Penguin Highway

Lore & Background

The novel Penguin Highway was published by Kadokawa Bunko in tankōbon format on May 28, 2010, and later republished under the Kadokawa Bunko imprint on November 22, 2012. An audiobook version was released on March 3, 2017. Yen Press announced at Anime Expo 2018 that they would publish the English translation by Andrew Cunningham, with a hardcover release on April 23, 2019. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Keito Yano, was serialized in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive from March 27, 2018, to February 27, 2019, and collected in three tankōbon volumes. Yen Press licensed the manga for English publication in January 2024, releasing all three volumes in a single omnibus on July 16, 2024.

Reader's Guide

The anime film adaptation by Studio Colorido premiered at Fantasia International Film Festival on July 29, 2018, and was released theatrically in Japan by Toho on August 17, 2018. Directed by Hiroyasu Ishida, with screenplay by Makoto Ueda and music by Umitarō Abe, the film features the theme song 'Good Night' by Hikaru Utada. The film received the Excellence Award in the animation category at the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival and won the Axis: The Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation at Fantasia International Film Festival. On Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating 'universal acclaim'. The film earned ¥307 million (US$2.76 million) in Japan as of August 26, 2018.

Did You Know?

• The novel won the Nihon SF Taisho Award in 2010.
• The anime film's theme song 'Good Night' is performed by Hikaru Utada.
• The English translation of the novel is by Andrew Cunningham.
• The manga adaptation was serialized from March 27, 2018, to February 27, 2019.