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「君の恋が嘘でも僕は」 (Kimi no Koi ga Uso demo Boku wa)
“Even If Your Love is a Lie, I…”
They say that opposites attract, so I’d like to believe the Shouma x Ringo pairing that’s been played up will see the light of day at some point. Maybe all it takes to get through to a psychopath like Ringo is someone risking their life to save hers. The thought did cross my mind after Shouma instinctively dove out to save her from an oncoming car, but I’m not really expecting much given the dismal state Ringo was in after her diary got torn up. Still, I’m going to assume that Shouma isn’t dead eight episodes in, and that we’ll be seeing a lot more of him and Ringo in the future. For the time being, the real question is who was on the motorcycle. Judging from the female figure, Masako is an obvious suspect, except tearing up Ringo’s diary goes against everything she’s said about how Project M must succeed. It could very well be that her Project M isn’t the same as Project Rape Maternity (much like I speculated last time), but there really hasn’t been any indication that it is.
As for some more concrete developments, the biggest one was Satoshi’s single-mother lady friend (presumably), who forced Ringo to take her maternity plan to drug and rape levels. It hasn’t been explicitly stated, but Ringo’s parents did get divorced after Momoka’s death, hence why she’s so desperate to become Momoka. Her child-like innocence at the time figured that everything will be back to normal if Momoka were alive and she’s going to great lengths to make that happen. To that end, it’s worth noting that Ringo seems to associate homewreckers with eels, even if it’s not a person but an incident, so that’s kind of been the figurative flag for things that scare her and compel her to press on. Knowing that, I can sort of understand where she’s coming from, even though I hardly agree with her means of getting her parents back together. Shouma put it best when he said she’s the most twisted girl he’s ever met. (His exact words were most “black-hearted” girl he’s ever met.)
While I’ve been fairly entertained by everything that’s happened thus far, I must admit that I’m not too enthralled with how Mawaru Penguindrum has become the “Oginome Ringo Show”. I realize that she’s a central character and has her reasons for acting the way she does, but they’re overemphasizing her role to the point that it’s wearing on me. I figured the story should’ve moved on from her obsession with fulfilling her sister’s diary and onto much more interesting developments care of Masako by now. Instead, it seems to keep going back to Ringo with Shouma strung along and Yuri as a supposed villain. Himari hasn’t even had a chance to establish herself as a heroine because of all the focus on Ringo. It’s probably not a good thing when I enjoyed nonsensical scenes involving her a lot more than I should have. Anyway, hopefully Ringo snaps out of her obsession after her diary got torn up and Shouma sacrificed himself to save her. The story’s become a bit stagnant as of late and I really want to see it move forward.
Preview & End Card
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What on earth would Celty want with Ringo’s Diary?
Perhaps searching for evidence of alien invasion…
There was not anything that surprised me this episode. For the most part it felt boring, even the previous episode was more interesting (which I already found boring enough).
The Ringo antics are getting old and repetitive, Shouma is back to his annoying self (after being less annoying last episode). Even Himari’s antics are getting on my nerves now. I’m starting to ignore the penguins (as if they were not even there), as their antics don’t seem that funny anymore.
I do empathize with Ringo’s point of view and can see how things can end up that way, but the story is somehow not compelling enough for me to want to know what comes next. This anime is beautifully drawn, and the colors are like no other anime that started in this season, but I’m not really enjoying it anymore. I’m thinking one more episode before I decide if I’ll drop this. I’m wondering if I should pickup/catchup-with a another anime that started this season instead.
out of curiosity, how long is this series supposed to be? 13 eps? 25?
See here.
If you notice the episode count matches the number of trips on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line which has 25 stations.
And I think I figured out what the number 95 from the OP is a reference to. I think it’s 1995 the year the sarin gas attack took place, the same day Ringo was born.
I’m starting to wonder if the creators are even trying anymore. I had enough of Ringo already and I want to see what Kanda and Masako are up to since they are more interesting characters than freaking Ringo and her obsession. Please Brain Base, hurry up so we can move on to the story already.
The “Oginome Ringo Show” better end very soon so I can see more Himari and the good plot I assumed this show has.
Agreed. I was bored of Ringo’s story the episode before this -_- I think it’s time to move on and hopefully I can change my score to a 9/10 like it was for the first 5 episodes. 🙂
I still believe in you Mawaru Penguindrum!
great cliffhanger
“The story’s become a bit stagnant as of late and I really want to see it move forward.” agreed. Ringo’s craziness was fun the first few times, but this episode was really grating on my nerves, especially because of her simple-minded thinking that’s fueling her crazy. I guess that’s what makes her crazy?
What I really want to know is who Masako is, what’s her connection to Kanba, and who’s Kanba getting loans from? Well, I’m assuming that money is a loan, anyways.
Maybe the money’s for compensated dating.
Am I the only one enjoying the story of Ringo? I think it’d make a great standalone story (it’d be just as messed up as School Days with the ending) XD
I do agree that i’d like to see the story progress, it seems to be moving at a very slow pace for a girl whose as obsessed as she is. Why not just get it all over and done with.
Damn, I wouldn’t fight against some Ringo Rape.
I enjoy ringo. absurb and funny. And it is nice to see a Stalker in action after so many cliche anime archetypes. However, if she resorts to cutting people up than I would definetly change my opinion.
If I hear the freaking word “Destiny” from Ringo’s mouth again I’m certain I’m going to snap…
I agree..the show really become the Psycho Ringo Show..I really want to learn more about Himari and the penguin queen.
SO tired of Ringo, like just about everyone here. And now she’s gotten Shouma hit by a car. Unforgivable. Plus I find Himari sooo cute (as do the animators apparently) that it bothers me she’s the one getting so little screen time. I’m sticking with this show at least for now but going forward it will need to have much more Himari and more penguins to balance out all this Ringo crap.
Anyway, can’t Project M just stand for Mawaru, as in turn-about? Everyone wants to turn their fate back on itself: Ringo wants to have her family back, the brothers want to have Himari alive again.
It hasn’t gotten to the point where it’s wearing one me, but I do agree that they kinda shifted the spotlight away from Himari. I don’t dislike Ringo as a character, but seeing less and less of ‘normal’ Himari every episode is getting to me.
Nevertheless, I’m still enjoying Penguindrum ^_^
I for one enjoyed the crazy delusional spaghetti Western-within-episode…
Sergio Leone FTW!
Other than that, Ringo should really be left to wander under the car… Stupid Shouma saving the most rotten girl this season – save maybe Killing finger…
Kanba, you should have acted faster with the diary, now you have only half left to collect…
That was done really well, you could tell the scene’s director is a Leone fan.
I wonder what the purpose of the chicken and egg models hidden under the bed covers served, besides as a symbol of maternity. In other words, did Tabuki put them there on purpose, and if so, why? Was he anticipating that somebody find him…
I’m just waiting for the director to really pull something big. He did with the ending, now to wait for the ultimate moment of mind fuckery. Just like with Utena. Going on what he did with that show, there’s going to be some sort of big event happening. We don’t even know yet what the penguins are, who all these mysterious people are, but we know it’s somehow, for some reason, connected with Ringo. Even her name shouts connections. Ringo = apple, apples are everywhere, even in the opening.
I didn’t really like her until this episode. This episode is where it really shows just how fucked up she is, and how lonely she feels. Not even her own parents took major care for how she’s being affected by Momoka’s death. Dad cared in the beginning, but is now ignoring her (it’s fine that he’s moving on, but he’s ignoring his own child, how fucked up is that), and Mom is gone most of the day. It has to be the duty of a total stranger to even shake her belief that the diary plans are messed up. There are little hints in this episode that show Ringo doesn’t even really want to go through with the diary plans, but she does, because she wants that family back. It’s a glimpse into a neglected daughter’s efforts to build a personal utopia that can’t happen, because everything she imagines is literally a fantasy. A puppet show. Reality moves on–her resistance towards reality only hurts her, and as seen in the ending, hurts others.
Totally agree here. I think Ringo is both hilarious and pathetic but the point she’s at now seems unsustainable. And seeing as the first Mawaru novel is said to cover through episode 9, the next two episodes should offer more of what regular people are expecting.
I think it’s interesting that Ringo’s point is partially validated by her mother not noticing how she’s taken to spending her nights under a grown man’s apartment. Poor girl. It’s not that her mother doesn’t care for her; it’s that her mother doesn’t seem to realize she needs to be demonstrative in her caring. Ringo shouldn’t have to raise herself even through her teen years.
Also “ringo” has another connection: I understand the selected kanji is read in Chinese as “penguin”. Classic multi-layer and I’m looking forward to seeing the explicit connection (beyond the phone tags which her father has abandoned). Ringo’s more of a main chara than many are happy with, it appears!
I still think this is the most interesting show this season just for the mere fact of not knowing where it can possibly go next, can’t wait for the next episode
This episode wasn’t boring. The plot may be thin at this stage but the drama is heavy. Ringo finally took action (read into that what you will) and Shouma literally stepped in to save Ringo from herself. The now torn diary will certainly turn the page for these characters. Hopefully Kanba and Masako are just around the corner.
I can see where people’s criticism of the series is coming from. It’s taken a bit longer to get where they are now than it should have, but being a 24 episode series I’m not too concerned. I’m just enjoying the stark contrast of humour and drama as well as the eeriness of the undeveloped characters. The art direction is continuously fabulous max.
Agreed. The directors past work and the style are enough for me to hang in there. And this episodes ending is a pretty clear turning point for the story as it shakes Ringo’s situation up completely.
I’m not tired of Ringo’s arc yet. Even though she’s totally crazy, I can relate to her totally nonsensical reasoning. And plus, her craziness makes her actions a lot more unpredictable. Where usually people end up doing the right thing, she charges along with doing what’s wrong. I do find that her ‘destiny’ and daydreams are getting old though.
That cliffhanger was great too, I can’t wait to see how this changes the dynamics of everything.
but how can you be tired of her “destiny” and then not tired of her arc?
her arc IS her destiny crap.
that’s what is making Ringo’s arc so tiring.
we know there are other players in this game of penguins, but we’ve been getting nothing but ringo ringo ringo and more psycho ringo.
it wouldn’t be so bad if we’ve been given anything particularly endearing about her, but even with a backstory and reasons, her only high point has been how hilarious of a failure she is.
you said it yourself, its amusing how wrong she gets everything. but that’s the ONLY thing amusing about her.
at that’s a bad character to be anchoring your entire show on so far (because they certainly haven’t been developing any of the other storylines).
Project M: Project Momoka much?
At the end of this episode, all I could do was shake my head and breathe, “Damn…”
maybe its just me, but this PLOT is taking WAY TOO LONG. lets get to it already! plus that “ROCKIN NIGHT” illusion is tired as all hell already. new illusion stat!
ADD eh?
WTH is up with the cliffhangers this week?! First No. 6, now this?! UGH. Hurry up next week! I can’t take this!!! >3>
Man, how strong of a grip does Ringo have? Someone speeds past and grabs the diary and she manages to hold on to her half and it rips in half. That’s crazy!
Needs more Himari and Seizon Senryaku.
remember, she managed to get out of the Himari’s trap door… :3
Maybe Shouma getting hit will finally snap her out of her insanity? Doubt it.
However, thank god she won’t be obssessing over events in that diary now it’s destroyed. In the mean time, Himari is right: pay more attention to her, damnit!
Thought the motorcycle rider was Kanba til I saw the screencap lol. Whoever it is, thank you for ripping that diary out of that retard’s hands =D
Maybe it was ‘Utena.’ We haven’t seen our mysterious pink haired woman appear yet in show ^.~
I see people complaining about the length of Ringo’s arc but we are just at 1/3 of the series. I predict that Ringo’s arc will be resolved next week and then we will move on to Masako’s arc and the true villain who is behind her.
Remember that Utena also had arcs who lasted between 10 and 13 episodes (over a total of 39).
I’m tired of the Ringo heavy story right now as well BUT I also enjoy when things go wrong for her since, quite frankly, I hate her ass. Shouma x Ringo would be too good for her, she should just face reality, her dad left because her mom drove him nuts and couldn’t move on. He’s found someone else now, and he’s NOT coming back regardless of her getting knocked up with someones kid. Tabouki has a hawt girl now and he’s not going to look at some teen in that way, drugging him would be the only way they’d have sex actually.
I doubt the girl on the bike was Masako, don’t let the name of the project fool you, we’re looking at two different plots playing out here IMO. Hence the two brothers relation to them, Shouma in one and Kanba in the other. Masako taking out past girls who’ve dated and still had feelings for Kanba seems to indicate that she’s like Ringo in her crazy stalker ways I think. If Shouma is now knocked out for a bit the story should finally shift over to Kanba more I hope.
oh himari, that shiny five head of yours is so charming!
Would have guessed Kanba was the one who ripped the diary there if it wasn’t for the obvious breasts in the screen shot. The series is suffering from a lack of disclosure.
Comparing to Madoka and Stein;s Gate, 2 recent ones who did the pacing well, they really should have at least dropped *some* of the answers by now. If the mystery part was really important, it could have simply be one where part of the questions are answered and new questions raised in their stead.
I’m finding that i hate ringo more and more with every new episode — yes i understand her motives, yes she has a tragic life, yes its understandable that she went a bit crazy — but that doesn’t change the fact that she is annoying and i sort of hoped she would get hit by the truck at the end of this episode and die and give up her diary that way. or just die. i would be fine with that too. i like the premise of this show a lot, and i am really really curious as to what exactly the penguin drum is and what the side story with kanba is…. so lets get rid of ringo already! gosh she is just so irritating to watch, and her little random daydreams make me want to scream!! (now i just skip over them)
Oginome Ringo is by far the most interesting character in this show. I wish she would remain the focus of Mawaru Penguindrum, but unfortunately, it looks like that’s coming to an end with the diary gone.
I’m fine with the show focusing on other characters though, as long as it’s not about Kanba(because I seriously can’t stand that seiyuu) or Himari (because I simply find her annoying). Looks like it’s going to be a Double-H arc next…
celty job on the kuro bike is back . Need durarara season 2 lol