Compare/Contrast time!

Utena: SYMBOLISM, SYMBOLISM EVERYWHERE. Symbolic relationship between Utena and Anthy. Utena is constantly fighting to protect Anthy, and it's quite obvious if you read between the lines that there's definitely something that Utena and Anthy share. Additionally, you have the world of Utena, which appears to be very colorful, fun, and innocent, but the show quickly diverges and shows everything beneath the surface.

Penguindrum: SYMBOLISM, SYMBOLISM EVERYWHERE. There's actually quite a few relationships here that are similar to Utena and Anthy, but the ones most similar are Kanba and Himari and to a lesser extent, Ringo and Yuri. Much like how Utena was fighting for Anthy, Kanba is fighting to try and save Himari. Utena and Anthy and Kanba and Himari have a very platonic and loving relationship. Silly penguin shenanigans and the fun humor of Penguindrum mask the rather serious nature that it holds, and much like Utena, Penguindrum knows how to balance various moods of the show.

Is relationships the only form of "symbolism" you were thinking off?

I thought you might be referring to the fairytale-like nature of various executed symbolism. Utena has a deconstructive fairytale motif. While Penguindrum derives it mostly from the brief snapshot of Himari's nightstand and all the warped fairytale titles on the first episode. Ringo's relation to Momoka and Yuri as reflected by "Gretel" as similar to the Stepmother-witch complex, initially anyway. The colorful nature of the Takakura house may also appear similar to the candy house. The deaths and revival of Himari reflected by "Schneewittchen/snow white". The entire phenomenom of episode 9 reflected by "ALIS in wonderland". And Apple itself being the keystone of Night on the galatic railroad.

These are all detailed aspects of Penguindrum's symbolic nature, which is not to be simply brushed off just with you labelling them as just "symbolic". That does not give them deep semblance with Utena's also having of symbolism. Well not that's what you are focusing on.

But seriously...You decided to focus on "relationship" of all things in terms of what you call symbolism? Yes I can grant a base level similarity in Utena/Anthy relation with the Kanba/Himari one, and possibly the Ringo/Tabuki/Yuri with a Shiori/Ruka/Juri one.

I can also grant the same from lighter mood to darker. But no, the symbolism at work are not similar here either, this is not looking beneath the surface. The penguin shenanigans were anything but to hide the nature of the show, yes they are adorable~~~~ but at the same time each penguin also in someway represent an unconstrained id to the ego of each owners, and with the show progressing to giving greater emphasis on each character, that can be quite terrifying as foreshadow.

No, the extent of symbolism in both series isn't limited to what I included in my post...It would take far too long to do a complete analysis of each series. No two series are too similar that one can perfectly match one event in another, but Penguindrum's and Utena's reliance on symbolism and the like is a similarity in of itself. For my examples, I went with relationships because, well, relationships are the biggest aspect of both shows. Where would Utena be without her relationship with Anthy? Where would Penguindrum be without Kanba and Himari's relationship? Or even Sho's and Himari's? Hell, the scene where Ringo snaps at Kanba and Sho (Or was it just Sho? I don't remember) about their motives for helping Himari was practically taken straight from Utena. These relationships are the driving force behind each respective series's plot.

It's quite apparent that each of the penguins represent their owners. They practically told the viewers that, and if they couldn't figure it out on their own, Esmeralda should have made it blatantly obvious to the viewers. However, although the penguins serve as a window to Kanba's, Sho's, Himari's, and Masako's innner selves, it's hard to deny that the director cleverly masks a lot of the show's darker aspects with cute penguin mishaps. The penguins allow for a stark contrast between the cute penguins doing cute things and some of the show's less cute aspects, such as Kanba's methods of obtaining money. By including them in this sense and by including these levels of penguin shenanigans, Penguindrum is easily able to attract a completely different audience than what the rest of the show would bring in. Although, that's a completely different and unrelated point.

It's hard to say exactly how much Penguindrum will end up like Utena, since we're only a little over halfway through the show, but there are many similarities beyond what I listed in my previous post. The plots are very similar; viewers can easily draw parallels between most aspects of Penguindrum's plot to aspects of Utena's. Both Penguindrum and Utena are heavily reliant on characters' relationships and their interactions to advance the plot, and both shows are able to devote considerable amounts of time to flesh out characters that most other anime would only pass off as just another side-character. Even if it's only for brief periods of time, Utena and Penguindrum make even the smallest of characters the main character(s) for brief periods of time.

So tell me. If having similar relationships between characters, similar plots, similar atmospheres, similar moods, similar contrasts, and to an extent, similar environments, how are Utena and Penguindrum not alike? Is saying that Penguindrum and Utena are alike a hasty generalization? Perhaps, but at this point, since we only have fourteen episodes of Penguindrum available to us, it's hard to say that they aren't. Tell me how they are not similar. Instead of trying to disprove my argument, please present how your own is true. Indeed, Utena and Star Driver do share many similarities, as do Star Driver and Penguindrum. However, Star Driver's similarities to either series don't make Utena's and Penguindrum's any less apparent. Yes, aspects of Utena and Penguindrum are very much alike aspects of Star Driver, and it would take a considerable amount of time to compare all three of them, but Star Driver's similarities have no bearing on those between Utena's and Penguindrum's parallels.

Having "similar relationships between characters, similar plots, similar atmospheres, similar moods, similar contrasts, and to an extent, similar environments", will definitely make shows alike, not that I deny it. Although how much of that is true?

I can grant similar relationship between characters, but only to a very minimum degree, the character have different interaction with one another. But a similar relation between Anthy/Utena and the Takakuras IS in fact a generalization. It need to be asked what is at stake here? How are such relations developed? How would they be different otherwise? And why such relations are significant? These when asked, are not at all similar. You are looking at events that may or may not be lifted from Utena, that is the most blatant form of surface analysis. And certainly do not justify your initial claim.

I do not grant reliance on character's development in advancing the plot as a similarity, not one not of complete and total generalization anyway. LOTS of shows does that, it does not make the show same or even similar. It may result in viewer seeing parallels having seen Utena, and having understandings in Ikuhara's work. Nor do I consider "fleshing out side-characters" to be a similarity of the plot, yes they do that, it is definitely a similarity in the precision and care put into the execution, but not one of plot. The former makes the show stand out, the latter makes it generic. And, your claim of "I like it better when it was called Utena" as a start? It's one of the latter claims. You're not scratching below the surface to find similarities, you are stripping them of important intricacies and development in order to generate semblance of similarities.

I will grant similar contrast, but only in an over arching mood of going from light to dark. But that is as general as saying they have the "same status as anime".