The last few months, I think I’ve been quite clear on my general opinion of Mawaru Penguindrum. I don’t just have issues with this anime, I have the whole goddamn subscription. Today I will “review” Penguindrum, but let me say this first: Mawaru Penguindrum is a fine show that I believe everyone should check out and see for themselves. Though the anime became especially frustrating and meaningless for me, I admit that it’s impossible for me to be objective about it. After all, there’s a reason that Mawaru Penguindrum has a legion of people gushing over it — it’s probably pretty good.

Mawaru Penguindrum is the story of brothers Takakura Kanba (cv. Kimura Subaru) and Shouma (cv. Kimura Ryohei) and their task of finding the mysterious “Penguindrum” to cure their chronically ill little sister Himari (cv. Arakawa Miho). At least that’s how the show began. You immediately get this feeling that this anime isn’t “normal”. From the strange visual aesthetics to the bizzare “seizon senryaku!” scenes to the developments in the plot itself, Penguindrum draws you in with its curious flair. There are plenty of abstract elements in the animation design, such as depicting background characters using generic symbols and transitioning between scenes with a subway motif. As the plot progresses, more characters are introduced and it’s revealed that the plot is infinitely deeper and more intricate than it seems. The show throws you curveballs and plot twists all the way until the end, making Penguindrum a rather addicting watch. It’s a great concept, and the general layout of the show holds water, but it’s the execution of Mawaru Penguindrum that I have problems with.

Mawaru Penguindrum is a show that seems to be in love with itself. Its pretentiousness and narcissism resound off the walls of the Grand Canyon and echo across the amber waves of grain. The plot is well paced and really intriguing at first, but around halfway through the show there are so many developments that I had trouble figuring out just what was going on. Fans of the series love the complexity and thematic elements in Penguindrum, and view the show as an entire entity. For me, I see Penguindrum as more of a Jekyll and Hyde act: a show that is smart and promising for the first half, but nearly unwatchable in the latter half. (more…)