The shadow girls appear in just about every episode as an aside to the main story. They are sometimes referred to as a-ko, b-ko, and c-ko (generic women identifiers in Japanese- like Mrs "A" in English). Their true appearance is never seen, only their shadows against a wall is shown. Their initial phrase is almost always "I wonder, I wonder...", as if to implicitly cause the viewer to question what is about to be said. Topically they do an unusual sort of skit, ranging from pirates, to cowboys, to camping excursions.. Sometimes they're funny, sometimes not (often, you just don't know). Abstract as their plays may seem, they usually elaborate on what has happened so far in a current episode, or foreshadow something upcoming. Generally they help to create a theatric feel to the series.

Kunihiko Ikuhara began his directing career back in 86 (I think). He is the series director for Shoujo Kakumei Utena. This in itself probably makes him of noteworthy interest. But what Ikuhara is probably best known for, is his direction in some of the episodes of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. Not only did he direct a few episodes, he directed most of the unusual episodes (probably as a direct result of his influence).