Persona 4 the ANIMATION – 10

「Real Me Doesn’t Exist」

Sometimes, we don’t know who exactly our true self is, but just knowing that one exists and having the resolve to find it out can be just as important as its eventual acceptance. Both Rise and Kuma weren’t as lucky as the others, who had Shadows that spelled out exactly who their true self was, but they do share the determination to discover it. This mere realization is enough to awaken their Personas.

Mawaru Penguindrum – 22

「美しい棺」 (Utsukushii Hitsugi)
“Beautiful Coffin”

When I stop for a moment and look back on how Mawaru Penguindrum started and where it is now, I can’t even confidently say I can succinctly sum up the plot off the top of my head. A lot has happened in terms of characterization and conveying a deeper message, and only now has the series started to address the underlying plot in a way that should make sense to all viewers.