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Nanami is infamous at Ohtori Academy for her vengeful ways. Disturbingly overprotective of Touga, Nanami has done all sorts of things to the people whom she thought were "swarming around her older brother". Nanami is the beautiful, scheming queen of Ohtori Academy, and when she gets that devious look in her eyes, you'd best be a little wary. Worse yet, if she smiles sweetly at you, run for cover, because you know something wicked is definitely in the works. This is not to say that Nanami is the devil, or that she's a bitch. Nanami regards herself as a queen of sorts and she gets a little put out when things don't go her way. Blame her upbringing or blame the fact that people fawn all over her; just don't get in the way of her and Touga.
Her first appearance in episode 3 ("On the Night of the Ball") has Nanami saving Anthy from Keiko, Yuuko, and Aiko. Anthy isn't aware of the fact that Nanami had staged the confrontation -- secretly, Nanami was jealous of Touga's frequent mentions of the Rose Bride. So, she "saved" Anthy from Keiko and the girls, and flashed that dangerously innocent face, inviting Anthy to a ball. Nanami's revenge left Anthy half-naked and shivering on the ballroom floor, and it would have been complete, if not for the intervention of Utena. Most of Nanami's plots have been targeted on Anthy and Utena -- episode 9 ("The Great Curry High Trip") targeted the girls while in cooking class. A subsitution of super-strong curry powder was supposed to be made on the curry that they were cooking, which would as Nanami envisioned "make them beg for mercy".
In episode 4 ("The Sunny Garden - Prelude"), Nanami had plotted to plant various animals and thereby humiliate Anthy in front of Miki and Utena. When Keiko dared to share an umbrella with Touga during episode 21 ("Troublesome Insects") Nanami retaliated by kicking Keiko out of all extra-curricular clubs she was in. Of course, Nanami's plots never work out. Her first plan in episode 3 was thwarted by Utena, and all her animals in episode 4 were similarly outdone. In fact, many of Nanami's schemes backfire on her, making her the victim. The result isn't a vengeful witch, but a rather overimaginative schemer. It's very hard to hate Nanami for her pranks, and really, they add some silliness and charm to her character and the show. Nanami is simply led by her overwhelming desire to devote herself to Touga.
But, it's folly to simply think that she is harmless. Nanami's greatest strength (and similarly, her weakness) is her love for her older brother, which led her to challenge Utena. Her anger at Utena may have been selfish and outright inappropriate -- but, one must understand just how much Touga means to Nanami. He is her world, and she felt that Utena was taking him away from her. Understanding this, I don't really think anyone can fault Nanami's motives for wanting to hurt Utena. And really, if Touga was your older brother, wouldn't you want him all to yourself?
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Blonde Bombshell is © 2000-2007 Rose Panzo. Shoujo Kakumei Utena and all its characters belongs to Chiho Saito, Be-PaPas, TV Tokyo, and etc. Please do not take or reproduce the contents here without permission.