Final Impressions: Mawaru Penguindrum

Janurary 19, 2011
Posted by DarrenW

Survival Strategy!

Listen you lowlifes who will never amount to anything!

Hi readers (Jokes aside),

It's been a LONG journey. Wow it seemed like yesterday that I was watching the very first episode of this anime.

So today I will review the final impressions of "Mawaru Penguindrum!"

Fate. If our lives are already set in stone by fate, then why are we even born?

Initially, the story starts off with a emotional death of one of the main characters, Himari Takakura. She has been suffering from a terminal illness in which she only had until a certain day in which she would eventually pass away.

And that day was Himari day, the day that she could get anything she wanted. Disappearing from her two brothers, Kanba and Shoma Takakura, she collapsed outside an aquarium, only to die in hospital a few hours later.

But, she suddenly awakes from her hospital bed? She's healthy and her condition is stable. It's a miracle!
OR IS IT?

Himari wakes up with a penguin hat that they bought at the aquarium earlier, and she suddenly shouts "SURVIVAL STRATEGY!"
In all honesty, my mouth is always OPEN when I'm watching the transition scene. What in THE WORLD is this? You can have a look, this is clip of it:

But i assure you, by episode 3, whenever this happens, you will just go "meh."

So the girl in the video, who looks like Himari had actually extended her life and would continue to let her lead her life, but on ONE condition. The two brothers have to seek out something called the PENGUINDRUM, and bring it back to her. Yes, none of us except the producers & directors of this anime have ANY idea what this is.

And there are three penguins to help them! How cute!... I mean... WTF?

The story continues when they find out that Oginome Ringo. Ever since she was born, her deceased sister, Momoka Oginome (Looks exactly like her), had given her her personal diary, with the ability to change the fate of people, even from the brink of death. The Penguindrum.

It then becomes very clear how the story is progressing. The boys have to get the diary otherwise their sister is going to die!



However, its complicated. Why I use that word is because everybody in this anime is either a) retarded, b) even more retarded. Why so? Well, first thing is Ringo's love for Tabuki Keiju, her school teacher, which goes HARDCORE wrong, to the point where she dressed up in bed as his fiance to have FABULOUS MAX.

And she isn't the only one. Tabuki tries to kill Himari, the fiance, Yuri Tokikago, loves Momoka to the extent she drugs ringo and almost has FABULOUS MAX in bed. Kanba's biological sister does nothing but shoots people till they forget their memory.

To keep in summary, the boys did not meet the deadline to obtain the penguindrum, and Himari collapses. However, she is saved by a weird doctor by the name of Sanetoshi Watase, electrifying isn't it? He has pink hair, and promises to save Himari from certain death by prescribing medicine to her.

The diary was also torn into half over the struggle.

It is also revealed later that a long time ago, a terrorist attack on the local train lead to hundreds dead, of which the cause was the terrorist organaisation KIGA, carried out by none other than the Takakuras' father. To obtain money for the medication, Kanba takes on his father's role in KIGA, and becomes more and more crazy by the episode, sacrificing everything (to the extent of shooting his brother) in order to save Himari's life.

Also, Sanetoshi was the leader of KIGA, and almost succeeded in the bombing operation, but was stopped by Momoka, who failed when conjuring the whole spell to prevent people from dying, and in result, both of them were killed.

In order to prevent Ringo from completing the spell, Sanetoshi gets Kanba to trick Ringo into bringing the other half of the book, and then, burnt both halves of the book into ashes.

In the finale, it comes as an epic and ultimately sad ending, as Kanba and Shoma sacrifice their own lives for Himari's happiness, and vanish from existence in the world.

Himari and Ringo continue their lives, not remembering that there were two important people in their lives. The two boys have changed their fates, and ultimately, saved everyone's fate, on the expense of their own.

Plot-wise, WOW. The development of this anime is truly fantastic, and appears to have been carefully thought over time and time again, to give watchers the sense of confusion, so that you will be thinking about what is going on in the anime and what will happen next.


The theme of family protection, friends and self-sacrifice never gets more projected by this anime than anything else.

Atmosphere wise, the way the different scenes are previewed to the watcher really gives you the sense of excitement of "whats going to happen next?" The music really complements the mood and setting, of which the art is simply astronomical.

Personally, I love this anime for the fact that it had a very twisting plot, slowing unraveling to you by each episode, with you confused and at the same time, thrilled that the result is completely the opposite of what you thought.

Another side-note, the music in this anime is truly fantastic. Especially the song they use for the epic scenes, "Children Of Fate". Oh my goodness, its the BEST soundtrack piece ever written! Make sure you guys check it out.

However, I have to say, watching this anime is sometimes irritating, because most of the people in the show are DEPRESSED or CRAZY. Another thing noted is some imagination scenes that I don't really get, like super random and lame scenes. Lastly, the constant constant CONSTANT use of 'UNMEI', or 'fate'. Please also expect loads of flashbacks. (with subway siren sounding every time).

For those looking for an INTERESTING anime, not wanting to commit suicide, or like FABULOUS MAX, this one is ALL4YOU!

Mawaru Penguindrum ended on 23rd December 2011, and had 24 episodes. Fansubs are provided by gg, Nutblazer and ZUM.



Gosh, I must crush them soon!!

Hint for next review: What do I do when I got no friends?

DarrenW
Edited by FayeA