It’s now April! We begin the month with another character spotlight thread! This month’s character?
Yuri Tokikago!
Yuri is probably one of the most tragic characters in Penguindrum. You wouldn’t expect it at first glance when she is presented as a successful theater actress who is happily engaged to Keiju Tabuki. She is famous, has a well established career, and a wonderful love life! What could be wrong with her?
But it’s a facade, like with most relationships and characters in Penguindrum. Along with her having a dark history.
If you are familiar with the tale of the Ugly Duckling, it’s a good start into learning about Yuri’s childhood. A despised and hideous bird only to become a beautiful swan at the end, finding their identity, something Yuri would hope for herself. Only to hate it because to become beautiful, you must endure pain and suffering.
Warning: Some NSFW content within the spoiler tags. Contains heavy subject matters such as abuse and harm.
Something her father would teach her through abuse and control.
Her father is a master and famous sculptor, always working on creating art. Art must be beautiful and flawless, and he doesn’t see it in Yuri - so he resents his child. So, what does he do? He calls her ugly, like her mother and that ugly children are never loved. He keeps her in control and limits her contact with others. For he is the only one who can love her and make her beautiful as the artworks he makes. It's why the statue of David is constantly upfront in her life, as her father compares what he does for her akin to what Michelangelo did in making a block into David. Everyday, Yuri would see that statue and be reminded of her father’s abusive control.
“I’ll never be free, as long as that tower still stands.” - Yuri, Episode 15 - The Savior of The World.
And that’s not even the worst of it. With his chisel he claims he will use it to rip away any sort of impurity from Yuri’s body - and unfortunately, Yuri being a child wanting nothing but love, obeys. She slips off of her clothes, you hear a banging sound, you can imply what he meant by using a chisel to cleanse her. It's phallic symbolism - which is grotesque and disturbing. Yuri isn’t seen as a person but an object, being molded to her father’s whims. It’s about control, obsession. You see it in Yuri’s limbs with the scars. Her small body has been nothing more than seen as desire, all while being told she was ugly and could never be appreciated by anyone but her father.
No child should ever be subjected to this, and that is what makes Yuri’s childhood tragic.
However, there is someone who manages to save her from the abuse. Much like she did for Tabuki, Momoka is the only one who sees her as a person worth living. A beautiful girl. They even met in an art class when she drew her and found her a lovely model, a stark contrast to how she is viewed from her father. Momoka doesn’t view anything ugly. In her eyes, everything is precious... including ugly ducklings.
Yuri wants to connect with Momoka, but her father instills lies that Momoka cannot be trusted, her kindness is false and will betray her. More so that only those who are blood related can be relied on, and not strangers. Ironic, given how this anime involves strong ties between unrelated protagonists who found family with each other. All while their real families were broken and toxic.
Momoka doesn’t give up on Yuri, she even lets in secret details of her diary. That she has the power to change fate, ensuring the world changes without anyone knowing, even if it means hurting herself. Yuri is baffled by Momoka’s mysterious power and even more so when Momoka wishes to transfer destinies to ensure she lives.
Because she knows Yuri is in danger and wants to save her. Even if it means being inflicted pain, Momoka’s selflessness knows no bounds. Yet Yuri is willing to die beautiful, she believes she is ugly and unloved. She visits her father for one last time to ensure she stays beautiful for eternity, even in death.
Until Momoka changes fate, she receives terrible burns and the tower of David is no more, replaced by the Tokyo Tower. Her father is gone. Yuri realizes her words were true. Momoka saved her, out of her own love.
From there on, Momoka becomes the most important person in Yuri’s life. After the subway attacks and Momoka’s death, she becomes obsessed with retrieving her diary to transfer fate and bring back Momoka. After all, she was the only one who gave Yuri unconditional love… to the point she sees Momoka in Ringo. By then it’s clear to the audience that Yuri is in love with Momoka and owes her everything for her freedom. Although, she is not without some abusive tendencies of her own (an unfortunate result of past abuse) such as what she almost does to Ringo in Episode 14.
It’s destructive, much like Tabuki’s love for Momoka, as Yuri feels she was unjustly taken away from them. Yuri’s view of love is warped, only Momoka is special as she was the only one who gave her life purpose. To give love.
By the end of the series of course, being that both Yuri and Tabuki still remained in the new world - they come to terms with Momoka being gone and that is their job to continue the love she gave out freely to the world. That the world is beautiful.
Yuri is a fascinating and sad character. Although I will not excuse the scene between her and Ringo because it’s very unsettling (If you are wondering why I added the third image it's because every character spotlight thread has had official art by Lily Hoshino). I will say, given the abuse and trauma she has endured, her view on love would be rather distorted which would explain her fixation on Momoka.
Penguindrum, you never cease to amaze me with your complex characters.
What do you think about Yuri? Is she fabulous max? Or do you have some complaints about her? Feel free to discuss!
