Characters / Penguindrum

This page lists the characters of Penguindrum and the tropes associated with them. Be warned; there are spoilers ahead.

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Major characters

Shouma Takakura

Shouma Takakura

The younger male of the Takakura household, Shouma is the resident domestic dude. Having been tasked with obtaining Ringo Oginome's diary, he seems to be developing an odd relationship with her.

Voiced by: Ryōhei Kimura (Japanese), Blake Shepard (English, series) Jack Stansbury (English, movies), Kalin Coates (English, young, movies)

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• And Your Reward Is Infancy: After he and Kanba selflessly gave up their lives to save Ringo and Himari, respectively, they were later reborn as preschoolers in the end.
• Badass Pacifist: Unlike Kanba, Shouma is mostly peaceful and his attempts at action fail hilariously. However, his kindness saved Himari from the child boiler and helped stop Kanba, find the Penguindrum and save Himari
• Beware the Nice Ones: Shouma is usually nice and quite the pushover, but he threatens Kanba with violence in Episode 1 when he responds to Himari's death lightly and later tries to choke Ringo in Episode 8 when she states that the Takakuras's image of a happy family is a fabrication.
• Big Damn Heroes: Rescues Himari from the Child Broiler when she's passed out on the conveyor belt to the incinerator.
• Break the Cutie: As of Episode 23, it looks like the world is REALLY out to break this poor dude and those in his surroundings.
• Butt-Monkey:
  • Not to the extent of his penguin, but when a frog gives birth on your back you know you are one of these.
  • He also gets drugged in two separate episodes, and chronologically only a few hours between incidents.
  • Even more so when, in episode 15, he tries to rescue Ringo from Yuri... and slips on a bottle thrown by #2, hitting his head and ending up unconscious.
• Cain and Abel: The Abel to his adoptive brother Kanba's Cain. (With Masako as a secondary Abel, to a lesser degree.)
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Shouma is heavily associated with blue as the Blue Oni to Kanba's Red Oni. Careful viewers will notice foreshadowing in Himari's flashback as her soulmate is wearing blue shoes.
• Distress Ball: Catches a big one in episode 10, courtesy of Masako.
• Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: His eyes are completely dull in episode 12 when it seems that Himari died.
• Dying Declaration of Love: He tells "I love you" to Ringo before his Heroic Sacrifice.
• Even the Guys Want Him: The seventh audio drama reveals that his friend Yamashita has a crush on him.
• The Fatalist: Especially in episode 12. But he still tries to defy everything, making him a Determined Defeatist.
• Foil:
  • To Ringo. The two of them are trying to help their families through bizarre means, but he keeps a more level head and often tries to discourage her from unsavory actions.
  • To Kanba. While Kanba is willing to go to borderline illegal methods to get Ringo's diary, Shouma tries to approach Ringo first and make her give it up willingly. Not to mention, Kanba is more accepting of their parents's stance, while Shouma strongly resents them for what has happened. And then there's episode 21....
• Generic Cuteness: He's supposed to be merely plain-looking, but his wide-eyes and standard shoujo-like features don't make this apparent.
• Heroic BSoD: When Himari dies in episode 12, he lapses into this and recites a metaphorical story involving three lambs, the shepherd, and two bunnies. He gets better when Sanetoshi brings Himari back in episode 13.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Gave up his life for his sister and lover.
• House Husband: One in training. Lampshaded when Himari sees him and Ringo cooking and is reminded of their parents.
• Made of Iron: The guy is hit by a car and yet barely suffers bruises and bumps. Lampshaded by Kanba:
  Kanba: Don't worry, you didn't break any bones. It's just some minor bumps and bruises. The doctor is amazed at how mild your injuries were!
• Middle Child Syndrome: Tied to his unfavorite status. Kanba is the elder brother and the one tasked with protecting the others while Himari is the youngest and ill and so she's the one being protected and cared for. Shouma has less of a role in the family.
  • Subverted in that he's the Takakura's only biological child. His neglect is a continuation of his parent's early neglect of him and even when improved, they still seemed to have taken him for granted.
• Nice Guy: He’s a genuinely good guy who tries to solve everything accordingly.
• Polar Opposite Twins: With Kanba; he's gentler and more domestically-inclined than his more stoic older twin brother. Subverted when they're not actually blood-related.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to his stoic brother Kanba, Blue to the more excitable Ringo.
• The Resenter: Unlike the other Takakura siblings who miss and thinking fondly of them, Shouma heavily resents his parents for their abandonment. It's implied that Shouma already resented them for their earlier neglect and furthermore has prior experience with how their dedication to their cult hurt their family.
• Ret-Gone: Takes on Ringo's punishment and vanished from the world.
• Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Has this dynamic with Ringo at first as she drags him along on her "Project M" while he snarks at her. Character Development on her part and reveals of his past graduate the dynamic to Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl.
• Ship Tease: With Ringo, increasing as time passes, especially in episode 10 and 11. Concluding with the Dying Declaration of Love.
  • Also gets some scenes with Himari in episode 19. Specially one that happens in the Child Broiler
• Shirtless Scene: In episodes 4 and 7.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: In contrast to the more pragmatic Kanba, he tries to do everything without any trouble.
• Sins of Our Fathers: Later episodes reveal that he has issues stemming from this trope, blaming himself for the fact that his parents caused the death of Ringo's sister, among other things. This complicates his situation with Ringo later on.
• Spanner in the Works: Ringo pretty much all but states he's one for her "Project M".
• Stepford Smiler: Gives some vibes in the novels.
  Shouma: "I’ve always thought I was a more pathetic and helpless person than I seem to be on the outside."
• Supreme Chef: Everyone comments on his cooking.
• Tareme Eyes: Highlights his sensitive, kind personality, and contrasts with Kanba's Tsurime Eyes.
• Team Mom: To Kanba's Team Dad. He looks after everyone’s well-being.
• The Un-Favourite: Hinted at. While we see Himari and Kanba bonding with the Takakuras, there's never any such scene for Shouma. He was actively neglected as a child when his parents were more involved with their cult. Ironic, considering that he's their only biological child.
• What the Hell, Hero?: To Ringo after her Attempted Rape of Tabuki in episode 8, and to Kanba after the latter decides to side with Sanetoshi in episode 21. The first one sort-of works, the second horribly fails.
• Yamato Nadeshiko: He's a Supreme Chef, does most of the household chores and protective of his family. Beware the Nice Ones because he only looks like a pushover. Lampshaded by Kanba and Himari when they call him the perfect House Wife.
• You Are Not Alone: To Himari in episodes 19 and 20, when he takes her out of the Child Broiler and into the Takakura family.
• You Are Too Late: A running gag with Shouma is that he always arrives just too late or just falls short of saving the day. Subverted awesomely when as a child, he arrives just in time to save Himari from the Child Broiler

Kanba Takakura

Kanba Takakura

The eldest of the Takakura siblings. Kanba is known to be quite a playboy, having had several girlfriends in the past. He seems to harbor a deep affection for Himari, bordering on Brother–Sister Incest.

He's also involved with several shady connections, revealed to be the Penguinforce group his parents are affiliated with, in order to gain enough money for a cure to Himari's illness.

Voiced by: Subaru Kimura (Japanese), Illich Guardiola (English, series), Jeremy Gee (English, movie), Shannon Emerick (English, young, movies)

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• And Your Reward Is Infancy: After he and Shoma selflessly gave up their lives to save Himari and Ringo, respectively, they were later reborn as preschoolers in the end.
• Badass Longcoat: He gets one of these after his Face–Heel Turn.
• Bishie Sparkle: He gets these in his more charming moments.
• Big Brother Instinct:
  • Is extremely protective of Himari, bordering on Brother–Sister Incest.
  • In flashbacks, it's also revealed that he bargained with his father so that Masako and Mario could go home to the Natsume family and only he would remain involved with the dangerous Kiga Group.
• Brother–Sister Incest:
  • Heavily implied to have incestuous feelings towards Himari. Sorta sealed with the infamous kiss in the first episode. Made even more canon when he and and a practically naked possessed!Himari◊ share a last reunion in the Princess's world... before both the Princess and Himari temporarily die. Episode 19 reveals that subverted, since they are Not Blood Siblings.
  • Episode 21 provides a hilarious inversion of the above: Masako, who's been aggressively pursuing him romantically the whole series, is his biological sister, and both of them knew it the whole time.
• Cain and Abel: As the Cain to Shouma (and Masako)'s Abel(s).
• Deal with the Devil: Made a deal with Sanetoshi so he would save Himari's life. The costs will come later and finish in a Face–Heel Turn and Redemption Equals Death.
• Determinator: Nothing will stop him from getting to his goal.
• Face–Heel Turn: As of Episode 21. He becomes the leader of the Kiga Group.
• Family Relationship Switcheroo: He is actually Masako and Mario's biological brother and was adopted by the Takakuras when his father died.
• Fiery Red Head: Has red hair and is quick to frustrate.
• Give Him a Normal Life: A sibling variant. He made a deal with his biological father that he stay with him and Kiga Group while Masako and Mario would return to their grandfather. Unfortunately, Kanba was the one who got the normal life by being Happily Adopted by the Takakuras after his dad died while Masako and Mario lived in fear of their grandfather and she had to take over the family business at a young age after Grandpa Natsume kicks as well.
• Half-Identical Twins: With Masako. It's more apparent when they were children and looked almost exactly the same.
• Happily Adopted: He was adopted into the Takakura family. This eventually falls apart by Episode 21.
• Heroic Sacrifice:
  • Not a full one, but he does nearly lose his arm in Episode 18 in trying to prevent Himari from falling from a construction site.
  • Played straight in the last episode, alongside Shouma.
• Kick the Dog: There's nothing better than him curb-stomping Shouma and then saying they're not brothers anymore in episode 21, to fully mark his Face–Heel Turn.
• Knight Templar Big Brother: As of episode 21, he has fully joined the Takakura parents's faction all to save Himari's life.
• Ladykiller in Love: He's a playboy, but he is deeply affectionate towards Himari.
• Laser-Guided Karma: Himari forgetting him and him being reborn into a young child while she's still a teenager, which would make a romantic relationship unlikely is quite a bitter fate he suffers in the final episode. But considering how far he fell due to his love for her, it's also poetic justice.
• Love Hurts: To protect Himari, he's willing not just to sacrifice himself (as shown by Episode 18), but to harm or kill others (seen when he stages the death of the shady reporter who was asking around.) And then we have his Face–Heel Turn.
• Love Makes You Evil: His love for Himari makes him do extremely questionable things, and he embraces this trope when he becomes leader of the terrorist Kiga group for her sake.
• Love Redeems: Via an Heroic Sacrifice, in the end. Fortunately, he’s Not Quite Dead.
• No Guy Wants to Be Chased: He tells Himari that really hates it when girls cling to him or offer him cutesy gifts to gain his favor. Masako isn't fazed by it, and she fills the maze of episode 10 with these things specially to get under Kanba's skin. It's pretty strongly implied that Masako is the reason why Kanba finds these gestures of affection so disturbing in the first place.
• Oh, Crap!: He's openly shocked and almost terrified in episode 11, when he meets Mario after several years... and leans about him being Masako's other motivation.
• Out-Gambitted:
  • By Masako in episode 10. While Kanba did rescue Shouma, she still got what she wanted the most from him... a kiss.
  • Also by Sanetoshi. After he brings Himari back, he manages to trap Kanba in a Deal with the Devil... like he also seems to have done to Masako.
• Polar Opposite Twins: With Shoma; he's sterner and more stoic than his gentler twin brother. Subverted when they're not actually related.
• Promotion to Parent: Tries to be a parental figure for Shoma and specially to Himari, having promised such things to Mr. Takakura when he was a child.
• Real Men Wear Pink: In episode 5 during the truck chasing scene, we can see his underwear... it is... well... pink.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue to Shouma's Red. He’s quick to think logically and pragmatically.
• Ret-Gone: In the final episode, as a result of having the entirety of his life-force returned to him, then transferred to Himari by the diary.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: Subverted since he and Shouma aren't related. He's actually very similar to his real sibling.
• Taking the Bullet: In Episode 22, he does this for Masako and takes a LOT of them.
• Team Dad: The masculine, action orientated protector to Shouma's Team Mom.
• Tsurime Eyes: Highlights his harsh and proud personality, and contrasts with Shouma's Tareme Eyes. Also something he has in common with Masako, his twin sister.
• The Unfettered: Kanba would do anything to save Himari. Even destroy the world if he has to.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: Wants to make Kenzan proud because his real father considered him the "wrong choice".
• Would Hit a Girl: But only when she opposes him and presses her foot to his crotch. Then, he will kick her legs and trip her. You should've thought twice, Masako.

Himari Takakura

Himari Takakura

The youngest sibling of the Takakura household. Himari has very poor health and actually dies at the start of the series; her death sparks the plot once the penguin hat that she has revives her, demanding that the Takakura siblings obtain the "Penguindrum".

Voiced by: Miho Arakawa (Japanese), Monica Rial (English, series), Donna Bella Litton (English, movies)

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• Animation Bump: Her flashback episodes (9 and 20) have a significantly higher quality level than the rest of the show.
• Back from the Dead:
  • She has a First-Episode Resurrection in the pilot.
  • She seemingly dies in episode 12, but is brought back in episode 13.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: She loves Shouma a lot because he showed her kindness when she was an abandoned child.
• Creepy Child: Briefly toes the line in episode 20, which describes how she was like before Shouma adopted her into the Takakura family. It's really heartbreaking.
• Covert Pervert: In a certain scene in episode 12, she makes some... very suggestive comments while cooking cabbages.
• Damsel out of Distress : Despite dangling from an empty construction crane from several floors above the ground in episode 18, Himari manages not to cry and panic. She is even willing to jump to her death if it means she can save Kanba and absolve her family from the parents's sins, which makes Tabuki change his mind about killing her at the very last moment.
• A Day in the Limelight: Episode 9, 20, and 21 focus on her more than the brothers.
• Emotionless Girl: In flashbacks, prior to becoming friends with Shouma.
• First-Episode Resurrection: She dies in episode one before the penguin hat revives her.
• Forehead of Doom: She has a notably large forehead.
• Happily Adopted: She was adopted into the Takakura family after Shouma found her abandoned in the "Child Broiler".
• I Owe You My Life: The reason she's so fond of Shouma is that he saved her life when she was abandoned in the "Child Broiler" by offering her a place in their family.
• Heroic Sacrifice: She's willing to do one if it will stop/save Kanba from the villainous path he has taken. Doesn't happen in the end.
• I'm Crying, but I Don't Know Why: In Episode 24, she begins tearing up after reading the message the Ret-Goned Shouma and Kanba left behind in her teddy bear.
• Living Emotional Crutch: For both of her brothers, in different degrees. Shouma is one for her.
• Locked Out of the Loop: Shouma, Kanba and Ringo desperately try to keep the search for the Penguindrum and her imminent death hidden from her. It doesn't work and she eventually remembers
• Long Hair Is Feminine: She's a gentle girly girl with long brown hair.
• Not Blood Siblings: Episode 19 reveals that she isn't related to Kanba and Shouma at all; she was rescued by Shouma from the Child Broiler, and he invited her to "join their family". She later "recruited" Kanba into the Takakura household.
• Parental Abandonment: Abandoned in Kiga's apartment complex by her parents.
• Plucky Girl: Himari fully graduates to this in episode 21, via joining Kanba... but with the intention of saving him.
• Scars Are Forever: She gets one at the end of the final episode as evidence that her brothers existed and sacrificed everything to give her a chance at a normal and happy life.
• Stepford Smiler:
  • All but stated. She is a very kind girl, but she keeps her thoughts and pains to herself.
  • Also seen in episode 19, whern she gets depressed upon feeling that she doesn't belong in her family and seriously questions her own worth. Which actually is foreshadowing of her past in the Child Broiler.
• Team Mom: Shares this duty with Shouma.
• Tragic Dream: Episode 9 states that Himari and her friends Hibari and Hikari wanted to be Idol Singers, but Himari couldn't join them in the upcoming audition because of Chiemi's accident. After other incidents, Hikari and Hibari pressed on and became a successful duo... the "red and blue" girls we know.
• We Used to Be Friends: Subverted, according to her. As often as she is reminded of Hibari and Hikari's success as idols, she is supportive of them because they used to be her friends.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: She’s the youngest Takakura sibling, yet sometimes shows that she’s smarter than her brothers.
• Wistful Amnesia: After the fate transfer, she forgets about her brothers.
• Your Days Are Numbered: As explained in episode 21. Sanetoshi tells Shouma and later Kanba that this is because, though the medicine can expand her lifetime, it loses effect if you keep using it.

Ringo Oginome

Ringo Oginome

A student from an all-girls school who gets roped into the plot after Himari's possessor orders the Takakura siblings to obtain the "Penguindrum" from her. A very strong believer in fate and destiny, Ringo possesses a diary with events written down on it that she has taken upon herself to fulfill. She's obsessed with Keiju Tabuki, whom she has known ever since childhood. She befriends Himari, has a rather weird relationship with Shouma, and turns out to have multiple issues coming from her family's complicated past.

Voiced by: Marie Miyake (Japanese), Emily Neves (English, series), Margaret McDonald (English, movies)

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• A-Cup Angst: She’s flat-chested and is a little insecure about it.
• Because Destiny Says So: A firm believer in it, due to having a diary that lists events that she believes will happen. Possibly not as much as of episode 13.
• Break the Haughty: She acts very haughty towards Shouma, but softens up after she sees her father with another woman and a little girl who asks him to become her dad, has (half of) her prized diary stolen, watches her friend Shouma get hit by a car, knowing it's all because of her. As a result, in episode 10 she's willing to actually give up on the Diary if it's needed to save a kidnapped Shouma, and ultimately does so, which kicks off her Character Development.
• Catchphrase: "DESTINYYY!" She drops it after her return to sanity.
• Character Development:
  • In episode 10, she's willing to give up the other half of the destiny diary in order to save Shouma from Natsume, who's taken him hostage and demands it in exchange for his release. This would've been unthinkable before.
  • As of Episode 13, Ringo seems to have come to terms with the fact that she can't patch up her family by becoming her older sister Momoka. She's even happy about her father's new marriage when she texts him, compared to a few episodes before.
• Clingy Jealous Girl: She is not happy seeing Yuri at Tabuki's apartment.
• Dude, She's Like in a Coma: On both ends of the trope. In episode 8 she makes an unsuccessful attempt to drug and rape Tabuki to have him impregnate her; then in episode 14, Yuri drugs and almost rapes her since she loved her older sister Momoka and sees Ringo as a Replacement Goldfish.
• Edible Theme Naming: With her deceased older sister Momoka; her name means "apple" while her sister's name means "peach fruit".
• First-Name Basis: With "Himari-chan". On the other hand, she refers to the twins by their first names ("Kanba-kun" and "Shouma-kun") whereas they call her "Oginome-san".
• Foil: For the Takakura brothers, but Shouma in particular. They're both doing crazy things for the sake of their loved ones, but Ringo is willing to go farther in pursuit of her goals.
• The Heart: She seems to have evolved into this for the Takakura siblings after her Character Development, being their emotional support and attempting to minimize conflict between them.
• Her Heart Will Go On: After Shouma's Heroic Sacrifice, she shows more maturity.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Subverted in the final episode, where Shouma takes the punishment of the diary instead.
• Love Hurts: And how. She loves Tabuki, but he doesn’t reciprocate. She eventually falls for Shouma instead but it leads to even more heartache. While the love is requited, Shouma doesn't want to pursue a relationship out of guilt for his parents killing Momoka which led to Ringo's family breaking apart. By the time Shouma admits his love for Ringo he's sacrificing himself to save her.
• Loving a Shadow: It's eventually revealed that she's not so much in love with Tabuki as what he represents — mainly, the restoration of her broken family. Her character arc is mainly composed of her realizing this and getting over it.
• Magic Skirt: Given how short her skirt is, it would seem that she's frequently flashing people just by bending over. Especially evident in episode 2, when Shouma and Kanba get an eyeful thanks to the camera on 2's head as she's crawling through the ducts under Tabuki's apartment, but we don't see anything. Subverted for a brief moment in episode 5 after she flips back up the shaft the Crystal Princess had sent her down in the Dream World.
• Meaningful Name: Her given name means "apple". In a show where apples have significant importance and symbolism (mostly around love and fate), her name is incredibly meaningful.
• Mr. Imagination: In the first few episodes, she has quite a few Imagine Spots involving her and Tabuki...with Yuri as the villain trying to get in the way of their romance.
• My Sibling Will Live Through Me: The real reason she's so obsessed with Tabuki is because she's trying to become a Replacement Goldfish for her older sister Momoka, who was Tabuki's Childhood Friend and would have been his eventual wife. Ever since she was a child, Ringo's thought that if she "becomes Momoka", her divorced parents will get back together, and in episode 11 she flat out states that she believes herself to be Momoka's reincarnation.
• One-Note Cook: By her own admission, can only make curry. Gets better under Himari and Shouma's tutleage. Like everything else, this ties into her Character Development.
• Only Sane Man: In the second half of the show due to Character Development. After Ringo abandons Project M and resolves her emotional issues, she ends up serving as this for the rest of the cast.
• Plucky Girl: You really can't say Ringo gives up easily.
• Precocious Crush: Ringo is in love with Tabuki, Shoma and Kanba's homeroom teacher, and has had feelings for him since she was a child.
• Prophecy Twist: How she interprets the fate written in her diary often differs drastically from what actually happens.
• Reality-Writing Book: Her diary seems to be Type 1, as well as as a Rewriting Reality example, as one can transfer fate with it.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Serves as the Red to Shouma's Blue. Shouma tries to play things by the book while Ringo will do anything to succeed.
• Scars Are Forever: By the end of the series, though Ringo has forgotten almost everything relating to the Takakuras except Himari, she has a burn on her left wrist (there may be more on her body) as evidence of her connection to Shouma.
• Stalker with a Crush: She's not above stalking Tabuki.
• Replacement Sibling: Self-inflicted. Her parents, notably, didn't want her to be this, but she became convinced that it was the only way to reunite the family.
• Ship Tease: She and Shoma, more and more as the series advances. Fully sealed when Shouma's last words overlap with Dying Declaration of Love.
• Stalker with a Test Tube: Wants to have Tabuki's child to "become Momoka" and fix up her broken family. She gives up later, though.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Curry. It's the only thing she can cook.
• Tsundere: Seems to be this for Shouma. Seen when, in the same scene, she expresses relief that Shouma wasn't seriously hurt when he took a Diving Save for her, and then beats him herself when he calls her "fool" for giving up half of her Destiny Diary to save him, specifically telling him how worried she was for his safety.
• Yandere: To Tabuki. Played almost completely for laughs at first, until episode 8 with the Attempted Rape of drugged Tabuki. It's shown just as screwed up as it sounds. As the series goes on, the series plays with this by revealing that she's only yandere for what Tabuki represents, i.e., the restoration of her broken family. Once she accepts that she can't do this using her methods, she returns to sanity and meets up with Tabuki to clean up loose ends, and from then on she focuses on emotionally supporting the Takakura siblings instead.

Secondary characters

Keiju Tabuki

Keiju Tabuki

The homeroom teacher of Kanba and Shoma, an eerily cheerful young man who sometimes seems detached from reality. Has known the Oginome family since he was a very young boy, thus he's been a constant presence in Ringo's life.

Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese), Mike Yager (English, series), Brandon Hearnsberger (English, movies)

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• Abusive Parents: As first shown by the second novel, and later by episode 18. His divorced mother pressured him in regards to studying music due to how much she loved the piano, then discarded him completely when Tabuki harmed his fingers and then his stepbrother turned out to be a Child Prodigy pianist.
• Childhood Friend Romance:
  • Him and Yuri, who have known each other since childhood. Actually a subversion, since their relationship is fake.
    • Double subverted in the final episode, where they confess their love to each other.
  • His romance with Momoka started when they were much younger. Since she died, well...
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Subverted. Although he seems like a ditzy teacher, he's much more aware than he lets on.
• Disproportionate Retribution: His idea of getting revenge against the Takakuras for Momoka's death involves holding Himari (who hadn't even been born when Momoka died) hostage and trying to kill her.
• Dude, She's Like in a Coma: In episode 8, Ringo drugs him and tries to rape him.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: On his left hand. It looks like, at some point, he had his fingers SEVERELY injured... if not cut off and then reattatched. Episode 18 explains that he deliberately injured his own fingers in a misguided attempt to win the affection of his psychologically-abusive mother. It didn't work.
• Hidden Depths:
  • The flashbacks of episodes 6 and 12 show a Tabuki who's quite more thoughtful than in the present. Additionally, he always knew that the Takakuras were the children of the terrorists who planned the attacks that killed Momoka, but decided to not pursue anything similar to hate or revenge...at least, not until episode 18.
  • And again, in episode 13, he proves insightful when he and Ringo discuss the Takakura family's relationship to their lives.
  • Episode 17 has him tricking Ringo and Himari into going with him to he can have revenge for Momoka's death. Episode 18 subsequently reveals several things about his past. It's NOT pretty.
• Hot Teacher: He's the boys' homeroom teacher, and Ringo certainly finds him attractive.
• Love Confession: In the final episode, both he and Yuri say "I love you" to one another.
• Love Makes You Evil: He lost the girl he loved (and whom he owed his life to) in the subway bombings performed by Kenzan and his group. In episode 18, he finally snaps and tries to kill Himari as punishment for the loss of Momoka, but at the last moment he decides not to.
• Love Potion: Ringo slips him one in a drink during episode 11. The results aren't pretty.
• Nightmare Face: In Episode 11. It’s very frightening.
• Oblivious to Love: Subverted. It was a facade.
• Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: In the manga, he and Yuri are the only ones who remember the world before Ringo's fate transfer to save Himari and by association, the Takakura brothers.
• Stepford Smiler: He’s a kind teacher that tries to look after his students, but has a huge amount of emotional scars from childhood.
• Taking the Bullet: Does this for Yuri, taking a knife to the gut (from Tsubasa!) to protect her.

Yuri Tokikago

Yuri Tokikago

A beautiful and eccentric Takarazuka actress, as well as Tabuki's childhood friend and actual girlfriend.

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese), Shelley Calene-Black (English, series), Patricia Duran (English, movies)

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• Abusive Parents: In episode 15, we see her past. Her father, a famous sculptor, told her that she was ugly, started poisoning her against her own mother and the rest of the world, and started "sculpting" her into something beautiful... with his chisels.
• Attempted Rape: In episode 14, she attempts to rape Ringo as part of a plan to make her into Momoka, though it's ambiguous as to whether or not she was fully stopped.
• Badass Normal: For being able to keep up with Masako's antics.
• Big Fancy House: A freaking awesome loft in a huge high-class condo. Tabuki moves in with her after they're engaged.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She’s presented as a kind woman, but she has a massive amount of issues that she lashes out towards everyone.
• Break the Cutie: Abusive father and one of her best friends dying…
  • Broken Bird: It made her go mad.
• Catchphrase: "Fabulous max!", as well as referring to things as "fabulous".
• Childhood Friends: With Momoka and Tabuki.
• Covert Pervert: Not played for laughs. Before episode 15, who would guess that Yuri would know how to tie someone up in shibari bondage? Or have access to what're essentially roofies?
• Dude, She's Like in a Coma: Invokes this during her attempted rape of Ringo by drugging her drink beforehand. Though it's ambiguous to whether or not Yuri fully raped her, she did at least tie her up, kiss her, and manage some sexual contact before getting interrupted.
• Feather Motif: Pure white feathers scatter from her side during her firefight with Masako in episode 17.
• Foil: To Ringo as an accomplished, self-possessed rival for Tabuki's love. Their roles are reversed when Ringo gets mountains of character growth while Tabuki is revealed to be an emotional mess.
• Freudian Excuse: Revealed in episode 15, involving her father carving her body with a chisel to make her "worthy of being loved". It's made even worse by the fact that this can be interpreted as a metaphor for physical and sexual abuse, with the pounding and nudity imagery.
• I'm Not Pretty: She believes herself to be ugly because of her history of abuse.
• Improvised Weapon: When Masako attacks her, Yuri repels her attacks with a ping-pong paddle.
• Karma Houdini: Her attempted rape of the underage Ringo has no repercussions at all.
• Love Confession: In the final episode, both she and Tabuki say "I love you" to one another.
• Love Makes You Crazy: To get Momoka back, she will do anything. Anything.
• Meaningful Name:
  • "Yuri", the name for the Japanese genre of female love, referring to how Yuri is a lesbian.
  • "Tokikago" can be read as "time cage", which refers to Yuri's strong obsession with Momoka even years after her death and low self-esteem caused by her body's scars.
• The Mourning After: To Momoka, to the point of tying up and attempting to rape her younger sister because they look and act similar.
• Ojou: As a wealthy, famous actor, she's beautiful, graceful and confident with just a hint of steel. It's entirely an act.
• Pimped-Out Dress: As a Takarazuka performer, she gets these.
• Pink Means Feminine: Wears a lot of pink clothing.
• Plucky Girl: A darker example. She’ll get anything done no matter how brutal it is.
• Ripple-Effect-Proof Memory: She remembers her father and his tower after Momoka erased him and in the manga, she and Tabuki are the only ones who remember the world before Ringo's fate transfer to save Himari and by association, the Takakura brothers.
• Rule of Glamorous: Governs basically everything she owns. Hell, she's got a clean white crossbow with gold trim.
• Sarcastic Confession: At one point she flat out tells Ringo that her relationship with Tabuki is just for show only to say she was just kidding.
• Shipper on Deck: Yuri actually ships Ringo/Shoma and straightforwardly tells that to Ringo (thus forcing her to face her growing feelings on him) in episode 11.
• Slipping a Mickey: Drugs Ringo's cola during their hot spring trip.
• Stepford Smiler: Who would say that a beautiful, all-smiles idol would hide such tremendously low self-esteem?
• Unlucky Childhood Friend: Had Momoka not died there's a good chance she would've suffered this. The Destiny Diary details what Momoka's life could've been and it mentions Momoka marrying other childhood best friend Tabuki, but no mention of Yuri whatsover.

Masako Natsume

Masako Natsume

An attractive, shady young woman with red hair and uncanny aim skills. She possesses a mysterious interest in the Takakura family. Her weapon is a slingshot with mind-wiping bullets.

Voiced by: Yui Horie (Japanese), Maggie Flecknoe (English, series) Genevieve Simmons (English, movies)

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• Abusive Parents: Or better said, abusive grandfather. Her normal father is very much an example of Good Parents.
• Action Girl: She's a physical combatant capable of kicking lots of ass.
• Back from the Dead: Courtesy of Sanetoshi in Episode 23.
• Big Damn Heroes: Played with in Episode 14. Kanba is surrounded by MIBs and Masako attacks them — but it turns out that he was with them willingly, getting paid by them for services unspecified.
• Big Fancy House: A black mansion, apparently set in the outskirts of Tokyo.
• Brutal Honesty: Masako is not the kind of person that sugarcoats her words. Specially seen when she talks down to Yuri in episode 15, when she Breaking Speeches Himari in episode 19, and when she explains her bond with him in much more polite but still cutting terms in episode 21.
• Catchphrase: "Gosh, I need to crush it/him/her/them soon." Which almost become her last words in episode 22.
  • In the dub, her catchphrase is: "Not good. This must be crushed at once."
• Clingy Jealous Girl: Is one for Kanba, her twin older brother. She is, however, quite more manipulative and calculating than the standard.
• Composite Character: Of both Nanami and Kozue from Revolutionary Girl Utena, especially in regards to how she acts around Kanba.
  • And her demeanor, hairstyle and tendency to go from tender to dangerous in the space of a few seconds recalls Juri from the same series.
• A Day in the Limelight: Episode 16 focuses on her past.
• Daddy's Girl: She's very fond of her Disappeared Dad, who was exiled from the Natsume clan by her grandfather Sanbei for being a failure to his standards.
• Deal with the Devil: She made a similar deal with Sanetoshi to save Mario that Kanba made for Himari's sake.
• Cold Sniper: Can snipe from afar and has a cold, haughty personality.
• Even the Girls Want Her: She has quite a few female characters who crush on her.
• Evil Redhead: She's at least callous and manipulative. While not virtuous, she turns out to be not 100% cartoonishly evil later, as her care for Mario is very genuine.
• Forceful Kiss: She ends up planting one on none other than Kanba in Episode 10.
• Flower Motifs: Bright red rose petals appear during her firefight with Yuri in episode 17.
• Half-Identical Twins: Lampshaded by Sanetoshi, who first points out that she and Kanba are twins, and then refers to the physical similarities between them.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Stays behind as bait for the firing squad while the Kiga Group representatives take off with the injured Kanba.
• Icy Blue Eyes: Has very cold blue eyes to suit her demeanor.
• Kick the Dog: Verbally abusing Himari out of jealousy in episode 19 feels at least like a borderline example.
• Knight Templar Big Brother: A Big Sister version. Her other motivation is saving the life of a young boy named Mario, her little brother. For that, Masako also needs the Penguindrum, and will not hand it to the Takakuras.
• Laser-Guided Amnesia: She possesses a slingshot which shoots bullets that administer this. Bonus points for the slingshot actually being laser-guided. In a twist, in episode 19 we find out that she has special bullets capable of returning lost memories too.
• Large Ham: As the series progresses, Masako gets more and more Hot-Blooded, culminating with her two duels with Yuri which go the Ham-to-Ham Combat way with absolute glee.
• Leitmotif: And Invoked Trope with "New World Symphony" by Antonín Dvořák, which she has playing several times when she confronts Kanba. Also counts as foreshadowing, since the title of a piece that was based on the symphony's melody is "Goin' Home".
• Living Emotional Crutch: She and her brother served as this to Kanba when they were children. It's implied that the reason Kanba found an apple in the cages was because the siblings loved each other.
• Lonely Rich Kid: She’s wealthy, but she doesn’t have a lot of friends.
• More Dakka: Swaps her trademark slingshot for a machine gun in Episode 17.
• Named After Somebody Famous: In Real Life, Masako Natsume was a popular actress and model from The '80s.
• Ojou: Not snobbish and cruel enough to be a Rich Bitch, but she's aloof and manipulative.
• Ojou Ringlets: Befitting her status as the heiress to the Natsume family.
• Onee-sama: For Mario. Makes sense because she’s the only relative he has that isn’t batshit.
• Raised by Grandparents: Because her eccentric and pushy grandfather actually kicked her and Mario's father out of the Natsume clan.
• Please, Don't Leave Me: To Kanba, when he chose to stay with their dad so she and Mario could go back to the Natsume clan.
• Plucky Girl: Masako will not give up on what she wants. Never ever.
• Proper Tights with a Skirt: Masako wears these which is one of the factors that makes her look more mature than her contemporary Ringo and allows her to preseve her modesty during action scenes.
• Psycho Ex-Girlfriend: Seems set up to be this to Kanba, especially after it's revealed she was pulling the strings behind Kanba's other ex-girlfriends forming a group against him. She's actually his twin sister.
• Sadistic Choice: In episode 16, Mario gets possessed by the dead grandfather's spirit and stages a challenge. Two dishes of the very dangerous fugu fish are put in front of them, and the one who eats the dish that is well prepared (as in, it won't poison the one who eats it to death) will inherit the Natsume fortune.
• Spanner in the Works: In her backstory episode, we find out that she doesn't want to be used by Sanetoshi at all and only goes along with his plans resentfully; later on, she refuses to burn her half of the Destiny Diary, which serves as some sort of seal on Sanetoshi's power. The entire diary does get burnt to bits by episode 23, but her refusal holds him off long enough for Ringo to learn the Fate Transfer spell.
• Take a Third Option: When faced with a Sadistic Choice that would put Mario in danger, Masako eats both lionfish dishes to spare Mario from suffering harm, and she spends three days in a coma.
• Tsurime Eyes: And she's arrogant and strong-willed to match. It's something she has in common with Kanba.
• Twincest: With Kanba, who she aggressively pursues throughout the series. Maybe.
• We Can Rule Together: Gets this offer from Sanetoshi when she's almost dying in episode 16. She rejects it.
• Wistful Amnesia: In Episode 24, after Kanba is retconned out of existence, she tells Mario that she dreamt she had another brother.
• You Are Worth Hell, Kanba is, as she expresses in episode 22.
• Young and in Charge: She's only 16 and is the head of the Natsume clan, even attending business meetings that have her negotiating with adults. It's justified since her father's exile, grandfather's death left her as the heir.

The Princess of the Crystal

The Princess of the Crystal

An otherworldly life-form (possibly) residing in a penguin hat purchased by Shoma in the aquarium. It kickstarts the plot by reviving Himari and essentially holding her hostage to order Kanba and Shoma to obtain the "Penguindrum".

Voiced by: Miho Arakawa (Japanese), Monica Rial (English, series), Donna Bella Litton (English, movies)

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• Catchphrase:
  • "SURVIVAL STRATEGY!!"
  • "Imagine!"
  • "Listen up, you lowlifes who will never amount to anything!"
  • "Shall we initiate the survival strategy?"
• Cooldown Hug: Sorta gives one to Kanba◊, in episode 17.
• Covert Pervert: While it doesn't quite fit her to a 100 %, she does seem to quite... enjoy taking racy photographs of Renjaku the Ninja Maid in Episode 16.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: Compare her behavior in episode 1 with what she does and say in episodes 12 and 17.
• Good Is Not Nice: Definitely quite the jerkass for someone claiming to help Himari. The good part comes in full force when it's revealed she's a fragment of Momoka's soul.
• He's Back!: After Himari is revived by Sanetoshi, the Princess seems to be fully gone... until episode 16, when she returns with a vengeance.
• Incoming Ham: She won’t introduce herself without a loud "SURVIVAL STRATEGY!".
• Jerkass: While not evil, she can be quite the bitch sometimes. Specially seen when she kills Himari temporarily to remind the brothers of their "mission" and later when she verbally abuses Ringo, calling her "slut" among other things. No wonder Ringo snaps badly on her.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: In episode 11 she summoned her Dream World specifically to urge Ringo to tell her and Shouma about her huge problems and feelings. This being the "Princess", she still called Ringo rather mean names ("monkey bitch", this time).
• Large Ham: Never stops screaming in her time on-screen.
• Living Hat: Is one when not possessing Himari.
• No Name Given. In the anime. Supplemental materials have named her the "Princess of the Crystal" instead.
• Oh, Crap!: Not a full blown one, but her haughtiness snaps in Episode 5 before Ringo climbs up the chute, runs to her and punches her in the face.
• Precision F-Strike: Himari is rather polite and softspoken, but her possessor has a much rougher speech pattern:
  Princess (To Ringo): "I've had enough of listening to your bullshit, stupid bitch!"
• Sealed Good in a Can: Episode 23 reveals that the two penguin hats (Himari's and Mario's) are two halves of Momoka's soul, sealed away by Sanetoshi.
• Showgirl Skirt: She has a poofy skirt that flaunts her legs in this way.
• Soul Jar: For Momoka Oginome.

Sanetoshi Watase

Sanetoshi Watase

A mysterious librarian who appears to Himari in a dream. He reappears later on, with some plans of his own.

Voiced by: Yutaka Koizumi (Japanese), David Matranga (English, series), Dickie Sanders (English, movies)

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• Affably Evil: He´s always ridiculously nice and polite, always. This arguably makes him scarier.
• Badass Labcoat: Wears a longcoat and is the Big Bad.
• Big Bad: He's already rather shady from his first appearance, but by Episode 21, it's revealed that he's the Dead All Along mastermind behind the Kiga Group who wants to reenact the plot that Momoka foiled sixteen years ago.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: His monologue in Episode 13, though not quite directly breaking it, gets pretty meta.
• Catchphrase:
  • "Isn't it electrifying?" and "I know, right?"
  • In the dub, his catchphrase is, "Overwhelming, isn't it?"
• The Corrupter: Tries to corrupt both Kanba and Masako and succeeds with Kanba.
• Dead All Along: As revealed in Episode 21, and further confirmed by 23.
• Determinator: Not only did he refused to stop his plans after he died, but after being foiled a second time by Shouma and Kanba, he STILL is waiting for a chance to brings his plans to fruition.
• Dissonant Serenity: He can say some scary stuff and even then retain his gentle personality.
• Expy: Something of a more campy cross between Mikage and Akio from Revolutionary Girl Utena. His nonchalant yet seductive attitude, some of his lines and actions, and allusions to him conducting some grand game in the background are reminiscent of Akio, and like Mikage, he has pink hair and is a ghost.
• Faux Affably Evil: When the brothers find the Penguindrum and foil the plot, Sanetoshi's mask cracks and he breaks into a spiteful rant.
• Forceful Kiss: Tries to give one to possessed!Himari in episode 9. She stops him.
• Graceful Loser: Even after he loses in the Grand Finale, he really doesn´t seem to mind that much, possibly because he may have another chance.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Sending the idols Himari's scarves led to Ringo getting their CD and learning the "fruit of fate" spell which defeats him.
• Knight of Cerebus: The previously relatively lighthearted story takes a much darker turn when he shows up.
• Labcoat of Science and Medicine: Is always wearing a white lab coat which emphasizes his Mad Scientist and Mad Doctor persona. It also makes him all the more sinister.
• Love Hurts: Sanetoshi was rejected by the only person who could truly understand him, hinted to be Momoka. Confirmed in episode 23 when we see how she confronted him.
• Manipulative Bastard: Seems to have his own designs for Himari and her possessor. Even more obvious from episode 12 and then on.
• Meaningful Echo: He echoes the opening narration in the first episode at the beginning of Episode 12.
• Mind Rape: His treatment of Kanba in the first part of episode 23 felt a lot like this, since he invokes a Survival Strategy to force Kanba to watch how his twin sister Masako dies, before he uses his powers to bring her Back from the Dead and fully convince Kanba to destroy the world in exchange for Sanetoshi doing the same to Himari.
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: In this case, a Librarian Doctor Terrorist Ghost.
• Not So Stoic: Finally shows some emotion other than a perpetually serene cheerfulness in the last two episodes.
• Nietzsche Wannabe: According to his soliloquies in episodes 13 and 23, the apparently godly powers he shares with Momoka have only served to alienate him from others and depress him, as he believes that he cannot save anywhere near all the people who need help. This eventually led to his epiphany that the world is empty and the only way to change anything is to burn it all down.
• Pet the Dog: Sending Hibari and Hikari the scarves that Himari made for them, most likely in order to strengthen her attachment to the world and add to her torment so she would stay alive and Kanba would be more motivated to save her...
• The Power of Hate: To serve as a foil to Momoka. It's implied that Sanetoshi's magical powers come from his nihilistic worldview and hatred of everyone and everything, which allows him to twist people's fates for the worse.
• Sealed Evil in a Can: His encounter with Momoka 16 years ago resulted in him being split and sealed inside the two black bunnies usually seen inside the hospital examination room.
• Stepford Smiler: Frequently seen with a smile on his face, but he's of the depressed and intensely nihilistic variety.
• Totally Radical: His catchphrases are examples of slightly outdated Japanese slang. Actually justified, since it's implied that he's been dead for 16 years or longer.
• We Can Rule Together:
  • To possessed!Himari. He's rejected, but doesn't seem to give up. Considering the end of episode 12 as well as episode 13, he didn't, and seems to have more mysterious plans... centered on the girl who rejected him, who may or may not be Momoka.
  • Also offers Masako the chance to join him, but he's rejected again.
  • And the third offer is for Kanba. This time it works.

Minor characters

The Penguins

The Penguins (#1, #2, #3)

"Kyu"

Three penguins who start following the Takakura siblings around after the first episode. They seem to be invisible to normals and serve as Funny Background Events for each episode.

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• Big Eater: #2. It's hinted that this is because Shouma once nearly starved to death as a child. He even tries to eat #3 once!
• Big Ol' Eyebrows: #1 has larger eyebrows than the rest.
• Butt-Monkey: #2, even more so than Shouma
• Dead Guy Junior: It's implied that #3 (San) is partially named after Sun, Himari and Shouma's adopted stray cat.
• Empathy Pet: They often mirror what's happening with the Takakuras. #1, for instance, is seen decked out in samurai armor when Kanba goes to confront Masako.
• Invisible to Normals: All 3 can't be seen by muggles.
• Lovable Sex Maniac: #1. As an example, in episode 10 he's seen checking on cute nurses with weird implements, and later uses a fishing rod to steal panties while Kanba and Ringo discuss what to do in regards to Shoma's kidnapping.
• No Ontological Inertia:
  • In episode 12, when both Himari and her possessor die (and seemingly for real this time), #3 collapses and almost disappears◊. Conversely, when Himari is brought back by Sanetoshi, #3 comes back as well.
  • Happens again in episode 22 when #1 passes out after Kanba is shot and loses consciousness and #3 almost disappears after Himari has a seizure); and in episode 23 (Esmeralda disappears when Masako dies and returns when Sanetoshi revives her, and #3 is transparent and weakened as Himari is on the brink of definitive death.)
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • If one of them behaves unlike their usual selves, it's very much a signal that big things will happen. Specially when #2, the local Big Eater, is seen trying to give half of his food to #3 while Himari and Shouma spend their last hours together at home, when he loyally takes care of #3 and brings her candy when she and Himari are about to die in episode 23, and when in that same episode he gives #1 candy as well when he drops by with Kanba.
  • You know something bad is going down when #1 is more interested in reading literature and won't so much as glance in #3's direction even when she's waving porno mags at him. Or when #2 cracks raw eggs on his own forehead instead of eating them.
• Shoo Out the Clowns:
  • Partially. While they haven't disappeared, they're less noticed by the characters as time passes.
  • Also, in the novel they're in the background almost since the beginning. Not only the novels have a different tone, but their antics are harder to describe without visual aid.
• Sixth Ranger: A fourth penguin with darker, more dignified (and sinister) features and grey feathers. She's a girl, her name is Esmeralda, and her owner/companion is none other than Masako Natsume (whom she's very close to), and she is a hilariously terrifying Torture Technician with a crush on #1.
• Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: #3 who is female by virtue of wearing a ribbon and occasionally a blonde wig, not to mention she keeps company to Himari while #1 and #2 join the brothers in their hijinks. Esmeralda doesn't have ribbons or anything, but she has long-ish eyelashes and a heartshaped face, and lets out rather high-pitched penguin squeals. When not aiding Masako in her missions, also, she keeps order around the Natsume mansion.
• Uncatty Resemblance:
  • Esmeralda's markings mirror Masako's heart-shaped face.
  • Additionally, the penguins' personalities mirror their owners'.
• Undying Loyalty: Esmeralda, in episode 22. She stays next to Masako when she faces the firing squad.

Momoka

Momoka

A young girl who seems to have extremely close conections to many people in the story.

Voiced by: Aki Toyosaki (Japanese), Brittney Karbowski (English, series), Olivia Swasey (English, movies)

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• All-Loving Hero: She was friendly, kind, and extremely selfless. Her introductory episode is even called "Savior of the World".
• Badass Adorable: Especially as of episode 18, when she's shown singlehandedly rescuing child!Tabuki from the "Child Broiler" aka the place where unwanted children go before they're erased from existence.
• Big Good: The biggest obstacle to Sanetoshi's plan to "turn the world to ash", not to mention her status as All-Loving Hero.
• Birth-Death Juxtaposition: To Ringo, having died exactly the same day of her birth.
• But Now I Must Go: Leaves for good after foiling the bombing plot.
• Cast from Hit Points: Momoka explains that she has to suffer bodily harm whenever she uses her Diary to change someone's destiny in exchange for what she wants to do/fix/etc.. To save a bunny from dying, she got a cut on her hand; later, to rescue Yuri from her abusive father, she got severe burns that landed her in the hospital. In fact, when Yuri tried to touch the Destiny Diary, Momoka stopped her from doing so to avoid a possible backlash from hitting her.
• Chekhov's Gunman: We learned that she was Ringo's deceased sister and the owner of the Diary in episode 6. Her importance to the plot as a whole is revealed in Episode 15.
• Dirty Kid: She went missing as an elementary schooler. The Destiny Diary is very detailed and specific about how her future life would have gone. This includes sexual activities with Tabuki.
• Edible Theme Naming: With her younger sister Ringo; her name means "peach fruit" while Ringo's name means "apple".
• The Faceless: Until episode 15, her face wasn't shown.
• Freakiness Shame: She was the first person who told Yuri that she was beautiful, even with all of the scars from the latter's abuse.
• Genki Girl: Rather cheerful and excitable.
• Good Is Not Soft: A loving and kind girl who nevertheless is willing to make people vanish from existence
• Heroic Sacrifice:
  • Paid an appalling price in order to save Yuri from her abusive father. Spontaneous Human Combustion, specifically. She managed to survive, but her burns were so serious that she had to be hospitalized.
  • Also, according to Tabuki, she actually died/disappeared trying to stop the subway bombings that the Takakuras and their group performed. It's confirmed when we see how she was sealed away by Sanetoshi.
• The Lost Lenore: To both Tabuki and Yuri.
• Manic Pixie Dream Girl: To Tabuki and Yuri, who both say she completely changed how they viewed the world and made life worth living for them.
• Meaningful Name: Her name means "peach fruit". She's got pink (momoiro or "peach-color" in Japanese) hair and wears a shirt with a peach on it. Peaches are seen as symbols of perfection in some cultures. Momoka was, according to Tabuki, probably supposed to have been a literal messiah.
• Never Found the Body: Her lifeless body was never located, and only her Destiny Diary remained.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Her possessing Mario and making Masako search for the Penguindrum ended up pitting the Natsumes against the Takakuras. The resultant squabbling over the diary delays Momoka's plans long enough for Sanetoshi to put his in place.
• One Degree of Separation: Her presence ties much of the cast together despite having been dead for 16 years. She was the firstborn daughter of the Oginomes, Ringo's dead older sister, Tabuki and Yuri's childhood friend, maybe Sanetoshi's fated person, and the original owner of Ringo's infamous Destiny Diary. She is also the real identity of the Princess of the Crystal, since the penguin hat Himari wears to turn into her contains half her soul.
• Plucky Girl: Now you know where her younger sister Ringo got her sheer pluck and stubborness.
• Posthumous Character: Her death drives many characters in the show, and we learn about her through their relationships with her.
• The Power of Love: It's implied that Momoka's magical powers stem from her status as an All-Loving Hero. Because Momoka genuinely loves and cares for all people, she can change their fate.
• Reality Warper: She claims to be able to change the fate of living beings via her Destiny Diary.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Not normally, but you shouldn’t mess with her.
• Rose-Haired Sweetie: The pink hair emphasizes to her loving and kind nature. It might also be an indicator of mystical power since Sanetoshi has pink highlights.
• Sealed Good in a Can: Her soul is split and sealed inside the two penguin hats by Sanetoshi.
• Spontaneous Human Combustion: The price for changing Yuri's fate.
• Strong Family Resemblance: Physically, Ringo is a brown-haired, older Momoka — even with some of Momoka's tics, which comes off as a little odd considering that Ringo says Satoshi and Eriko never told her a lot about her sister. This is first mentioned by Yuri in episode 14, and then confirmed in episode 15 (hence why the picture above doesn't show her face).
• Take My Hand!: To Tabuki, when rescuing him from the Child Broiler. Not even having an adult try burning her hand dissuaded her from saving him. See also Badass Adorable above.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: To the point of Troubling Unchildlike Behavior. Momoka is much more mature and worldly than worldly than her 10 years would suggest. Risking her life to stop a bombing plot is not something one would expect a grade schooler to do.

Kenzan and Chiemi Takakura

Kenzan and Chiemi Takakura

The parents of the Takakura household. They do not appear in the main story and are developed through flashbacks.

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Kenzan) and Kikuko Inoue (Chiemi) (Japanese), David Matranga (Kenzan, series), Scott Gibbs (Kenzan, movies) and Brittney Karbowski (Chiemi, series), Allison Sumrall (Chiemi, movies) (English)

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• Dark and Troubled Past: They were in very shady deals in the past, specially with the Penguin Factions. In episode 12, Kenzan is shown as a member of the group branch that performed the attacks that led to Momoka and other people's deaths. Chiemi also was a follower, but the extent of her involvement is unknown.
• Dead All Along: As seen in◊ episode 21◊.
• Good Parents: Kenzan carried little Himari on his back to an hospital during a typhoon and by foot to get her medical help. (With little Kanba in tow, even protecting him from a falling lamp). Then in episode 9, we learn that Chiemi went Mama Bear by shielding little Himari from a falling mirror with her own body, getting injured in her place and having to be hospitalised as a result.
  • Averted for Shouma where it's heavily implied that they neglected him as a young child
• Hypocrite: Kenzan and Chiemi railed and fought against an uncaring, unloving world. However, they destroyed their family and abandoned their children to a life of neglect and suffering. Even before that, they were so involved in their cause that they neglected their only child - a throwaway line implies they didn't notice that Shouma had been locked up and nearly starved to death.
• Knight Templar: Chiemi's voice on the matter is yet to be heard, but episode 20 shows Kenzan sincerely believing that his organization must cleanse the world for impeding Judgement Day with their terrorist attacks.
• Like Father, Like Son: Kanba appears to inherit Kenzan's personality as well as his looks (except for the red hair), while Himari inherits Chiemi's looks and both she and Shouma inherit her personality traits. Even though both Kanba and Himari are adopted.
• Motherly Side Plait: Chiemi wears her hair in this manner and is very much dead.
• Parental Abandonment:
  • Left their kids alone in their run-down house one day, and never came back. They didn't exactly have much of a choice in the matter.
  • In episode 19, we see that they're still in occasional contact with Kanba and are the ones behind the money he gets for the family. They even give him a So Proud of You pep talk! However, they also tell him that they can't come back home, as they still have "a mission" to fufill. But then we get to episode 21...
• Parental Neglect: Shouma was heavily neglected as a child. Every flashback we see shows Shouma playing by himself or Himari while his parents attended cult meetings. It became so bad that Shouma nearly died from the neglect.
• Posthumous Character: They vanished years before and died soon after but the Takakura children have to deal with the consequences of their actions
• Strong Family Resemblance: Kanba looks a lot like Kenzan, while Himari seems to take after Chiemi. Ultimately inverted, as Shouma, their only biological child among the three, doesn't resemble them physically.
• They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: Chiemi and Kenzan are a normal loving couple who care of their children. They even look normal and nondescript. It's all the more shocking that they're major terrorist leaders.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: According to episode 20, at least. Kenzan was directing the attacks under the belief that the world's rotten to the core and that a "Survival Strategy" would make things better.

Satoshi and Eriko Oginome

Satoshi and Eriko Oginome

Ringo's divorced parents. She lives with Eriko and meeets up with Satoshi outside home.

Voiced by: Fumihiko Tachiki (Satoshi) and Rika Fukami (Eriko) (Japanese), Adam Gibbs (Satoshi, series), Andrew Love (Satoshi, movies), Joanne Bonasso (Eriko, movies) (English)

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• Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: The irony of Ringo's obsession is that both parents have moved on. Her father has a new family and her mother is comfortable talking about her dead daughter to a stranger.
• Grief-Induced Split: They divorced in the wake of Momoka's death, though both have moved on since then.
• Parents as People: They're divorced, and Ringo meets her dad in outside home in outings that she calls "dates". Not to mention Eriko cares for her, but is shown to be way too much into her work. Momoka's death completely trashed the family dynamics, thus being the trigger to their divorce and explaining a LOT of Ringo's behavior and belief in "destiny".
  • Ringo never suffers the fate that Himari, Kanba and Souma faced and never nearly died of neglect or was delivered to the Child Broiler implying that her parents do love her, it's just a bad situation.
• Parent with New Paramour: In episode 8, Ringo sees Satoshi with another woman and a little girl named Aoi. Either he remarried and kept a Secret Other Family without telling Ringo, or he's about to re-marry.
• Shipper on Deck: Eriko seems to ship her daughter Ringo with Shoma, and isn't convinced when Shoma says they're Just Friends. Understandable since she met him when she saw Ringo humping him rather... passionately in the Sick Episode.
• Struggling Single Mother: Eriko does love Ringo but she's a single mother and has to work long hours to provide a comfortable lifestyle. She can't pay as much attention to her daughter, contributing to Ringo's emotional problems.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Satoshi inadvertently becomes one, since the whole Attempted Rape incident is triggered after the Parent with New Paramour one happens in the Ikebukuro Aquarium.
• Workaholic: The few times we see Eriko, she's too engrossed in her work to spend time with Ringo.

Double H

Double H (Hibari Isora and Hikari Utada)

Two very famous idol singers whose merchandising is everywhere.

Voiced by: Yui Watanabe (Hibari) and Marie Miyake (Hikari) (Japanese), Brittney Karbowski (Hibari, series), Kira Vincent-Davis (Hibari, movies) (English) and Cynthia Martinez (Hikari, series), Alyssa Marek (Hikari, movies) (English)

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• Chekhov's Gunman:
  • They're the "red and blue" girls shown in the ending credits, even before episode 9 reveals that they were friends of Himari in elementary school.
  • And in the Grand Finale, the name of their album ("Let's share the fruit of fate") is what allows Ringo to decode and recite the fate-transfer spell.
• Expository Hairstyle Change: Both have long hair now... but three years ago, Hibari had odango hair and Hikari sported a boyish haircut.
• Expy: Of the Shadow Play Girls of Revolutionary Girl Utena in their role as the Once an Episode Greek Chorus.
• Forgotten Childhood Friend:
  • If episode 15 is anything to go by, they do seem to remember Himari very fondly, as they wear the scarves she made for them (sent by Sanetoshi); Hibari says that "a precious friend" sent them, and Hikari adds that they were "so happy" to find out.
  • Even more so, in episode 22 the girls get Paper Thin Disguises and drop by the Takakura home to visit Himari, but she's not there anymore and Ringo attends them. (And they barely miss meeting up with Shouma!)
• Idol Singer: The two of them.
• Love Freak: Both of them are very supportive of love in all forms as revealed in the seventh audio drama. Though Hikari is especially supportive of Yamashita's love for Shouma.
• Named After Somebody Famous: Hikaru Utada and Hibari Misora, to be precise.
• Nice Girls: Both of them seem to be very kind despite heir fame.
• Small Role, Big Impact: The CD they drop by the Takakura house for Himari has a song titled after Himari's favorite phrase, which, as Ringo figures out, is the Fate Transfer spell.
• Those Two Girls: Always seen together. Their Once an Episode PSAs serve a Greek Chorus function.

Mario Natsume

Mario Natsume

A quiet young boy seen very few times. He is Masako's younger brother.

Voiced by: Kazusa Aranami (Japanese), Hilary Haag (English)

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• Adorably Precocious Child: He occasionally delivers uncanny insight for a young boy.
• Creepy Child: Though he wasn't always like that, judging by episode 20.
  • And after the Grand Finale, he actually gets better and is seen acting normally towards his Onee-sama Masako.
• Heavy Sleeper: Is frequently seen napping on a couch.
• Protectorate: To his sister, Masako; ensuring his wellbeing is one of her primary motivations.
• Raised by Grandparents: Was raised by Sanbei alongside Masako.
• Soul Jar: Was used by Sanbei as one.

Sanbei Natsume

Sanbei Natsume

Masako's grandfather and leader of the Natsume family.

Voiced by: Hitoshi Itou (Japanese)

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• Abusive Parents: He's their grandfather, but was the parental figure for much of Masako and Mario's life. This doesn't mean he was particularly kind to them; he was very harsh and had high standards.
• Boisterous Bruiser: Loud and unafraid to start a fight.
• The Faceless: His face is never seen, since it's covered by a slip of paper.
• Kick the Dog: Sanbei treated his grandchildren really harshly. First he kicked their father and the eldest son Kanba out of the clan merely because Dad wasn't as strong as he wanted. Then he burned all of the remaining kids's toys and memorabilia — including a letter that Masako got from her dad, despite little Masako's pleas. And later, his spirit possessed Mario to force Masako into a Sadistic Choice.
• I Like My X Like I Like My Y: Something of a Catchphrase for him. All of them involve women, and some of them are rather disturbing.
• Jerkass: He’s very much of a douchebag that has no qualms about what he does.
• Large Ham: And holy crap, how. Even in death.
• There Are Two Kinds of People in the World: Losers and winners!
• Too Dumb to Live: The fugu fish he wanted to eat is actually an insanely poisonous treat; so much that it should be only purchased by people with special licenses (which apparently Sanbei lacked of. He prepared it himself despite knowing all of this. Enjoy being poisoned to death, old man.

Renjaku

Renjaku

A maid in service of the Natsume family, who has worked for them for many years.

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara (Japanese), Brittney Karbowski (English)

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• Beautiful All Along: Remove her Stoic Spectacles and undo her chignon bun.
• Expy: Of Anthy from Revolutionary Girl Utena, both visually and in terms of Hidden Depths and Beautiful All Along.
• Meido: She’s the Natsume family’s maid.
• Ninja Maid: Parodied in the end, as she gets caught by the Princess and given an hilarious Humiliation Conga.
• Sugar-and-Ice Personality: She looks and acts very cold normally, but she holds a sincere Undying Loyalty to the Natsume clan and specially to Masako.

Souya and Shirase

Souya and Shirase

Two strange children who hang around Sanetoshi.

Voiced by: Megumi Iwasaki (Souya) and Motoki Takagi (Shirase) (Japanese), Hilary Haag (Souya and Shirase) (English)

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• Catchphrase: "——, Dr. Sanetoshi!" [clap clap]
• Cheerful Child: When they're not being creepy.
• Creepy Twins: They're a pair of unsettling children who hang around the similarly shady Sanetoshi.
• The Dividual: of the twin variety; so much so that they seem to share one mind. Which makes sense, considering they are fragments of Sanetoshi's own soul.
• Hair-Raising Hares: Their true forms are two very creepy black bunnies.
• Identical Twin ID Tag: How their ribbons are shaped.
• No Name Given: It's only through the credits that we have learned their names.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: When they show up, things will get worse.
• Single-Minded Twins: They're always on the same page.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Carrot juice.◊ Even as bunnies◊!
• Twincest: Played for Laughs in episode 20, when one of them clings to the other and tries to kiss him. Is more of a metaphor for the whole mess among the Takakuras, though.
• Yes-Man: To Sanetoshi, whom they just agree with most of the time.

Tsubasa Yuuki

Tsubasa Yuuki

Yuri's partner in their trope. She's modeled after the otokoyaku, or Takarazuka actresses that play exclusively male roles.

Voiced by: Romi Park (Japanese), Shannon Emerick (English)

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• Bifauxnen: Very, very much. If she wasn't one, she wouldn't be able to play her roles to start!
• Butch Lesbian: She definitely has feelings for Yuri, but she dresses like a man.
• Large Ham: Oh, yes. Much like her coworker, she doesn’t waste time on this. Example? "Mon amoooooour!"
• Love Makes You Evil: Implied that she stabbed Tabuki out of jealousy once Yuri broke off their affair.
• Non-Standard Character Design: Even in a really... colorful environment, she stands out whenever she shows up; she's drawn in a 70s shoujo manga style, and is specifically modeled after Lady Oscar.
• Put on a Bus: Pretty much disappears after episode 14.
  • The Bus Came Back: Returns eight episodes later in Episode 22!
• Psycho Ex-Girlfriend: Psycho ex-mistress to be exact.
• Psycho Lesbian: Was having an affair with Yuri until the latter ended it. Tsubasa then attempted to murder Tabuki in episode 22.
• Skintone Sclerae: Her eyes are designed like this, referencing 70s shoujo art.

Yousuku Yamashita

Yousuke Yamashita

Shouma's best friend who also knows Kanba.

Voiced by: Ryosuke Sakamaki (Japanese), David Matranga (English)

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• Affectionate Nickname: Likes to call Shouma "Takakura Otouto" or "Baby Shouma".
• All Love Is Unrequited: By the time he learns the magic words that lead to love from Hikari and Hibari which he intended to say to Shouma, Ringo had already said them to him.
• Contrived Coincidence: Happens to win raffles tickets to the same resort that Yuri and Ringo are staying at as well as having their room right next to theirs and listens in on Yuri about to rape Ringo while saying it all out loud. Subverted — he had actually worked hard on his part time job to buy those tickets to a good vacation spot visited by celebs, and he had repeated what Yuri was saying in hopes of getting Shouma to sleep with him.
• The Faceless: His face is never shown.
• Straight Gay: Revealed in the seventh audio drama.

Asami Kuho

Asami Kuho

Kanba's ex-girlfriend, who still can't forget him.

Voiced by: Saori Hayami (Japanese), Cynthia Martinez (English, series), Natalie Rial (English, movies)

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• Ambiguously Bi: She dated Kanba in the past and was still pining for him and blushes when Masako gets close to her at the hospital. Kanba and Masako being revealed to be Half-Identical Twins complicates things though.
• Chekhov's Gunman: She's the first person who gets her memories deleted by Masako, foreshadowing her (Masako's) role in the story. Also, the incident foreshadows the role of the "Destiny Diary": Ringo had written on it about a woman with red shoes...
• Clingy Jealous Girl: Sorta. She and other two girls whom Kanba dated and left, Yui and Chizuru, form a group named "Association of Romantic Victims of Kanba Takakura".
• Laser-Guided Amnesia: Courtesy of Masako, who deletes all of Asami's memories of Kanba with her bullets. When he visits her in the hospital, she's very confused and doesn't even know his name.
• Ojou: She’s very rich like Masako.
• Staircase Tumble: Subverted. She gets pushed down some elevator stairs by Masako, but aside of minor injuries she lives to tell.
• Teen Idol: She's a beautiful and popular model.

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