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Kunihiko Ikuhara's new TV anime: "Mawaru Penguin Drum"

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What is Mawaru Penguin Drum?

Kunuhiko Ikuhara's new TV anime, produced by Brain Base. Mawaru Penguin Drum is a 24 episode show that began its run today in Japan and will be airing through Summer and Fall.


Who is Kunihiko Ikuhara?

Anime director by day and crossdresser by night, Kunihiko Ikuhara is best known as the director of Revolutionary Girl Utena. He also directed much of Sailor Moon.


What is Mawaru Penguin Drum about?

Penguins.


No, really.

Three siblings, Kanba, Shouma and the in-and-out-of-the-hospital Himari who's in poor health, live together as a trio at the Takakura home. One day, when the siblings are out on a trip to the aquarium, Himari collapses. The doctors state that nothing can be done for her anymore, but then, a miracle occurs...


Who are these characters, anyway?

Kamba Takakura
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Shoma's older twin brother. Unlike his brother, he is very experienced in relationships, and is used to the advances of the fairer sex. He also understands the feelings of his sister more than most people.


Shoma Takakura
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Kamba's younger twin brother. Unlike his brother, he is ignorant and innocent in the ways of love. He is good with his hands, and handles most of the housework in the Takakura household himself.


Himari Takakura
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Shoma and Kamba's sister. The doctor diagnosed that she only had a short time left to live. Although she did die once, the mysterious powers of a penguin hat brought her back.


Ringo Oginome
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A student at Sakuragyoen Girls High. She has an unrequited crush on Shoma and Kamba's homeroom teacher. At first glance she looks like an ordinary high school girl, but...



Staff
Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon S)
Series Director: Shouko Nakamura (Panty & Stocking, Kimi ni Todoke)
Assistant Director: Mitsue Yamazaki (Rozen Maiden, Yozakura Quartet TV)

Series Composition/Screenplay: Kunihiko Ikuhara, Takayo Ikami

Original Character Designs: Lily Hoshino (Otome Yokai Zakuro)
Animation Character Designs: Nishii Terumi (Fushigiboshi no Futago Hime)

Concept Designers: Shouko Nakamura, Katsunori Shibata
Art Directors: Kentaro Akiyama (Ring ni Kakero), Chieko Nakamura (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Music: Yukari Hashimoto (Toradora)
Sound Direction: Ikuhara Kunihiko, You Yamada (30 Year Old Virgin)

Production Studio: Brain's Base (Baccano, Durarara)
 
I'd hit it.

Character design by the Fushigiboshi character designer? Hmmm...
Well that shit was cute I'll give it that.
 
DrForester said:
I hope this show is good. I really do.
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Hahahaha.

The designs remind me of that weird OVA with the "superheroes" and the girl that was too fat and broke one of the girl's costume.

Found it, Kigurumikku V3.
 
AtomskEater said:
Looks... interesting? Not really sure what to think with the information available, but RGU was pretty cool.
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There are penguins. But you might not be able to see them. It is an anime.
 
Utena was magic. There is no way to repeat that kind of masterpiece.
I'm not expecting this to. I'm just expecting cute penguin antics.
 
icarus-daedelus said:
Revolutionary Girl Utena is so good and so unique, it'd be really nice to have something on that level. Or at least trying.
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No, last time something tried to be Utena we got Melody of Oblivion, which while entertaining in it's own right for the most trolling troll ending in history of anime, was no Utena.
 
DrForester said:
No, last time something tried to be Utena we got Melody of Oblivion, which while entertaining in it's own right for the most trolling troll ending in history of anime, was no Utena.
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For what it's worth, Melody of Oblivion and Star Driver both seem to be more like Utena than Penguin Drum. But that might have been the problem. Both MoO and SD feel so much like Utena clones, and end up being inferior wannabes. Pendrum feels pretty... different in terms of themes, tones, etc, but still feels like it's by the same director. I think the one thing Enokido for some reason never managed to copy from Ikuhara, is the brand of humor in Utena.
 
DrForester said:
No, last time something tried to be Utena we got Melody of Oblivion, which while entertaining in it's own right for the most trolling troll ending in history of anime, was no Utena.
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I thought the last thing that tried to be Utena was Star Driver
lol
 
icarus-daedelus said:
I'm honestly not even sure what he means by "this" though, 'cause I still find it hard to grasp what this series is actually about.

What is the 'this' that all anime is like now?!

I don't think you understand what I mean; I never asked for something to try to clone it or even carry the same themes or premise. Though there aren't a whole hell of a lot of those, either.

Just something with a comparable sense of ambition and thoughtfulness behind it, maybe. Which is not terribly common in teh animus no matter what you particularly think of Utena.
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Its about penguins. And drums.
 
DrForester said:
No, last time something tried to be Utena we got Melody of Oblivion, which while entertaining in it's own right for the most trolling troll ending in history of anime, was no Utena.
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You forgot Star Driver. Not worth seeing besides the visuals though.
 
Could someone please be more specific about the plot of this series? What is this miracle and what is going on. Spoiler it if you must, but I'm tired of the entire internet failing me on finding a plot synopsis.

I must know more about these penguins.
 
shaowebb said:
Could someone please be more specific about the plot of this series? What is this miracle and what is going on. Spoiler it if you must, but I'm tired of the entire internet failing me on finding a plot synopsis.

I must know more about these penguins.
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But there really isn't one, that's the idea.
 
icarus-daedelus said:
Seriously.

If it's like the premise of the whole show can it really be considered a spoiler anyway?
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Before ep1 aired, no one had any idea what would actually happen in ep1. After ep1 aired, no one has any idea what would actually happen in ep2. Literally. Episode 2 could open with an alien invasion, and it would not be out of place. Or it could open with a penguin taking a shower. Or it could have a lone gunman hijacking a supermarket. NO ONE KNOWS.
 
I don't think we actually know ANYTHING about the story at this point, that's why I posted that relatively empty summary.
 
duckroll said:
Before ep1 aired, no one had any idea what would actually happen in ep1. After ep1 aired, no one has any idea what would actually happen in ep2. Literally. Episode 2 could open with an alien invasion, and it would not be out of place. Or it could open with a penguin taking a shower. Or it could have a lone gunman hijacking a supermarket. NO ONE KNOWS.
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So it's kind of like FLCL
 
So i just saw the first episode.. and I'm kinda having a hard time processing what i just witnessed, but man this is definitely a ikuhara show.

I think it definitely delivered to my hype because of that aspect alone alongside the art direction being totally fabulous, oh and the penguins are both CUTE and far more sinister then i expected! :o
 
Great episode. Already better than Star Driver ever was. That transforming sequence was awesome. Love the personality of the girl during...
 
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