Friday, 10 November 2023

Revisiting Mawaru Penguindrum

I recently partly rewatched Mawaru Penguindrum. Parts of the story did not connect well for me. I was not sure if I just forgotten the details or missed something altogether.

Watching from episode 19 and skipping here and there did help me get a different perspective on the show. When I watched it originally, I was probably staringly paying attention or watched it episode by episode and by the time I reached episode 24 I likely forgot many flashbacks from episodes 19 and 20.

Before I thought that had Takakuras are simply naive kids who first get some mysterious issues with that Penguinhat thing and then were taken advantage by the Pink Haired Doc who promised to cure Himari for a lot of money. It is easy to think this way if you watch from the start.

Not to mention I paid a lot more attention to Ringo and her quest to beat Yuri and win Tabuki's affection. As well as mystery or Momoka's diary. As I mentioned before I do not particularly like Takakuras.


Real Past of Takakuras

However, in episodes 19 and 20 Masako attempts to restore Himari's memories. Later over the course of final episodes they gradually outlined what have happened. 

Takakura's parents got involved in some sort of cult called Penguin Force that wanted to change the world. They done some terrorism got in trouble with law and got themselves killed.

The three were not originally siblings but became siblings because of their parents' decision. Kanba's parents died and Takakuras adopted him. Shoma found Himari and adopted her as well.

They the three of them forgotten all about the past and only remembered that three of them were like this all along. Himari did not remember until Masako used that blue ball of recollection on her. She has red balls of forgetfulness as well.


Reevaluation

All this however reshapes the story in a different light. Now they are not simply idiots who are taken advantage of. They sacrifice willingly. They lead this ugly life as punishment for their past. Their life is an ugly never-ending strong of sacrifices for Himari's sake.

To add to the problem, because of what their parents did, they had to face other hardships as well. For example, Tabuki wanted revenge against kids because of what their parents did.

They suffer a lot but get nothing of value in return. Just prolongation of their misery.

In the end both Kan and Sho sacrificed their lives so that Himari could just live in that shabby house and be friends with Ringo.

So, the whole story is some kind of glorification of martyr like existence.


Bitter Aftertaste

What is worse is that their parents pushed this fate on them. Even worst is the fact that they simply accept it. 

I do not hate Himari per se, but I would not sacrifice anything for a woman or parents.

Because of that Takakuras are hard for me to relate. I can understand what they are doing, but I will not do the same in their place.


I am not sure if I would like this show more if it were women instead, who sacrificed their lives and took punishments for men or from men. I am sadist after all, but I only like it when girls suffer.


Mawaru Penguindrum vs Revolutionary Girl Utena

It is different from Ikuhara other show: Revolutionary Girl Utena, where I could relate to the characters.

Utena's protagonists attempted to take the Rose Bride and obtain Power of Dios, that is said to be granting wishes. For their selfish wishes and desires they wished to obtain Anthy and fought the duels.

Mysterious Power and a cute, likable girl as bride. A temptation one would wish to take, providing there are no drawbacks or risks. There did not seem many risks for duelists in the show.

Anthy may be a witch. She was not pleasing the duelists out of kindness of her heart. Rather she partly played the Rose Bride for Akio's sake, partly she enjoyed it herself. She simply knew what to do to make any of the duelists to like her enough to fight in the duels to obtain her. 

Anthy knows all there is to know about romance and does not hesitate to use it for her selfish ends. That is why Akio described her as the witch. 

In my dealing with TrueHellDei I too felt that she is much like Anthy in that regard. Of course, it might be that she was sincere, but I am probably too cynical and skeptical to believe something like that.


However, I will admit that I indeed wish for TrueHellDei to care for me sincerely and not for some ulterior motives.


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