As a grieving child, Utena Tenjou was given a rose-engraved signet ring by a wandering prince and vowed to become a prince herself. Years later at the elite Ohtori Academy, the ring draws her into a secret dueling tournament run by the Student Council in a forest arena. The winner is engaged to Anthy Himemiya, a withdrawn classmate called the Rose Bride, rumored to hold the power to revolutionize the world. Utena wins her first duel by accident and stays in the tournament to keep Anthy from the rest of the duelists.