A large and beautiful oceanarium, sudden death, fantastic resurrection, skillful penguins, the search for the unknown and drama on the verge of fiction.
Have you ever sat over the twisted anime, want to stretch your brains or feel the deep tragedy of the plot? Do you want comedy and drama together? Does your soul crave originality and storytelling? Do you want a beautiful drawing and an unusual idea? Or maybe you haven’t seen an animation for a long time that is worth thinking about or philosophically assessing? So many different questions, but the answer is the same. If you have asked any of these central questions not only of Japanese animation, but also of cinema in general, you are delivered straight to your destination, to the Point of Destiny. Penguin Drum. You will not be disappointed.
We didn't need much, just three main words.
How many years, how many winters have passed, and I return again to this magnificent creation of a brilliant, in my opinion, creative group.
To begin with, I would like to point out for all those who are not yet aware or dopper, that the drawing of the characters, which is very important, and, more importantly, the surreal details, illusions, and endless fictions belong, for the most part, to the beautiful manga and dodzinist Lily Hoshino, the creator and “Zakuro Demons” including. It is her extraordinary vision and original performance that we meet throughout the anime. By the way, by the last series of drawing, as in many good anime, deflated, since Hoshino no longer took part and artists drew from her sketches.
Next, my general impression. I watched the anime 2 years ago, but this is the only anime that I remember so clearly that I go back to watch it (express is already 3 revisions). At the time, it inspired me incredibly, made me look at some things from the other side, and I remember perfectly well the feeling that this anime made me rethink and let the whole world go through. Later, I wrote a fan fiction on it, re-reading which today, I could not believe that I myself wrote this, so deeply and philosophically put some ideas.
In my opinion, this anime, of course, is not for those “chans” and “coons” who are fond of Death note, for example, because of the cute Light, who half the world decided and “so they need these morons, and L is generally cute”, it is not suitable for those who crave easy romance and twisted love, even though there is a rather strong love line in the series (love polygon with cruel edges, incredible turns and insurmountable difficulties). For some, it may seem that the anime is built on this love line, but I hasten to disappoint you, it is not. The quintessence of the plot, drawn in it analogies, lines, symbolism, references, psychological and philosophical backgrounds is simply striking and makes you really think, penetrate and, indeed, appreciate the anime.
Well, in the meantime, I'll come back to the fact that this anime isn't for everyone. As I once stole the phrase “not just not for everyone, not even for many ... no, not for anyone.” Because it is different, for everyone it is shown from the other side, because here comedy, and psychology, and philosophy, and fiction, and everyday life, and drama, and tragedy, at the same time, each viewer will find what he needs and he wants only if he thinks, analyzes, understands the goals and causes, which, unfortunately, not many understand, but only a few do. And yet, despite such a mixture, the series, to the surprise of many, turned out to be incredibly bright and inspiring.
What I remember and cannot help but note is the ending. There are many "done anime" who at first glance, can say that the ending is "ill-considered shit and generally incomprehensible nonsense", without ever thinking and analyzing the depth of the ending of both this and other noteworthy anime. In Drum, for example, only thanks to the ending I understood the goals and motives of many events, plot plot plots, relationships of the characters and, of course, I rightly consider this ending one of the best decisions of Japanese cinema. Right word, revisited it several times, I confess, the first anime, at the end of which I cried, from understanding how it is, despite the fiction, realistic, close to us and from this difficult, with a new time in the end, note all the new details. If before that, the drum seemed to you an ordinary and insignificant anime, then, in my opinion, after the end, if you strain and understand it, your vision of the entire anime will turn upside down.
I also cannot help noting that this creation of Japanese animation is terribly atmospheric, and it is unlikely that after a conscious viewing you will quickly let go, you will think and weigh for a long time, just as the anime is not stamped, although the images of “heroes-sufferers, ready to do anything for the sake of loved ones” are key, but they are shown from a completely different angle and in a new form, sometimes perverted, but that only adds beauty and drama.
So, if you are ready to see Destiny, watch this anime, think, feel, because the anime is filmed both for entertainment and in order to convey to you a thought and subtext that surface viewing will not catch.
The penguin drum is something that everyone needs, what we think about, and what is beyond our reach.
This is the starting point of Destiny.
This is purely my opinion, and I understand that some shortcomings I have kept silent in my own interests, but my assessment:
10 out of 10
Once upon a time there was a happy Takakura family: twin brothers Kamba and Sema and their younger sister Himari. They lived in a multi-colored house, like a doll, and did not quarrel over small things. But here came the dark days for the children: Himari discovered a brain tumor, and she has only a few months to live. Of course, the brothers are ready to fulfill any near-death whim of their sister, including going to the aquarium and buying her a cute penguin head hat. And how did they know that when Himari died, that hat would resurrect the girl, but not for free.
The hat turns out to be the home of the soul of a certain Princess Crystal, a bitchy person who takes possession of Himari and gives the brothers an ultimatum: they must find the mysterious Penguin Drum and deliver it to her, otherwise Himari will die - already irrevocably. What this Penguin Drum is and how it looks is unclear, but we do know who has it: a girl who studies with her brothers in the same school. So, we take under the arm of three charming penguins, whom the generous Princess gave to the boys for help and which no one sees except them - and look for "that, I don't know what." Yes, only the brothers have very little time, and the Penguin Drum is eager to possess not only the Princess.
There's not much to say about this anime. Because almost every episode turns the story by at least ninety degrees, talking a lot is mercilessly spoiling. One thing I can say is this is one of the most beautiful, powerful and touching things I've seen. The thing that stood for me on the same line with the unforgettable "Angel Rhythms" - but "Penguin Drum" is much smarter.
This is anime for those who can think, who can read between the lines... and for those who can imagine. It perfectly observes the proportions of sparkling comedy and soulful drama, sweet everyday life and a roof-bearing surre. Many scenes are allegorical and abstract and cannot be taken literally. In the end, we will not be given all the answers. Because Princess Crystal, a master of illusions, often shouts “Imagination!” Because “Alice in Wonderland”, lying on the bedside table of Himari, lies there not by chance.
The plot is masterfully gossip from hints and barely noticeable details. And the apple, constantly flickering in the opening or in the course of action, and the pink-haired young man with the smile of the snake-tempter - flash at all for a reason. And talking past the passing boys in the first series will play a part in the last. And obsessive pictures of the subway, strange suction bears, a diary in a pink cover and a dark-haired girl burning like a phoenix - in the end will shoot in the best traditions of Chekhov. The fact that the children do not have parents is not a mistake of the writers. And the terrorist attack in the Japanese subway was actually and really took dozens of lives.
Above all this is the theme of Destiny and the theme of Retribution. Retribution of children for the sins of their fathers.
And over all of them takes over another one. The theme is Love.
For twenty-five series of characters quite a bit. Actively active - only seven. But each of them is as open as possible, and each of them is a character. Himari is charming and sunny, not angry with the world, although she could. Kamba is a beautiful heartthrob, ready for anything for the sake of loved ones, who can be briefly described as admiring “man!”; a naive infantil Sema, who never took off his pink glasses – but one day they will have to be broken... Here you will not find standard and beaten tsundare or moe: each hero is lovingly spelled out with a skill worthy of a good writer. And every one of them will surprise you at some point. Thanks to this, the plot is tossed like a cardiogram, constantly turning in the other direction and playing with new colors (especially from the twelfth series), and it is absolutely impossible to predict its development. And every turn is justified.
The creators also love trolling. And if you suddenly feel a hint of incest or lesbianism, then you know - you seem to think. And why, you will be told through a number of episodes. And don’t expect it to be soon.
And, of course, the end. The end of Drum is one of the best I’ve seen. Just the right one. Maybe I just broke into a tear or the mood was appropriate, but I cried over him in a way I haven’t cried since Rhythms or The Geass Code.
Beautiful music and drawing complete the picture. The general conclusion is "must see." At least to those who know how to think and who will understand behind the motley tinsel of comedy and surre a deep philosophy and a great idea. The rest, most likely, on viewing will say “did not understand” and will spit – this I often observed in reviews. Well, as Annensky wrote, “the poem of the poet may be unclear to you, since the poet is not obliged to cope with the degree of your aesthetic development.”
Welcome to the fairytale world. In a world where brave princesses stop beautiful princes for a gallop, and magical hats with burning eyes revive the dead and command the living. In a world where sinister rabbits make insidious plans, and faithful penguins will follow your orders. In a world where black magic is available to any schoolboy, and only a few people remember light magic. In a world where a racket competes with a laser slingshot, and bowling on a smartphone screen can kill. A world where the curse walks and talks, and the rare words of blessing come back in pain years later. In a world where fate rushes to the head on the rails of the subway, and the fee for transfer to another line is too high. In a world that divides people into the elect and not; in a frozen world where those rule the ball, from whom nothing worthwhile will come. In a world where Goddess and Destiny can conquer only one thing: Love. And while you read this review, dozens of children disappear without a trace in that world, and dozens of boxes of death descend from a distant conveyor.
Welcome to the world where tomorrow morning you will wake up, have breakfast and go to work. Because that's our reality. Because this is the world we live in.
Open your eyes and let’s move on to...
Survival strategies!
It took a long time to choose what to watch. It just so happened that I had too dark anime to choose from. No, it's just "that's what I love." But suddenly I wanted something brighter. So I found Mawaru penguin drum. And I didn't.
For starters, a little bit about the plot: all that remains of the Takakura family are children. Himari is a terminally ill girl and her two older brothers Shyoma (almost Sema) and Kamba. They indulge their sister in everything, and therefore arrange a day for Himari; together they go to her favorite place - the aquarium, where Himari loses consciousness. She is taken to the hospital and the doctors pronounce her death.
But within minutes, Himari mysteriously comes to life. It turns out that she was brought back to life by a penguin hat bought at the aquarium. A spirit enters Himari through a hat, and in return for her life, this spirit asks to find a penguin drum. This is where the whole story begins.
The anime immediately liked: beautiful drawing, good quality. Such a bright pleasant picture, and from the first minutes you feel a good plot basis. The first series begins with interesting words that define the special spirit of anime. By the way, the second series also did not disappoint, the following quote is taken from it.
I hate the word fate. People are born, meet, part, experience success and failure, success and failure. And if all life is determined by destiny, what is the point of being born? Someone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth or with beautiful parents. Some are in war or in poverty. And if all this is fate, then God is cruel and unjust.
I love the word fate! Take at least fateful meetings. One such meeting can change a lifetime. And this is not some kind of accident, and not anything other than fate. Of course, not all meetings are happy. Sometimes they are unpleasant, even sad. Sometimes it is difficult to accept that fate is behind all failures. But, as for me, without sorrows and burdens, no way. Everything in the world happens for a reason.
These words will be repeated several times throughout the anime. I like the themes of fate. And here are two completely opposite points of view - even better.
I want to know whether fate is really nonsense and whether the whole universe is subordinate to it.
And now back to the pluses and interesting moments. Opening. Love it! It tasted so good. Very nice song. It was the music I needed at the time. So quiet and calm, but at the same time with pace. Anyway, the music's pretty good. Great plus.
+ in the 5th episode shows the picture of Gustav Klimt "Kiss" + in one of the last series, Tabuki talks about Schrödinger's cat (let's just say it's not a spoiler, it's just common items in the anime in general).
There are a lot of penguins in the anime. In fact, there are penguins in the name. The fact is that the hat, to facilitate the search for penguin drum, gave the Takakura family three penguins who can do anything! In fact, they often interfere and engage in all sorts of nonsense, but the viewer is amused by five plus. By the way, only three of our heroes see them, and for the rest of the penguins, as if not.
Now a little bit about the downsides or “something I didn’t like.” Okay, most important thing. In the anime there is a Sailor Moon moment. The spirit in the hat looks like Himari, only wearing different clothes. And this process of small change is stylized as a typical transformation of wizards in anime. It’s funny on the one hand, but it’s shown in almost every episode... so, 24 series of the same type of frames. It also takes 3 minutes. I have been doing it since 5.
Sadness and pain are well washed away with water.
One more thing. Of course, this is a very serious claim, but I did not like this plot point. Many heroes remember their childhood problems and carry them throughout their lives. It's wrong. And in principle, as an example of what not to do — it is shown well. And yet, people tend to idealize some other people.
One last thing. Again, dissatisfaction with the plot. Although this can already be attributed to a certain type of development. So it makes no sense to be outraged. And the thing is that one of the heroes again wants to destroy this world.
What a mess and sad thing.
Lately, I’ve become very disillusioned with the products of the anime and film industry. The reason for my disappointment was often the lack of originality, the banality of the storylines as such. It seems that the works I watched can not be called bad, on the contrary, some of them became recognized hits and were highly appreciated by the audience, but for me they were just a great pastime and nothing more.
And so, one night, I stumbled upon the Penguin Drum and, running ahead, I'll say that P.B. is the best anime I've seen in the last 2 years. Why is that? Yes, because it is one of the most original, plotted and scripted creations of the industry as a whole. There is no place for empty dialogue, crappy situations, stupid characters with their illogical behavior and problems sucked out of the finger. There are no flaws in every 3 anime. On the fingers, you can count works in which all the components would be so harmoniously, original and competently submitted. Every scene, every dialogue, and every situation carries meaning, moving the entire narrative to its logical conclusion. But all the charms of P. B. will appreciate only a thinking and attentive viewer. It is for this reason that this anime is “not for everyone”: after all, not everyone will want to strain their brain a little while watching.
What is a penguin drum? P.B. is one of the gems of the entire industry, which proves that there is still room for creative thinking and original approach in anime. We just have to not be afraid not to go on about mainstream production and be unique, unlike anyone creation. Fortunately, P.B. is.
For the Takakura brothers, the brutal reality of life brought bad news. According to doctors, their younger sister Himari has only a few months to live. In order to brighten up the time allotted for her, the brothers decided to arrange "Himari Day" and went to the local aquarium to have a good time, and so that Himari simply had good memories. But that's the day that Himari dies. However, in some inexplicable way, the spirit of an unusual hat, bought earlier in a souvenir shop, enters her. The spirit is called the “survival strategy.” Once Himari puts on this hat, her character changes beyond recognition. A sweet and kind girl turns into a self-centered beauty from a world of illusions. The brothers at first rejoice and do not attach importance to what is happening, but eventually they understand that everything must be paid for. In order for their sister to live, they need to find a mysterious artifact for the spirit called the Penguin Drum.
However, the plot is not limited to this and contains many secrets, and is also able to present surprises and unexpected plot moves. The structure of the series can be described by a wonderful phrase from the fairy tale - a needle in an egg, an egg in a duck, a duck in a hare, a hare in shock. The plot actually with each subsequent series is transformed and by the end will appear in a completely unexpected form. Invariably, only one thing - the house where our main trio lives, he will stand still - reminding his viewer where it all began. The series is not the most popular philosophical series today and requires attention from its viewer, otherwise - you can fall out of the plot. Moreover, the main filling in this work of tragicomedy. I must say that the idea and concept of the work borrowed something from Japanese literature and culture in general. That's actually good. Therefore, to better understand this work, it is advisable to read Miyazawa Kenji “The Tommaso Campanella Affair” as the idea of the series somehow echoes the action of Campanella. It is advisable to read “Children from the Storage” book written by Murakami Ryu. There are suspicions that it is on this principle that the Mawaru Penguindrum operates a container for sending unwanted children.
If you read the story, you wonder if it's stupid. I'll tell you right away, you're mistaken. The story may seem strange at first glance. But this series is a good mature fairy tale and is designed mainly for a mature and thinking audience. Moreover, it is carefully thought out and is very interesting, and when the story is interesting to observe, then the plot in the title is successful. Can you find anything similar in Japanese animation to draw an analogy with Mawaru Penguindrum? Look at any authoritative anime site recommendations and similar titles. There is nothing like the Mawaru Penguindrum. Therefore, we can safely say that the plot is original and the title is a piece work, which means that this series can already be called a cult creation.
I don’t know about you, but during the viewing I was pleasantly surprised by a bright palette of flowers playing with her viewer. Despite the sometimes dramatic and not quite easy atmosphere, the title is not at all gloomy, but on the contrary, it is bright with picturesque and bright landscapes, as well as with a share of surrealism that is full of colors. Surrealism here is easy, rather for the local flavor. However, with its help, the author of the work conveys to his viewer a completely inexplicable sense of the life of the characters of the title. In other words, thinking about the phenomenon of human existence and other philosophical currents are presented to us in a completely non-standard form. Thanks to this, the series has its signature and beautiful highlight. Who's behind the idea? Who's the director? It's all one man Kunihiko Ikuhara. Famous artist and, of course, director of cult creations “Young Revolutionary Utena” and “Beauty-Warrior Sailor Moon Es”. Surrealism and the atmosphere of magic are also present in the above two works. It is not surprising that in his new work “Mawaru Penguindrum” we also see a similar handwriting.
Gotta love penguins I think if you've watched the show carefully, you've seen a penguin boom embedded in the show. That's the authors' funny move. First, penguins are not just clumsy birds that can not fly, but courageous birds that swim perfectly and manage to live in Antarctica. It is not surprising that such funny creatures give an unforgettable flavor to the series. Secondly, the penguins play a comedic role in the series, perfectly removing their stupid situations tension in the series. Therefore, penguins are respected for participating. Survival strategy or the end of the world? Now we move from penguins to our main characters, which are the basis of the engine of history. I have only one word to say about it – wonderful! Truly beautiful characters, there is no character with a stamp. Colorful characters refresh each series very well - with their unpredictability, thereby remaining interesting until the very end.
The drawing is very specific, so you need to get used to it. Firstly, only the main characters are drawn and worked out, and all third-plan faces, for example, people walking around the city look faceless - paper cardboards. However, I see a plus in this, thanks to this approach, the viewer more clearly remembers the main characters. Secondly, the design of the setting, so to speak, simply abounds in bright and colorful colors, like a rainbow boiling. This is also a kind of highlight in the treasury to surrealism. Thirdly, the animation itself is not to say that outstanding, but meets modern standards and is simply good. So technically, I don’t see any disadvantages. Of course, there are certain nuances purely for subjective tastes and no more, and there are no objective disadvantages. Musical design is on top: in OP a wonderful song that fans have already managed to sing in different languages (from Russian to Brazilian), and put on the Internet for free access. Therefore, it can be heard in Russian, understand the words and what its meaning is, and the text, by the way, is very beautiful near the track. The soundtrack is wonderful - the music is perfect for any scene, whether it's a moment of happiness, grief, or an exciting dramatic scene. Sayu match the personality of the character and got used to the role well.
While watching the work, I did not have associations for a minute, I did not see cliches and cliches anywhere. This is a truly original and quality work. Such things in the world of Japanese anime are called piece goods. Don't think about it, I'm not praising the work. This is a truly amazing creation. It is natural that on authoritative sites Mawaru Penguindrum has high ratings and positive reviews. Thank you for your attention and pleasant viewing.
