WTF, Penguin Drum. Just… wtf…
The first half of this episode was predictable enough. Heck, it was even so predictable that I was ready to label it as the least interesting episode of Penguin Drum so far. That actress is shrewd, and this episode pretty much was dedicated to showing the announcement of her engagement with Tabuki for its first half, with the most worthwhile parts being the references to classic shoujo. Ringo still didn’t really do anything worthwhile to stop it and was about to give up, so probably she shouldn’t have any more need for the diary, which would pretty much allow Shouma to take it. Or at least, that’s what I thought would happen.
Then came the toad scene. What the hell were the creators smoking when they came up with that one?
Ringo in this episode…. got completely deranged. I knew she was a bit weird, but this episode just made her outright crazy. And I don’t mean in the way that anime usually portrays crazy people, with lots of yelling and over the top laughing and stuff. Instead her plans to outright rape her teacher completely took me out of left field. I knew that this series had balls, but I did not expect them to be this big. This looks like it’s full of romantic cliches, and then it just keeps subverting the hell out of them.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
Minor point. Tabiki is not Ringo’s teacher, he is the brothers homeroom teacher, that’s why he knows Shouma.
We’re supposed to think Ribgo is about to crawl into Tabiki’s bed, so the odd’s are it’s not him in the bed but one of the brothers.
This episode was simply fabulous max!
Uh… yeah… awkward….
If the subway ad hints are correct then Ringo is going to fail. However the opening is getting to me. They show Tabuki with a bird in a cage. Pretty much the oldest metaphor for yearning for freedom. So is Ringo going to trap and blackmail Tabuki into marriage?
I burst out laughing after seeing the penguin take one bite out of every sandwich in the party….
The scene where Tabuki told Ringo that they’ll go eat together alone, and Ringo’s eyes changed shape was masterful.
The interaction between Ringo and Shouma is one of my favourite parts of the show – and this episode is full of it!
Ringo’s an amazing character to watch. She seems sane and rational for the first part of the show (…compared to last week anyway). And then bang, she’s away with her increasingly mad and desperate plans again.
I wonder what Kanba’s got planned to “help” accomplish Ringo’s destiny. Natsume seems content just to be Kanba’s stalker for now (this series does love them), so I don’t think she’ll make a move next episode at least.
I have an inkling that Tabuki will kill Ringo next episode…
Most craziest ep so far, Ringo is really insane..
the subversion of cliches is the awesomest part of this series. we can thank the director for this.
What does Fabulous Max mean?! Where does it come from?
@aafm. . . maybe you are on to something, in the op it certainly shows tabuki looking evil and ringo running., BUSTING INTO FLAMES, and disappearing. . .
@aefm : I’m gonna have to disagree that Ringo dies so soon – she has a diary of the future, right? I feel like her death is going to have to be better telegraphed from that source, if she does die. (I am curious about that fire from the OP fabulous max points out – I figured it more had to do with the story of her “unmaking” herself and becoming her sister.)
Of course, I might be arguing this because I’m attached to her character. I do realize she’s a super creep, but I really want closure to her story in some at least mildly positive or redemptive fashion. I don’t want to see her a victim of creators trying a touch too hard to subvert expectations…
I’m never going to be able to keep a straight face when Yura (from Nurarihyon) Says fabulous Max again……
re: the Ringo/OP discussion: at the very least, I think the part in question represents Ringo “running” into her delusions (or as she would say, “DESTINIIIIIIY.”)
The fire obviously means a consequence of some sort (a major theme of this series), but whether it means Ringo fully losing herself without any redemption, her dying, or both, we’ve yet to see. Since Ringo’s life revolves around her diary though (similar to a certain other character in Stein’s Gate), I can see her doing something rash that could result in the death of Tabuki and/or Yuri should Project M fail. We saw Ringo nearly crack this episode with the engagement scene – I seriously thought she would go berserko right then and there. Luckily, she said that everything had already been predicted by the diary, so she was kept in line. But should the diary be wrong…
i like the show i honestly really do. but the more i watch it the more i think someone needs to slap ringo. shes so crazy i wish the show does something so out of the blue that it crushes this “i need to get with tabuki” thing. plus i wish we would get more information about the penguin drum or what the overall plot is.
Hey, I have been reading your blog for some time and I do really enjoy doing so!
I usually don’t make comments (because that would make me go on forever) but I just had to let something out – I can’t sleep at the moment because of this! (It’s 4:30 in the morning here)
Anyway, back to the point:
NOTE: for those of you who are fans of Ringo, BEWARE: DO NOT read on! I do like Ringo for her insane but amazingly developed character, but there is just one gripe I have about her…
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***Personal rant time*****
I enjoy Ringo’s personality – I really do. It’s a breath of fresh air, much like others say.
But I sometimes cringe when Ringo involves someone else to her delusional world and make them victims of – well, insanity? I can’t think of a word at the moment….
While it’s fine to let everybody know your -fantasy world- , but involve innocent folks? I felt very sorry for Shouma after that grotesque frog scene (I felt sick then… is it just me?). Also, she is indirectly risking Himari’s life by refusing to give her diary. If not for Kanba passing by, Himari could have died! Who knows what Princess of the Crystal (AKA “survival strategy!!” girl) will do if Shouma failed to retrieve the diary. I thought she would be more subtle this episode after the previous but I guess I was wrong.
I’m trying to like Ringo even after she messed up my sanity but I’m honestly finding it impossible – I feel like she my most disliked fictional character as of currently. 🙁
I also feel like this “Ringo ark” is dragging on too long and I might be losing my interest… I hope that’s not the case.
Despite all my everlasting rant (I could still go on for paragraphs) she does make Penguindrum a blast to watch!… sometimes.
Sometimes… she takes it too far… for me, at least.
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********** personal rant over
Phew, my mind is finnaly at rest! Now to get 2 hours of sleep!
My humblest of apologies for my shoddy grammar (gotta sleep – it’s 5 am here now!) if I happened to offend anyone – but I felt uneasy until I bursted all this out…Sorry!
– hides in a corner
oops, I forgot to mention one thing in the last post.
I -might- change my mind about Ringo if the writers make her shine – but I feel it will be very unlikely for me.
Ah well, this series is only 1/4 way through so this may not be my final judgement.
Sorry again for my personal rant – it’s over now.
lol @ “cool story, bro” from Shoma —- frog moment. I have loled so many times marathoning the first 7 eps. Gonna end tonight with episode 8.