Penguin Drum - General Discussion

[BluWacky]

This show is awesome on a stick. An intricately animated magical penguin girl stick.

I loved it. Thank god for Ikuni.

[Arabesque]

Caved in an watched the RAW

I knew it. I always had faith in Ikuhara that he was going to bring out something great. 15 years later and the man still has the touch. The OST is just as great, and the OP and ED are leagues ahead of everything else this season (and past?)

I'm so happy right now.

[Kunagisa]

Originally Posted by gecd

I...cant describe how awesome this anime is

Sure you can, with one word too: FAABBBBBUUULLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS.

Lay your eyes upon the most glorious magical transformation ever since you saw Sailor Moon for the very first time.

It went from 'this is so stupid cliche and boring' to the 'Holy crap, my eyes are now feasting on the ingenuity of human imagination'. Awesome penguin is awesome, and that flair and music seriously just tap the right zone for all my senses. Lelouche and Takuto got nothing on this.

[Arabesque]

I would've used PENGUINS to describe it, but I guess that works too.

Originally Posted by stuopidget

Lay your eyes upon the most glorious magical transformation ever since you saw Sailor Moon for the very first time.

As expected from the man who directed both show. He is the only one who can make something better :3

[ZODDGUTS]

Shame he didn't do Star Diver may be it would turned out good.

[Nvis]

Not sure if want......

(looks too Sailormoon-ish to me)

[Arabesque]

Your words say not sure.

But your body is saying yes.

Originally Posted by ZODDGUTS

Shame he didn't do Star Diver may be it would turned out good.

Hm

Spoiler for Star Driver, Ikuhara, kinda off topic:

I think that, ultimately, not much would've changed other than Star Driver having more homosexual (under?)tones and be a whole lot more visually symbolic.

I mean, I loved Star Driver for what it was, a story about youth and how great it was in the eyes of Igarashi & Enokido. That it is to say, Star Driver youth is the old fashioned ideas of youth, about doing whatever you want, about how limitless life and you are, about running around naked in the beach while bleaching your hair and not having a damn in the world. So ultimately, it was a very idealistic tale about how you can throw all your responsibility do what you feel is right, and not throw the time you have as a kid and hold it as the most precious thing in your heart.

I mean yeah, it is similar to Utena structurally, but the cores and the visual execution are very different. Utena was about revolution, the revolution of gender roles, of sexual nature, of society etc. so in a way, it was a more ambitious theme than ''do what ever you want, cause being young is awesome'' so at the end it ended up being more impressive, but I don't think that we should hold the two in comparison much. I do realize there are problems in Star Driver that are more pressing than the theme tho.

Anyway, this series looks more aimed at being as symbolic as it possibly canrather than be visually attractive (though it could very well be both), so I think it wouldn't relate much to Star Driver.

[Woland]

Transformation (?!) sequence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZdgpuBdNKg


The only bad thing is I had to wait 12 damn years for this!

[ZODDGUTS]

Star Driver just wasn't all that great. I think Duckroll put it best in another thread about Star Driver:

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.

Anyways looking forward to this. Good to hear it's not trying to emulate Utena and instead trying to be it's own series.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

Now then, now then, almost here...
I don't mind if it is unique, but I want them to do it good. No matter how unique a show is, there is no point if it isn't interesting. A good show becomes a far better memory, even if the plot wasn't anything different.

Who is Ikuhara again...

Ikuhara is that weird guy that likes to dress up as Sailor Mars

More seriously, he's the legendary director who was behind Revolutionary Girl Utena and much of Sailor Moon. Most of us in this thread are drawn to this show because he hasn't directed any real anime projects since the Utena movie came out 12 years ago. In my opinion, he's the only anime director to top Kon Satoshi.



On to Mawaru Penguin Drum... Wow! That was excellent! I was completely hooked by the time the penguin showed up with the transit pass. The sheer awesome in this episode allays my fears that Ikuhara's creative juices had been dried up since Utena. The unique little touches that he put in his shows are sorely missed, and I'm awful happy that they're back again.

I never thought that there was any real danger that Penguin Drum would end up much like Utena. Utena had already accomplished everything that Ikuhara set to put in it, so there was no need to retread the same territory. I think that goes a ways towards explaining why Utena had so few direct imitators: it was so creatively successful that any elements drawn from it were doomed to come off second best.

[Reckoner]

Man, wow. I expected creativity and this certainly was CREATIVE. I enjoyed the hell out of this first episode personally.

I am really looking forward to where this anime will take us. First episode alone was a great roller coaster.

[Kagura89]

Originally Posted by 4Tran

Ikuhara is that weird guy that likes to dress up as Sailor Mars

I'd love too see a picture of him dressing as Sailor Mars

First episode is so amazing & fabulous, as expected from Ikuhara

[fertygo]

That just awesome beyond words... I'm smiling like kids with their new toys when and after watching the episode.

[ZODDGUTS]

Great episode. Already better than Star Driver ever was. That transforming sequence was awesome. Love the personality of the girl during...

[Used Can]

This was everything I expected from Ikuhara.

By the end, when Kanba was talking about fate and loving despite DNA I could already see what he was going to do. Now, all we need is for the other brother to be in love with him. Then the other girl could fall for Himari.

Oh hell... FUCK YES!

[creb]

Being better than Star Driver is hardly an accomplishment. ;p

That said, loved this first episode, and wtf was with that kiss at the end, lol. :/

Are there really enough men in Japan in love with their own sisters that it supports this anime trope, or is the whole brother sexually in love with one's sister just a fringe otaku thing? I know, I know, different cultures, blah blah, and I've long ago become used to just about anything anime has thrown in my face, but I've always wondered how much of what we see in anime reflects parts of Japanese society.

Still, great episode with lots of potential, and love the penguins, even if whoever is possessing the sister's body didn't make an ounce of sense in regards to whatever this Survival Strategy is.

Though, I have to wonder, if she's temporarily extending the sister's life, what does that mean exactly? Even if the brothers do what she wants, the sister will still meet an early demise? Temporary doesn't necessarily mean she can keep the illness away forever right? :/

[Arabesque]

Farewell Tomoko-san, Welcome back Himari ...

Wow, this is the second time I see the episode, and I already find myself falling in love with the episode again. Every bit of it was unique, the transitions between each scene were unusual, but it never felt like it was out of place. Everything came together as one.

An experience. That's really the only way to describe it so far. There was a whole lot of symbolism, as expected, but at the moment, it's hard to figure what it means without another episode to help us along the way (or rather, myself. I'm sure some of my other fellow viewers are already attempting to dissect the episode, with the varying degrees of success I'd wager ) But needless to say, this has left on me an impression. I remember everyone who had appeared, thanks not only to the cleaver directing (the scene where Sho was going back home and got assaulted by the faceless classmate was a fine example of how to highlight an important future character) to the script (boy, an honest to god mystery author is working here ... this is going to be tricky) and the visuals (Hishino Lily's designs are simply fantastic).

I have no clue what to add, not from the lack of what the episode had to offer, but because I have no idea where to start and where to finish. The series of the year is here. 23 more of this? Yes please.

Also one more thing, the opening. In a season where I find myself going gaga at 3 openings, this one came in and one out by a mile. Even though some parts remind me of Heartcatch for some reason (lol? the magical girl influence is still there, even after 15 years of nothing but OP storyboarding and random Novel work ) it is simply the most unique OP this by far.

Originally Posted by 4Tran

On to Mawaru Penguin Drum... Wow! That was excellent! I was completely hooked by the time the penguin showed up with the transit pass. The sheer awesome in this episode allays my fears that Ikuhara's creative juices had been dried up since Utena. The unique little touches that he put in his shows are sorely missed, and I'm awful happy that they're back again.

I got hooked on the visuals by the time they were all on the train and we got the first look into the transitions. Though to be fair, the show had my attention since second 1 thanks to Yukari Hashimoto badarse score.

Ikuhara, a man who need to take a break every 15 years other wise he'd make everyone look bad.

Originally Posted by Kagura89

I'd love too see a picture of him dressing as Sailor Mars

Spoiler for Not the Sailor Mars costume, but this is what he usually looked like:

Originally Posted by Used Can

This was everything I expected from Ikuhara.

By the end, when Kanba was talking about fate and loving despite DNA I could already see what he was going to do. Now, all we need is for the other brother to be in love with him. Then the other girl could fall for Himari.

Oh hell... FUCK YES!

The way I took it was the Himari liked Sho more, so at the moment it looks like it's going to be triangle at least within the siblings, with the other girl being added in as either the love interest of Sho and Himari.

Fuck yes indeed

[Guardian Enzo]

Believe it or not, this reminded me a little of Oh! Edo Rocket - that sense on manic insanity, a melding of different styles and genres and wildly creative. It it turns out half as good I'll be thrilled.

Very, very creative and interesting mess of a premiere. Style dripping from every pore. Ikuhara is a true genius, and notoriously difficult and unstable too - this could be a masterpiece or a fascinating disaster before it's done.

[Arabesque]

Oh, ye of little faith ... wait a minute ...

I once did share the same sort of prediction you just made with another series this year Enzo, but I don't think that this is going to fail. Not by a long shot.

Call me unrealistically optimistic, but at the moment there is not a doubt in my mind that not only is this going to be a glorious experience, but is going to ride on to be the most remembered anime of the year. There is the possibility that it's going to fall under it's own weight, but no matter how many times I try to process that thought, it just doesn't get through.

I'm hoping I don't end up eating these words Prove me right Ikuhara!

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by Arabesque

I'm hoping I don't end up eating these words Prove me right Ikuhara!

I certainly hope he does, such a fascinating first episode.