There are quite a few classic animes I have never seen. I have never seen Neon Genesis Evangelion, and I just finished marathoning Revolutionary Girl Utena. Which I must have downloaded ages ago and just decided to give it a go now.
Some of my comments,

spoiler
*
*
*
*
*
(The creepy quasi sexuality is now freakin creepy overt sexuality, with incest no less!!!
Why do the Japanese like the incest!!! Not to mention most of the characters are extremely under-age!!! In the later half of the series it gets so sexually charged and disturbing. The lead is freaking 14 years -old!! Jury is like in grade 10!!! She looks almost 30!!! The art for the movie (which I have heard is pretty bad, so I am not going to watch it), seems even more overtly sexual to the point where everyone looks slutted up. Many of these these characters are in middle school!!! Gah!! ) 
OK now that that rant is over, other comments.
*
*
*
*
*
*
END SPOILER
After being quite confused (and frustrated) by the ending, I did some reading (on TV tropes), and some thinking, and I do understand a little bit of the symbolism now.
In general I am a very literal person and symbolism usually goes over my head,

so if I have to interpret symbolism to understand stuff (like the ending of an anime), I usually get frustrated, confused and dissapointed. (The whole reason I marathoned the show was to avoid those feelings!!)
I do understand now that it is about deconstructing fairy tales, and I think there is some femininsm in there and I did understand that during the show. The stuff I did understand were quite interesting commentaries on fairy tales. Makes me wonder why people tell their children storie like that. Also RGU is in the same vein as Shrek!! *giggle*
Most of the other stuff I am really lost. SPOILER
*
*
*
*
(Although I do think Anthy is an evil character but also a victim deserving of some sympathy. (The shining glasses/candle scenes I did not notice certain things until it was pointed out, and it majorly creeped me out. I still do not know what the candles symbolize though
) )
*
*
*
*
END SPOILER
I did realize the shadow play girls give a simplified version of the episode . I think I will pay more attention to them, when I re-watch the show, since I have heard it's very good on the re-watch. (I love shows like that.)
I think though that befoe I rewatch the show I need to get over how sexually charged the series is and how freaking disturbing some of the characters truly are. (Also I need to get some assistance with the symbolism, the whole cutting the rose off the duelists symbolism was totally lost on me, but I get it now though.)
Thanks to TV tropes I now know what a shadow archetype is!!
So yeah from the rant above I think I need some help understanding some stuff. Going back to Neon Genesis Evangelion, I heard that the symbolism drove people nuts and some stuff simply does not make sense and was not worth analyzing. Considering my track record with overly symbolic stuff, I had actually avoided NGE and had I known about the symbolism and creepyness of RGU I proabably would have avoided it too.
(This is why I majored in sciences rather then arts.)I have not seen Antique Bakery, sometimes I wonder if I am defective for being a girl into anime who just is not into yaoi.
For Kurostuji, I am at episode 15 so I am no where near the end. Are you at the new season Pips? I have not heard anything about it yet.
Dawn, I guess reusing footage has it's pluses and minues.
EDIT to add spoiler space since hiding spoilers isn't working well.
_________________
Itoshiki Sensei from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Avatar by: sparklessence
"There is no such thing as coincidence in this world, only
hitsuzen." - Yuko Ichihara and Kimihiro Watanuki - xxxHolic
"I'm modest, I'll keep my knickers on and die!" - My sister Grace commenting on Bear Gryllis on an episode of Oprah

