The first arc of Utena is fairly interesting once you've seen the show and can see what it's setting up, but on its own, it's mostly not very compelling. And the duels continue for most of the series, in a way that I tend to file under "establishing a feel of ritual" or something.

Having said those discouraging-sounding things, it's an amazing show, and it does a lot of really neat things. If a rec from a stranger helps at all, it's my favorite anime.