Penguin Drum - Episode 24 (END) Discussion / Poll

[Akiyoshi]

Yet Shouma and Kanba were rewarded by realizing they're ultimately able to save the people they wanted to save. Lots of people die everyday without one soul realizing the merits they achieved over life but that means they lived meaninless lives? Hell no!

The biggest desire of Kanba was saving Himari no matter the cost and he gets his wish conceded. Shoma came to the realization that he was to accept himself in order to help the ones he cares for and thus become able to giving Kanba what he needs to save Himari and he himself made a sacrifice to save the girl she loves from her fromer cruel and unavoidable destiny. If anything the Takakura siblings effectively beated fate itself. They're not remember as individuals but the love and pain of their actions will remain forever in the lives of those close to them. I think it's a powerfull message.

[Stealther]

Well, this anime is impossible to fully grasp without knowledge about the sarin gas attack, Underground by Murakami and Night on the Galactic Railroad, and general perception of the South-Eastern culture and society (and an analytic mind).

The main message was to reach out to invisible children, chosen ones fortunate enough to have an apple, should share. It also tried to tell that cults (by changing the cult from religious to environmental) aren't really different from us. If you think, most cults are really knowledgable and they think alot. The difference is that they are willing to go the whole way without compromising themselves and their beliefs. The South-Eastern societies are very and harsh with distinguishing US and THEM. They are different from us. They are evil. They are not human. Cults can also give meaning and purpose when noone reaches out for invisible children.

In one episode near the end Shouma asks his father if he knows about the Child Broiler, and he does. He says it's where unwanted children by the society goes. And he says you can't do anything for them, but change the society (he screams SURVIVAL STRATEGY for a lasting future, and means to change the society with the sarin gas attack). Shouma however, found another way. He shared his apple with Ringo, much like how Dalai Lama always speaks how he wants to achieve world peace. By compassion, changing from individual level and spreading through the world. You don't have to change it from the top. And Ikakura also explicitely said that he believes people who hurt other people to reach their goals will never be successful. Momoka represented this idea, unlike Sanetoshi. So this is the message of Mawaru Penguindrum. Love. Compassionate love, not romantic love.

Environmental message for a sustainable world was actually there quite often too, if you look carefully.

Ending is harder to explain, but it's an obvious reference to Night on Galactic Railroad where the Scorpion Fire (Kanba) finally finds purpose by sacrificing himself, letting Ringo living in his place. Harder to understand Shouma, but I just look at it as the fairy-tale element which Night on Galactic Railroad is. I doubt there is a correct answer to the actual fate transfer, but to me it didn't matter much.

I won't pretend I caught all of this myself. I couldn't get the full extension of the cult and we-them issue, and also Scorpion Fire which Kanba possesses, before I read different theories on Internet.
However, the I loved the series without fully understanding it, because it was still funny and dramatic and beautiful both for eyes and ears. I also enjoyed speculating, and the anime made me want to read more, to perhaps understand it better. Which I did.

[Kazu-kun]

I think your post highlights some really interesting ideas, but this line here I can't help but strongly disagree with.

Originally Posted by Stealther

So this is the message of Mawaru Penguindrum. Love. Compassionate love, not romantic love.

Penguindrum is about LOVE in general, from the altruistic love that Momoka felt for the world, to the family love between the siblings, passing by the romantic love between Ringo and Shouma and between Tabuki and Momoka herself (and later Yuri). Penguindrum doesn't reject any of these, rather it embraces them all. The point is to reach out and give love to others, it doesn't matter what kind of love.

This is why the climax of the series plays out the way it does, with Ringo inspiring Shouma to believe that Kanba can save Himari, and ultimately going back to save Ringo and close the circle. The climax is literally built upon the love these characters feel for one another, which encompasses everything I listed above.

[Stealther]

True, it's about love, and what's mostly being depicted is compassionate love. There is nothing contradicting about romantic love in the series, so maybe I took it too far.

[Liddo-kun]

It's not exactly the end that I wanted, but still somewhat satisfied on how things turned out. Nearly cried as Kanba carried Himari, laying her down gently before he turned into shards of glass.

[frubam]

Kind of a bittersweet ending, but good nonetheless. I thought Himari would end up with Shouma because of all the 'soulmate' talk, and I felt her having such feelings would be, in a way, out of nowhere. Fortunately, the couple I cared about(Ringo/Shouma) perserved to the end. I didn't really like Kanba as much, so he didn't move me emotionally like the other 3(Ringo/Shouma/Himari) did.

The one thing that really bothered me near the end was the brief conversation between Momoka and Sanetoshi. After the emotional rollercoaster between the 4 main characters, that convo really seemed like(for lack of a better description) two gods who waged a friendly battle to only see who was superior. They had no empathy for the lives they affected with their actions. I was def shocked that I got this feeling more from Momoka than Sanetoshi. It really left a bad taste in my mouth =0\.

[Edict]

I can understand that interpretation since it would in fact seem like a peculiar indifference to the plight of the many involved amid the interplay of countervailing personifications. However the impression I had was that the tone of discussion was intended to convey a 'formal' summation at a somewhat abstract level. Of course that is heavily dependent on what is supposed of events and associated factors and for that matter the intended narrative structure. When I'm prepared to rewatch this series I'll check whether any earlier discussions will be of use in clarifying if that type of representation is apparent. Actually I cannot specifically recall any prior discussions between the Queen and Sanetoshi, and so saying as much I might just be referring to different 'characters'.

[JacksonMoon]

My general rule is if I am satisfied, no matter how stupid the ending, even if it doesn't explain everything, then I'm fine.

Everyone lives happily ever after is perfectly fine with me even with plot holes. The main thing is to actually have an ending, bad or good.

Those shows that end and give you something to cling onto for another season, to find they dont make another season, erggh! lol

[kache]

Finished, finally, but I didn't understand it. Guess I'll need to find an explanation and read it later...


Though it did make me wonder: how would a person feel in real life if someone sacrificed their own life to save his/her...