Unfortunately I really can’t recall which episode exactly, nor do I have the time to revisit the series yet. We also see them walking outside the house as children. In an interview, director Kunihiki Ikuhara explains: “They have wings but they cannot fly; they can swim but they cannot stay underwater for too long. But still I wonder that what are the purposes of Double H, Shirase and Souya (Black Bunnies), Princess and the Prince of the Crystal World (actually the whole Crsytal World) and Momoka? In the background, many different books were displayed, but one that clearly stood out went with the name of Underground (1997), the author’s name being clearly stated as Haruki Murakami (b. Check out part II, where I discuss the significance of the penguins! Mawaru Penguindrum, the birth child of the mastermind Kunihiko Ikuhara, is a complex series to say the least. This is like an 8 hour long Adolescence Of Utena as if you never saw the series and it deters you from continuing with animu rather than surrealism. Japan had long been a patriarchal society, granting men the power and rights while diminishing women’s status for centuries. The only remarks made about them are that only Kanba, Shoma & Himari can see the three penguins that arrive at their house in a box. I’ve seen people commenting that the ‘penguindrum’ is like the beating of the heart too, though I forgot where I first read that. Were they really living when, like all the background characters of the show, they did not even possess a face? Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. If you are the type of person who is not open; then you will be blind to the meaning.. If Shouma, Masako, Kanba and Himari are represented by penguins then it makes since that the “drum” in penguindrum is the beating or drumming of the heart. I’d trust the show over online sources explaining the show honestly. I am so sad to know he won’t be teaching anymore things like this really interests me. When I put this into the context of Penguindrum, it’s just… Wow. The penguins can be seen as a reflection of the characters’ loss of identity in the anime, be it Kanba’s struggle to hold his family (whether his real or surrogate one) together, Shouma’s struggle with his interpersonal relationship (his guilt of being close to Ringo, knowing that his family was the reason behind her family’s dysfunction), Himari’s conflict of her haunting past and her present dilemma, or Ringo’s struggle between living as Momoka or as herself. Although that system is there to help those kids, it in fact throws them away as soon as it can, with no help for their futures. Mawaru Penguindrum is a unique healing story full of beginnings and ends, but at the same time suggests a more cyclical nature to life. Even though metaphorically they were not sent to the Child Broiler, it did not mean they were content with their lives. It litteraly blowed my mind, and I was in tears. In Urobuchi’s world, people wear pants. Both on the verge of death as children, Kanba Takakura was the one chosen to live while Shouma was chosen to die. We easily think of events such as the Subway Sarin Incident as individual events that only happen once, but we fail to comprehend the roots of such events, which is why the social problems keep recurring without a pause. A thread in which we discuss Mawaru Penguindrum Anonymous 03/22/21(Mon)10:40:04 No. This is because the actual rules of how magic works in Mawaru Penguindrum are never explained, and what it can achieve is never quite clear. What did Saber wear? This particular date kept repeating itself throughout the whole anime. The first 8 episodes build up what they are like, and while it’s mainly for comedic relief it provides a good backdrop to the core of the story. Second, self-story. This is a really awesome article. Mawaru Penguindrum is known to be a difficult anime (personally speaking, I cannot say I understand it 100% either), with many more topics to cover than the ones listed here, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid trying to understand it in its given context. Found this article really interesting. Ah, I figured that they may have not been watching the incident rather they were watching their parent’s being arrested, just wasn’t sure. The term “Mawaru” is Japanese for spinning, and Penguindrum is an idealized physical manifestation of fate as it relates to having a hopeful future. If you are the type of person who is open; the meaning will reveal itself to you. In a literal sense, it's the apple that Kanba was given and shared to his "siblings". How does it get into the mainstream? This show requires your full attention and should no be recommended to people who don’t enjoy though provoking anime that require a lot of thinking during, between, and after episodes., I remember seeing that a while ago and I just never got round to watching it. His most famous piece of work, Night on the Galactic Railroad (1927), is a well-known story among Japanese, and one that has many references in Mawaru Penguindrum. well i have one question whats the deal with momoka and sanetoshi and that fate diary, are they irrelevant to the story and are just there to make the story more understandable and help the pingiundrum to spin and be passed on to himari. I really enjoyed the series as it is hard to understand, but when you watch it, you know all the weird and funny stuff aren’t just weird, nor funny. I can not stress enough how important it is to look for a significant meaning in trivial things. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I found that you had to be quick to catch all the different devlopments. Mawaru Penguindrum – 09. It was hard to tell. Maybe they both got their own Penguindrum? I just loved this anime- the visuals were total eye candy, the symbolism was just amazing, and Momoka and Sanetoshi are currently some of my favorite anime characters ever. The Penguindrum is still open to interpretation. Portrayals of Gender in Studio Ghibli Films. After meeting Mario Natsume with the hat on, Kanba leaves in shock. Last year I had a university lecture who studied on the underlying meaning of things that we should explore/question/intrigue and had a don’t take for granted, take it apart approach to our lectures. Like Giovanni, Shouma was a rather passive character who cared a lot for other people, and eventually he became a strong character who could stand for himself. Now think about the character Ringo… And try to understand what exactly is she. With their parents gone, twin brothers Kanba and Shouma live alone with their … The Artifice is an online magazine that covers a wide spectrum of art forms. Mawaru Penguindrum Complete Anime Series ... who are never explained to have such abilities. 1949). There are so many things to discuss for this show that it’s hard to refrain myself from writing too much. Even after the grandfather’s death (ironically, of overconfidence), Masako could not get rid of his shadow, for she had become a heartless utilitarian just like him. It isn’t uncommon for writers to write about one’s sense of alienation and loss of identity in a capitalist world (cue Haruki Murakami – which I will discuss later). Years leater, as a hudge fan of Haruki Murakami, I’ve read Underground. When I’m not as busy, I’ll definitely try to catch that and leave a comment here to let you know. I think elements within the last half should have been elaborated on. Like a traditional East Asian culture, conformity was triumphant. I have an older article focusing on the often-mentioned ‘punishment’ in the show. The focus of the show was also not on how it affected lives at the time, but how it affected the lives of children of the involved parties. He constantly fed a young Yuri the idea that she was ugly, and that he would ‘fix’ her with his ‘love’. However, I think the biggest hint that they are indeed alive is the fact that their penguins are still alive, too. Its really enlightened me of the few things I was stuck at. The three penguins1., 2., and 3., are assigned to the Takakura siblings. You should write more! The ending of the series is very open-ended in terms of how it could interpreted. Viewers learn that it was the day that Kanba, Masako, Shouma and Ringo were born. Individuality and disobedience were not tolerated. Frankly when i saw the end, i was baffled and for the 1st time in years, shed legit tears. I never knew about those events in 1995 (maybe because that’s the year I was born too) and the book really brought me to chills. Ringo, actually means apple. His sense of self came solely from his mother’s perspective, and his rebellion of going against his mother’s will only proved his theory that his mother liked talents, not people. If Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) was about how teenagers struggled to make sense of their existence in the 1990s, then Mawaru Penguindrum was about children living in the aftermath, or continuation, of the Lost Decade. always love to read smart, interesting, philosophical, deep, & thought-provoking articles like this, which discusses interesting (yet unfortunately/sadly quite underrated / not too ‘mainstream/popular/trending/hype’) anime. Penguindrum is the brainchild of Kunihiko Ikuhara, who also … I’ll be watching it again anyway as soon as time permits and will be looking out for that particular plot point. Tagged onto this is the brothers' ridiculous ability to absorb life-threatening, bone-crunching, tendon-ripping damage. But, although the whole anime talked to its viewers on a deep emotional and philosophical level, the ‘Fruit of Destiny’ in particular made me rethink some parts of my life. Shouma also accepts the punishment for when Ringo uses the diary to change fate by sacrificing himself. Can someone explain Mawaru Penguindrum to me? Shaft Headtilt! (The earthquake took place on, not surprisingly, 1995.) Category Archives: Mawaru Penguindrum. Posts about Mawaru Penguindrum written by Alex. Now I have even more context to put the story in. [Not shown but implied] Pingroup sends Esmeralda to Masako. If they were dead, then the penguins would have faded away. Any ordinary person, like the protagonist in this frog story, dared not to dream of saving the world by himself or herself, but in this story the frog convinced the protagonist that he could actually make a difference by stepping up. Posted by Saranaufogus. I looked around and found a bunch of different people explaining it … Recall the Subway Sarin Incident, where those involved in orchestrating the attack were young elites with a supposedly bright future in big companies. "You've Finally Realized" is the 11th episode of Mawaru-Penguindrum. So thank you for writing this, I enjoyed reading it alot. Even though Mario was weak and (stereotypically) more feminine than masculine, he was determined to make him a capable man by intensely training him with his traditional, masculine method. The main twist of this masterpiece is about destiny, love and connection. The show is a fest of symbolism. It just mess with your mind on so many levels. What did Iri wear? To me, letting Ringo (indeed, which means ‘apple’) to be the one who casts the spell at the very end in a stroke of genius. More importantly, like the Jacks in Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club (1996), these ‘terrorists’ as we know it are actually very normal-looking people standing walking past us every day. It could be interpreted, in a magical sense, the shared life force within the Takakura family. Night on the Galactic Railroad featured a poor, gentle boy Giovanni, who found himself on board of a train with his good friend, the kind and caring Campanella, after he took a rest on the hill. Mawaru-Penguindrum marks the return of Kunihiko Ikuhara after twelve years of absence frome the anime’ scene; famous for being the director of the “R” series of Sailor Moon and, in a particular way, to be the father of Shōjo Kakumei Utena the cult anime that led him to success, and also the only one that he has ever written. Penguin#2 was always seen killing cockroaches and eating food. ( Log Out / Dragon Ball Super Chapter 72 Spoilers: Granolah Attacks Goku and Vegeta? The Child Broiler ties back to the symbolism of the penguins that belonged nowhere. Mawaru Penguindrum is a really strange anime: I followed the introduction and thought it was some generalistic anime which uses hard concepts for the sake of a bland story. The only outcome for the nobodies was that they would be molded, by the education system and society, into becoming just another salaryman on streets. Please note that there will be spoilers for the series. All of these series aside from Penguindrum have lesbian or bisexual main characters. This incident was the single most serious attack to have taken place in Japanese soil since World War II, adding further despair to the Japanese people who were experiencing the Lost Decade (1990s Japan) after the economic bubble burst in late 1980s. The beginning and ending scenes of Mawaru Penguindrum featured two kids (implied to be reincarnation of Shouma and Kanba in the latter) discussing what ‘Kenji’ was trying to say. Don’t mind me, I’m just really excited. I discover something new out of the symbolism with each rewatch, but sometimes I don’t have the background knowledge to explain some of the other things, like Super Frog Saves Tokyo and Haruki Murakami. 1 book. OMG I only watched Night on the Galactic Railroad the other night so decided to reread your article. But when I try to explain what it’s about, I think I lose them a little. Thank you so much for great article (Sorry for my bad English by the way.). If Mawaru Penguindrum can be explained by the transfer of fates via the vehicle of an allegorical apple, then Fate/Zero can be explained by the wearing and ownership of pants. The idea that they seem to have come from another world and have no place of belongings ignite his imagination.”. It was an important piece of journalistic work that criticized the public’s attitude of questioning what happened, instead of asking the proper question of why it had happened. But it was also a really good idea to include a quote from Kunihiki Ikuhara in your article. For me, personally, the icon of the one big company that ownes everything in this standardized world was outstanding. We do not want something as ridiculous yet metaphorically realistic as the Child Broiler to exist in our society. Shouma saves Himari from the Child Broiler by splitting his half into two quarters. It’s interesting to note that 「回る」or「まわる」, “mawaru,” meaning “to spin or rotate,” is different from the word used in the actual title of the series: 「輪る」, which has the kanji that means “wheel.” A quick Google search reveals that the usage of「輪る」in this way is unique to this series. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Penguin#3 fit Himari’s personality of being a ‘good girl figure’ of the show – a quiet, gentle being that was seen knitting and cooking with Himari many times. A brilliant, very informative and well written article. The train that rode through the Galaxy turned out to be one that transported people to their afterlife. Like penguins, they struggled to find a place that they could feel at ease. The mention of ‘penguin’ at the beginning serves as a backdrop to the historical/cultural context. Mawaru Penguindrum – 24 (Final) Review. Shouma has blue hair, Kanba has dark red hair. Mawaru Penguindrum, perhaps out of respect, did not directly address the 20th March 1995 attack in the anime as being committed by Aum Shinrikyo. But after watching the ending, I ended up researching the analysis for it. – They watched the incident of their parents being arrested (where their home was being shown on TV), not when the incident itself happened. It’s pretty obvious now that I think about it and maybe that’s why it hasn’t been mentioned. Read reviews (page 4) on the anime Mawaru Penguindrum (Penguindrum) on MyAnimeList, the internet's largest anime database. I would like to know where in the series it states or even insinuates that Shouma and Kanba were born on the same day. Its like Utena for godsakes, we’re examining a character in such a flambouyant yet creative manner. Thank you for this article. At the end of the series, it's revealed that the Penguindrum was actually the apple that Kanba and Shoma shared while in cages when they were little (the "fruit of fate"). So the two boys give up their "fate" to the Princess of the Crystal, thus giving up their entire existence, resulting in a Himari that is alive and well in a world where the two boys never existed. The term “Mawaru” is Japanese for spinning, and Penguindrum is an idealized physical manifestation of fate as it relates to having a hopeful future. Sometimes you can enjoy a show or a book without its context, but I think in Mawaru Penguindrum’s case, knowing the context will add many new ways to understanding the show, and understanding Japanese culture and society. The goal of Tabuki’s mother was to train the brothers into becoming pianists, preaching the idea to Tabuki that he lived for music and music only. The purpose of this article, hence, is to introduce elements relating to Japanese history, culture and literature that are essential to understanding the greatness of this overlooked piece of gem. Even more shocking, many Aum Shinrikyo members were young graduates from elite universities. Last year I had a university lecture who studied on the underlying meaning of things that we should explore/question/intrigue and had a don’t take for granted, take it apart approach to our lectures. Unfortunately for the brothers they soon find that miracles come with a price, Himari only lives because of the power of a bizarre penguin hat which demands that the brothers obtain the mysterious artefact, 'The Penguindrum', before the hat's power runs out and they lose Himari forever. In order to protect Himari, Shouma orders her to move out of the house in episode 21. Like never been so engrossed in writing assignments haha and I am no master of writing. The subtle critique of capitalism, especially in post-war Japan, casts a frightening image of the cute-looking penguin. The penguins, hence, could be seen as what the characters were really thinking, despite the fact that their actions might entail otherwise. Mawaru Penguindrum had a good focus on the character (for example, dragging a current show along, Guilty Crown will be its comparison in terms of character) while it had incredibly surreal things going on at the back (surreal things do not need comparison as long as they do not suddenly break your level of suspension of disbelief). But miracles cannot be achieved without Penguindrum. A lot of this show has to deal with symbolism. Mawaru Penguindrum is a zany, wacky, twisted, messed up jumble of an anime that is so absolutely insane, yet it surprisingly turns out to be an interesting and compelling story in the end. On 20th March, 1995, members of the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo, under the order of their leader Asoko Asahara, released sarin gas in five subway lines in Tokyo, killing thirteen people and injuring a thousand more. They’re not common animals (mammals) like cats and dogs. What? I didn’t mention that since I just want to focus on the historical, cultural and literal context. Masako … Throughout the anime, even though Shouma and Kanda did not agree on everything, they still cared a lot for each other, with Kanba being Shouma’s ‘person of destiny’ and Shouma trying to save Kanba at the very end. http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1wkxkw/exploring_mawaru_penguindrum_2011_from_a/. Akira: An Analysis of the A-Bomb and Japanese Animation, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: The Journey of The Hero, Resident Evil: Transformation in the Pursuit of Power, Absences in Theo Angelopoulos' Landscape in the Mist, Costumes On Screen: How Clothing Has Enhanced Visual Storytelling, Now you can become a cute virtual avatar with just the power of your voice, Japanese fans make landslide pick for next anime they want a Hollywood live-action adaptation of, Baki-Dou Manga Takes Short Break, Returns on June 3, Umurangi Generation brings the miserable future to Switch next month. This paralleled the very idea of ‘penguindrum’, which was not to give up lives easily, but to be the light in times of darkness. They had no purpose of life, for it had been taken away from them long time ago. It explained a lot about Himari’s past, and that library setting was just fucking epic. Usagi Drop – 01. It has been a pleasure reading. In society, the old-fashioned hierarchy also prohibited refreshing ideas from blossoming, because instead of wanting new ideas, they just wanted obedient followers. I have loved reading this as much as I love the anime. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In Chinese, it’s pronounce ‘pingguo’ and I heard an archaic Japanese pronunciation is ‘pingu’. In that case, where do they really belong? Much of what you’ve written there is well thought out. FYI: http://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1wkxkw/exploring_mawaru_penguindrum_2011_from_a/. – Masako and Kanba are the real twins here, as we learn in the series. In episode 9, Himari was seen in the library, trying to find a book about a frog that saved Tokyo. Thank you very much for this well-researched article! Instead, it creates a fictional terrorist organization in place of it. There is no surface plot. The story also had a parable of the Scorpion Fire, which symbolized the spirit of self-sacrificing for the better good. I really enjoyed reading it. Totally understandable approach of verifying it. Ah, I can’t recall exactly which episode stated that, but all online sources I’ve come across stated they’re born on the same day (at least for Shouma and Kanba). What social factors attributed to the occurrence of such event? In 1990s Japan, things had improved, but the idea of male dominance was still very prevalent. Kanba initiates the “Survival Strategy” and saves her by giving him a half of his half. How Kunihiko Ikuhara’s Mawaru Penguindrum explores the many ways we defy fate and persevere through exercises in fantasy.. Mawaru Penguindrum, the birth child of the mastermind Kunihiko Ikuhara, is a complex series to say the least. (Something like that) Penguindrum = Love. Giovanni is a dark blue cat in the film, and Campanella is pinkish red. What did Saber wear? Dec 23. When I saw this pop up on the right while reading an article, I just had to comment saying I genuinely enjoyed reading this. Ikuhara may imagine the progression of life as a never-ending merry-go-round rather than a direct Tokyo subway line. This writeup was pretty good, but just made it even more clear that I need to rewatch the show to have any idea what happened. I only joined the Artifice recently, but I saw this a year or two ago and I must say it is a fantastic article. I actually really enjoyed the series, albiet i watched the whole series just yesterday so bear with me. It is a common saying that stories are told through characters. However, fate is out to get Himari and kills her again in episode 12. ( Log Out / It’ll help you understand more about it and overall make you like the series more. I recommend this to any hardcore anime viewers, you have to see a good amount of anime to dive into this one. Next, we have Yuri Tokikago and Masako Natsume, both victims of patriarchal society. The traits that people worshiped – masculine traits such as competitiveness, independence, aggressiveness – were the reason why they could not break out of their own dilemma. u made everything so much cIearer! It was never really explained in the anime but I read an article and it just stated that in the 1900's there was a lot of unrest within Japan. It is a pity if we simply treat it as an entertainment show and do not think about the underlying message behind its complexity. So pointing to directly to an episode would be great. 218781326 Let's discuss properly Kunihiko Ikuharas magnum opus (debatably) Mawaru Penguindrum. In another way, the penguins in the show indicated what their owners were like, for purposes of both comedic reliefs and reflection of the owner’s personality. Have you any guess for them? It is highly philosophical and very easy to not see the meaning in things, but if you do; this is one of the finest anime ever created! No problem. This is why I’m starting a series of posts in which I’ll attempt to deconstruct the plot and hopefully shed some light on the series. There’s something else you cannot get, but you still catch a glimpse of something really, really interesting. Here’s a helpful diagram of how the Penguindrum is split throughout the series (I don’t know who made this, but it’s very handy): Let’s break it down in chronological order: A simplified version of the fruit sharing would be to say Kanba first shares with Shouma, Shouma then shares with Himari at the Child Broiler, and then Himari returns it in the final episode, thereby completing a full cycle for the eponymous “mawaru Penguindrum” (回るピングドラム). He didn't direct any series in the 2000s, but made a major comeback in our current decade, darker and more surreal than ever, with Mawaru Penguindrum and Yuri Kuma Arashi. The motive behind this attack was rather bizarre. It was with such a psyche that cults like Aum Shinrikyo sounded appealing, for they saw a possibility of changing their lives and changing the society that they were so discontent with. Just don’t. I loved Penguindrum for it’s symbolism and undertones and this clearly depicts some of the more important points to these. That article rescued me, altough English isn’t my primary language (I’m Turkish) I understood your article. Masako also suffered from male suppression in her family, in her case by her grandfather, a traditional man whose obsession with absolute power made Masako’s father leave the family. Hi ! Change ), Analysis – Deconstructing ‘Mawaru Penguindrum,’ Part I: The Chronology, News – Release of Pandora’s Tower is Inconsistent, Top Picks - The 5 Best Reverse Traps in Anime, Analysis - Deconstructing 'Mawaru Penguindrum,' Part I: The Chronology, Top Picks - My 5 Favorite Childhood Friends from Anime, Top Picks - Favorite "Natsu-" Characters in Anime, Impression - Namiuchigiwa no Muromi-san, Episode 12, Impression - Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!, Episode 13 (OVA), Impression - RDG: Red Data Girl, Episode 12, Top Picks - The 10 Best Reverse Traps in Video Games. The series flashes back and forth, shedding light on the lives of the Takakuras and how they encountered each other.