A new project entitled Penguinbear has been announced and it bears a strong resemblance to an anime we saw last year. No concrete news as to whether this is some kind of sequel or spin-off of Mawaru Penguindrum, but with a picture of a penguin on the website we can assume it is not completely unrelated.

If the similarities of the names doesn't convince you, then Kunihiko Ikuhara might be able to. Having trouble recognizing the name He's only the man responsible for scripting and directing Penguindrum, just check on MAL how much his name comes up.

[Source: Post on MAL]

I know I have not written a series review for Mawaru Penguindrum but I did enjoy it quite a lot. The series isn't perfect but it combined comedy, drama and mystery with a fantasy element to make it memorable. Even at its strangest, the series was special.

I did have a few questions about this project, the main one being what could it be After considering that, I thought about what I would like from this series and this is what I came up with:

What could Penguinbear be

1. The way Penguindrum ended, I cannot imagine Penguinbear being a sequel. The ending was beautiful and left me emotional, so I do not want to see a sequel to the original story.

2. A prequel is of course possible. Penguinbear could very well be about the parents of the children. I don't know how enjoyable a prequel would be but it certainly one way to go.

3. A spin-off is likely. The line on the site reads "Find it out without mingling with the transparent storm," hinting towards more of the same, thought that is just my own speculation. Having Penguinbear be a spin-off of Penguindrum might bear a lot of fruit for a number of reasons:

  • Penguindrum's originality
  • The anime's portrayal of fate was fantastic
  • The Penguins and humour were an additional delight.

That said, a spin-off could end up feeling like a sequel. I would like to see something new if the series was going to be a spin-off.

What I'd Like from Penguinbear

I prefer a spin-off above all else. It seems like the most viable option, if Penguinbear is in fact related to Penguindrum. A prequel wouldn't be bad either but only if there is enough of a story to do so.

Unrelated to the story or animation, I'd like to see Miho Arakawa in the cast. I loved her as Himari in Penguindrum and would love to see her in more roles. I'm hoping that she is on great terms with Ikuhara-sensei.

Since Ikuhara-sensei is heading the project, I can't think of anything else. Provided his last series wasn't a fluke, I have high hopes for this one. That said, I'm not sure if I want him to do everything like last time.

Final Thoughts on Penguinbear

I'm surprised Penguinbear has got so much of my attention. Not to mention, with SHAFT's new projects and the Fall season, my mind is elsewhere.

It's also funny how things have changed. Penguindrum was a sleeper hit from last year but Penguinbear has a lot more eyes on it. I just hope the hype doesn't overpower it.

Here's to hoping Penguinbear is as good as (or better than) Penguindrum! No news about when it airs but I'm sure everyone will hear as soon as the news is released. For the time being, enjoy Nornir: