Dec 23, 2011
Mawaru Penguindrum is not a show for everybody, but for those who are able to appreciate what this show has to offer, it is truly a treat.
This series, first and foremost, focuses on the messages that it wants to convey, and then weaves the plot around it. The show approaches things quite differently than most animes, and leaves us with a thematically tight, but quite confusing show. The premise is basically two brothers trying to save their younger sister from a terminal illness. She dies, but a mysterious penguinhat revives her and commands them to obtain the penguindrum if they truly wish to save her.
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Mysterious penguins are also dropped onto their doorway. The first half of the series presents itself as a comedic slice of life with some supernatural elements, however the second half shifts in tone and mood completely. Basically, if you become too comfortable with how the story progresses in the first half, you're in for a rude awakening.
Much of this show often makes makes references to fate, and potentially defying it, but much deeper themes and messages comes to light as the series progresses. As stated earlier, this show can be quite confusing, as a lot of elements that are presented in this show become surreal. The fine line between abstraction and reality become blurred. Many plot twists are thrown at its viewers, and certain plot points remain ambiguous, leaving the audience to make their own connections. This show is highly symbolic, so it can be either highly compelling, or extremely frustrating. For those who are able to make the connections, and understand the symbolism in this show, it can feel very rewarding.
Music is fantastic. Some of the tracks are god-tier, while some are forgettable. What I noticed about this show is that certain tracks are only used once or twice throughout the entire series, showing how diverse the music can truly be in this show. Many many variations of the same tune are used as well. It's also worth noting that a lot of the songs that are in the show are actually redone version of songs that belong to an old Japanese rock band called ARB.
The animation in this show is gorgeous. The colors and characters are vibrant, and the the movement is fluid. It has wonderfully drawn background artwork, and presents very
interesting visual ideas all together. Much of visual ideas are reminiscent of fairy tales. This show also has an excellent sense of composition and lighting. Repetition is utilized quite a bit in this show, so expect some stock footage. However, there are very noticeable drops in production value for certain episodes. Despite that, this is probably Brain Base's most beautifully animated series to date.
The characters have a very cute design, sporting a sort of romantic comedy style. At first, it is difficult to become emotionally invested for a majority of the main cast though. The interest of the how the plot unfolds seems to outweigh what actually happens to the characters. Certain characters may even seem to be downright unlikeable. Fortunately, by the end of the show, you will most certainly grow to care for most of, if not all of, the main cast. The voice actors and actresses do an excellent job as well. Himari's voice actress might need some getting used to though.
What purpose do the penguins pose?
They are reflections of the characters inner selves. They do not really become plot relevant after the second episode.
This show is truly a breath of fresh air. While I would not call this the perfect show, what this show offers is so rewarding that I'm able to look beyond that. Ambiguity in a show does not bother me so much when it's done right, and this is definitely the sort of show worth re-watching. Despite the somewhat contrived plot and occasional frustration this show can bring, the ride while watching this show was a extremely exciting one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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