MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Penguin Highway

Penguin Highway

2018 · 118 min

A whimsical, sunlit mystery that blends childhood curiosity with gentle surrealism, leaving a bittersweet ache.

Directed by
Hiroyasu Ishida
Genres
Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Starring
Kana Kita, Rie Kugimiya, Yu Aoi
Tagline
A penguin has appeared in my town.
Overview
A fourth-grader investigates the mysterious reason behind the sudden appearance of penguins in his village, which is somehow related to a power from a young woman working at a dental clinic.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Rent or buy in the UK
  • Apple TV Store
  • Sky Store
More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
Hiroyasu Ishida
Genres
Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Starring
Kana Kita, Rie Kugimiya, Yu Aoi
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • whimsicalstrength 2 of 3
  • warmstrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • coming-of-age
  • mystery
  • identity
  • love
  • family
Places
  • small town
  • countryside
  • school
Era
contemporary
Audience
family
Form
  • animated
Content intensity
  • Gore none
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex none
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action5
Horror2
Humour6
Realism4
Romance3
Tension4
Darkness3
Complexity6
Emotional weight6

More like this

Titles like Penguin Highway

Movie

Spirited Away

2001

A mesmerizing plunge into a strange, beautiful spirit world that is both wondrous and unsettling, anchored by a quiet girl's brave journey.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
  • animated
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
125 min
Details
Spirited AwayHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Howl's Moving Castle

2004

A dreamy, hand-drawn flight through war and magic that feels tender, strange and quietly heartbreaking.

Whimsical, warm · about identity and love · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • identity
  • love
  • animated
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
119 min
Details
Howl's Moving CastleHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Ponyo

2008

A whimsical, visually stunning adventure that feels like a warm hug, with a childlike sense of wonder and just a touch of peril.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
  • animated
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
100 min
Details
PonyoHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Kiki's Delivery Service

1989

A gentle, charming flight through a young witch's struggles, blending whimsy with quiet moments of doubt and self-discovery.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
  • animated
Pacing
measured
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
103 min
Details
Kiki's Delivery ServiceHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Kubo and the Two Strings

2016

A visually stunning, heartfelt stop-motion adventure that blends Japanese folklore with a poignant story about family and memory.

Warm, earnest · about identity and love · animated

Via
  • warm
  • earnest
  • identity
  • love
  • animated
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
102 min
Details
Kubo and the Two StringsHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Hoppers

2026

A bright, busy animated adventure that mixes silly animal gags with sincere environmental stakes, keeping things lively and easy to follow.

Whimsical, warm · about identity and family · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • identity
  • family
  • animated
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
104 min
Details
HoppersHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Moana

2026

A bright, song-filled seafaring adventure that feels familiar and rousing, with moments of wonder and warmth.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
115 min
Details
MoanaHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

My Neighbor Totoro

1988

A gentle, enchanting escape into childhood wonder, blending everyday family warmth with quiet magical encounters.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and family · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • family
  • animated
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
86 min
Details
My Neighbor TotoroHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Onward

2020

A bright, funny quest that sneaks up on you and ends in a genuine, tearful hug about brothers and loss.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
  • animated
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
102 min
Details
OnwardHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Mirai

2018

A gentle, imaginative journey through a child's jealousy and family history, blending everyday tantrums with magical encounters that feel tender and quietly moving.

Whimsical, warm · about coming-of-age and identity · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • coming-of-age
  • identity
  • animated
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
98 min
Details
MiraiHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Swapped

2026

A bright, busy animated adventure that mixes silly body-swap comedy with earnest lessons about trust and teamwork.

Whimsical, warm · about identity and family · animated

Via
  • whimsical
  • warm
  • identity
  • family
  • animated
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
102 min
Details
SwappedHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Castle in the Sky

1986

A soaring, heartfelt adventure that blends gentle wonder with thrilling chases and a touch of melancholy.

Warm, earnest · about coming-of-age · animated

Via
  • warm
  • earnest
  • coming-of-age
  • animated
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
125 min
Details
Castle in the SkyHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Rent or buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Sky Store

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
animation, adventure, comedy, fantasy
Directed by
Hiroyasu Ishida
Written by
Makoto Ueda
Starring
Kana Kita, Rie Kugimiya, Yu Aoi, Miki Fukui, Misaki Kuno, Megumi Han, Mamiko Noto, Hidetoshi Nishijima
Music
Umitaro Abe
Cinematography
Kei Machida
Runtime
118 min
Country
Japan
Languages
Japanese

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata