Durarara!!, Mawaru Penguindrum - Anime Recommendations

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Durarara!!

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Mawaru Penguindrum

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Ikebukuro, mystery, Brains Base. What more do I need to say? They're great.

report Recommended by mwp

Both are masterpieces with compelling story progression styles which get you hooked into the series.

report Recommended by puvijain

There are 3 groups that center on one thing complications and misunderstandings along the story surprises and insane truths stories take place in Ikebukuro On episode 1-5 you don't know what the hell you're watching. On episode 10-13 you started to put the pieces of mystery together. On episode 15-up oops, you're addicted now. Great animes. just watch coz youre not gonna regret this.

report Recommended by izza14

- No one is as simple as they seem on the surface. - Both have some form of non-linear storytelling that forms a bigger picture. In Durarara, this is done through shifting POVs and non-chronological events. In Penguindrum, this is done extensively through flashbacks. - Both feature a range of POV characters. The story is not told by or from one single person's viewpoint. Durarara moreso. - Exploration of unusual and unconventional themes. 'Touchy topics', per se. - Both could be considered 'urban fantasy'. Both are shows that focus on daily life with a supernatural touch. - Same studio: Brain's Base. Neither show bothers properly animating its read more

report Recommended by HexLeviosa

Most of all Mawaru Penguindrum reminded me of Durarara, because both anime deal with Young People's Modern Lifes In The City and add Interesting Fantasy Elements to it. Also both anime keeped me hooked with their nonlinear storytelling that let's you find out more and more of the background of the Lovable Characters. My last point is, that through all the Social Themes, Action and Mystery (that both anime deal with in different ways) both gave of a Cosy Felling.

report Recommended by MoshiMoshiiih

Unique character dynamics and relationships. A city full of personalities and strong themes of connection. Penguindrum family and Durarara human society. A cast full of quirky characters. Citizen being blurred out to reinforce the idea of these character being the story of this city. Crime, fantasy, and shoujo elements. Memorable soundtracks fitting each tone of the series, Durarara quirky and jazzy, Penguindrum sad and dramtic. Attractive characters designs and memorable color pallets. Interesting directing. A fun ride throughout both amazing and worth your time.

report Recommended by Theonewhorules

like many other people (6 at this time) mawaru penguindrum immediately started to rememind me of durararara!! both are urban fantasy taking place in a "realistic but alternate tokyo" (along the lines of the Tokyo in the game The World Ends With You-- focusing heavily on specific districts/prefectures) with seemingly innocent starter episodes where a young 15/16 year old set of students is the initial focus, but quickly becomes to part of an ensemble cast with many different viewpoints. the 'innocent' beginnings quickly accelerate into a crazy plot full of multiple mysteries and strange truths where the occult is commonplace and exists for real -- despite most normal people never noticing it -- and while the teen student boys in both series are often the main POV, none of the other characters are neglected or forgotten about, some have entire episodes dedicated to their POVs, mysterious activities or flashbacks instead. all the characters in the cast tend to have a meaningful purpose that relates to the plots and are never just there for decoration....i cannot think of any "filler" characters in both series. both quickly take on a very uneasy and then sinister, dark tone that is juxtaposed with moments of light heartedness or over-the-top (often over exaggerated violent) comedy that is sometimes reminiscent of FLCL's style if you are familiar with that too. the plots get darker all the more because the fairly delicate, almost shoujo artystyle (Penguindrum has much more shoujo elements to the artstyle than Durarara but they are both similar) makes it all the more shocking when something really dark, twisted or insane happens. both series heavily confront the viewer with an almost black-pilled point of view of the claustrophobic city world which the characters inhabit, and both have themes that fester especially in that environment, not just senseless murder and serial or gang violence, but themes of human helplessness, the pointlessness of life, bad things happening to good people, stalking, r*pe and sexual assault (i actually had to put Durararara!! Season 2 on hold because i couldn't emotionally deal with some of the SA scenes in certain episodes at the time it came out...S1 was still twisted but also had a more hopeful whimscal feeling), and a kind of insanity and sense of loneliness and desperation, that can only exist when you are constantly forced to be around other people due to living in such dense packed proximity to each other. overall i think PENGUINDRUM is darker and more of a mindfuck than DURARARA S1. as mentioned, the fact that it has an even more "pretty" shoujo style aesthetic than the more neutral style of DURARARA really contributes to making you feel creeped out and crazy, because the story and plot that unfolds is made all the more uncanny by this inappropriate contrast of what is normally associated with shoujo art in our minds vs the actual content of the material which is absolutely not shoujo whatsoever despite the aesthetics. things that seem like little visual details early on turn out to be big clues or foreshadowing related to the plot. even what may seem like short filler moments could have some deeper meaning that you won't realize til much later in the stories. and, again, the occult and supernatural is real for a fact in both worlds, yet neither series feels any need to explain why, and only the characters involved in the plot seem to know this (or gradually realize this). this serves to make them become even more isolated from the alienating society they already live in. finally, DURARARA makes predominant use of twilight/night-time to increase the tension of its atmosphere, PENGUINDRUM makes heavy use of rainstorms and thunderstorms, especially at night for the same effect. it was no surprise to me to discover that the studio who created PENGUINDRUM also created DURARARA. read more

report Recommended by istheworstgirl

The story takes place in an urban environment with many characters all connected to each other. Each character is mysterious and the revelations will be given gradually. The beginning is slow but the climax is interesting for both series.

report Recommended by hulu2

Durarara!!, Mawaru Penguindrum Recommendations

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