Penguin Highway had been on my radar for quite some time due to its unique premise and positive reviews. Intrigued by the promise of a coming-of-age story wrapped in a fantastical mystery, I decided it was the perfect choice to relax on a Sunday evening.

Plot

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In a quiet town, penguins inexplicably appear, sparking the curiosity of a young boy named Aoyama. He discovers that these penguins follow a mysterious path called the “Penguin Highway,” leading to the woods. After an encounter with a bully, Aoyama is freed by a mysterious Lady who can transform objects into penguins. With his classmates Uchida and Hamamoto, Aoyama investigates the phenomena, finding a floating sphere of water in the forest, which Hamamoto calls the “sea.” The trio spends their days studying the sphere, which absorbs objects and seems to distort space and time.

As the mystery deepens, a creature known as the Jabberwock emerges, linked to the Lady’s health and the penguins’ attempts to destroy the sphere. Amidst storms and a growing sphere threatening the town, Aoyama and the Lady generate a mob of penguins to enter the sphere. They rescue Hamamoto’s father and return to burst the sphere, restoring normalcy. In a bittersweet farewell, the Lady disappears, leaving Aoyama with a resolve not to cry, believing he’ll see her again. In the film’s conclusion, Aoyama finds a toy spaceship at the spot where the Lady vanished, a reminder of their adventure.

Review: 🐧🐧🐧🐧 out of 5 Penguins

I want to start by noting that you have the option to watch this film in either its dubbed or subbed version. While I typically prefer subtitles, I opted for the English dub this time, given that the voice acting is generally well-executed. Although some of the children’s voices sounded older than their characters, it didn’t detract from the overall experience.

There is one aspect I want to highlight about the English version. Although I watched the film in its dubbed version, I kept the subtitles on. This allowed me to notice some differences between the dubbed lines and the original Japanese script. While I found the changes made in the dubbing to be more appealing, that doesn’t mean I support such alterations. I’m a strong advocate for translations that stay as true as possible to the original work. Fortunately, the changes in this instance didn’t omit anything significant.

Building on that point, our protagonist, Aoyama, is quite the character. He openly expresses his appreciation for breasts, dedicating a specific thirty minutes each day to think about them and even boob-shaped food. Yes, you read that correctly—he literally tells his friend this. It was through this rather unique obsession that I noticed differences between the English and Japanese versions of the film.

At one point, Hamamoto becomes jealous of Aoyama’s efforts to protect the Lady. In the English dub, Hamamoto remarks, “You only like her because she’s older.” However, in the Japanese version, Hamamoto pointedly says, “You only like her because she has big breasts.” True to his gentlemanly nature, Aoyama does not hesitate to agree, acknowledging that the Lady does indeed have nice, big breasts. This entire scene was a “What the…?” moment for me. Despite its surprising nature, I found the exchange amusing and reflective of the unfiltered honesty with which kids can argue.

What I particularly enjoy about this film is its focus on children having fun and embarking on adventures. My own childhood wasn’t the most stable, so I find great joy in experiencing adventures through characters like the children in this film. Even though the film includes fantasy elements, the essence of youthful exploration and excitement resonates deeply with me.

Despite our cast being primarily children, our main character is quite mature for his age. His English voice actor delivers a mostly monotone performance but manages to convey emotion effectively when needed. Aoyama’s best friend, Uchida, provides much of the film’s humor and liveliness. While Aoyama is often reserved, Uchida brings the necessary emotional energy to their scenes. The bully, Suzuki, and his two sidekicks are also enjoyable characters, whose antics don’t provoke much anger as would be expected of a bully.

So, it turns out that the Lady isn’t really human. Her role is more of a guardian, created to correct imbalances in the world. She embodies a deep love for the world, nature, and animals. This raised many questions for me. Putting aside her magical powers and mysterious existence, I’m curious about how she got a job. Early in the film, we learn that she works at a dentist’s office. How did she land this job? If she was created solely to heal the world, she shouldn’t have a resume or experience. Yet, she also mentions having memories of her childhood. How is that possible? I know this might seem like a strange issue to focus on, but considering how tough the job market is even for actual humans, it’s puzzling.

To conclude, I enjoyed Penguin Highway. The English voice acting was well executed, with most voices suiting their characters. While some lines were altered from the original, I didn’t find the changes particularly bothersome. However, I would still recommend watching the subtitled version for a more authentic experience. The movie is vibrant, with lively backgrounds and endearing characters. Overall, it was a delightful and charming film to watch.