Forum - View topicMawaru Penguindrum (TV).
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garfield15
 Posts: 1517 |
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It was a good thing.
I didn't know I needed to write a paragraph. Everybody pretty much said what I was going to anyway. |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23826 |
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No, not a paragraph. But it would be helpful if you at least provided a scintilla of a hint whether you either like or dislike something. Saying "This was everything I expected it to be" gives information zero to anybody - like me - who is not familiar with your taste. That statement could be made by a person who absolutely detested every frame of the show or it could be made by a person who loved it to pieces. Really? I have to explain this?
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Ggultra2764
 Subscriber Posts: 3889 Location: New York state. |
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Oh boy, this is a treat. Seeing just how bizarre and nutty this first episode was involving penguins spoiler[and little sister brought back to life and possessed as a mahou shoujo] had me giddy in joy. It also looks like there's some deeper subject matter that will be explored in the show. And am I hearing things right that the guy who directed Utena is directing this? Man, I'm gonna have fun with this.
Damn, I'm loving 2011!! I haven't been this giddy with new anime since 2007. 
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Genten
 Posts: 71 Location: A Mitten (Michigan) |
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Actually, that was some very helpful background information. I despise any form of media that glorifies incest so I really was debating dropping Mawaru because of that. I love everything else about the anime, though, so if Ikuhara isn't known for glossing over incest than awesome. I feel like I sound like a prude, hmm. MP sounds like something that's happy that will quickly turn into super-tragedy. I'll enjoy the cute penguins until that point. |
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mpg13
 Posts: 61 |
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I just watched the first episode and I think it looks like one of the more promising shows this season.
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wandering-dreamer
 Posts: 1733 |
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I found some information from an event about the show back in June and here's some stuff that Ikuhara mentioned (except for, obviously, the stuff that I saw another user speculating about):
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yamata no orochi
Posts: 137 |
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On the note of trains, this blog post is legitimately eye-opening:
http://animekritik.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/mawaru-penguin-drum-01-idealism/ Didn't write it or anything, just thought it was an excellent analysis that anyone could stand to get a whole lot out of. |
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kimbeey13
 Posts: 290 Location: NH |
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I'm not 100% sure on how I feel about this show at the moment. During the first half I wasn't feeling it to much, but when the second half started with the penguins I found myself getting into it a bit more. I also liked the characters, Kanba and the penguins being my favorites so far, and the art design is nice. My assumption, based of the ending theme song, is that the brothers are going to be turned into spoiler[magical girls or something by whomever that penguin controlling queen lady is that is possessing their sister.] I also wasn't surprised by the spoiler[incest showing up due to the scene with Kanba and the doctor and how he was willing to do anything to save Himari's life. I have a feeling that Kanba may even turn to the 'dark side' at some point during the series, especially with the whole fate thing they have going.]
*Edit - After reading wandering-dreamer's post I thought it possible that the two brothers are actually dead or on the verge of and they are possibly just stuck in some twisted 'afterlife'. Of course, since only the first episode has aired and there is so little known about the show only time will tell what the heck is going to happen. |
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nightjuan
 Posts: 1473 |
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Call it an over or understatement, depending on your perspective, but I believe this is simultaneously going to be the craziest and most interesting series of the year.
I'm not seriously going to judge the entire show based on this one episode, but so far everything seems to be working out wonderfully. Insane scenes are properly insane, humorous scenes are properly humorous and serious ones are, of course, properly serious...even to point of being subtle or somber. I'm certainly hooked. While I've never pretended to be an expert on Revolutionary Girl Utena, that was still one of my favorite shows and seeing more from the same director is always welcome in my book. Which is doubly surprising, in a way, considering I'm not much of a hardcore fan of incest or lesbianism to begin with. I can definitely tolerate either of them though, as long as the series still holds my attention. spoiler[Killing off the little sister and essentially exploiting her life for some sort of twisted blackmail using penguins as a motif is, most certainly, something you don't see every day.  ] What's more, the implication of having to fight against fate is one of my favorite fictional themes (and yet another reason for me to like Utena or, for that matter, even Higurashi).
I could take or leave the character designs, to be honest, but the animation is slick enough to make that an irrelevant concern. What I do sincerely like, however, is the music. The OP and ED are quite nice, in and of themselves, but the insert song from the spoiler[transformation sequence] really steals the show and fits the extravagant tone of its context. Going off what little we've seen so far, I expect lots more absurd humor, emotional baggage, romantic drama and excess symbolism from this production. And, at least if you ask me right now, I wouldn't have it any other way. |
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stinknasty344
Posts: 39 |
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Hmm I've never Seen Utena (it's on my to-do list), so I wasn't sure about the incest themes. Now I know why they slap the pictures at your face a couple of times though, to see the penguin sitting on top of Himari's head.
The theme of this show is obviously fate, I have never read the novel they reference, but I have heard of trains being symbolic of fate. Seeing how the use of trains is prevalent in this shows, proves this further. The above poster mentioned that penguins eat things they shouldn't necessarily eat such as train passes. Could it mean that these penguin are capable of altering fate? spoiler[ The Queen makes Himari live longer, but it isn't forever she says it's temporary, so maybe their gift isn't altering fate, but prolonging it?] I watched the episode again, and I might watch it a couple of more times. This show just gets better the more you watch it. With heavy. dark themes such as fate and death, it really makes this show appealing. Also, the brothers hate fate, obviously because it leads tospoiler[ Himari's death], while Himari loves fate because it gives meaning to her existence. It's cool how you see the two different views on it, as well as the two different ways that the brothers love their sister. AHH, I'm rambling sorry. Just pretty excited about the show, and love reading all these theories and opinions on it. OK so one last thing, I went to Amazon to try and buy the book this shows is based on (seemed interesting) and the Cheapest I found it for was for $150. 50? Does anyone know why it's so expensive? |
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Eivion
Posts: 569 |
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This one was kind of weird to me, but it has me interested enough to at least catch a few more episodes.
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Mylene
 Posts: 2792 Location: Indiana |
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I just finished watching the first episode, and already find myself wanting to go back and rewatch it, looking for clues that I know are hidden there, just like they were from the first episode of Utena.
Visually, it was stunning. I love the somewhat avant-garde style that was used, particularly with focusing in on one item and showing blackness around it (e.g. the metro gates). It's those moments that just wouldn't appear in another anime that really grab me. Storywise, I don't know what to make of it of course, but I am intrigued. Things that popped out at me included Kanba's suggestion that spoiler[Himari's death] was their punishment. Punishment for what? What sin was committed that could lead to this? One thought that just popped in my head was, did they kill their parents (intentionally or inadvertently)? Or is it something more akin to sins of the flesh? The apple motif is interesting, as there are a few different things that it brings to mind, in part the difference in Kanba and Shouma's personalities. Kanba is focused on fate and things like God--the cruelty of it all. Thereby leading me to think of the apple in the sense of the original sin which led to the punishment of all humanity (which could just be the punishment he was referring to above). On the other hand, Shouma is more scientfic, looking at ideas of survival of the fittest and the like. So I'm randomly tossing around the idea that the apple, for him, is a symbol of science ala the whole Newton and the apple legend. Or I'm just pulling things out of thin air, which I tend to do (I am not good at analysis). Speaking of the brothers, I found it very interesting during the scene with the queen when Shouma is dropped away and Kanba is "selected." I wonder if this is somewhat on the basis of their way of thinking about this. The queen needs someone who will completely believe in miracles, who will see this as a respite from a cruel god. Kanba, however, can't help but compare it to more scientific thoughts, therefore he isn't as good a choice. Random quote from my husband: "It's a credit to Ikuhara that even after just the first episode people are questioning reality and what is in it." Silly aside: the penguins remind me of Chuchu from Utena who had a habit of eating a lot (including things not to be eaten) and always served as a helper. Sorry that post was a bit disjointed, I had a bit of stream of consciousness going on, particularly after discussing it with my husband while I wrote, tossing out a few additional thoughts. |
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chrisb
Subscriber Posts: 618 Location: USA |
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Well with the way they ended the episode... :) edit: As for 95 being a reference to the terrorist attack... the 95 symbol is a prominent part of the opening animation. It appears and is suddenly surrounded by hundreds of evil penguin smilies. I just get a feeling if it is a reference to the attack it could be a bigger part of the show. I'm also curious why the three main penguins have numbers on their backs but the black one doesn't. |
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yamata no orochi
Posts: 137 |
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Something tells me that the black, unnumbered penguin in the opening is either the being that possesses Himari (the queen of penguins?) or Ringo (since her name is conveniently the word for apple, which is all-important in this show.) Probably the former.
It's kind of remarkable how much about this show you can infer from the OP, actually. Considering the silhouette of one of the brothers falling, will one of the brothers have to be sacrificed? If this sacrifice flips all the penguin faces into queen penguin faces, then is this the queen penguin's ultimate goal? spoiler[Kanba's already been marked, so perhaps he's doomed to be sacrified--unless his brother takes his place? Or does anybody have to be sacrificed at all? Seems to me that considering the reference to Night on the Galactic Railroad, the conflict might rest around one of the brothers having to give up his life.] Then again, this IS Ikuhara we're talking about, so I guess it could go either way. |
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Veers
 Posts: 1197 Location: Texas |
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Just watched this one today and... loved it. The background art, the themes, the weirdness anchored in seriousness, and, of course, the penguins.
Been waiting for something to get excited about since Madoka, and finally this might be The One. |
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