Mawaru Penguindrum

Mawaru-Penguindrum (輪るピングドラム, Mawaru Pingudoramu) is an original 2011 Japanese anime series produced by studio Brain's Base. The series is directed and co-written by Kunihiko Ikuhara and is currently being broadcasted in Japan since July 8, 2011.

Production Overview

Mawaru-Penguindrum will span a total of 24 episodes, with the novel version released before the anime is broadcasted. The novel is written by Ikuni Chouder, a pseudonym Ikuhara most likely use to hide his identity. Mawaru-Penguindrum's novel will be released in 3 volumes, with the first volume covering the first 8 episodes of the anime.

The anime also debuts Miho Arakawa, who is voice casting the main heroine.

Story

"Survival Strategy---!!"

The Takakura siblings were struck with misfortune when Kanba and Shoma Takakura witnessed the death of Himari, their youngest sister. However, Himari was miraculously revived by a strange spirit called the Princess of the Crystal, who resides in a mysterious hat bought as a souvenir.

In exchange for saving Himari's life, the Princess of the Crystal forcefully requests both Kanba and Shoma to search for an item called the Penguindrum with the assistance of three strange penguins.

Characters

Kanba Takakura（CV:Subaru Kimura）

The serious elder brother of the Takakura siblings. Kanba takes his duty to search for the Penguindrum seriously and will resort to dirty methods to obtain it, such as hacking and lock-picking. He is assumed to be a playboy as he is famous among the girls. Kanba also seem to harbor feelings for his sister as he is seen kissing her after her resurrection.

Shoma Takakura（CV:Ryouhei Kimura）

Kanba's younger twin brother. Sensitive in nature, he is determined and wishes to save his sister Himari but is uncomfortable with the methods of obtaining the Penguin Drum. He is also a currently running gag character, and also the narrator in the novel adaption.

Himari Takakura（CV:Miho Arakawa）

Himari is the younger sister to both of the brothers, and also the youngest in the Takakura family. The main heroine of the series, she died from an unknown disease but is revived by a mysterious hat that claims to extend her life through unknown means. When possessed by Princess of the Crystal, she turned from her gentle, friendly and cheerful nature to an arrogant individual with a superiority complex.

Ringo Oginome（CV:Marie Miyake）

The first target for the twins to stalk. She is currently going to a school which is close to the brothers, and is also obsessively stalking their homeroom teacher, Keiju Tabuki. She believes in destiny and fate, and especially believe in the fact that she and Keiju are connected with a string of fate, and also believed that curry is a symbol of fate. She holds a diary which it is assumed to be the Penguin Drum.

Keiju Tabuki（CV:Akira Ishida）

Kanba and Shoma's homeroom teacher. She is also the love target of Ringo Oginome, and is currently living with his fiancee, Mari Tokikago.

Mari Tokikago（CV:Mamiko Noto）

Keiju Yabuki's fiancee, Ringo harbors a feeling of dislike towards her. It is also implied that she is a famous idol.

Masako Natsume（CV:Yui Horie）

Nothing is known about this character at this point.

Saneri（Unannounced）

Nothing is known about this character at this point.

Mari Fujishiro （CV:Hibiku Yamamura）

Ringo Oginome's friend. The one with the short hair.

Yukina Kashiwagi （CV:Yoshiko Ikuta）

Ringo Oginome's friend. A girl who spots ganguro features.

Penguin No.1

Penguin No.2

Penguin No.3

A group of mysterious, 3 penguins that are currently residing at Takakura household. Penguin no.1 spots a special feature on its eyebrows, Penguin no.2 is a plain, normal penguin, while Penguin no.3 is a female penguin with a ribbon at the right side of its head.

Their details as of current is unknown.

Princess of the Crystal（CV:Miho Arakawa）

Himari when she is being possessed. While details about her is unknown at this point, it is known that she is looking for an item called the Penguin Drum, which she ordered Kanba and Shoma to look for the said item. She is arrogant, and does not properly tell the brothers where to find the said item, giving them much trouble. Her favorite phrase, "Survival for Strategy" (生存戦略, Seizon Senryaku) became a wide spread meme as of current.

Staff

Original Work	Ikuni Chouder
Original Story, Director	Kunihiko Ikuhara
Original Character Designer	Lily Hoshino
Series Director, Script	Kunihiko Ikuhara, Takayo Ikami
Character Designer	Terumi Nishii
Conceptual Design	Shouko Nakamura, Katsunori Shibata
Art	Kentaro Akiyama, Chieko Nakamura
Color Settings	Kunio Tsujita
Editing	Shigeru Nishiyama
Music	Yukari Hashimoto
Music Production	Star Child Records
Sound Director	Kunihiko Ikuhara, You Yamada
Sound Effects	Tomokazu Mitsui
Assistant Director	Mitsue Yamazaki
Series Director	Shouko Nakamura
Animation Studio	Brain's Base