Penguin Highway

Aoyama is a fourth grader who approaches life with a scientist's curiosity. Smart and self-confident, he questions everything, including his fascination with the breasts of a busty young dental assistant (a storyline treated innocently, although her patience with his crush is unlikely at best). So when penguins start appearing by the score in his small inland town, Aoyama follows the waddling, endearingly awkward creatures to compile data and try to answer the question of their sudden origin. It turns out that the dental assistant, who takes a sisterly interest in Aoyama, is somehow involved, as is a mysterious shimmering orb in the middle of the forest that Aoyama and his friends dub "the ocean." Based on Tomihiko Morimi’s bestselling 2010 coming-of-age novel, this 2018 film offers a charmingly innocent mix of fantasy and adolescent adventure. The characters are well-developed and the story winningly explores life through the cosmic mystery of the magical penguins, with filmmaker Hiroyasu Ishida grounding the tale in the details of small-town life. Penguin Highway is a rich and inventive delight that unfolds at a more leisurely pace than most American animated features. Presented in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, suitable for 12-up, extras include interviews with author Morimi and director Ishida. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)