Touga x Saionji

TougaxSaionji is the slash ship between Touga Kiryuu and Saionji Kyouichi from the Revolutionary Girl Utena fandom.

Canon
Saionji and Tounga are childhood friends. They used to be incredibly close, although their relationship took a turn for the worse at a point in their childhood that is the centerpiece of their respective personal journeys. Saionji used to regard Touga as someone to admire and respect. However, he became increasingly more and more aware of the differences between them. Fearing Tounga might outshine him, he started being jealous and resentful towards him. The first time we see them alone together once again, Saionji whips a sword at Touga’s face and Touga doesn’t even flinch. No matter how often Saionji takes his frustration with Touga out on others, Touga’s the one person he would never willingly hurt, and Touga knows it.

Saionji’s final duel isn’t the conclusion of his character arc, but his lowest point. In an arc where the duels are based around relationships he enters the arena alone and “his” duel is really Utena and Anthy’s. Touga talks him into the duel, a role which will later be the bride’s, but leaves him to fight it alone. As the only one who doesn’t have his sword, Saionji’s heart is quite literally not in the duel. Saionji enters the last duel as a lone warrior who lets nothing stand in his way, especially such petty considerations as decency or feelings, and is promptly flattened by the developing relationship between Utena and Anthy. Finally Saionji has failed hard enough for it to stick. He accepts that he’s done. He won’t be Touga’s equal, he won’t win Anthy, he won’t gain eternity.

Touga and Saionji also can’t move outside Ohtori’s systems. They meet on the student council balcony to discuss Touga’s upcoming duel and letters from Ends of the World. Touga provides an ersatz car ride with his motorbike, following the pattern of the other duels deliberately. But, like Utena, Saionji now has enough distance to question the system even as he participates, and he’s here solely for Touga’s sake. Like the other brides, Saionji is there to delve into his duelist’s feelings and motivations, but he’s not doing it to tempt or manipulate. Touga needs to understand his own motivation if he’s going to be effective. And they manage to leave Akio out of the process.

Saionji drawing Touga’s sword is animated with a real tenderness that both echoes Anthy drawing Utena’s and contrasts Saionji drawing Anthy’s, where his expression was angry and his focus on his opponent. It’s fitting, in a way, that the pair that comes closest to what Utena and Anthy have is the other same sex couple. Saionji makes a good princess in the same way Utena makes a good prince. He’s comfortable in it and it brings out mostly good things in him, letting him be insightful and supportive. It’s a bad role in itself, though, since Saionji doesn’t need to fight for power over others, but he shouldn’t let himself be completely passive and dependant, or rely on other people’s goals to give him purpose.