Touga is the President of the Student Council and the person closest to End of the World. Ultimately, he participates in the duels as a means to gain power—the power of the revolution. He’s a brilliant manipulator who doesn’t let any pesky morality get in his way of achieving his ends. He uses everyone around him, including his sister Nanami and best friend Saionji, but in the end, he finds that he was being manipulated by people far more clever than he was.

A long time ago, he and Saionji found young Utena in a coffin next to those of her parents. When Touga asked her why she was in there, she replied that there were three coffins so one of them must be for her. She couldn’t bear to continue living without something eternal. He was unable to help her or offer her anything Eternal, and instead her prince comes and rescues her. The incident may have changed him, but it definitely changed his relationship with Saionji.

When Utena initially enters the duels, he quickly begins manipulating her, suggesting that he may be the prince she has been seeking. He even goes so far as to manipulate Saionji into attacking Utena so he can swoop in and rescue her, thus reinforcing the idea that he is her prince. At first the plan works and Utena looses their first duel and her sense of self. She quickly recovers and challenges him to another duel. He knows more about the Rose Bride and uses her special abilities, but during the duel Anthy is moved my Utena’s determination and Touga loses her protection.

He leaves his position as President to his younger sister, and gets more involved with End of the World. He and Akio take the duelists on a car ride, showing that person something that convinces them to duel again. In the end, he begins to see more clearly and tries to keep Utena from being the victor because he knows that if she wins, she will play right into End of the World’s hands. At first, he merely manipulates Utena like everyone else, but when she refuses to be charmed by him, he is intrigued. He may or may not actually be in love with her, but he seems to think he is.

Utena sees Touga as primarily a playboy and is disgusted by his womanizing. Still, he manages to manipulate her into believing he is her prince, a thought she finds somewhat troubling. She begins to understand him, and doesn’t like what she sees. Although her opinion of him begins to soften in the end, she never falls in love with him.

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