Initial Anime Review: Mawaru Penguindrum / 輪るピングドラム

*This review has been updated. Click here for final impressions. "MP Final Impressions"

Survival Strategy!

Listen you lowlifes who will never amount to anything!

Hi readers (Jokes aside),

Aye! My memory has been really bad recently, even forgetting two animes on my watching list! <---

So today I will review an interesting anime, Mawaru Penguindrum! (輪るピングドラム)

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:

[Video "ROCK OVER JAPAN" has been removed due to copyright violations. _|_ Bandai]

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 have ANY idea what this is.

And they have to follow a girl called Ringo Oginome for she posseses that drum. The problem is, they don't know what it looks like!

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

On an initial impression, it is VERY psychedelic, the last anime i saw this psychedelic was "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya". There is also quite a strong link with the subway, not really sure why, but there must be some significance. The art is also very closely similar to "Eden Of The East"

Plot wise, it's a very good job, so far, though episode 4 was quite... overwhelming. The theme is definitely family & friendship, how we treasure them, and FATE. For those looking for an INTERESTING anime, got nothing else to watch, or like ECCHI (I guess there are some scenes), this one is ALL4YOU!

So far, it's only at episode 5, so I probably do a later review when it's done!

Mawaru Penguindrum is currently premiering, and has 24 episodes. Fansubs are provided by gg, Nutblazer and ZUM.

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Another review later today!

Hint: Ahh! I dropped my unagi!

And yes the previous hint was wrong! I forgot all about that review! Forgive my forgetfulness!

WWHCurrent
wwhcurrent@gmail.com