There is a highly-rated thematic breakdown on Reddit that argues the show is a well-written character-driven story rather than just "trashy." It highlights the theme of self-discovery through the exploration of various kinks and how the protagonist, Utena, has complex layers beyond her role as a sadist.
"You're insane," she said, a small, disbelieving smile touching her lips. mahou shoujo ni akogarete link
Mirai soon learned the dark secret. The official magical girls—the glamorous ones with merchandise deals—were trained only to destroy Shadowbound. They were told the monsters were mindless. But Mirai's let her hear the human inside. There is a highly-rated thematic breakdown on Reddit