Today’s Slogan: The Role of Double H in Mawaru Penguindrum, Episodes 19 through 24

"Let us share the fruit of fate!" source: pixiv

Now that Mawaru Penguindrum is finished, the characters were who we thought they were (or were not), and the symbolism-heavy ending has everyone loving or denouncing the series with all of their heart, it’s time to make good on a promise. Here are some interpretations of Double H’s train slogans from episodes 19 through 24.

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 24 END

“As it turns out, living was a punishment.
I’ve been punished in small doses living as a Takakura.
…But, still, we were together.
We took all the punishments, no matter how small and trivial.
They’re all precious memories.
Because the only reason I felt alive was because you two were there.”

-Himari Takakura, Mawaru Penguindrum, Episode 24

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 23

“I’ve had enough of listening to your bullshit you stupid bitch. Hurry and hand over your rotten, delusional ambition, this ‘Fate Diary’ to that dumbass.”

-The Princess of the Crystal (Momoka Oginome) to Ringo Oginome, Mawaru Penguindrum Episode Five

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 22

"Coming to see you...right now!"

ajthefourth: Towards the end of Revolutionary Girl Utena, director Kunihiko Ikuhara and his writer Yoji Enokido decide to re-introduce the audience to its Greek chorus element, The Shadow Girls, by showing them briefly out from behind their customary screens and shadow puppetry, talking to the main character, Utena Tenjou, in class. The Shadow Girls then proceed to put on a play for Utena and the two other main characters. In doing so, they present what has come before and recontextualize it a bit; setting the stage for the series’ final arc, The End of the World.

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 21

The "Takakura Family" admires the new paint job on their house.

ajthefourth: This episode was a visual feast, especially for anyone who pays any sort of attention to color, color saturation, and basic blocking and storyboarding. As a general rule, we tend to adjust the light/darkness levels on images before putting them into blog posts to make more striking or well-lit images; however, for this part of the post, I feel it necessary to note that I have changed nothing (light/darkness, or color saturation levels) in these images and they prove my point magnificently. This episode was beautiful.

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 20

“You’re practically transparent. I can’t see you. I’ll share all of your punishment with you.”

-Shouma Takakura

Colloquium: Mawaru Penguindrum Episode 19

"I remember now...the person who shared the fruit of fate with me was..."

 “Am I not good enough?”

-Seiya Kou, Sailor Moon: SailorStars

Today’s Slogan: The Role of Double H in Mawaru Penguindrum, Episodes 13 through 18

"Gogai, gogai, gogai!" source: pixiv

Today’s Slogan: The Role of Double H in Mawaru Penguindrum, Episodes Seven through 12

Like Himari, sometimes we need a little help figuring things out. That's where Double H comes in! source: zerochan

This next series of episodes, specifically Episode Nine, mark a tonal shift in Mawaru Penguindrum‘s presentation. Much of this is owed to the closing of Ringo’s story arc. As we discover just exactly what Ringo’s been up to, it leads us into a whole other universe of speculation and conflict involving the Takakura and Oginome family pasts, and a certain horrific event in Japanese history.

Today’s Slogan: The Role of Double H in Mawaru Penguindrum, Episodes One through Six

Mawaru Penguindrum's "Shadow Girls," the idol group, Double H. source: pixiv

“What’re you gonna do when you graduate?
I’m going to high school, of course.
No, I mean in your future.
Haven’t decided yet.
I wanna be an actress.
Do you really believe you can pull that off?”

-“The Shadow Girls,” Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 39

One of the signature elements of Kunihiko Ikuhara’s direction is the borrowing or adopting of classic stage elements and putting them to work within his series, giving the audience a grander presentation of the story. One of these key elements is the idea of a Greek chorus: an informed perspective on the story being told that often hints to overall thematic elements presented in the performed piece.