Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum, a two-part re-imagining that brings all of the series’ trademark avant garde visuals, gripping terrorist plots, and of course penguins to the big screen. The two-part event will be shown exclusively at Odeon Cinemas for one-day only on 20th May 2023. Attendees will be welcomed with a pre-recorded special introduction by the director and cast, and will also each receive an exclusive A6 exclusive postcard featuring artwork from the film.
Synopsis
This is a story about certain siblings, suddenly-appeared penguins, and the past and the future of this world… The Takakura brothers search for PENGUINDRUM by order of a mysterious penguin-shaped hat to save their ill sister Himari. Ringo Oginome keeps realizing that her destiny has been written in a diary. Masako Natsume tries to get her hands on Ringo’s diary to find her new destiny. Keijyu Tabuki and Yuri Tokikago attempt to get back their precious person of fate. All seek the PENGUINDRUM for their own sake and that of someone dear to them.
Ten years later…
Kamba and Syoma, who rode the train to change fate, momentarily come back from the place their fate took them…
Review
What’s great about anime is how surprising it can be. Going into any film or show with no knowledge is always really fun, perhaps more so for anime. Now, despite being an anime fan for over 7 years and watching well over 200 different shows and films, it’s genuinely surprising how many times I’ve been caught completely off guard. Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum proved that, while there is an overwhelming amount of anime out there, with some of it blending in, there is still an abundance of anime that seeks to exist outside of the norm and the traditional. Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum is, without a doubt, the strangest film I’ve watched in many, many years and I commend it for that.
Trying to sum up Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum in just a sentense is an utterly impossible task. There is so much going on simultaneously, but it’s the bizarre nature of Penguindrum that makes it difficult to describe… Penguins, a hat of resurrection, terrorists and a Future Diary. Work that one out. That’s the appeal of Penguindrum. It absolutely revels in the absurdity and fully intends on taking the audience on a weird trip through the macabre. Newcomers, like me, probably assume that Penguindrum is a light-hearted adventure filled with heroic feats, fluffy penguins and fun… It’s actually the complete opposite.
Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum is a dark, depressing and disturbing 4 hour feast that is also surprisingly funny. It utilises the darkness brilliantly to create some very amusing moments that are further infused by the often wacky animation. There’s a perfect blend of dark and light that keeps you on your toes and makes the entire ordeal unpredictable. With so much happening, it was impossible to guess the next step. In a way, the unpredictability worked against the film, particularly as a newbie to this narrative. There is simply too much to absorb and with a runtime of over 4 hours… It does turn it into quite a chore.
Having said that though, it is impossible to lose focus. The humor is on point, the animation is simple but effective, the story is crazy, and there are a variety of characters to get behind. There may be a lot going on, but it’s all incredibly engaging. The animation doesn’t aim to astonish. Instead, the film primarily relies on the characters to guide us through this penguin fever dream. Each character has a unique story to tell and watching them converge was very amusing and clever, especially considering the way it was all formatted. The transitions were smart and each segment focused on a particular character. It almost felt like a game of tennis. The first segment would raise a question, the flashback would then answer it- back and forth. Some arcs had interesting twists, others were riddled with dark revelations. However, they all revolved around the same thing, it was just a matter of waiting to see how they were conntected. Each new reveal just confirmed how twisted Penguindrum is, but it does it in a way that isn’t overly graphic or disturbing… It’s all obvious suggestions, but without the shock factor. It was an interesting approach to take and it added to the overall mystery as you became desperate for each new answer.
Penguindrum focuses on quite a strange array of character. What was originally the story about the Takakura brothers saving their sister suddenly becomes a grand time-altering quest that is tangled. There are moving parts everywhere and we’re slowly introduced to each new piece of the puzzle. Ringo Oginome is arguably the most twisted character of the bunch and she really sets the overall tone of the film. When it became clear what she was planning, I knew that this wasn’t going to be the light-hearted endeavour I thought I had signed up for. However, she is still rather delighful despite her motives. The brothers, Himari and Ringo form a nice little bond that flourishes wonderfully. For the other characters, they somewhat fade into the background due to the sheer amount of arcs this film attempts to juggle. At times, the film fumbles to manage everything coherently. Although, considering who the main characters are, it was a joy to see their story progress and their beings evolve. They handle the set up really nicely and the overall execution works incredibly well, the additional characters just feel like extra baggage- necessary baggage because everything is connected in some way.
While there are indeed many elements to enjoy, from the dark humor to the flamboyant and twisted animation, the idea of compiling it into a 4 hour film somewhat sets it up to fail. The key components are covered, but you lose a lot of the substance. The pace becomes uneasy and rushed. Things don’t unravel as naturally as they would in the standard episodic format. When you think about it, a 9 hour story has been cut in half. That’s not an easy thing to do, and you’re guaranteed to lose some of that fluidity. As a result of this insane cramming session, you lose some of the impact, as well as the heart between some of the characters. There’s no stopping so there’s actually no time to appreciate the softer and more tranquil moments.
Verdict
Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum was definitely an interesting but mixed experience. It’s impossible not to admire the craziness. It truly is wild. However, the compliation format massively drags this film down. Some shows are just better suited for that normal and familiar format… And Penguindrum is one of them. It feels as though too much was lost, which may sound surprising given its length, but longevity helps us connect with the characters, understand ideals and motivations, and even gives us those moments of serenity to sit back and absorb everything. Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum severely lacked that. It was beat after beat with no opportunity to digest the unravelling madness. However, watching Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum has made me want to watch the full series. That has to count for something.
⭐⭐⭐
Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum – Part 1 Your Train Is the Survival Tactic and Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum – Part 2 I Love You are coming exclusively to Odeon Cinemas as a double-bill showing for one-day only on 20th May 2023. The films will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles, with a 10 minute intermission in-between.
Check out the trailer below:
Will you be catching Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum on the big screen? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out more Anime goodness here.
