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Nov 16, 2018 12:01 AM

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May 2015
1892
Damn I got a lump in my throat and also shed some tears. It was beautiful.

I really enjoyed this, however I feel like they dragged the story a little. There were a few episodes not so incredible like the rest. I hope I get to watch Utena soon. It left me the same vibes as when I watched Yurikuma Arashi.
Anyway 9/10. I loved it.
anikevinNov 16, 2018 12:17 AM
Dec 24, 2018 9:22 AM

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Jun 2017
180
Ikuhara confirmed for a hack, then. But really, I cannot stand his ethical and philosophical outlook. It disgusts me. When I first saw Utena, I felt a certain need to rate it highly because it's ambition went so far, but the truth was it left a bitter taste in my mouth, and not once did I become emotionally involved. Now, after finishing my second Ikuhara anime, I can say with some certainty that I hate his style.
Dec 24, 2018 10:30 AM

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Jun 2017
180
"The real penguindrum was inside you all along, now use it to rewrite history so we can pretend the sarin attacks never happened." It's a disgusting and crude idealism, reflected in the shows seemingly non-existent concern for the dramatic tension of its story in relegation to its petty ideas.
Dec 29, 2018 1:12 AM

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Feb 2015
2796
Whew, finally I've finished the series after like months of holding it halfway. Really regretted delaying the last parts! One of the best series I've ever watched.

To think of, the plot is really mystical, so many symbols left for interpretation. Take it at face value, the whole plot is like a magical realism-esque narrative with material interpretation, with themes like abandonment and child negligence (the child broiler, the box where the two are imprisoned), but I think it's not the case, and my proof is on the second OP lyric, "the Imaginary and the Real cannot mingle"

Take that all the magical symbolism as the Imaginary, the phantasy in which the characters perceive, but that Imaginary cannot exist in the Real. Of course, as Lacan would say, the Real cannot be perceived, hence we can only infer of the symbolic order. I guess that all that is represented on the screen has no Real interpretation and compels us to externalize these images into symbols, which is assumed to signify a thing, but the truth is not, because there is no beyond what is being represented.

One theory I would strongly take tho is that, while these images do not signify any Real (as it only exist in the Imaginary, or a dream as Masako would say), it is actually the haunting of a lost future. I really suggest reading Ghosts of my Life by Mark Fisher on this one, he explains we regarding the idea of hauntology.

What is the message behind the promise of the two when they are imprisoned 10 years ago? The fact is, their lives must have ended on that part. They are bound in a box, possibly due to parental abandonment (as that would be a symbol on a child's psyche) or literal imprisonment by their parents.

All that is represented to Kanba's endeavor to save Himari is his infantile desire to fulfill his parent's desire. This was however, futile on his age, thus he fantasize the lost future, 10 years after, to fulfill these. However, the unconscious runs beyond representation, and he had to find the object of his desire. The ego, then, gave him the object of his desire, albeit a superficial one, to protect Himari, who is no way a relative of some sort. But the main desire still is to fulfill his parent's desire, whom he identifies with, that is to fulfill the Kiga organization's will.

I just finished the series so I must be wrong, but this show is definitely worth psychoanalyzing.
Dec 29, 2018 1:24 AM

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Feb 2015
2796
FuMomo-kun said:
I knew from the start that the diary wasn't the penguindrum. It is just a story telling device, like a red herring. Despite knowing, or maybe because I know that, it was quite interesting to wait for the actual penguindrum.

I really liked this episode. I'd give it an 8/10, but I didn't like the part where Shouma said 'aishiteiru' to Ringo. Though, that dialogue can also mean love between family.



I would take that they really died, however they both died on that box. That last part is one proof, the point that they never aged. All the plot is just a fantasy of their part, an externalization of a lost future, and their desire is represented as trying to save/protect Himari 10 years after.
Apr 21, 2019 5:52 PM
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Dec 2018
42
All I got to say is what the hell ugh
May 8, 2019 3:30 PM

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Aug 2008
1644
Overrated slop. Too long, too complicated with unlikable characters. Too much wasted time with ridiculous music, jokes and penguin sight gags. Pink haired guy trying to destroy the world. Red haired girl shooting memory losing balls at girls who the twin brother who ditched her dumped. A stalker girl who abandons her obsession for a boy she met a few days previous. A ghost in a penguin hat who acted like a jerk for some reason though in life and in this final episode was a kind person. A McGuffin diary that the penguin hat demands the brothers find that she then forgets about halfway through the show. Pointless additions of the teacher and idol who were a timesink. Whatever. I don't understand the praise but it was entertaining enough that I didn't drop this so I guess its not outright terrible.

Though of course the girls forget what happened. Everything that happened would have been so ridiculous that I'm sure it could be dismissed as a dream though. Those trenchcoats the terrorist group were wearing. Yikes.

So Kanda murders a bunch of people but I'm supposed to feel sorry for him? Nope he lost any possibility for that.

Bah, I'll start rambling further so I'll just stop. I'll be generous and rate this 5/10.
May 27, 2019 3:02 PM

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Sep 2017
328
beautifully executed,kept me on the edge of my seat at ALL times and made me want to continue watching no matter what time it was.
the animation style and the way the story was told kinda reminded me of monogatari which is a plus,but yeah this last episode really B R O K E me.
i think the brothers didnt get reincarnated but rather,,are just there?maybe like wondering ghosts that keep peace.....
im sad that they never found the cure to be with himari,REALLY be with her,but i guess thats fate.

i wish we got more background on that pretty pink guy,maybe the trip to antartica? little things that maybe couldve been squeezed in.

i think 24 eps was the PERFECT lenght,any longer and it woulve dragged but any shorter it wouldve missed out on some good character build.

over all i extremely enjoyed this seriesa good 9.5 if not 10/10,its the first time in a while i dreaded finishing a series because i didnt want it to be over! (note how i previously said i wanted to keep binging,it was hard to stop my self but at the same i low key also didnt want to get it over with)

also i noticed that all the characters that seem unlikable (to me) end up being really likable no matter their goal,well,most.

ill always hope that in some parallel universe,their fate is good ;)
tookawaiiiMay 27, 2019 3:23 PM


"those who aren't able to find a more miserable person than themselves turn to the internet and call others losers,even though they've never met"- Satou from nhk
Jun 12, 2019 8:01 AM

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Jan 2015
15106
So yeah, after 4 years I managed to finish this series LMFAO.
Yuri Kuma Arashi and Sarazanmai are way way way waaaaay better imo

5.5/10
Jun 18, 2019 3:01 PM

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Feb 2017
203
I've never seen such a tragic yet philosophical show. It made me cry,laugh, anxious, relieved and most of all, it made me think. Think more and more. Symbolising a reality through very much "human" characters who are able to feel love, hate, envy, kindness, in one word, emotions and presenting it so smoothly like this... it's almost unbelievable. 10/10 isn't enough for you, Ikuhara. I can't say much as I'm completely overwhelmed, starstruck and literally speechless after watching. It's worth it. I'm sure it'd be one of the most beautiful shows I would have watched in my entire life. Bravo.
"Opurbo" : word from my native language.
Jun 20, 2019 5:37 PM

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Oct 2015
6916
I felt Kanba gave more and got so little back, he was the one that wanted to save Himari more than anything. Although his methods were more drastic, they came from a good place. I didn't feel like Shouma contributed a lot, but hey boys with large eyes and black/blue hair always get the bigger slice at the end in anime! Too bad they won't be the three of them again, and in fact Himari or the world doesn't seem to recall them either. Liked that Tabuki and Yuri got a happy ending, I guess it's all thanks to Momoka.

I personally didn't enjoy it, I don't want to lie. I expected a deep family drama and all I got was a girl who stalked her teacher for her dead sister, and of course ended up falling in love with the cliché large eye bitch-boy as always. I didn't feel their bonds together, in fact I felt Shouma wasn't in it until the end. Kanba was the one who tried to keep them together at all costs and he didn't get much in return from the series. I also hated the stupid fanservice they dished out considering it was a family drama. I also hated the cliché love triangle they tried to feed us, and of course the large eye bitch-boy won. Can't Japanese do just a healthy family drama that doesn't strive on sexual exploitation or meaningless developments! It kept going on about fate/destiny and it got tedious to see.

It is forgettable to me and the characters, but great visual story telling! It had a potential to impress but didn't leave an impression.

5/10.
lihle808Jun 20, 2019 5:41 PM
How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb --- Dr Strangelove

Jul 19, 2019 12:40 AM

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Jul 2016
819
SHOUMA LOVES RINGO SHOUMA LOVES RINGO

(totally didn't cry)
Aug 14, 2019 6:39 AM

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Aug 2017
3040
Amazing ending to an amazing show. It was unpredictable and thus stunning to see. Ikuhara made me happy once again with his artistic choices, metaphors and overall direction. Every single character in the show was likeable, and everything tied together in the end. 10/10
Sep 4, 2019 4:31 AM

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Apr 2015
3537
- I get the feeling, we may not see each other ever again...

- Seeing this 8 years after, while watching middling seasonals such as Astra or Vinland Saga may have given me a most unfair opinion on those shows...as it's so light years ahead of them I am pretty sure I'm underrating them a tad.

- Perhaps a smarter watcher may be sick or disgusted about the myriad coloured barrage of (shallow?) connected imagery and symbolism. I'm not, I'm an emotional husk of an anime fan...or of any medium, for that matter.

- I love Ringo to bits.

- I'm giving it a score that I gave to one single piece of anime out of over three hundred and fifty I've watched so far.
Nov 4, 2019 12:23 PM
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Mar 2019
48
What a bittersweet ending. I will remember this anime from now on as one of my favorites.
Feb 29, 2020 4:28 PM

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May 2019
3380
Yeah, everytime you start a new series, a really good reviewer should advice you from he start:

- In this show, linear logic is just background, and the main content are feelings, visuals and poetry.

So, dont mind about HUGE PLOT HOLES.


But nobody tell it to us, so we keep trying to find confort in non-contraditory explanations. Futile.

If this was a normal linear logical fictional/fantasy story, i'd rate 5/10.

But since it never was the idea, BUT, the author failed a bit to make it clear, i rate it 7/10.

It would be a really good anime if was 12 episodes long removing all the distractions and focusing in the poetry-plot about expectations, brotherhood, desire to be loved etc around Good(Momoka)xEvil(Sanetoshi) and playing with Himari/Shouma/Kamba/Ringo.

Basically, the 2nd half of the series. The 1st half "Ringo Stalker Adventures" was completely useless.
Oct 3, 2020 8:13 PM

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Jan 2013
6849
After just reading an analysis on the show and learning more about the references and symbolism I do think the show did quite a good job.
I feel like the first half was a bit too long though, I didn't mind Ringo's story but it just didn't drag me into the story as much as the second half eventually did, which ultimately didn't make me enjoy the second half as much as it should.
I did like the "changing fate with the help of love" and the way it explained it to us.
Reading into the mannerisms of the penguins was interesting too, a lot of early hints towards what the characters were thinking / going through or had experienced before.

A lot of disturbing scenes aswell, negligence / abuse by family as with Yuri's father trying to "sculpt" her into his definition of "beauty"
Tabuki not living up this mothers perfectionist ideas, eventually leaving him to damage his own hands.
Masako with the stereotypical view of an Asian family (grandfather) wanting to have a male heir to the family, forcing Mario into it.

This might just be another show like NGE that I'll have to rewatch another time after having read into the symbolism, philosophy etc.


I just wish I got more engaged into the anime from the start which in turn could've made me get all the symbolism a lot easier.

8/10
Oct 7, 2020 6:49 PM
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Apr 2016
13217
Indubitably the weirdest anime I've ever seen, if nothing else. Sort of baffles me that it has the psychological genre attached to it, despite hardly possessing any. Sure it's here and there, but that's only a given to almost any anime - this show doesn't exclusively wield more than other shows in my opinion. It has philosophy, but that as well is rudimentary and boring. You could sum it up in one line, "glorified fate" (it goes against "fate" and ostensibly wins), and then refute in another, "determinism is irrefutable" - but that would make it boring, wouldn't it? I was expecting (and hoping) a dismal ending, given it was early on established that meddling with fate will exacerbate the set of circumstances. That's a trifle although and nothing worth to pick on, but still wanted to bring it up as it shows that the author decided to go against what he initially set up. And with that, we enter more inconsistencies with the story - it doesn't utilize what it establishes, and while you could argue it's not a necessity for a story (I don't go insofar as chekhov's gun), you can't go implementing 10 things into a story just to permanently disregard ever doing so. The atmosphere/tone constantly shifting in great constrast was also problematic for me - it made me struggle taking the story seriously and that resulted in it being a real chore to watch. These are really just my nitpicks though, I still enjoyed watching this piece of fiction - I'll be giving it a 6.3/10.
Oct 19, 2020 4:50 PM

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Feb 2011
3695
The presentation was top-notch, from a visual standpoint this episode was unbelievable. Very strong finale to a show i have fairly liked overall. The creativity and symbolism throughout the show puts this anime apart from the countless other anime out there. Strong 8/10
Nov 22, 2020 3:17 PM

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May 2019
29
Some months ago, the day I saw the last episode for the first time (I'm in my 3rd rewatch)
I was very emotional. I saw the last 4 episodes in a row, feeling kinda lonely for some reason, I knew something was coming. I just didn't knew what.

At first I thought the brothers would finally accept Himari's death and move forward

But then, the final SEIZON SENRYAKUUU
Suddenly my eyes got wet when they were talking about the good moments they spent together as a family. And the tears won't stop flowing until the last second of the episode.
I started crying loud, like a baby
I had to stop the episode because I couldn't breath
I was feeling so lonely, and it got worse

Kanba disintegrated, I cried even more. But I kinda expected, because he has red hair like Campanella, so it could be a paralell. Shouma is blue, so he's Giovanni, so he have to live, right?

Then Shouma burned and I felt so lost, I never imagined it could happen, I love Shouma so much, it felt like I lost somebody from my own family

And then, Himari was alive and healthy, and it was like the brothers never existed

That scene. Not even a single soul can handle that scene with the teddy bear, I was still crying and it never stopped.

It was the most beautiful ending for the most beautiful anime I've ever seen.

When it ended I was sure it was my best experience with anime ever, and my favorite anime (until now) but I really don't think something can surpass it.

Just.... maybe Ikuhara himself....?

Well, I had to show it to my best friend and now I'm watching with my boyfriend, I really hope he enjoys it as much as I enjoyed and lets me buy a Princess of Crystal figure
Feb 11, 2021 8:22 AM

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May 2020
1985
Well, that was an ending. I was pretty confused during the first part but everything came together during the second half. A good ending.

Overall, I liked this show. I wasn't super sure if I was going to like this but I did. I'm not incredibly attentive, so I'm pretty sure I've missed some symbolism/metaphors that are important to the series. The characters were the biggest letdown for me. Couldn't really care about them.

6/10
TitanInsaneMar 12, 2021 2:20 AM
Feb 14, 2021 10:01 AM

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Apr 2020
618
the ending was so heartbreaking but perfect at the same time
this show is a masterpiece
Feb 25, 2021 4:28 AM

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Jan 2018
1896
The amount of idiocy and wrongthink takes in this thread makes me nauseous. This is definitely not the kind of show that was designed for your average animefan who lives inside the vacuum of these mediums. This series is so deeply rooted in esoteric knowledge of Japanese culture and society (way beyond what you're gonna get from idealizations portrayed through anime), the Aum Shinrikyo sarin gas attacks, the literature of Kenji Miyazawa, etc. This isn't just secondary knowledge/"fun fact"-tier shit either, like these collectively serve as the cornerstone upon which the entire series is based, and without (at the VERY least) a rudimentary understanding of these core concepts, Ikuhara is going to be leaving you in the dust. Japanese viewers typically won't have the same issues, as 99% of them read Miyazawa in school, and are of course familiar with Aum in the same way that Americans are familiar with 9/11. But because of this, the series is inherently very Japanese on a far more integral level than most anime you're ever going to encounter.

So yeah. If you couldn't vibe with the presentation along the way and didn't like the show because of that, whatever. I couldn't care less. But if you had high hopes and thought this was a "potential masterpiece" that just didn't work out or was too confusing by the end, please do your homework and think again. Rather than being riddled with various symbols for the sake of convolution and prompting multiple interpretations by the end, EVERYTHING ties into its overarching theme and message from the very first episode. Not a single frame of this series goes to waste; each one is a thread that collectively weaves a perfect tapestry. I can't think of a symbolic narrative in any medium that's quite up to the same level as what Ikuhara has created here.



P.S. I really dislike AniTube in general and don't like referring back to it as much as I can avoid, but given that there are a ton of really shitty write-ups and misguided "analyses" of this series in particular (this is what happens when non-Japanese people think they understand Japan without even going so far as to read a book or watch a documentary), I feel a little too inclined to share this:


With that said, I DON'T agree with everything he says in this video, and I also feel like a good bit of what he talks about can simply be inferred from watching the show, but what really matters is that none of these points of contention are necessarily harmful (ie. misinformation that'll send you down the incorrect path). Overall, a good 80% of what he discusses is right on the money and serves as a very strong foundation of what you should be studying and researching if you want to come to a better understanding of this series.
GreyleafFeb 25, 2021 4:40 AM


"I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the
people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited.
"
― Jorge Luis Borges
[url=]Goodreads[/url] | [url=]Letterboxd[/url]

Mar 19, 2021 12:55 PM
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Jan 2021
16
sonnandeskcar said:
Clearly copied the ending from Madoka, 4/10


dude, this was in 2010, madoka was 2011
Apr 24, 2021 2:17 PM

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Aug 2013
692
Well...

First half of anime was pretty good and had some potential with its great animation (even though I didn't like a visualization of brothers from the start), funny details and bizarre style. It was dynamic and entertaining because all of complicated events had light-hearted mood and comical appeal. But then so called "antagonist" came and bring an actual "story" with him...

Second half of anime slowly drowned in its overwhelming clutter of abstract ideas, in addition author decided to add a seriousness which made an anime laughable but not funny anymore.

What is the point of drama in a circus anime? Local drama just became as abstractive as anything else here. What is the point of moral self-questioning in a such anime? It's like trying on clothes in a house of crooked mirrors. It started like an original fantasy but ended as a typical fairy-tale.

It was hard even to end a second half of anime since it's full of useless events and details which do nothing for a story especially with a such ending in background.

But the most strange move was not to add a tag "shoujo" to anime since many people will dislike its style and pacing because of genre specific. All these quirky moments with penguins won't change the fact that in the center of anime are girls and love of sacrificial boys for them. Gladly it hadn't a BL.

Another strange moment in anime is using a factual terroristic attack in 95 in Japan which was made by actual sectarians. On one hand viewers could think that author made an amoral move by making entertaining show based on real tragedy since this anime is a comedy at least partly. But on other hand it could be that author used all these little penguin gimmicks and humor tricks with an intention to distract the viewer from grieving, to make the viewing experience less painful. Who knows what was that? I feel like author couldn't hit anyone by his ideals since most of people who rated this anime highly don't know anything about actual story behind the scenes so in the end of the day tragedy was used as a base for entertaining.
May 4, 2021 3:01 PM

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Sep 2009
230
I think the ending is an incredibly hopeful one.

I mean yeah Kanba and Sho deaged and are like 6-10 years old or sth but that just means that they are maybe 6-8 years younger than Ringo&Himari which isn't that bad.
By the time they are all grown up that small age gap shouldn't matter.

But oh well maybe they will never reunite which is also fine.
I heard that in the light novel or manga? don't remember it is said that Ringo looks lovingly at Himari in the end, so maybe HimarixRingo xD?

May 16, 2021 10:11 AM

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Mar 2021
42
I didn't really enjoy a large portion of this show, but I forced myself to watch it... and I'm glad I did! The ending was fantastic and I loved it. The last five episodes really brought everything to a close and I appreciate that.
Despite my personal non-enjoyment of a lot of Mawaru Penguindrum (namely the middle 10 episodes roughly), the symbolism in the series makes for a great story, and I do think it deserves a good score.
Zant-samaMay 16, 2021 12:35 PM
Aug 17, 2021 12:38 PM

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Feb 2020
1301
Now that it's over, I really don't know how I feel about all this. The show has a lot of qualities, I won't deny that, but at the same time I always thought it was very messy and relied too much on symbolism, and it kept worsening.

I have nothing against shows with a lot of symbolism, and I love for shows not to offer me everything on a shiny plate but instead give me the possibility to think by myself. And I won't pretend to having been able to understand everything that I could understand in Mawaru Penguindrum.
But even when aknowledging that, I'm still left thinking that it didn't entirely work.

First of all, the characterization was rather weak. Each and every single one of the characters was interesting, but not a single one of them received what I would call a very solid arc, something that helped me feel invested. Take Ringo for exemple, I really liked her at the beginning because the show focusing on her allowed her to display her strong potential, but once the focus shifted from her (without giving her a proper resolution), I cared a lot less about her because she barely received any moment to shine, and she felt different from the character I got attached to without much reasons for her to be this way. I mean, are we just gonna ignore how messed up she was ? I understand that she emotionally matured due to what happened to Shouma and the diary but we're talking about a girl who thought she had to rape a grown man in order to have a family again. I really doubt someone like that could so easily change to the point you wouldn't even guess she used to think that way just a few days ago. Plus, I really don't believe in her "romance" with Shouma. Or to be more precise, that she got attached to him was interesting and could go along with her deranged mindset and thirst for affection, but it has never been adressed that way. Most of her issues have been forgotten after a while.
And I'm talking about her because of how well she was doing at the beginning which makes the downfall all the more frustrating, but as I said every character felt like wasted potential.

Actually, all of them (except Ringo whose problem was different) felt like they were written in such a way that only the beginning and the end of their arc was known to the writers, and for the rest they just awkwardly tried to join the two parts parts together without managing to make it believable and engaging. Kanba for exemple, the idea of him working alongside the organization in order to save Himari was interesting but the way it has been handled felt forced, especially when he fully went villainous mode.
I can also talk about his sister who could have been a very good character but fell flat, not to mention the plot twist about her being Kanba's sister came out of nowhere and didn't have much importance in the overall plot (even if the show tries to tell me that it does).
There's also that pink-haired ghost guy, who also had the potential to be great but who in the end also fell flat because well, it's good to tell me this guy is a ghost who wants to destroy the Earth, but if you do nothing with it other than giving me some philosophical monologues then I'm not gonna care much.
And I could go on and on but it's no use.

Another issue was with the story in itself. What I said about the show relying too much on symbolism is that it came to a point where I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't (and I sometimes say that as a compliment but that's not the case here). And because of that, I also felt like a lot of plot points didn't have much importance in the end and the show's sole reason for complicating everything was that it helped bringing out the message (a message I have some issues with but that's not necessarily the show's fault, it's just the way I see things). I talked about the ghost guy and Kanba's twin but there's also the child boiler, Himari not being Kanba's and Shouma's real sister, the entire thing about Yuri and Tabuki (can we just aknowledge how stupid his death was ? The show could've just written on the screen "we don't know how to end this arc", it would've been the same), even the Penguindrum itself felt unexplored. The Penguindrum ! The entire point !

And there's also the problem about how the show relying too much on symbolism led it not to provide any explanation. It started out with a "normal" setting and a supernatural event that is treated as supernatural. Consequently I thought we would get to see the mystery gradually unravelling. But that'd be way too easy right ? What if instead we just add more and more supernatural elements to the point there is nothing normal anymore and since there's nothing normal the characters won't question anything and we won't need to get any explanation ? Sounds cool right ? I should've seen it coming when in the first episodes the characters just accepted the whole situation with the hat (except in one episode where for some reason they suddenly were convinced Himari was tricking them with some illusions (that was one of the biggest inconsistencies I've ever seen in a show)), but I had hopes. How naive was I.
And speaking of the hat, should I assume Momoka was the one possessing it ? We all agree it doesn't make sense right ? We all agree Momoka being some kind of goddess/chosen one never made any sense right ? We all agree the hat's personality fits neither Momoka nor Himari right ? Right ???

I could continue, I really could, but my rant is already long enough. I just want to add one thing which is that I know some people will try to tell me that I can understand the show thanks to the symbolism. Don't even try to tell me that. No matter how interesting the symbolism can be, it doesn't excuse such obvious flaws in the writing. Hiding a flawed writing behind symbolism is like drawing messy scribbles and wrapping them with a cute ribbon. That looks pretty on the outside but the inside is still a mess. (Look, I made a metaphor ! Am I on Mawaru Penguindrum's level of intellectualism ?) What I mean is that yes, the symbolism is good. Yes, it gives details about the narrative. No, it doesn't excuse everything.

With that said, as I mentionned before the show has its qualities. It wasn't bad at all. It wasn't great, it was flawed and that annoyed me, but there is still a lot I liked, and it's still better than a lot of shows I watched. So I'm giving it a 7, it pains me a bit because it really had the potential to be great but there are things I can't overlook, no matter how much I liked the rest.

Edit : After rereading my post, I wanted to add something, which is that I am open to discussion and to better understand what I could have missed. I consider that a show cannot create a story only to basically tell me "Don't pay attention to that, only feelings and philosophy matter" (especially since I didn't care much about the characters for reason I explained), but I'm willing to change my mind, as long as the discussion is done respectfully (I've seen here that some fans tend to be pretty agressive, I really don't want that).
FafetteAug 17, 2021 1:54 PM
Sep 6, 2021 7:50 AM
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Jul 2018
564084
Seizon senryaku, I was expecting more...

I love hermetic, symbolic contents through many forms of art or media (being them films, books, comics, animated series, etc.), and, as for Ikuhara's authorism, I also love his baroque way of telling story (otherwise, Sarazanmai wouldn't have captured my heart so easily), but Penguindrum ended up being very baroque, with many adornments, thus, someway messy with some counterpoints, despite having a really good proposal and start(!); there were some added scenes that haven't any necessity and meaningful link to the plot itself, loose gaps that give no difference at all, at the expense of a narrative that could be developed more consistently (and not always being told by flashbacks, moreover), mainly about the main characters progress. Besides that, I don't know how the creators deal with death and the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, cause I think both themes are treated rather superficially here.

Regarding to ghost penguins and their usefulness, I enjoyed them (and maybe more about Esmeralda, the most charismatic), but even the comic relief parts have to be well dosed, even more when you take into account how much this dose can harm the different climates that narrative wants to give and add to experience.
Oct 21, 2021 11:50 AM
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May 2021
22
Ok I'll b honest i don't understand the ending
The anime was good but the ending what was that
Did they die or did they live
Who the f was thos kids
Oh and FYI i hate the ending
Oct 21, 2021 11:50 AM
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May 2021
22
Ok I'll b honest i don't understand the ending
The anime was good but the ending, what was that
Did they die or did they live
Who the f was thos kids
Oh and FYI i hate the ending
Apr 2, 2022 2:16 PM

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Mar 2021
15
PEAK FUCKING FICTION OH MY GOD EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WAS PERFECT. I expected an 8/10 and I got a fucking masterpiece.
“Without love, it cannot be seen.”
Apr 24, 2022 7:39 AM

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Nov 2020
292
this is the greatest fucking anime of all t9ime. Ikuhara Kunihiko is a genius
Apr 28, 2022 12:44 PM
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Jun 2021
5
Finished on 23/4/22
Absolutely goddamn incredible. There were some very glaring flaws in execution like tonal shifts, characters changing on a dime, plot conveniences, etc (mainly in the 1st half) but the sheer magnitude of the story it tells with criticism of society and an absolutely god-tier depiction fate do more than enough to justify the bullshitery that occurs. Code Geass is kind of similar when it comes to cringe execution yet I love them both because that near-romantic style of progression really does somehow appeal to me; I almost see it as a stylistic choice of the storyteller and I can't lie when I find this objectively bad aspect quite entertaining.
Add on the god tier animation and sound and we have an easy 9/10 show. I planned on this possibly being the last new anime I watch and I sure as hell am not disappointed.
Jul 2, 2022 10:39 AM
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Aug 2021
559
This show is purely incredible.
So blown away by this masterpiece.
Jul 20, 2022 6:33 PM

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Jul 2019
4517
DeadlyChuck314 said:
Finished on 23/4/22
Absolutely goddamn incredible. There were some very glaring flaws in execution like tonal shifts, characters changing on a dime, plot conveniences, etc (mainly in the 1st half) but the sheer magnitude of the story it tells with criticism of society and an absolutely god-tier depiction fate do more than enough to justify the bullshitery that occurs. Code Geass is kind of similar when it comes to cringe execution yet I love them both because that near-romantic style of progression really does somehow appeal to me; I almost see it as a stylistic choice of the storyteller and I can't lie when I find this objectively bad aspect quite entertaining.
Add on the god tier animation and sound and we have an easy 9/10 show. I planned on this possibly being the last new anime I watch and I sure as hell am not disappointed.


Glad y'all manage to understand and fell in love with it!




-[ ~♫~ ll Credit ]-
Jul 23, 2022 1:21 AM

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Sep 2018
5230
Ikuhara needs to learn when to settle the fuck down sometimes lol. 7/10, at least it was better than Utena. My thoughts pretty much mirror the 6/10 review.
Oct 10, 2022 7:07 AM

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Oct 2019
1198
10/10/2022
Just finished this episode to this anime. All i can say is the art, animation, and music was phenomenal. I had a blast with the show. However, if you asked me what exactly happens in the end, I will say "I dont know."
Obviously, fate is transferred, however, there are some questions left unanswered. However, one could say, does it really matter now. Does it really change the story much if we got more explanation. Perhaps. But i guess the creator wished to leave it to interpretation as.
Id prolly give the show a 9/10.
"Perfection is perception. For me, humanity's imperfections is what makes it perfect"

Apr 6, 2023 11:42 AM
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Sep 2020
6
WTF IS THIS PIECE OF SHIT???
Apr 28, 2023 4:47 AM

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Jan 2009
121
I think this show was best at its first half when the main focus was on Ringo and her weird antics, which were always a blast to watch, and how her fate becomes intertwined with the twins, etc.
Its the part of the show that had the most time to develop and breath and also the one that was less bogged down by symbolism. Ringo's character arc was phenomenal.
The second half gets dragged down significantly, Tabuki and co. are simply not fun enough to carry the show.
Sanetoshi is a cool villaiin, soft spoken and charismatic. Over 10 years later I still remember how he reacts to Ringo saying she remembers the incantation (まじで?) lol.
The ending is effective in giving us an emotional conclusion, and while it is ambiguous in typical Ikuhara fashion, it's not ambiguous about the fact the brothers sacrifice themselves and get deleted from existence as a price to save Ringo and Himari, and it works because they were engaging characters over the whole show.

8/10
Perrin4869Apr 28, 2023 5:22 AM
May 4, 2023 7:38 AM

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Oct 2018
269
Heh, how ironic that Sanetoshi gifting those scarves was the key to his defeat
~Spiritual Healing~

Jun 2, 2023 11:36 AM

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Aug 2020
8632
Glad I just finished rewatching this series. All the symbolism made more and more sense this second time. Brilliant. In the future I'll rewatch Peng again. 10/10

Jun 19, 2023 5:58 PM

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Jan 2013
14283
Great and depressing. This was just one big symbolic and metaphysical manifestation of the concept of fate. Very surrealistic for me but I enjoyed it.
Sep 13, 2023 3:05 PM

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Dec 2009
9623
Notes from 2014:

Mar 29, 1:56 PM

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Jul 2016
2389
Hatmari making one last appearance without disrupting the tone of the finale made me smile so hard. Guess a final welcoming to rock 'n roll night would've been too much, but I'm still more than satisfied.

Double-H's CD ended up coming in so clutch you'd wonder if it was destiny that they passed it off to Ringo that day, and dammit, Shoma really had to choose to finally confess to Ringo at the literal last minute.

This show would've already been memorable for how surreal it got, the penguins' dumb antics and just being an incredibly creative story centered around fate, but that ending, man. The effort it took to fight back the tears from Himari finding the teddy bear is legit embarrassing. Very bittersweet, sure, but a work of art nonetheless.
Sep 27, 10:01 PM

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Aug 2014
4132
What a fantastic anime. Always made sure to never be predictable, but also to not be random for the sake of being random.

Its dramatic moments were a hit.

Its comedy moments were a hit.

I love the penguins in how they added comedy to the anime.

Again, a fantastic anime.
Oct 5, 7:21 AM
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Mar 2015
336
well I guess that's it. quite a ride. the plot devolves into incoherence during the last 3 or so episodes but overall it's quite unique, charming, and enjoyable

I especially loved the seizon senryaku sequences; these r my favourite moments of the show and possibly my favourite transformation sequences in all of anime - and that's saying a lot (I don't quite understand the occasional gratuitous nudity but not complaining either)
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