Shinohara Wakaba

Genki-girl has always been watching the Student Council vice-president.  Utena's best friend, and later Anshi's friend, she is always happy and sweet.  Knowing nothing about the duels, she enjoys life, and we could say she is the "ordinary girl" of the series. 

(possible spoilers ahead, episode 20 - wakaba hath flourished verdantly)

Wakaba will one day become a black rose duellist.  But let's explain the circumstances first.  Saionji, due to his inadequate behaviour, is banned from the school and from the whole duelling thing as well.  Wakaba hosts him for awhile, being very careful to hide his presence from the outer world.  Saionji, for once councious of his wrong act, tells her he'll just go away and stop taking advantage of her.  She so stubbornly refuses that he stays longer, and eventually wants to thank her with a little gift of his own : a pretty handcraft, of the shape of golden dry leaf. 

Meanwhile, Saionji's simple presence changes her completely.  She gets smarter, engaged into more commities, more active, and, according to Utena (she sometimes has weird comments), more pretty.

Wakaba is very fond of Saionji's gift, wich is to her a proof of affection ... until she sees the very same thing in Anthy's hair.  From that point on, she realizes she could never reach the student coucil members (to her Anthy is part of it) and gets frustrated.  The elevator is waiting for her ...  Utena can't fight her best friend, and she also realizes some things in the duel only.  She wasn't aware of Wakaba's love for Saionji until then, and never knew he lived at hers ... The next day, like in every Black Rose Saga episode, th girl is happy again, and seemed to have forgotten/forgiven last night's events.

Wakaba is loved by someone else.  A childhood friend, whom she used to call Prince Onion, had a crush on her ... forever.  His heart is so good that he was refused from the Mikage Seminar, being told somthing like "You are a kind person.  This is no place for a nice person like you."  Interesting fact : that would mean every black rose Duellist actually has a bad element inside temselves ... including our Wakaba.

The Kyouichi Saionji Case
text and design (c) milady
Shoujo Kakumei Utena belongs to their respective owners