiori (one-sided)
Ages: Early to Late Teens
Evidence of Pairings:
The movie is far more explicit in its depiction of Utena and Anthy's love, and also redefines Anthy as far more outgoing and self-determined. Utena lets Anthy take the lead most of the time, and it's Anthy who breaks Utena free from her coffin by helping her realize Touga's death. Then Utena becomes a long, slim, pink car that Anthy drives (stick, of course), and they drive out of a huge tunnel and turn into a naked lesbian street luge. Um.
Juri's backstory with Shiori is barely touched on in the movie, and Shiori seems to be the 'pure evil' that many fans ascribe to the TV Shiori.
The movie tends to divide fans into those who are thrilled that Utena and Anthy are allowed to express a love that was only implied in the TV series, and those who long for the subtleties of characterization that the TV series had, as opposed to the broad stereotypes the movie presents.
Pairing Listing Author: Sean Gaffney
Pairings:Daidouji Tomoyo/Kinomoto Sakura (one-sided), Daidouji Sonomi/Kinomoto Nadeshiko (one-sided)
Ages:Early teens (Tomoyo/Sakura), early to late thirties (Sonomi/Nadeshiko)
Evidence of Pairings:
Sakura has accidentally released a pack of magic cards. Now they threaten her home town and nobody but her can seal them back. Tomoyo, her eccentric and very rich friend, is delighted about her adored Sakura-chan's task and helps her in every way she cans, mostly by sewing battle costumes and videotaping Sakura's every adventure. Tomoyo says at one point that though Sakura loves her as a friend, it is a different kind of love than what Tomoyo feels for Sakura. Sakura doesn't know that and probably won't be able to realize it herself, sinse she's a little dense when it comes to matters of the heart. Tomoyo will tell Sakura how she really feels, one day when Sakura is old enough to understand. Meanwhile she does all she can for Sakura, including helping her realize she's in love with Li Shaoran (a boy who was Sakura's rival at first but grew to like her). The phrase "I'm happy as long as my beloved person is happy" is probably Tomoyo's most famous quote. Tomoyo's mother, Daidouji Sonomi, has an entirely different philosophy, though. Her beloved cousin Nadeshiko (Sakura's mother) married her teacher, and Sonomi hasn't been able to forgive him ever since. At the time "Card Captor Sakura" takes place Sonomi is in her thirties and Nadeshiko has been dead for eight years, but Sonomi can't forget her or forgive her husband.
Pairing Listing Author: Marina
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