Episode 11 –
Just when I thought I was starting to get things set in my mind with regards to this show, Penguindrum once again manages to completely throw me off. This series has done an amazing job at gradually building upon itself each week, creating a solid foundation for the increasingly complex plot. The simultaneous developments in this series are superb mainly for how they all seem to integrate into some larger, more complex picture. At the same time, these separate plot lines bring in some great character development, and the show even manages to maintain it’s humor with the silly penguins in the background.
There are a ton of things going on in the story at this point, with Kanba gaining a hardcore stalker being one of the more surprising bits. This “Natsume” person already smells suspicious because of her seemingly deep past with Kanba, but what’s puzzling is how her penguin-hat aquaintance plays into all off this. Is it a mere coincidence that someone directly related to Kanba is also seeking the penguindrum? Also, one other thing that really sticks out like a sore thumb is how the second half of the diary was stolen by somebody else. I did mention in my previous post that the situation seemed suspicious, but this just confirms it. Are there even more groups trying to obtain this mystical penguindrum?
On top of the mysteries with Natsume, there’s the plot twist with Ringo realizing she loves Shouma. While I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, the love potion was a very flamboyant method of bringing her feelings to the forefront of her story. And yet, this series once again throws in something completely unexpected, with the Princess of the Crystal mediating a info session where it turns out Shouma and Kanba might have somehow triggered Momoka’s death. Does this mean that the current situation is actually linked back over 16 years ago? What in the world does that imply for the current ongoing situation. Things do seem a bit too convenient as of now, but I am expecting the story to gradually iron out any sort of coincidences and conveniences over time.
Either ways, Mawaru Penguindrum continues to manage some very impressive buildup with an excellent set of characters and a captivating story. There is much more to this series that meets the eye, and I get the feeling this episode has barely even begun to scratch the surface of the scheme here. The story is gradually starting to converge, and the result should sure as hell be something to look forward to.
Overall Enjoyment: 4.1/5
Screenshots are later in the post.
Distant Paradise 