Mawaru Penguindrum – 19
Truths Born From… Twists?
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Yo reader, glad to have you stop by yet again for another episode of Penguindrum. Before I start, MetaVerse 12 will be out soon, do look forward to that. And I’ve been gaming a lot of Modern Warfare 3. The PPM901 is definitely my favorite gun, and my class is all about speed. I’ll play Skyrim later (especially with Skyward Sword looming near), but for now, MW3 is my game.
When we last left Penguindrum, the Takakura siblings had escaped Tabuki’s punishment… |
With Himari saved, Kanba goes to a restaurant where his mom and dad are at, which is real surprise reveal just so suddenly. The parents are still on there mission and can’t come back home, so they’ve been entrusting Kan with taking care of his bro & sis. As we kind of presumed from last week, Kanba has been getting that money from the Kiga organization.
Tabuki has quit his job as a teacher and has even left Yuri. A flashback revisits the “fake family” line Tabuki said and how Yuri thought that those two uniting together would bring Momoka back. Yuri still wants to move on with bringing Momoka back, but knows that she needs the other half of diary to complete the spell. Also note that curtains have been placed in the condo now since mentioning them in episode 17.
New curtains look nice
In celebration of Himari being released from the hospital, the Takakuras + Ringo celebrate by making a nice meal including some rather expensive Sukiyaki. Sho still doesn’t know where Kan is getting the money from, theorizing that he’s been doing some “hosting” on the side. Ringo gets Himari to give her brothers their gifts for “Brother Appreciation Day”. She made sweaters for them, and the guys really like them. Ringo’s looking for a little bit of thanks from Sho for picking out the yarn color, but he’s too busy thaking Himari. As dinner wraps up with Ringo & Sho handling dishes, Himari later visits Sanetoshi. She knows her illness can’t be cured, and isn’t really feeling right at home, as though she doesn’t belong.
MOO. Also, bonus points if you can name this series.
Later, Masako visits him to ask about how the diary spell works. Sanetoshi isn’t so revealing in his answer, simplyfing his answer to saying “Open Sesame”. After she asks what his plans are with Kanba, she leaves. Sanetoshi’s motives are slightly revealed as he hopes that Masako will burn her half of the diary. He can’t win the “game” so long as it exists. She starts to put it in the fireplace, but sees Mario and wonders if it really can save him.
He’s looking to join Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz on the TV circuit
Kan and Sho are riding the train and Sho is wondering if they’ll be able to stay together as a family, and he hops on the bandwagon of blaming his parents for everything that’s happened, going so far as to saying that they don’t need parents.
Masako visits the Takakura house early in the morn and gives Himari a gift. She welcome’s herself into Himari’s house and insults the interior decorating of the house. The two engage in a battle of foreheads as Himari somehow gets the idea that a present Masako bought for Kanba turned into meat. Masako hates Himari because she thinks that she’s pretending to be his sister, which Himari denies. Himari asks her to leave, but Masako pulls out her gun and a new “recollection” bullet that should help Himari remember her past.
Sho and Kan get home at the same time and are confused by what’s happening. Sho falls down, Masako misses and Himari runs off. Kan grabs her asking why she’s here, and after answering, they here a truck crash. A bunch of Natsume corporation balls are bouncing in the yard, and Himari is hiding behind the giraffe. Himari runs to the wall, avoiding Masako’s shots. Masako eventually corners her and is about to shoot, but Kanba kicks the gun out of her hand.
Himari flashes back to her time spent in the Child Broiler room. As she accepts that she probably never amounted to anything and takes the conveyor belt ride down, she hears a voice asking her to come with them. If you remember the bit about her important person from episode 9, it might be surprising to see the reveal that it’s none other than Shouma. He asks her to come with him, but she doesn’t know how since they’re not family. Simply put, it’s magic. Shouma is Himari’s soulmate.
Himari shared the fruit of fate with Shouma
Weekly Marching of the Penguins:
Dressing up animals for Halloween can be cute. Other times, it looks like this.
Hey jabroni, can you smell-la-la-la-la… what the PENGI… is cooking?
What is she really reading?
A chic-pengi fight is about to start
Shouma and Kanba get some significant twists revealed in quick scenes, and they hit me so quickly and surprisingly that I was actually a bit uncomfortable as to what to make of what I just saw. I’ll start with Shouma, who had been relegated to being “not the cool guy” the past couple of weeks. What a twist it is to have him be Himari’s soulmate. I would’ve guessed it’d been Mario given the events of episode 9, but nope… it’s Sho. It’s a very surprising connection for me because the only piece of plot I can recall that hints at him being Himari’s soulmate was this episode when she saw Sho with Ringo doing dishes; I’m sure there’s a hint or two somewhere I’m not recalling. And I’m thinking it’s Sho that needs to be hit with a Recollection Ball since he very likely has zero memory of that event. Twists like this one make me anxious for a rewatching of the series to find any possible puzzle pieces relating to it. It also puts him and Momoka in the same boat of “Child Broiler Saviors”, a very unlikely connection if you ask me.
It also brings to light something we’ve felt for a while – that the Takakuras aren’t the family we have been led to believe they were from the start. While it’s revealed this episode that Shouma isn’t a true family member (according to Himari), there’s still the question of what Masako said to Himari. Bluffing isn’t really Penguindrum’s game, but it’s kind of crazy to think that maybe none of them are related. When Masako had her character story episode in 16, we never got much of what binds her and Kanba together, so that plus Himari and her attachment to the scarf she was wearing are the items I’m most interested in. Speaking of Masako, her meeting with Sanetoshi added an interesting trait to him in that he can’t touch the diary and that his primary mission to getting the world “back on track” is to remove the diary from the equation. It’s been certain that he’s going against Momoka here in some sense, it’s just the first time I can remember him openly speaking on his motives.
Next is Kanba, who apparently has been in touch with his parents the whole time. It was foreshadowed when Tabuki threw out those pictures, but it was surprising to see them pop up, and I like how the episode opens with it to immediately give ya something to think about as the OP plays. When you think about the events of episode 18, it kind of adds an interesting idea to what Kanba was thinking at the time. Here the guy knew where his parents were the whole time, but wasn’t willing to give up that information to have Tabuki let go of Himari. It’s possible to see it in a way that makes Kanba look bad (maybe go too far as to say villainous), but also that he’s working double-time to keep his parents’ whereabouts a secret and save Himari. I also keep thinking of that Debt Spiral slogan everytime Kan gets money. Is it not really debt if his father’s getting it for him?
I also want to mention director Keiji Gotoh. He was involved in episode 10 of this series, which was known for not being the most high-quality episode of Penguindrum. This guy did all the work for 19, and he’s kind of had the (perhaps) bad luck of following episodes 9 & 18, well-regarded by many as the best looking Penguindrum has been. I think he did better this time around, but his style is much easier to do with a lot of still shots and not a heavy amount of movement or stylistic touches.
Episode 20 Preview:
(Side note: It makes me a bit sad that MPD hasn’t been licensed for American release. I’d love to own a special edition of the series with like a penguin figure or w/e.)
About Jrow
Produces the MetaVerse podcast. Also plays games and watches sports of all sorts. Is an actual Pirate King.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
Yay! Penguindrum!
Thinking back to Episode 1, where we hear that whole “I hate fate” thing, I think it’s Kanba saying that because he loves Himari, but she ate the apple with Shouma, meaning they’re more connected. Kanba wants to be with Himari, and it seems obvious that he really loves her. So naturally Kanba would hate fate because it would dictate that he couldn’t marry Himari or whatever.
As for family, I think Shouma and Kanba are twins, with Himari in some sort of adoption position. Or possibly they’re all from different parents. But for sure, Himari does not fit in with the Takakuras as a blood-related family member. (Although looking at the parents finally, it seems like only Kanba fits in with them. And the fact that Kanba and Shouma are supposed to be twins, even though it’s like Kanba aged faster…)
I was disappointed with the still shots. They might be interesting for someone, but not me…
Now I’m a little worried for Ringo as well, seeing as she likes Shouma, and he is bound to Himari in some way… I’d prefer Shouma and Ringo, and then Kanba and Himari, personally, knowing now that the family isn’t a full-on family and it isn’t really incest. (Hopefully)
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
For clarification’s sake, Shouma starts ep. 1 with “I hate fate” and Kanba ends the episode on it.
Shouma and Kanba being related is certainly still on the table; it seems like the only logical pairing given the information we have. And jumping to another point of yours, I prefer Shouma and Ringo too, but now fear what Himari or Penguin Hat Himari would make Shouma do.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
Ah wonderful. I forgot (again.) Gosh, this show throws so much at us I can’t remember it all.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
Oh lord that’s Melody of Oblivion I think.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
Correct! That was like ep. 23 or 24, just a really strange scene.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I heard you like twists so I…never mind HOLY CRAP! This episode was sooooo good and lots of big secret reveals around Shouma, Himari and Kanba!
I was starting to think during Himari’s interview with the doctor she seemed to hate the idea of Ringo getting closer to Shouma, after she made the comment of returning things to the way they used to be. Well I don’t think Himari hates her but who knows! I did love the reveal of Shouma being Himari’s special person, now to see more drama next time…
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
I’m totally cool with you putting twists in my twists so I can twist while I twist. 😛
It could become another girl rivalry in the show with Himari coming to hate Ringo which really would be an interesting turn of events.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I completely agree that it is a damned shame that we haven’t heard anything about licensing for this title. It has to be considered one of the best series of the year.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
I hope Funi or whoever comes to there senses and see the buzz Penguindrum is getting. It’s big in the aniblog realm, so maybe I’m not seeing that it’s not so popular outside of there, what with streaming catching steam these days.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I may just be hopelessly cynical, but I have a feeling we’ll see a Maken-Ki licensing announcement before someone comes to their senses on PenguinDrum.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
Likely the case. Heck, Mashiro Symphony and Majikoi already got picked up by Sentai.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ and Vocaloid Fangirl with 363 comments
Well I just got mindblown. Again. Even more amazing is how I (and I’m sure most of us) can actually still remember all the information dumped onto us every episode and link them all together :\
My guess is that both Masako and Kanba are siblings and share the same dad, because if I recall correctly Masako’s dad also had to leave her with her grandfather under some mysterious conditions! Perhaps Kanba, Masako & Shouma were are all once siblings, until Shouma gave that apple to Himari to change fate, and that somehow caused Masako and Himari to swap places? Which is why Masako is all -give me back my love argh-
I don’t really know actually, it’s all too confusing now but I’m sure the truth will be something mindblowing yet again xD This show just keeps getting better and better.
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
Mindblown should be a new tag for me to use in these posts XD. But yeah, I usually recall stuff and then check my writings or the ep itself to make sure I get what someone said or did right.
I really like your theory. Gecko up higher in the comments was mentioning how Sho and Kan still could be related, so transferring the fate from having Masako as a sis to Himari seems possible.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 199 comments
I vote for Takakura’s are not siblings at all.
And Shoma knows something more than it seems (or he forgot something, or someone made him forget it) – maybe he is Momoka’s reincarnation! That’d be mindblowing.
I’m curious about Kanba’s connection to his parents. It seems that somehow he wants to be accepted by them and “join the gang” more than anything. It’s Kanba’s soft side? 😀
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
Shoma = Momoka. Does this equation possibly add up? And yeah, mind would be blown.
The other element of Kanba to throw in is him affiliating with Sanetoshi to “take back the world”. Sanetoshi keeps saying the mission is to do what his parents couldn’t, so why would he join unless it’s to be a double agent? He seems to have his parent’s approval, though he seems understanding about what it is they are doing.
POWUH: 400-499 with 406 comments
Penguindrum never fails to confuse me. To be honest, I still don’t really get what the events are leading to. But damn, this episode. The Takakuras are a whole new mystery now. What is going on?
POWUH: 1000-1099 and Pirate King with 1048 comments
I also wonder what it’s all leading up to (aside from the obvious magical penguin drum device thing). Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s the penguindrum we’re looking for cause so much other stuff gets thrown at me and catches my attention.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Pengi PORN as anaaga would say. Srsly, just look at that stare.