Cultural depictions of penguins

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Penguins are popular around the world for their unusually upright, waddling gait, their cuteness, their swimming ability and (compared with other birds) their lack of fear toward humans. [1] Their striking black and white plumage is often likened to a white tie suit and generates humorous remarks about the bird being "well dressed". [2]

Contents

Penguins had a resurgence as figures in pop culture in the mid-2000s thanks to films like March of the Penguins , Madagascar , Happy Feet , and Surf's Up . [3] As an April Fools' Day joke, on April 1, 2008 the BBC released a short film of penguins in flight and migrating to the South American rainforest.

Portrayals

The penguin is typically depicted as a friendly and comical figure, with considerable dignity despite its physical limitations. Perhaps in reaction to this cute stereotype, fictional penguins are sometimes presented as irritable or even sinister. Examples include the cute yet somewhat surly Sanrio character Badtz Maru and the penguins in the movie Madagascar , intelligent creatures with devious schemes and plans, who are even capable of defeating humans. Penguins are also often portrayed as friendly and smart, for example in the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion , which features a warm-water penguin named Pen Pen.

Mythology

Yellow-eyed, Fiordland and little penguins are prominent in Māori mythology, where they are known as hoiho, tawaki and kororā respectively. The tawaki in particular is associated with a myth in which it walked among humans until it revealed its divinity by wearing lightning, hence the explanation for the bird's yellow crest. [4]

Logos and mascots

The friendly, slightly comical image of the penguin has often been used by companies and organisations for logos and mascots.

Politics

Food items

Penguins and polar bears

Despite what commercials and other popular sources may show, penguins and polar bears are found on opposite hemispheres. Polar bears inhabit the Northern Hemisphere, [8] while all penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere. [9]

Literature

Film and television

Feature films and animation

Short films

Television

Theatre

Video games

Podcasts

Other

See also

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References

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  5. "Who's Diego?" Archived 2011-08-14 at the Wayback Machine . Diegos Tartan Army
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  7. Longoni, Matías (18 January 2006). "Un combate entre "pingüinos" por la estratégica secretaría de Agricultura" (in Spanish). Clarín.com. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  8. "Where do polar bears live?" Archived 2009-06-19 at the Wayback Machine Polar Bears International
  9. "PENGUINS - Habitat and Distribution" Archived 2013-11-15 at the Wayback Machine seaworld.org
  10. 1 2 Lenburg, Jeff (1 June 2006). Who's Who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film and Television's Award-Winning and Legendary Animators. Applause Books. pp. 283–284. ISBN   978-1-55783-671-7.
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  12. Sesame Street - Penguin Rhythms - The Hubleys (1971), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ap1lWKvGhE
  13. The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1911658/ [ user-generated source ]
  15. Mr. Popper's Penguins (film)
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