>>281514749
Ikuhara is very far removed from Miyazaki and even more generally, old Toei's director tree. Miyazaki makes composition subordinate to animation, quite literally in how his layout system has worked since the 70's. Ikuhara comes from a tradition where that's reversed.
>writing isn't anything special
Ikuhara's series composition is some of the very best in anime. To the point it can become exasperatingly repetitive.
Almost every episode in Utena is squarely dealing with Arrested Development of that character.
Almost every episode in Penguindrum is squarely dealing with societal expectations foisted on the characters, will they revolt, will the concede, will they do something else?
Even his shittier work like Yurikuma is all about how women eat their own.