Impressed greatly by that prince, Utena vowed to become a prince herself stating that she would rather rescue the damsel in distress than be one herself. Consequently, Utena wears a custom-made boy-type uniform to school, and acts very much like a boy, winning many admirers, male and female.

Utena's best friend, Wakaba Shinohara, leads to the start of Utena's part in the duels for the Bara no Hanayome, or "Rose Bride." Wakaba had a crush on Student Council vice-president, Kyouichi Saionji, and wrote him a love letter. After finding a group of people surrounding Wakaba's private letter tacked up on a board, Wakaba is crushed. To get revenge for her friend, Utena challenges Saionji to a practice kendo duel, but she doesn't realize he pegs her as the next duelist for the Bara no Hanayome.

Utena goes to the Dueling Forest and finds that her rose ring opens the gate. After climbing a long, twisted staircase, Utena comes to a platform and sees a castle, upside down, in the sky. Still confused about all of this, Saionji tells Utena of the duels to possess the Bara no Hanayome, Anthy Himemiya. Utena is really confused as Anthy places a rose on both duelists' lapels (The object of the duel is to knock off your opponent's rose first.), and Saionji draws a sword from Anthy's chest!

By stroke of luck, or perhaps destiny, Utena wins the duel, and confused, walks home. On the way, she meets Anthy, who is now "engaged" to Utena, the current victor of the duels. Utena discovers that as current dueling champion, now other opponents will come to her to try and win the Bara no Hanayome, for whoever she is engaged to will receive the power to "revolutionize the world!"

And thus starts Utena's duels to keep the Bara no Hanayome and unravel all the mysteries of the duels. Why is Anthy the Bara no Hanayome? Who or what is "Sekai no Hate" (Or "End of the World") who sends letters commanding duels to take place? Why are the duels necessary? What is the power to "revolutionize the world?" And is Utena's prince a part of all this?…

Utena Tenjou Utena Tenjou is the pink-haired, tomboyish, protagonist of the series who accidentally becomes part of the duels for the Bara no Hanayome. She's a good friend, who is very concerned for Anthy's welfare. She wants Anthy to be a normal girl who thinks for herself. For Anthy's sake and the hope to one day find her prince again, she battles the duels, hoping one day their meaning will be clear. Anthy Himemiya Anthy is the quiet, shy, Bara no Hanayome, who is also in jr. high. She does whatever the victor of the duels wants her to do, including putting up with being physically abused by one. She doesn't seem to do anything of her own thought, only when she has her "fiancée's" permission. But there is more to her than meets the eye, and the reason why she is the Bara no Hanayome willingly isn't revealed until late in the series, and it is a sad fate indeed.

Akio Ootori Akio is Anthy's brother who also is a chairman of the school. He reminds Utena of her prince, and his part in the duels shocks her once she discovers it…