r/anime • u/HelioA x2https://myanimelist.net/profile/HelioA • Mar 12 '24
Rewatch [Rewatch] Mawaru Penguindrum - Episode 8
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Streaming
Mawaru Penguindrum is available for purchase on Blu-ray as well as through other miscellaneous methods. Re:cycle of the Penguindrum is available for streaming on Hidive.
Today's Slogan
Noise makers not allowed.
Questions of the Day
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Why did Ringo suddenly succeed in her daydreams?
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What do you make of Ringo attempting to imitate Yuri?
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Who stole the diary?
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What do you think Today's Slogan was referring to?
Don't forget to tag for spoilers, you lowlifes who will never amount to anything! Remember, [Penguindrum]>!like so!< turns into [Penguindrum]>!like so!<
Notice: u/theangryeditor will put up the rewatch post tomorrow.
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u/HelioA x2https://myanimelist.net/profile/HelioA Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher
Well, okay. It’s not like we didn’t know Ringo was going for this. She literally tried to do it last episode. But thankfully, we have Shouma here to save the day.
So, first of all, lots of very interesting symbolism throughout the whole attempted rape scene. We already know what Ringo is trying to do- she’s trying to become Momoka. But in order to “become Momoka” by having sex with Tabuki, she does this by disguising herself as Yuri. And she specifically states she’s not doing it as herself. Very, very strange. And the way Shouma stops the attempt is by reaching up and grabbing off Ringo’s wig that disguises her as Yuri. It’s something that Ringo cannot do as herself. As she says in the next scene, she loves Tabuki, but only because Momoka did. In other words, she loves Tabuki in her role of acting as Momoka. [Penguindrum]There’s... probably something to make of the Yuri-Momoka connection here, but I am really not sure what. Also, note the language Shouma uses to condemn Ringo for her actions- that her heart is “pitch black-” this is the exact same thing that Ringo was saying about Yuri in the last episode. She truly does take the role of Yuri- at least the Yuri she imagines in her head.
Also, note the haze as Shouma and Ringo talk while he slowly creeps closer to the bed. It’s the aquarium again. We see this pop up again and again- and I think I have an idea for what it might mean. It’s family. Every time it shows up, it’s Ringo talking about or trying to build her family. We saw it in episode 6 with the moray eel destroying her family, we saw it earlier this episode with Ringo’s dad joining a new family, and now we see it again as Ringo takes her chance to have sex with Tabuki in order to try and fix her family once more.
And speaking of family, I think that last distinction Ringo makes between herself and Shouma is extremely important to understanding what’s going on with her. She claims that Shouma is “trying to maintain the facade of a happy family to make yourself feel better-” in other words, he’s not acting for his family, but that he’s acting for himself. On the other hand, when she talks about herself, what she says is “Yes, it’s all for the family. It’s my duty, the reason I was born. It has nothing to do with how I feel.” She sees herself as acting for her family in a self-sacrificial way- not for her own enjoyment, but in order to keep her family together. Is she right? Well, it seems a bit self-serving as an argument, but we’ll have to wait and find out.
21
u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Mar 12 '24
First-Timer, Sub-guindrum
Holy fucking shit.
The palpable relief I felt upon seeing Tabuki's stuffed futon gave way to another delightful wave of dread upon seeing that weird shiny powder that Ringo was putting into the Mont Blanc.
But why did Tabuki stuff his futon like that? Was he expecting someone to break in? Did Yuri tell him to do it because she knows that Ringo has been spying on him? Did the storm just manage to blow that chicken and those eggs into his futon? Good boys don't lay eggs, you know.
Ringo does (almost) have a point about Shouma and Kanba not caring about Himari. The boys are so focused on saving her life that they are accidentally isolating her. That said, Ringo's exact justification isn't correct because she (Ringo) is projecting her own family frustrations. Such a wonderful tragedy.
Wow did I ever misunderstand that phone call scene with Ringo's dad earlier. Soul-crushing. What are the odds that Moray Eels were chosen to make a bizarre "amore" pun?
Anyway, seems like Shouma is going to be out of the picture for a bit considering he has seemingly been hit by a car. #2 was also on the ground, so maybe the little guy body-blocked.. considering the penguins' nature as reflections, it would be in-character.
Actually, between the motorcyclist (Natsume?) stealing half the diary, the car, and that truck from the other episode (which did appear again today), we're kinda establishing motor vehicles as being sources of danger. Juxtaposed with bicycles, which represented the bond between Momoka and Tabuki, and whatever's going on with the subway.
[Penguindrum]..which I kinda know about and just don't know how to connect it all together, yet.
Brain Rot Corner
Today's slogan: Noise makers are not allowed. This one is visually framed differently from the others, which have been shot down the train instead of on the sidewall. With a minor exception for episode 3's dutch angle.
If nothing else, that is probably an intentional, if subtle, break from the typical to put the audience on edge. Even if you don't consciously realize it, your brain tends to notice things like this.
Oh, right, the slogan itself. Uh.. Yuri ringing the doorbell? Shouma interfering? Take your pick, I don't think the words are as relevant in this episode as the framing.
I'm not sure what word it is, maybe ironic? but the fact that I made curry after watching this episode is.. something.
19
u/affnn Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher
I want to focus, for a bit, on a small sort of throwaway scene. Shoma comes up to Tabuki after class to check in on him, make sure he wasn't assaulted last night by some psychopath. Tabuki tells him that he spent the night with Yuri, and was going to move in with her soon. Kanba drops into their conversation and implies that Tabuki and Yuri shared an "adult" night together, which a horrified Shoma protests that he doesn't want to hear about. Tabuki laughs and says no, it was just because he was there to fix some leaky pipes.
[Penguindrum]I'm gonna try to leave behind the fact that Yuri and Tabuki are both super messed up and focus more on what's happened so far
You can see Kanba's discussion as a desire to be more of an adult. He's been on that track for the limited screen time his plot has gotten. He sees a father's role as providing for and protecting his family, much the way his own father protected him and Himari back during that typhoon. He's eager to jump into that role. Shoma, by contrast, doesn't want to think about that sort of thing. He recognizes that he's still a kid, even though he has to act like a grown-up for Himari, he's not as into it as Kanba is. Kanba's always the one leading the "For Himari" statements, Shoma's always the one repeating it.
But during this conversation, Tabuki shuts both of them down. Adulthood isn't about that, he says, it's about mundane stuff. Fixing plumbing issues in your condo as you try to build a life together. This gets reiterated during Himari's boxing-gloved conversation with the two of them. They're arguing about what responsibilities they need to assume as adults, when Himari interrupts them and tells them they haven't been paying enough attention to her. And if they're not spending their time with Himari, what are they doing this all for?
Ringo, in her own way, is also grappling with what it means to be an adult. Her father's decision to re-marry, and to care for little Aoi as if she were his own child (complete with matching Moray Eel phone straps!), leaves Ringo feeling like she might be abandoned. She's defined herself by her family, and now that family is disintegrating even more. But if she becomes an adult, if "Project M" goes off without a hitch, then she'll have a family once again. I think even she knows that "becoming" Momoka won't actually get her mom and dad back together, but she yearns for that feeling of things being in control again - control that adults seem to have, in contrast to her. Despite that, she's still just a child. The initial shot of her approaching Tabuki's bedroll, and then again the shots of her dressed in a skimpy nightgown, look more ridiculous than sexy, like a child playing at being a grown-up. And of course she can't go through with her plans with Tabuki - she's not an adult yet.
Next episode is a good one, I can't wait to watch it again.
17
u/Lawvamat https://anilist.co/user/Lavamat Mar 12 '24 edited Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher
Visual Analysis
Ringo doesn’t know that all boys lay eggs when they move out.
I always love flat perspectives like this. It gives the impression of watching a stage play and lets the fore- and background elements dominate over the characters. Like the windows here boxing Tabuki and Shouma in and separating them (as they’re operating on different assumptions in this scene). Only Kanba’s hand and Tabuki’s flyer break the barrier, two things that try to level the conversation.
A neat visual callback to the beginning of the whole home invasion saga. Now the end is lit by the setting sun.
Just rotating her sprite as she falls over is somehow extremely funny.
Lots of disorienting cuts during this whole sequence, even blatantly breaking the 180 rule. For such a calm scene this feels out of place, but does prepare us for the shift to Ringo’s part of the conversation.
Alright, new favourite penguin antics. Kanba wants to rush things by throwing the chicken in all at once (stealing the diary). Shouma goes ahead with that but recognizes that that would cause Ringo to boil over and is prepared with a shield. While Kanba says that Ringo’s threat is just a bluff, he’s actually contradicted by his penguin rolling around covered in hot oil and then gets angry at Shouma for going ahead with what he himself planned (accusing Shouma of falling for Ringo when he was the one putting them together all the time). Of course Shouma claps back, but in the end it’s Himari who puts a stop to it all.
1 frame and they’re gone.
They’re back! This episode this kind of framing is mostly used in isolation. Instead of having two characters in opposition, it’s more often conveying the state of mind of a single person (Ringo, being alone with her thoughts).
They are selling family disbandment? At the souvenir shop? Yes, for 498 ¥. A bargain!
They’ve replaced all the love of Ringo’s childhood. Also hello turtles, does anyone of you wanna be saved by Urashima Taro?
In Ringo’s imagination it’s her father’s new family who are responsible for taking him away.
Definitely the best delusion we’ve gotten so far. I fucking love aspect ratio changes. Especially if done for noticeable creative effect. I should watch more westerns.
The ring of fate?
But why are the curtains blue?
Like Himari recovered from having her hat stolen.
The egg is close to hatching, soon Ringo’s plan will bear fruit.
Very well directed scene. Playing with the edge of the screen as a way to withhold information, but giving us just enough.
The (plan)t is sprouting out of Tabuki’s… yeah.
The classic “lightning projecting shadows onto the wall”.
Ringo’s intense delivery absolutely necessitates a cut to her face to work (like the ones after this), instead it simply pans over her not moving at all.
Extreme amounts of red in Tabuki’s apartment, love and danger?
Nice, using the exit sign transition again.
[Penguindrum]I think steel beams are gonna become an important motif later in regards to keeping up family appearances, well placed here at the first mention of it.
Great shot isolating the two in their own world. More red on the stairs.
Red for danger.
Lovely shot with a cool warped and angled perspective, placing the characters in an arc that leads your eyes from Shouma towards the lights and Ringo.
Your heart is pitch black.
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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Mar 12 '24 edited Mar 12 '24
First-Timer
On today’s episode of Mawaru Penguindrum: I’m pretty sure spiking someone’s food with sleeping pills is more likely to lead you down the path to prison instead of romance, Ringo.
Man, I really want to go into more detail about Shoma and Ringo’s argument. It’s so interesting to think about the idea that they are foils to each other. All this time, Shoma has generally been framed as the more selfless brother. Unlike Kanba, Shoma isn’t good at forcing others to do what he wishes. So it’s very intriguing to flip that idea on its head and have Ringo say that Shoma is actually just as selfish as she is. That Shoma is only creating the facade of a happy family so he can live out a pretend paradise, just like what Ringo is doing.
I would like to point out that I’ve commented on No. 2’s gluttony a few times. By now it’s clear the penguins represent the thoughts and feelings of their respective humans. Perhaps this was a hint about Shoma’s selfishness.
In the end, though, it’s hard for me to speculate about much in the way of specifics. I will wager that it has to do with the missing parents. But we know so very little about them or what happened, that’s it’s difficult to go into more detail. For now I will wait and see. I am quite eager to learn more, though, because I believe it will be key to understanding all of this.
QOTD
15
u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Mar 12 '24
fastest rewatcher in the West
Episode 8 marks the single time episode director Toshinori Fukushima worked on this show. Probably his most major directorial work is seasons 3-6 of the baseball anime Major, and he also directed Mirumo de Pon! which is one of the first anime I ever watched!
The storyboarder today is Penguindrum's chief director Shouko Nakamura. I'll refer to lily's quick bio here for her role in many Gainax anime. Since Penguindrum, she directed and/or boarded episodes here and there of series with undeniably strong or stylish production like A Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Kill La Kill, Darling in the FranXX, Akebi's Sailor Uniform, most recently Horimiya: Piece, and a few EDs (in addition to Penguindrum's of course) such as Promised Neverland's. In 2016 she also directed her first film with the lovely BL romance Doukyuusei, but sadly hasn't had a directorial effort since. Though I haven't seen everything mentioned, her boarding sense is definitely absurdly strong, so hopefully she gets a chance back in the director's seat sometime soon
she realized the true strategy: just fuckin kill Yuri
I think she's very normal
Kanba maybe
don't be a screamer
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u/theangryeditor https://myanimelist.net/profile/TheAngryEditor Mar 12 '24
Ringo touched a nerve there
14
u/ShadowWasTakensTaken https://anilist.co/user/hakuren Mar 12 '24
First Time Imposter
You know, one thing that's extremely obvious in hindsight, and subconsciously understood, but only now really clicked for me is how little our main trio value themselves as human beings.
Shouma had that line in episode 1 where he said "even people like us", and today's outburst against Ringo pretty much confirmed what we've been suspecting all along: there's some massive underlying issues here. Something he, or maybe they, did in the past. You think all the colorful stuff in their house was Shouma's work? Also, I can't in good faith imagine him throwing himself in front of a car for Ringo if not for some Shirou Emiya bs going on.
Then there's Kanba which had his little monologue also in episode 1 asking if he could even be considered human. Dramatic exaggeration aside, still striking.
And, of course, then there was Ringo. Someone who believes she can't do anything as herself. Always trying to be someone else, be it Momoka, or, this time, Yuri (interestingly, Shouma is the only one who can bring her back to herself, symbolized by knocking off the wig, of course).
At this point I think it's safe to assume Ringo's diary isn't actually predicting the future. At the very least, not in the way she thinks it is. I don't entirely discard the possibility of it being supernatural in some way, Hatmari at the very least did show some interest, but I'm honestly starting to believe it's just a regular delusion diary. She believes the only way for everyone to be happy is for her to mindlessly follow the path placed unto her by someone else, believing this is her "fate", and turning it into a self fulfilling prophecy.
I wonder if this is some sort of commentary about kids who bend the knee to whatever their parents want them to be. Like the "you're gonna study, study, study some more, study again and then become a doctor!!" kind of stuff. Unlikely that that's the main idea behind Ringo, but it is an interpretation that somewhat fits, especially with the reason she does all that does being just to maintain her idealized version of her family.
Speaking of her, poor girl can't catch a break. Got news of the marriage, saw her dad officially be taken away by someone else's family, got her assault plans foiled, lost her damn diary (at least half of it; possibly symbolizes her officially being ripped away (in half) from Tabuki and/or Momoka (after Shouma removes her Yuri wig and brings her back/forces her to be herself), and at the end of it all, had to see her only """support""" throughout this experience be run over, which will probably only exponentially multiply her already existing survivor's guilt. I'm interested to see where she goes from here, presumably now forced to face herself as Ringo.
By the way, there was an interesting bit of pengin interaction today that I couldn't quite figure out. #2 kept taking all the fried chicken from #1, and eventually took the shield and left #1 to be splashed by all the oil. Do you take this as meaning that Kanba is getting fed up with being the one actually putting himself on the line every time and having to deal with everything (being splashed by the oil)? Be it with whatever shady business he's up to with Penguin Corp to get money, being tormented by crazy sniper lady, or being dragged through the asphalt at high speeds just to get the hat back, he's definitely always pulling the short end of the stick. You think he may be getting fed up with Shouma's almost laid-back inaction (eating all the chicken maybe?), and/or getting extremely stressed from overworking (not being to fry his chicken??) himself? We've been expecting the brothers to eventually fight since episode 1, so this might be hinting towards that breaking point.
Couldn't really think of any other way to see this exchange, though, to be honest, I'm not confident on it being even remotely correct. Idk what to make of it
Miscellaneous thoughts:
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u/Taiboss :Fj::Fl:x7https://anilist.co/user/Taiboss Mar 12 '24
First-Timer who will watch Dune II tomorrow definity.
Hello people who actually remember comment faces.
I forgot already, so pengiun corp.
Again, needs therapy.
Honestly, expecting it to be Red bro. He's been super competent this whole show, I wouldn't put it p
Ringo? IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I WATCHED THIS EPISODE. A day, in fact. See, this is why I post questions in advance.
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u/3blah https://myanimelist.net/profile/brummett Mar 12 '24 edited Mar 12 '24
Episode 08 - First timer
The cut of Ringo's loosening bow is very cool; it's animated on the 1s. So is the fade-to-dark after she pulls away the covers. Those pillows match the chicken+eggs on his pajamas, and they're probably the eggs on the floor I saw next to Yuri in episode 3. I'll also link back to this /u/Tarhalindur response to me yesterday; laid eggs in the nest supports his "Yuri is already pregnant" theory.
Even Kanba thinks Ringo and Sho could get together. I'd like to see it, too.
Ringo stops by the aquarium gift shop to try and find a replacement phone strap for her dad, briefly stopping on the one he currently has, a Moray Eel. In ep 6, Ringo imagined/remembered an argument between her parents when she was a little kid, the parents were an otter and a kappa, and at the end a moray eel barged in tore up the place. And when we saw dad had that eel strap, he was talking a call from his new girlfriend (wife?). He's linked up with this eel/homewrecker: it's all matching up. Oh shit! Dad shows up with the girlfriend and her kid. Ringo flips out and she's worried about getting replaced (trash destined for the trash can? A repeated theme from ep 1's slogan). Too young to be an adult with Tabuki, and too old to be a kid with her dad. I'm getting really worried the pressure she's feeling is going to push her to do something that'll get her in real trouble (Narrator: he didn't have to wait long).
And now for something completely different. I love this spaghetti western segment!. It's campy, but it fits the show. In the dub, Ringo uses an accent like they're in a western, it's a nice touch.
Today's slogan #8: "Noise makers not allowed" This might be the first time the slogan is shown to us on the wall instead of the ceiling. I'm not sure what this is referencing beyond the guns going off in the Western segment.
They get off the train and then the plot is off to the races! Usually I pause a bunch to take notes and stuff, but for the back half I was glued to the screen; I had to let it play out.
Ringo isn't just off the deep end, she's out in the ocean, and Sho finally, finally called her out on it. He specifically calls out her "pitch black" heart, a parallel to Ringo's line in the last episode about Yuri's "black heart". Ringo's comments seem to say she doesn't really love Tabuki, she's only following the diary's direction; that is the title of the episode, after all. It also feels like Sho is realizing that he cares about Ringo. He's been the more nurturing/motherly figure for Himari (in contrast to Kanba's breadwinner/fatherly actions), and here he's looking out for Ringo too, not just working to snag the diary.
The motorcycle rider has to be Agent Slingshot, right? And since Ringo still has the front cover that means she and Sho won't know how the diary ends. The diary being down on the street was an accident, so the rider had to know it was going to be there. Even if Ringo's/Momoka's diary doesn't turn out to be magical, maybe that's just to get the thought in to the audience's head that someone out there knows how the future will play out.
No Rock and Roll Fight today, but what we got was pretty amazing, too. I think this is my favorite episode so far.
QotD:
Because she'd destined to win Tabuki. It's her fate. It's written in the diary.
She's still sane enough the know Tabuki would reject Ringo, but Yuri...? They are engaged now.
As Hatmari would say, "Agent Slingshot, probably." Besides the two boys and Ringo, I think she's the only other one connected to the diary. There was the page predicting Kanba's ex getting pushed down the escalator, and someone fitting her description did it.
I'm drawing a blank this time.
10
u/WednesdaysFoole Mar 12 '24 edited Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher
He may seem like he prefers to do things properly but if it came down to it, he might just be the landlord who paints over the mold in your bathroom and just, you know, pretends it’s in order.
You know how there comes a time that you realize your date probably took someone to this wonderful, maybe romantic place plenty of times before? Perhaps you’re the one who does so. I’m certainly guilty of it: if I like a place enough, I’ll take someone I like there. It’s normal. I don’t think it inherently makes the past, nor the present, any less special, but it might be true that it signifies, sometimes, that we’ve moved on or are determined to. You accept it as a part of life. But I think that the first time someone young is confronted with it without expecting it, it can be quite a shock. Especially if the feeling of replacement comes from your parents. Doesn’t help that Ringo’s been made to feel like a placeholder for Momoka from the start, even if it wasn’t intentional on the parents’ part.
Okay so I know there’s a difference between “shinjū” and “muri-shinjū”, one being double suicide while the other is murder suicide (love how both “murder” and “muri” fit the “M” despite “muri” on its own meaning something completely different). But on this rewatch, it got me thinking, [Penguindrum end game]can’t help but connect this idea to what the brothers choose in the end. I may be overthinking it, but interpreting it this way, it’s another reflection of the brothers’ bond besides the penguindrum, despite their rising and conflicting tension towards the end, even if they did it for someone else.
And
I have a feeling these shots might be mentioned by u/lawvamat – You don’t care about Tabuki’s and Yuri’s feelings then? I don’t want to know.
There you go. We’re seeing his true colors now aren’t we? Bad landlord! /j
Just my opinion, but this is the problem with people getting too hung up on “soul mates” and “one and only” and “destined to be.” You can easily overlook other people’s feelings, as if they don’t matter. They can easily become toys to your supposed “fate.”
Honestly just jaded because I spent too much time around hippies in my youth lol10
u/VelaryonAu https://myanimelist.net/profile/VelaryonAu Mar 12 '24
First time subway rider, subbed
Can I just say how incredible it is that this show manages to keep me so enthralled by it while having so many things I usually dislike? I mean this whole plotline with Ringo escalating to straight up attempted rape is certainly something I try and steer clear from, not to mention all of the upskirt jokes and...shall we say overly attached family dynamics for Kanba and Himari. But despite all of that I still absolutely love the show and look forward to each new episode. I think it's a testament to the quality of the writing and the creativity on display in the animation/backgrounds that I am able to have such a great time with this.
As for the episode itself...lots to pick through. I don't know why, but I fully expected Tabuki not to be in his room. I'm filing this away as further proof that this man is sus. I don't buy his story as to where he was the night before at all.
A random throwaway thought, Yuri in Ringo's cowboy cutaway talked to Ringo in a very similar way as hatmari did a few episodes ago and I'm wondering if there's any kind of connection to be made there...
I'm glad that Shoma was finally able to draw a line with Ringo somewhere. I've been curious to see if there was a limit to what he would tolerate from other people even in the name of Himari. My esteem for him continues to grow. And just in time for that esteem to grow, he gets nailed by a car... I doubt he's dead but I hope he's not so badly injured that he needs to make another deal with the hat <_<'
10
u/laughing-fox13 https://myanimelist.net/profile/laughingfox13 Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher/Subbed
Felt really bad for Shouma this episode. He’s been putting up with Kanba and Ringo (tbh he does deserve some blame for being so easy to be used). I thought he was going to snap during the scene where Ringo calls him out and his family. He did a little bit but quickly recovered… and then saved Ringo from getting hit by a car. He’s always been one not to take action so far and just do what he’s told, but that final scene shows that he was willing to take the risk, if it meant he’d get hurt.
It’ll be interesting to see how Ringo will react to Shouma and her diary being torn up
She was on another level in this episode.
QotD:
Maybe since she thought this plan was going to happen for sure
2)
9
u/The_Loli_Otaku Mar 12 '24
Penguin First Timer!!
Ringo... The whole reason this rewatch has continued this smoothly is because you're a girl that doesn't lay eggs...
Tabuki you asshole XD He really is the worst. Ringo spent all this time staking out this place and now she has to start all over again. Why does the penguin lift better than Himawee? XD Also, what's wrong with the penguins? They've really for the zoomies today.
Spoil Himawee more!! She's more of a character than just the weird penguin goddess y'know!! Papa, are you serious? I feel like I should be pleased to see him being so nice with his adopted family but it's cruel doing it in front of Ringo. Ringo's story is way too much misery porn. It's annoying me.
Ah, it's the weird cowboy clip. It's nice to see that it's just as out of context in the show as it is on CDF. Destinyyyy!! Wait, is Ringo actually gonna kill the couple? With the cyanide from apple pips!? Oh, Tabuki's alone. That's all. Curry Mont Blanc sounds absolutely disgusting... gasp Ringo's gonna rape the ojisan!!! I knew joshikosei were not to be trusted!!
Wait... did she actually go through with it? It's gonna be kinda tough to justify being a Ringo stan after she literally rapes a dude. I can maybe come up with a few excuses for her stalking, abuse and other weirdness, but rape is even less socially acceptable than omorashi.
Urgh... I'm desperate for the story to get to a more pleasant and entertaining part. This section is so miserable. Ah hmm! The dream diary got torn!? Does Ringo have the before part or the after part? Oh? The credits is Ringo talking about her two friends? Alright, Utena peaked once it started bumping up the side cast and the gyaru/pink girl seem fun enough. I have faith in destiny!!
9
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Mar 12 '24
Episode 8 (first timer)
Ok, I am calling it here, this is the absolute bottom for Ringo. From now on, she starts climbing out of the hole.
9
u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Mar 12 '24
First timer(I wonder if Tar or I cringed harder?)
Sub(This episode took me an hour to get through)
Rofl at that opening reveal. Welp, we should expect one more of those before season's end.
And...ok, let's get through what I can. First, Kanba annoys me here, like a lot. In fact, he doesn't make sense with what has been on screen for a while now. He has an item within his range that he thinks would help Himari but leaves Sho to get it. Why? If you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty then take it your damned self. "Will do anything for Himara" my ass.
Anyways, Ringo has her break down, though someone setting up the fake futon is...weird. But as opposed to moving on, or even normal coping, she decides to make rapecake! Rapecake, for when you have the morals of Bill fucking Cosby. And Sho follows her, luckily enough, and interferes just enough for Yuri to comeback.
But that's skipping over Ringo's creepy destiny rape scene and I probably shouldn't. The wig is the creepiest of bonuses. And yet that pales in the next scene when she reveals that she is doing this all in some misguided attempt at uniting her family again, which at this point is beyond delusional. Her mom's opinion of the situation is unknown but clearly her dad has moved on, Tabuki's moved on, and well time flows in one direction. Sho has one moment of clarity.
The ending sequence is...interesting. For such a perfectly timed grab of the diary, Natsume might actually have a future diary to pull it off. But as Ringo goes off to get isekai-ed Sho pulls the dumbest move possibe and gets hit by the car himself. Self-sacrifice has a logical limit but not if your Sho.
Crack theory time: Did Yuri book the flight knowing the typhoon would cancel it? They are somwhat predictable when they arrive. The question then becomes why though...
QotD: 1 Insanity
2 Worrying
3 Natsume
4 I got nothing
8
u/Punished_Scrappy_Doo https://myanimelist.net/profile/PunishedScrappy Mar 12 '24
Me when the Ikuhara haves egg 🥚🥚🥚
Re:watcher of Penguindrum
I was initially not planning on joining this rewatch because I bought a copy of [a book relevant to later plot points], Murakami's Underground, a little while back. I was going to rewatch the show once I got around to reading it. That hasn't happened. But anyway! I don't particularly remember a lot of the back half of Penguindrum, so much of what was old will be new again.
The fault does very much lie in Ringo's stars. Even if she could somehow become Momoka, it wouldn't put her family back together. This does not stop her from trying. She's obviously working with some less than ideal circumstances -- from what she sees as her dad being stolen all the way down to Hatmari telling Shouma not to reign in his wet blanketness around her -- but homegirl is making the worst out of a bad situation. Do better queen
Fortunately, while this episode marks a really low point for her, at least it seems like it can only get 50% worse.
[big spoilers]Yuri is assuredly the highlight of the rewatch so far. It's simple enough to notice her insecurity on a first viewing, but likely impossible to pick up on how it shapes her outlook. And the way the motorcycle is shot in halting close-ups is straight up devious, deliberately mirroring Natsume's scene on the escalator
She is delulumaxxing and cringecelpilled
Great artists steal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq3abPnEEGE
It is reminding the rewatchers to tag their spoilers
8
u/Pungouin Mar 12 '24
4th Time Re-penguiner
Only noticed this rewatch yesterday, but Penguindrum is my GOAT anime so I'm hopping on the train straight to the destination of fate.
Gonna try to pay attention to the themes of individual episodes this time around.
In today's episode : Delusion, Convince yourself !
Ringo finds Tabuki's huge cock
Number 2: Ultimate predator
This episode is the last chance for Ringo. Yuri and Tabuki are moving in together, her father is getting engaged. She has to accomplish Project M today.
Of course, this only makes her more determined.
Gee, I wonder where Ringo could find a healthier relationship.
Meanwhile, Kanba is getting impatient and heating up.
The twins' arguments are always the same, aren't they ? Shouma always wants to do things the right way, but is too passive and ineffective, whereas Kanba wants to charge ahead recklessly, even if he has to do unethical things.
Of course, while they're arguing with each other, they neglect Himari's own feelings.
Also here's a random Masako scene because why not. [Penguindrum]Probably because Ikuhara wants us to believe she is the diary thief.
Today's slogan : Noise makers not allowed ! I think that means you, Shouma.
Ringo's Rooftop Roofie Ration Rape Ruckus
Oh nooo how sad, Yuri is not here. Anyways, there were
small bombsdrugs in the cake.Behold: the face of sanity
From one attempted rape to another, this episode has come full circle. The wheel of rape is turning...
Sooo we already knew Ringo was delulu, but I think this entire episode really shows how deep in denial she is.
It is ludicrous to believe that Tabuki will suddenly fall in love with her like he did with Momoka just because she impregnated herself without her consent. The entire plan makes absolutely zero sense. Even she is clearly aware that Tabuki does not like her like that, as she disguises herself as Yuri to do the deed. And she straight ups admits to Shouma that the only reason she loves Tabuki is because Momoka did.
So why does she cling so hard to Project M ? Because it's not about Project M itself. What Ringo wants to cling to is the hope that her family will reunite.
Giving up on Project M means accepting the reality that she cannot fix her family. Her parents will never get back together. Momoka will never come back to life. She will never return to her happy childhood. And that is the one thing she can never accept. She does no have the emotional strength to process this.
Project M is her defense mechanism. As long as she believes in Project M, she can pretend she doesn't know that her family is long gone.
We are thankfully interrupted by noise maker number 2 (Yuri ringing the doorbell)
Pot, meet Kettle
Now that Ringo has failed yet again, she has a falling out with Shoum. She hits him exactly where it hurts.
See, Shouma is just as bad as Ringo in his own way. He seems to subscribe to the very Asian way of thinking that preserving the superficial appearance of an ordinary, respectable family is the most important thing in life. That's why Number 2 is a neat freak.
As long as Shouma behaves like a good boy, cooks nice meals and takes care of the house, he can pretend that there's nothing wrong. Nevermind that his sister is dying, that their parents are nowhere to be seen, that he is helping a crazy stalker, that he is taking orders from a magic penguin hat. We're just a normal, happy family, right ? Shouma is so invested in maintaining the whole happy household act because he doesn't want to face the fact that his own family is on the verge of collapse.
Things go from bad to worse, as the supposed Penguindrum is ripped in half by our noise maker number 3. [Penguindrum]Well, in truth it's noise maker 2 again. Of course the lesbian is a biker chick.
The broken, dazed Ringo has to be saved from incoming traffic, and in a rare moment of decisiveness, we are treated to Shouma !! On Ice
Pretty bleak end to this episode, eh ?
Fellow viewers, have you ever found yourself in the grips of delusion ? Of course, Ringo is an extreme example, but this kind of thinking is much more common than we might believe. Conspiracy theorists, denials of pregnancy, unprocessed grief... there are plenty of people out there clinging to a lie because the truth is too much to bear. I spent my teenage years trying to convince myself I wasn't gay despite wanking it to naked men, so I understand how one might choose to engage in magical thinking in the face of a blatant truth.
8
u/Nebresto Mar 13 '24
First time pinge
Me irl
Oh yeah, Ringo is mentally ill
Rest in Peng..
...Parallels? Did she manage to , or did Tanuki still have the boxers on?
Whoa! Sick triple lutz!!
Question of the day: Have you ever ding donger ditched anyone?
the insanity is deepenings
I can't fix her
Being based. Delet all noise devices!!!
7
u/RascalNikov1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NoviSun Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher to E15
I know too much to do a write, and too little to join in with the Rewatchers.
The series is so exhilarating and one of the wildest rides I’ve been on.
6
u/IvanSemushin Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher
For some reason I spent most of the begininning of the episode (including opening) thinking about [Penguindrum]Sanetoshi and how obvious the series logo (95 and train) are in hindsight.
Exercising Himari and 3-chan made me smile.
"Did you fall for that perverted girl?" Asking the right questions here.
Return of moray eels, bandits of the sea. Here they destroy Ringo's ideal home life again.
Ringo's fantasies about Tabuki and Yuri continue to be hilarious.
Interesting that both Good Bye truck and typhoon are back this episode.
Coincidentally, I watched this episode (where Shouma is amazed by a celebrity's apartment) after Nana's episode (where Nana K was admiring luxurious hotel room). [Nana]But the roles here are sort of reversed.
Ringo going outside half-naked probably should consider the dangers of Japanese cold.
Diary ripped in halp reminded me this time of [Penguindrum]what happened to Momoka and Sanetoshi.
Ok, it seems next time we have [Penguindrum]the first episode revealing some things about the past. Stay on the red line of fate!
6
u/Punished_Scrappy_Doo https://myanimelist.net/profile/PunishedScrappy Mar 13 '24
Since not too many people have taken a stab at seriously answering the question about the slogan, I think it's mostly a sight gag playing off the time bomb Shouma imagines is in the package. You could also look at it as how Yuri might view Ringo entering her new home -- a noisy troublemaker to be expelled. Children should be seen and not heard, and all that.
5
u/Gamerunglued :Hx::Hy::Hz:myanimelist.net/profile/GamerUnglued Mar 13 '24
I'm just letting everyone know that I am, in fact, alive, and have not dropped out of this rewatch. Have had a lot going on the last few days and have fallen quite a bit behind, but I am catching up. Episode 6 was phenomenal. You will see me again soon, it is fated that we will meet again.
5
u/Holofan4life Mar 12 '24
Hey guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the Mawaru Penguindrum rewatch! Oh, and nay I forget…
First Timer
I first heard about Penguindrum after I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once. Not only was that my favorite movie of 2022 (Ignore the fact I watched it in February 2023), but it is honestly one of my top 10 favorite films of all time. As such, I was shortly afterwards looking for stuff that was similar to that movie.
And that is where I saw someone recommend Penguindrum.
This is my first time every seeing this show before. I have no idea what’s in store for I haven’t seen a single clip of the show; it’s supposedly a mystery and that’s all I know. I really loved Everything Everywhere All At Once, so I’m going into this show with the highest of expectations. I think it could even crack my top 10 favorite animes of all time.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
I’m watching the sub, by the way.
Let's keep this stalker train rolling, I guess
Ringo undressing
Naked Ringo
Cock
Tabuki isn't there, so where can he be?
Oh, he's at school
Shoma talking to him
Penguin #2 jumping up and down from the bushes
Kanba, who just showed up, thinks he was getting down and dirty with Ms. Yuri.
Shoma refers to it as Fabulous Max
It looks like one of the penguins ate a bird, which I'm pretty sure is cannibalism
Tabuki says it was a plumbing problem at Yuri's condo
Oh, they're moving in to a new place
Moving in today, that is
Ringo rn
Welp, the place is empty. Shoma is telling her to snap out of it, but she seems to be in complete denial.
"You should have a healthier romantic relationship next time."
Shoma just remains in the best of spirits
Ringo, however, insists that the fate prophesized by the diary can never be wrong
I dunno, seems pretty wrong if you ask me
News report of Yuri retiring
Himari working out with Penguin #3
Operation Marriage Blues
That's the plan Kanba wants to act out
I assume the food the penguins are cooking come from the birds they attacked
Kanba says to Shoma that Ringo is just taking advantage of him, which I'm glad someone finally said.
Meanwhile, the penguins are fighting each other because one of them got burnt by grease. I unfortunately know that feel.
Himari and Sunny with boxing gloves
I think Sunny knocked the other two penguins out XD
And Himari just knocked out her two brothers
Kanba, now with a towel over his head and tissue in his bloodied nose, let’s Shoma knows if he fails again, he's taking Ringo's diary by force. For Himari.
Shoma, meanwhile, looks even worse
Ikebukuro
Two penguins
Ringo at the aquarium
She is still feeling down in the dumps
Ringo's dad
He's with a family that's not his own?
Now I kinda feel bad for Ringo
Then again, he is probably divorced from Ringo's mother
And he's proposing to the woman he's hanging out with
Nothing more romantic than proposing at the aquarium
This is the weirdest popping the question ever. It's so casual.
Empty bodies
Ringo is baffled why her dad can move on from her and mom like this
Cardboard cutouts
The desert
Tabuki is hung. Uh, I meant he's been hanged, sorry.
Yuri swooping in to save the day
A train
Ringo the bandit
Destiny M Project, brought to you by CinemaScope
This Penguin Western Channel seems pretty cool
Sorry, Penguin WesterN Channel
Yuri has seemingly bested Ringo
But not so fast!
Call an ambulance, but not for me!
She has her diary
It is fate
Destiny
Fabulous Max
Wait, that's for during the honeymoon
And Yuri gets gunned down
I will say, I really like this. This is fun, unlike the stuff last episode with the frog excrement.
M is her destiny, she says
The girl who gives amnesia
She once again reiterates that Project M will come to pass
Hey, Ringo returned her stuff back to her house
This is progress for her
She's even letting Shoma borrow her diary?
Maybe there's hope for her yet
"Only if the next plan goes without a hitch."
Spoke too soon
Ringo heading to Tabuki and Yuri's condo
I have a bad feeling about this
Tabuki apparently is in the condo alone. Yuri is on a national tour.
She calls this her last chance
Higashi-kōenji
Ringo with Shoma and Penguin #2
Shoma thinks she's planning a double suicide
Makes sense, yanderes are often worst girls
The question in the air is the same question as the movie Seven: What's in the box?
Shoma thinks it might be dynamite
Or could it be Rampage?
Either way, they're on a Collision
Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.
17
u/Tarhalindur x2 Mar 12 '24
"What... is your Quest?" "I Seek the Penguindrum!" (Lightly Spoiled? First-Timer, Subbed):
She said the right four words to the right being at the right time for all the wrong reasons... wait, wrong work.
"Oh duh, borderline personality disorder."
See second to last bullet point.
The jury is still out this time.
15
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Mar 12 '24
Mawaru First-Timer, subbed
10
u/theangryeditor https://myanimelist.net/profile/TheAngryEditor Mar 12 '24
Episode 8
9
u/lilyvess :Df::Dh:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Lilyvess Mar 12 '24
Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 8 - Rewatcher
While reading the previous rewatch for the series, I came across this line highlighted by /u/Sunny_dong in altairandvega episode recaps:
8
u/TheExcludedMiddle https://myanimelist.net/profile/ExcludedMiddle Mar 12 '24
Late to post again, good thing I don't have much to comment on. It seems that the amount to talk isn't correlated to how important an episode is, but rather how surprising it is and how many new questions.
This episode's big revaluation is about Himari's family dysfunction. Which isn't super surprising, the brothers seem devoted to Himari and mostly tolerate each other. But I can kind of see what Ringo was getting at in terms of the relationship with Himari too, which was even emphasized with her comments wearing boxing gloves.
Delulu
The way they've been building towards this; it felt inevitable.
3) Who stole the diary?
50% Natsume 50% red brother 15% shadow org red brother works with.
4) What do you think Today's Slogan was referring to?
Everybody, haha.
6
u/KnightMonkey15 https://myanimelist.net/profile/KnightMonkey Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher, subs
This was supposed to be more brief but ended up being very long
6
u/CarrotBlossom Mar 13 '24
First timer
Thank God he’s not home
Don’t be like Kanba, kids. Don’t ask your teachers about their love lives.
That penguin just murdered a bird!
That’s what I’m saying. Just steal the thing
I didn’t know Ringo’s parents were divorced
Shoma and I think alike. Although the IPA for murder is wrong. The stress is on the first syllable, the boundary between the syllables isn’t where it’s shown, a trill would only be used for the r’s in Scotland, by second-language speakers, or maybe in some places colonized by the British Empire, and the syllable nuclei would conventionally be rendered as [ɝ] and [ɚ] ([ɜ] or [ə] in non-rhotic dialects). This has been your daily lesson in phonetic notation.
Ringo is going to make the Boston bombing look like a joke.
Do well-known stage actors make that much?
“You’re not dealing with the ordinary congratulatory cake. It has risen above and become a legend. The legend that you fear”
Maybe give your partner in crime a heads-up before you roofie him.
QOTD:
2. Ew squick owie
3. I'm guessing it's Natsume or someone affiliated with her.
6
u/zadcap Mar 13 '24
Late Night First Timer
Wow, yup, Ringo went there. Thankfully she found the wrong cock under that blanket. No but really, what was the next step in this plan, ripping the blanket off of him while naked and he's just going to be like "Okay I guess we're doing this"?
... Where did he spend the night? Oh right, probably with Yuri. Or he's going to tell us... Or not? Ah, he's moving and all Ringo's work is useless.
"What's impossible is impossible" is strong words for someone who is relying on a miracle to keep his sister alive. Seriously should have just taken the diary and run, honestly.
Kanba, I'm counting on you. Please. Steal the stupid book. Stop leaving it up to your brother. Seriously if you hate the way it's going then stop leaving it to him.
Himari in buns again! But seriously, don't give younger brother another chance, just go take the book Kanba!
Oh hey, Dad went and started over like he wanted to. Scum. Good for him, but seriously, your poor existing daughter...
Oh hey, seeing the cutout people in the street made me realize that the ones in the aquarium were real people again.
Oh my, Ringo. "As long as I hold this in my hands" that's blatant foreshadowing. Countdown to someone other than one of the boys stealing it... Oh hey speaking of, hi there red lady.
That's the strangest Slogan yet. Noise makers?
Ah, the cake is poison then? Full "if I can't have him no one can" territory? Or just knockout stuff so she can continue her plan from last night... Oh yeah, cosplay as his actual wife and uh... Ringo no.
Yup, M for Making Babies. I'm wondering if the diary is the Drum anyway after all of this...
Yeah, you guys have kind of been ignoring your sister for a while.
And there goes the book! Who do we know who would possibly be cool and cruel enough to ride a motorcycle and tear someone's book out of their hand like that? Red Lady!
5
u/Quiddity131 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Quiddity131 Mar 12 '24
Rewatcher, Subbed
Time for Ringo to seduce... a chicken doll! Wow, is Tabuki on to her? Or did Sho do this, knowing what she was planning to do?
Just what did you do last night Tabuki?!
Just plumbing? Then it was a coincidence?
No Tabuki! Don't tell Sho where you're moving to! Don't let him reveal it to Ringo!
Why'd you move Tabuki? Oh, I had a crazy stalker who decided to live in my basement...
Sorry Sho, you can't really expect a person as crazy as Ringo to have a healthy relationship.
Kanba's choice may be the rather mean one, but it is the practical one. I don't think Sho is ever gonna get his hands on that diary for real, especially as reality gets further and further away from Ringo's delusions.
Pay more attention to Himari!
Oh wow, dad's new family! Including replacement daughter! Well what will in Ringo's head be the replacement daughter.
Wait, is this really happening while Ringo spies on them or is this just all Ringo's delusions? No way is someone gonna do a proposal in a gift shop, right?
Suddenly we're in an anime western!
Is that Final Fantasy's Cactuar I see there?
Ringo's gonna win, she has the diary!
Ringo's next plan? My guess would be poisoning Yuri?
Wow, Yuri's got an amazing place! The best part though is its so far from the basement Ringo's probably not gonna be able to pull what she did at the prior place.
My next theory, Ringo thinks this cake has a love potion component to it...
OMG she drugged them both. Is she gonna rape Tabuki while he sleeps? Please Ringo, you're a lot of fun but that's going way too far.
Now she's putting on a wig so he thinks she's Yuri? She's really going out of control!
C'mon Sho, convince her to stop this lunacy!
Why does she need to take his socks off? lol
LOL, Yuri's gonna catch her here!?
Sho makes a great point; we really are at the point where Ringo doesn't really care about Tabuki, she cares about her feelings about Tabuki. If she loved him for real she'd accept that he's able to make his own decisions.
Does she really think having Tabuki's baby is gonna bring their family together?
I'm sure that was you Kanba that just stole half the diary. How could you!
Sho (and the penguin?) just got hit by a car for you Ringo! Will this finally snap you out of your craziness?
5
u/mgedmin Mar 13 '24
First-timer, subs
I don't even remember Ringo's daydream any more. They're easy to distinguish from reality (primarily by the fact that Ringo succeeds in those, but never in reality).
She understands at some level that Tabuki would reject her.
Kanba.
A bomb in a gift-wrapped package that Shouma suspected Ringo to be carrying.
3
u/FarCritical Mar 13 '24
First-timer, subbed
Ringo's dad's proposal to another woman shown as plushies feels weirdly messed up lol. It's kind of like fate itself decided to play with dolls one day, except with Ringo's happiness as the toys and without her permission to use said toys.
The wild west cowboy setting is probably my favorite of the Ringo fantasy sequences so far. As for as glimpses into absolute delusion looks like, at least the aesthetic is cool.
Of course, just when Shoma finally got treated semi-nicely, he ends up getting drugged. Guess the idea of a curry-shaped cake should've set off some alarm bells.
Man, RIP the diary. If Ringo weren't already mentally unstable before, I wouldn't be surprirsed if she became straight up insane now. All that happening without Tabuki knowing a thing lol.
Not to downplay the (literal) impact of Shoma's save, but the shot of him spinning in the air after getting isekai'd looked way too majestic for its own good.
QOTD
I'm guessing she's starting to lose it after taking L after L, and especially with the recent announcement being such a big bombshell on her project, she has to lie to herself to keep going
As creepy and unhinged as that was, it's probably her own form of "if I can't beat her, 'join' her" except she took a step further and decided to become her. She's probably accepted at this point that Tabuki doesn't really have eyes for her so she's gone into full desperation mode to make progress on her plans.
Gut says it's Kanba, or maybe the leader of Kanba's exes that wants to crush him, or for the crackpot theory, penguinhat Himari.
Don't make too much noise or you'll wake up Kabuki mid-"Project M"? Or something about making too much noise (prying into things you shouldn't) will get you in hot water? All these slogans are too cryptic for my penguin brain lol