Penguin no Mondai - In-depth review and recommended points

Penguin Issues - Penguin Issues - Reviews and Recommendations

Overview

"Penguin no Mondai" is a comedy anime based on the original manga by Yuji Nagai, which aired on TV Tokyo from April 5, 2008 to March 27, 2010. The series, which consists of 102 episodes, depicts the extremely absurd problems caused by a penguin elementary school student named Kinoshita Beckham. It aired for 10 minutes every Saturday from 8:30 to 9:00, as part of TV Tokyo's "Ohakoro" series.

■ Story

"Penguin no Mondai" is a comedy anime about Kinoshita Beckham, a rare penguin elementary school student in the world, who goes on a super absurd rampage. Beckham, who is a student in class 1, 5th grade, at Kirikabu Elementary School, is a super troublemaker with plenty of things to poke fun at, causing one problem after another and getting everyone around him involved. His catchphrases such as "What's up?", "Su Beckham", and "Please pen" leave a strong impression on viewers.

Beckham is surrounded by a lot of strange friends. His classmate Yamada Naoto is always at Beckham's mercy, but he is also a good friend and a good straight man. Another classmate, Matsui Yumi, is an idol-like figure, but she is also a bit of an airhead, and sometimes behaves in ways you would never imagine. Okamoto Paul is a mohawk boy who is usually quiet and hard to read, but his mohawk hides a secret.

Charlotte Takahashi, a 74-year-old grandmother who looks after Beckham like a mother, has incredible powers that sometimes turn giant. Michael Inoue is a cute squirrel who adores Beckham like an older brother, but to be honest, he's not very smart. And there are many other mysterious characters, such as Gordon Watanabe, a naked gentleman who is wearing nothing but a hat.

A rival penguin, Johnny Kobayashi, who has a grudge against Beckham, also appears, and the problems that arise become more and more extreme. Beckham and his friends' school life is full of difficulties, but the humor is so funny that you'll want to say, "Please pen it."

■Explanation

"Penguin no Mondai" is an anime adaptation of a gag manga by Yuji Nagai that is currently being serialized in CoroCoro Comic. The slapstick tale that unfolds around Kinoshita Beckham, an elementary school student who is probably the world's first penguin, has been loved by a wide range of people, from children to adults. The anime adaptation has made the most of the gag elements of the original work, successfully drawing viewers into a whirlwind of laughter.

■Cast

• Kinoshita Beckham: Miyako Ito
• Naoto Yamada: Sachi Matsumoto
• Yumi Matsui: Saori Goto
• Charlotte Takahashi: Rikako Aikawa
• Paul Okamoto: Shinji Kawada
• Johnny Kobayashi: Toshiyuki Morikawa
• Michael Inoue: Cho
• Gordon Watanabe: Kenta Miyake
• Professor Matsuura: Haruhi Terada

■ Main staff

• Original story: Yuji Nagai (serialized in Monthly CoroCoro Comic)
• Original concept cooperation: Toshiyuki Arai
• Supervisors: Yasuyuki Sakami, Toshihiro Nakazawa
• Advisor: Akira Ishiseki
• Director: Jun Kamiya
• Assistant Director: Takuya Minezawa
• 3DCG Director: Maiko Nakata, Takuya Minezawa
• Series Composition: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu
• Screenplay: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu, Yui Enatsu, Hiro Masaki, Jun Kamiya, Toshihisa Arakawa, Takuya Masumoto, Yuko Fukuda, Shigenori Tanabe
• Character design: Mitsuru Kuwabata
• Storyboard: Jun Kamiya, Takuya Minezawa, Masahiko Ohta, Atsuo Tobe, Akihiro Enomoto, Hajime Nishi, Makoto Moriwaki, Toyoo Ashida, Masatoshi Hakata, Takayuki Chiba, Asuka Abe, Tsutomu Naniwa, Masato Tamagawa, Yusuke Takita, Tsukasa Kawasaki
• Directed by: Takuya Minezawa
• Sound Director: Jun Watanabe
• Edited by: Mutsumi Takemiya
• Music: Shuhei Naruse
• Effects: Masami Kitakata (Fizz Sound Creation)
• Sound Mixer: Nobutaka Hirooka
• Sound Editor: Akane Yamago
• Animation Production: Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment
• Animation producers: Takehito Ueno, Yukio Noda
• Produced by: TV Tokyo, Shogakukan Productions

■ Main Characters

• Kinoshita Beckham: A mysterious penguin suddenly appears at Kirikabu Elementary School. A super problem child with so many things to point out!
• Naoto Yamada: Although he is always bossed around by Beckham, they are very close friends. He is a good friend of Beckham and a good straight man!
• Matsui Yumi: She's an idol in her class, and a bit of an airhead too...!
• Takahashi Charlotte: A grandmother like a mother. Despite her appearance, she has incredible power. She's just so strong!!!
• Paul Okamoto: A quiet mohawk boy who is a classmate of Beckham. His mohawk has a big secret...!!
• Johnny Kobayashi: A penguin who is quick to fight and holds a grudge against Beckham. What will be the outcome of his showdown with Beckham...?
• Inoue Michael: A cute squirrel who looks up to Beckham as an older brother. But he's not very smart...!?
• Gordon Watanabe: A true gentleman who treats everyone with courtesy. But his appearance, even though he wears a hat, for some reason...

■Subtitle

"Penguin no Mondai" consists of 102 episodes, each of which has a unique problem. Here are some examples:

• Episode 1: Problems with the Major Announcement (2008/04/05)
• Episode 2: Problems in class (2008/04/12)
• Episode 3: The 100 Million Yen Problem (2008/04/19)
• Episode 4: The problem with old tales (2008/04/26)
• Episode 5: The Beckhams' Problems (2008/05/03)
• Episode 6: Problems with going home from school (2008/05/10)
• Episode 7: Rivalry Issues (Part 1) (2008/05/17)
• Episode 8: Rivalry Issues (Part 2) (2008/05/24)
• Episode 9: Rotation Problems (2008/05/31)
• Episode 10: Hide and Seek Problem (2008/06/07)

■ Related works

The following works are related to "Penguin Problem".

• Penguin Problem Max
• Penguin no Mondai DX?
• Penguin Problem POW
• Penguin's Problem: Pen with the Blue Bird of Happiness

■Review

"Penguin no Mondai" has been highly praised as a comedy anime. In particular, the character of Kinoshita Beckham, a penguin elementary school student, made a strong impression on viewers and gained many fans. Beckham's extremely absurd behavior and comical interactions with the characters around him provide laughter for a wide range of people, from children to adults.

The anime production staff also succeeded in making the most of the humorous elements of the original work, and successfully drew viewers into a whirlwind of laughter. In particular, the anime has been made to be entertaining both visually and aurally, with the use of 3DCG and ingenious sound effects.

Also, by depicting a different problem in each episode, we were able to keep the viewers interested. For example, "The 100 Million Yen Problem" started with Beckham suddenly getting his hands on 100 million yen, and the subsequent developments were very interesting. "The Rival Problem" depicted a showdown between Beckham and Johnny Kobayashi, keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats.

The characters' personalities are also very attractive, and the characters around Beckham each have their own interesting backgrounds. In particular, there are many surprising elements for viewers, such as Charlotte Takahashi's giant size and the secret behind Paul Okamoto's mohawk. Inoue Michael's cuteness and Watanabe Gordon's gentlemanly behavior were also well received by viewers.

Overall, "Penguin no Mondai" is a highly accomplished comedy anime that provides laughs and surprises to viewers. It is particularly enjoyable not only as an anime for children, but also for adults. There are many related works, so you can enjoy the work even more deeply.

■Recommendation

"Penguin no Mondai" is highly recommended for people who like gag anime and penguin characters. It is also a very good children's anime that the whole family can enjoy. In particular, by depicting different problems in each episode, it keeps the viewer's interest, so you can enjoy it without getting bored.

There are also many related works, such as "Penguin no Mondai Max", "Penguin no Mondai DX?", "Penguin no Mondai POW", and "Penguin no Mondai: The Movie - Penguin with the Blue Bird of Happiness", which you can enjoy the work even more deeply. These works also depict the new adventures and problems of Beckham and his friends, making them a must-see for fans.

"Penguin no Mondai" is a comedy anime full of laughs and surprises, and is loved by many people. Please give it a watch.