Yona Yona Penguin

Yona Yona Penguin

Year: 2009

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Rintaro

AdventureFamilyAnimation

Rintaro directs a tale of three children who visit a land of wonder. This is the first “3D anime” that Madhouse has produced. Oh, and there are penguins.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Yona Yona Penguin yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Yona Yona Penguin (2009) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Yona Yona Penguin (2009), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Coco, Ei Morisako, is a curious girl who loves penguins and often wears a penguin costume. After bullies taunt her by saying penguins can’t fly, she dares to try anyway, insisting that her late father once flew with penguins, and she ends up falling. In the aftermath, she discovers a golden feathered wing and a penguin-shaped capsule that contains parts for a toy robot cat. The capsule awakens the robot cat and lures Coco toward a hidden shop full of penguin merchandise. The cat then reveals his true form, a goblin named Chaley, Rena Tanaka. Chaley believes Coco is the chosen “flightless bird” who can save his world, and he invites her to a realm where goblins live. Coco’s grandfather, Akira Emoto, quietly follows them to observe the strange events.

In the goblin village, the locals speak of an evil entity named Buccaboo and his devilish henchmen, who have grown stronger and threaten the community. The lead henchman, Zammie, Hikari Ota, taunts the goblins and tests their resolve. Although Coco remains skeptical that a human could belong in a world of birds, the villagers offer to help her return home, and she grows wary of Zammie’s true identity as the group investigates Buccaboo’s motives. They uncover a startling truth: Zammie is a fallen, one-wing angel who descended from heaven, and Buccaboo has been using him and his celestial powers to grow stronger, steering the village toward doom.

Determined to free Zammie from Buccaboo’s hold, Coco and Chaley help him escape the lair and race to recover Zammie’s missing wing so he can return to heaven before Buccaboo destroys everything. The mission tests Coco’s resolve, and memories of her father, George Takahashi, re-emerge as a guiding force. With the support of her grandfather and the gods—symbolized by a statue in Coco’s world—she discovers she can truly fly. The climactic moment arrives as Buccaboo is defeated and Zammie regains his second wing, ascending back to heaven.

When Coco returns home, she finds her grandfather now part of the statue, a poignant reminder of the adventures she endured. The penguin shop vanishes, and Chaley reverts to his robotic cat form, signaling the end of one magical journey and the beginning of another for Coco and the world she carries in her heart.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:56

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