「そして華麗に私を食べて・・・」 (Soshite Karei ni Watashi wo Tabete…)
“Then Eat Me Splendidly”

Interestingly enough, seeing a cat run into a penguin and a fish smack a girl on her big forehead doesn’t seem all that weird anymore after two episodes of Mawaru Penguindrum. I had no idea what to make of that commercial before the series started airing and now it seems like a completely ordinary scene, as does the murder-like one involving a huge pot of curry.

Along with Ringo’s diary, one of the biggest mysteries to me is still the whole penguin theme. An obvious effect is that it keeps us guessing on what the penguin drum truly is, but I suspect there’s a much more meaningful purpose behind it — more than just being Himari’s favorite animal anyway (presumably). Until we learn more about that, I am enjoying the cute and comedic moments care of the invisible penguins, whom Ringo doesn’t even take notice to when plates of curry are being eaten right beside her. As for Ringo’s herself, it’s kind of relieving to learn that she’s known Keiju for some time now and didn’t just start stalking him out of the blue. Knowing that makes it easier to understand where she’s coming from, and even allows me to take amusement in Keiju’s girlfriend Tokikago Yuri (Noto Mamiko) being suddenly introduced and ruining her curry day plans. However, Ringo still comes off as a pretty crazy stalker girl to me, especially when she grabs a pot off a burning hot stove with her bare hands.

In addition to the introduction of Ringo’s mother Eriko (Fukami Rika) and the sight of “Himari” in a cow suit chugging away milk like a champ, the most interesting thing to take away from this episode is that Ringo’s diary doesn’t seem to have the future written in it. Instead, it appears to be a plan she outlined in a lot of detail and attempts to make happen as closely as possible. She also seems content if she can twist the wording around so that it’s still technically true even though it’s not what she hand in mind, such as her and Keiju eating her home-cooked apple curry together. Incidentally, “eating together” doesn’t necessarily have to mean at the same table, as eating a new batch she made at the Takakura household still qualifies in her mind. I haven’t ruled out the possibility that something will happen if she succeeds in fulfilling out her “destiny” though, assuming that her diary is the penguin drum in question. Whatever the penguin drum is, it’ll be interesting to see how Kanba and Shouma try to get it from her now that they can actually talk to her. It was like a blessing in disguise when Himari invited her over. A very, very, disguised blessing.

While Ringo has stolen the spotlight in recent episodes, I still find the penguin hat that’s keeping Himari alive far more intriguing at the moment. I’m also enjoying the Survival Strategy sequence the more I see it, because the recycled scenes with different dialogue works surprisingly well. For instance, I got a good chuckle out of Shouma being dropped to the pits by his penguin again (more so than the second time anyway). For the amusement factor alone, I’m looking forward to hearing what “Himari” will badmouth Kanba and Shouma about next time.

 

Preview & End Card

38 Comments

  1. Maybe as long as it was written in that dairy then maybe the words will be carried out whether literally or figuratively and whether or not as planned by the writer/owner. By the way, busy week Divine?

    JX
    1. Ikuhara has a thing for/about cows. This is another Reference I’d say ‘See Utena’ in regards to. Though what exactly he’s going for with this, probably only he really knows.

      AngelMercury
  2. Rat Trap

    BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

    I’m still not 100% convinced that the diary doesn’t contain her fate. Why else would she note down her encounter with a scary looking cat on her way home. Something like that seems beyond her control and would be safer to leave out to ensure everything written down is satisfied.

    Fling
    1. I’m beginning to think the diary doesn’t belong to Ringo, notice how we never see her actually write anything in it, but that it was written years ago by Keiju’s previous girlfriend.

      hurin
  3. I just realized that the girls with Himari in the ending sequence are the same two from the subway ads. Wonder if it means anything?

    I won’t be surprised if the penguin drum turns out to be the “destiny” stamp. Weaker than the first two but sill great.

    Jaden
    1. The two mascots girls are called Double H which is probably a reference to Ringo’s diary. For now I’d say they’re likely just there as a side commentary, but it’s Ikuhara so anything could happen. Utena’s A, B, and C-ko girls all ended up in the movie as still mostly observers but actually cheered her on.

      AngelMercury
  4. Yandere, willing to brave a boiling hot pot just to switch the curry. I must say it seem like she must do everything that written in the her “mirai nikki” in order to reach a good end. It probably won’t take long until something powerful happen, presumably with knife or jumping off the roof or opening a womb(shiver).

    Another thing as much as I like the “SEIZOOOOOOON SENRYAKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! ” I’m starting to feel weird to keep seeing them being suprise at being cuffed and to see Shouma keep falling down. Oh well, if Sailormoon is any indication. I’m pretty sure a new transformation will happen soon enough.

    P.S. haha on Himari milk drinking in cow suit.
    Also yippe gg-fansub finally subbed the song. Rock Over Japan.

    lkaze
  5. “the most interesting thing to take away from this episode is that Ringo’s diary doesn’t seem to have the future written in it”

    You might want to reconsider this… it’s definitely some sort of future-diary.

    It’s one thing to simply lay down the steps she figures will make the guy fall in love with her, it’s another thing when the diary entry for this episode’s events went into enough detail that it mentioned her running into a cat with a stolen fish on her way home.

    Qwerty1
    1. Actually the diary said the cat was scary looking and not carrying a fish. This improves the chance of it just being a coincidence I guess… you know with bad luck cats and all that…

      I’m still not totally convinced that the diary doesn’t have a future written in it.

      Hrmmm
  6. The best pic in the episode for me.

    I was like “OMG. Double cosplay. Penguin-cow combi = Priceless(for now i guess)”

    I’m guessing that the book and stamp isn’t the penguindrum. They might change it to a ball pen or something. This might be there aim. To make people concentrate on something yet that wasn’t the answer.

  7. The efforts to get Ringo on my side failed completely, she’s still a creepy, crazy stalker yandere. I hope they get the Drum from her and she goes away, she’s annoying.

    Also, wish they’d stop replaying the same footage every episode for the “Survival Strategy!” They really do need to stop being surprised at being teleported in and handcuffed.

    Guardian
  8. kind of a boring ep….at least the OP and the “Rocking the nite” illusion part kept us “stoners” somewhat entertained. otherwise, MORE information please “i know i’m impatient” i wanna know why she stuck her fist into “red-hair” in the first ep

    BROOKLYN otaku
      1. What I like about this show is that it makes you want to go back each episode and check the background for all the little penguins lol. theyr’e so cute. I took a close look at the family picture and no surprise they’re at the zoo and there’s penguins in the background and one of the invisible penguins seem to be on himari’s head.

        Also what interests me is Ringo’s reaction when she sees the boys. She blush’s a bit but it doesn’t look normal to me, but I can’t make sense of it. Did she know they were stalking her or did she remember her friends talking about Kanba?

        MC
  9. Another great episode. The plot thickens, as they say.

    I’m more and more intrigued by Ringo’s book. It seems she doesn’t really believe that the “prophecies” written in the book will come true unless she works hard to bring them to reality… but that’s not really how “unmei” supposedly works…

    Hazel

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