"The man who dies ... rich dies disgraced" -Andrew Carnegie “Pingu in the City” is a Japanese Animation masterpiece. It is one of the few Japanese animations that I consider to be revolutionary. Having the charisma of a child's cartoon, it is able to utilize its lighthearted animation to present its deep philosophical ideologies to the masses. Based on the bourgeoisie lifestyle of Eastern Europe and Asia, this anime is able to establish a firm point of liberal and socialist ideals through the life of a penguin, Pingu, in everyday society. American and European ideals such as Republican motherhood are prevalent within this film, which can be seen through the actions of the main protagonist's mother. The mother is only seen raising Pingu in a monotonous fashion. She is often seen tending the household often reflecting ways to establish proper mannerism to Pingu. This clearly shows the audience the deep underlying opinion of woman, and it assumes the role of women in modern day society. The Japanese animation also mocks the ideology of males working in the kitchen. Pingu's father is seen with a chef's hat throwing ingredients to a dish haphazardly, expressing the idiocy of male dominance in the household. While reflecting on the social status of women, this film is based on the religious philosophy of Deism. No god or upper being is shown deciding the path of our main protagonist or his peers, but it shows hints that an upper being truly exists. In the first episode of "Pingu In The City", Pingu is seen in a predicament where he needs to resolve the crisis at hand, fixing his father's dish. No god is there to help him accomplish his task, and Pingu is left to resolve the situation himself. However, the presence of an upper being is prevalent within Pingu’s society; he and his companions are able to obtain goods and resources through unknown means. The idea of Transcendentalism is often alluded in this piece, often denying the existence of the Trinity while acknowledging the presence of god. As we established before, no god is prevalent in Pingu’s world and based on the fact the film is heavily leaning towards the philosophical ideas of the 1800’s, we can safely assume that no reference to the trinity shows both the religious philosophies of Deism and Transcendentalism. This is a film truly dedicated to the ideals and philosophies of the 1800’s, as it expresses the significance of these democratic ideals after emerging from the Second Great Awakening.
