Hello everyone,
Let's go back to our summer season coverage with another post over the most original and unpredictable series of this summer 2011 season named Mawaru Penguindrum that with the fourth episode start to put some rather dangerous/questionable stuff.
The episode start pretty much with the classic comedy / crazyness that characterized all the other episodes of this series (even more than normal actually due to those annoying sung sketches) with Ringo following her own "destiny" as written on the textbook.
What she's not understanding is that the destiny while always true is not really very well defined with the few words the notebook uses. For example, it said they'll eat lunch in the park, but never told who is the one who makes the lunch. Same for the kiss that end up being the responsability of our Shouma trying to save her from drowning.
Shouma that by the way after this episode has really high chances of ending up with Ringo by the end of the series in a romantic relationship. I would see both of them very well together, especially comparing the energetic/crazy Ringo's behaviour with the calm and timid Shouma's one.
The twist of this episode was shown right at the end with someone pushing down the stairs a woman (one of the harpies around Kanba) killing her, showing seconds after Ringo talking about her while reading her magical diary. I honestly don't think Ringo would go so far as killing to fulfill the diary's "destiny" so I suppose there is some other force working in this world.
This is also the first episode not showing our lovely Himari in Penguin God mode and I'm honest to say that I'm missing already the transformation scene. Strangely till now the series is completely leaving to Himari a very relegated minor role while powering up Ringo's and the other characters story.
My guess is that they want to leave her story at the end for some kind of emotional drama build up, but I think its a wasted talent especially as Himari is a rather interesting character that need time to completely explore.
The main downside of this episode was the graphical and animation quality that deteriorated a lot compared to the first episodes and in some parts looked really crappy. Brains Base is sure an unstable company, sometimes they do great job like with Denpa Teki na Kanojo (great anime that by the way I still have to review), sometimes they screw up completely like with Akikan (we already talked about it in the past)
How they'll complete the remaining episodes of Mawaru Penguindrum?! This is a rather concerning question, especially when thinking there are still 20 episodes to air of this series!
I have a rather positive opinion of this series till now. Let's hope they'll continue keeping us on our toes on each and every episode.
See you soon,
feal87