Oh my god, Penguin Drum. You just didn’t! Tell me that you just didn’t!
Here I was expecting the entire episode to revolve around the parents of the trio, only for this show to quickly wrap that up and laugh at everyone for thinking that the penguin hat would be a permanent solution. Did they seriously kill off one of the best characters of the series?
This episode was absolutely amazing. Also, why did Tabuki’s hands look like they were cut off? What happened to the parents (heck, at least the father is still alive!?) where did the bunnies come from? Who the hell is the pink-haired guy, who are his assistant and what is that apple he’s holding? That just makes no sense when put next to the symbolism of the previous episodes!
And then there’s Kanba, probably the best part of this episode was when he arrived at Himari and started talking about some sacrifice he gave her. Was that that kiss that was shown in the first episode?
This episode again looked gorgeous. I really like that the creators still are trying to insert a ton of visual ideas that are creative, yet consistent with each other. This show is chaos, but there is a very well defined order within its chaos. In any case, I’m really looking forward to the second half of this show.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
It’s like you’re expecting that each episode might at least give you a some little hint at one of the series over arching questions..
And then they go “**** you” and drop an episode like this where you spend half the time clutching your head going “but why is…? who the hell are…? did she just…? noooooooooo!”
This is what I think of the series so far :
On the long term, I foresee that this will be relatively previsible.
On the short term, it is complete chaos.
The conclusion I can give to that : it is awesome.
My bad, I said a French word there. I meant predictable.
OMG … awesome is too small a word for this episode. You know when you sit in silence for a minute stunned after the ED has stopped that you have seen something truly wonderful. This episode also dropped all sorts of mind bending questions.
1. How did his parents get away with it and survive to give birth to Himari?
2. They mention a boy ‘singular’ was born .. not twins. Are Shoma and Kanba actually brothers?
3. Was Kanba in that Antarctic expedition or was that the father?
4. Bunnies?? WTF?
The way that both brothers breakdown in this episode, it seems that both of them will clash in the future. Oh, and did you catch that apparently it was implied only one boy was born to Chiemi? This makes it seems that one of the boys is adopted, which judging by looks, seems to be Shouma.
One thing for sure is that black bunnies and Sanetoshi’s assistants are probably the same. Both of the duo wear similar red ribbons.
What I really want to know more about is Tabuki and Shouma’s past, especially Shouma’s since we never see it anyway and the way he became kind of out-of-his-mind in this episode was really intriguing.
I am not so sure that Himari is dead for good. Although I am sure if she is revived again (maybe by Sanetoshi) it will be on very borrowed time.
@Scruffy: For number 3 I think that was the father.
*cough* No one mentioned incest? You know, the “forbidden” thing they keep hinting when Kanba and Himari were kissing and…maybe more.
Oh wow! Just when I think I know what’s going to happen, I realize that I’m way off base!!! Love it!!!
@c160 About that clashing part: it’s interesting to note that Shouma has the kanji for “crystal” in his name, while Kanba has the kanji for “crown” in his. Himari is “Princess of the Crystal”, and Mario is rumored to to be “Prince of the Crown“.
Just wanted to stop by and say that that was beyond amazing. Probably one of, if not the best episode of any anime I have seen this season. It wasn’t anything over the top (relative to this show) and looking back, it felt more like an hour than 30 minutes. Just incredible.
Oh Sanetoshi and his dark bunny assistant~
Psgels: in the first episode (and in the first appearance of the Crystal Princess) she got something from Kanba’s heart. Maybe a part of his soul? Some years of his life? Anyway, that’s the same thing he offeared to her again…
Amazing, amazing episode. The reveal about the parents, the Princess’ goodbye, and the flatliner at the end made this week incredible.
“And then there’s Kanba, probably the best part of this episode was when he arrived at Himari and started talking about some sacrifice he gave her. Was that that kiss that was shown in the first episode?”
Rewatch the first Survival Strategy. The Princess ripped something out from Kanba’s heart, which was revealed in this episode to be a part of Kanba’s lifespan given to Himari.
Oh God. I listened through my headphones and the BGM that was playing during the scene… It ripped my heart to pieces.
Such an amazing show. Just when you think you know where it’s going —- you don’t.
It wasn’t until it was over that I could even start to think about who those people were and what was going on.
I still don’t get the parents, wtf? how did they kill the all those people on the train and why? Was it a cult thing?
Not many shows of this quality are around. It’s going to become a classic don’t you think?
For five minutes after the credits I just sat there, blinking. It was a delayed reaction. Then I grabbed my computer, shook it, and screamed why it tortured me like this.
Hello, Penguindrum, Haruki Murakami called, he wants his plot back.
Aww, just kiddin’. This was another great episode. So now we know that Kanba’s dad found something in Antarctica around 1991. Interesting how this show keeps toying with historical events. Also, we now have a motivation for all the key players, except the mysterious girly man. Something tells me Kanba, Shoma & sis just lost a battle, not the war.
@jzar This was already mentioned in the last post, but the incident the parents were seemingly involved in was the real life 1995 Sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system (google it). That partially explains why the number ’95’ appeared all over the train at the end of ep 11, and indeed why train symbolism features so heavily in the show. It might also explain the reason for Himari’s illness (the after-effects of Sarin gas, possibly from her mother?).
All I know that this is a pretty heavy subject to bring up in an anime, even if it isn’t named directly. It’s the Japanese equivalent of using 9/11 as a plot device. I just hope the subject’s treated sensibly.
@Kiseki Wow, thats interesting to know. Perhaps Shouma would continue siding with the Princess of Crystals along with Ringo while Kanba will side with Mario and Natsume, taking the extreme path in order to revive Himari?
just re-watched episode 12. in the group picture, it is labeled as ‘The 36th Antarctic’.
From wikipedia, the 36th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-36) discovered Yukimarimo in 1995. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yukimarimo
just a guess (spoiler?): in the anime, instead of ‘yukimarimo’, the expedition group may have discovered something that is more powerful. Himari’s doctor is one of the researchers and knows Kanba’s father as well. In order to save his wife, Kanba’s father might have been tempted to steal the new discovery, and work with the group on the train explosion.
i think yuri=momoka
it would make sooooo much more sense dont u think
Oh, boy. I think that the Aum Shinrikyo was the inspiration for this series. Guess people around here are too young to remember that. I feel old.
Okay you guys why wont anyone mention the incest. Its literally the biggest like ‘WOAH’ factor of the series. All 3 of the siblings share a strange relationship, but i think they’ll pull off the “Kanba x Himari” relationship storyline by ultimatley revealing that Kanba is not blood related to Himari OR Shouma.
It would be pretty gutsy if they just stuck with the notion that he’s her brother though and still went through with the forbidden love storyline.
Either way awesome show, lush animation, surreal plotlines, and beautiful music.
Perhaps the Japanese Antarctic expedition journeyed beyond the Mountains of Madness??!!
Well, H.P. Lovecraft did have 6 foot blind penguins in the story….just sayin….
That really was an amazing episode. About the incest part… Even though it was Himari’s body, the goodbye was more between Kanba and the Princess, don’t you think?
Natsume totally looks like Juri Arisugawa from Utena. And as for Sanetoshi, Ikuhara just couldn’t not have a character with pink hair again :).