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Penggumon Homages a Beloved Franchise to Raise Awareness

Made in Singapore brings this faux-TCG to Singapore Comic Con to raise funds for Mandai Wildlife Reserve as part of Great Singapore Give!

It is no secret that many Singapore-based efforts often go under the radar–the more independent, the quicker it is to get buried. But during events such as Singapore Comic Con (SGCC), the opportunities to bring ideas and matters to light often present themselves. This year, Made In Singapore takes the opportunity to place the spotlight on Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s conservation efforts with Penggumon.

Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.

A riff on the beloved ‘90s multimedia sensation (which continues to dominate its fields), Penggumon imagines what it would be like in a world where nature has reclaimed urbanised lands, and these pangolin-based creatures emerge with new and fantastical abilities.

Decades after the Grand Reclamation, the Penggulin were the first creatures to re-emerge from their protective nests within the intricate network of tunnels beneath Singapaw.

Inquisitive and friendly, it is believed that the Penggulin are descendants of fauna from a long forgotten era. And, much like their native habitat, these creatures, too, have changed.

Now, when exposed to certain catalytic components, an immediate (but temporary) metamorphosis is triggered within the Penggulin, turning them into something… different.

These varying forms, collectively known as Penggumon, bear more than just physical differences, and feature their own distinctive personalities. Personalities which are often considerably less docile than the Penggulin’s.

Somewhat more territorial, yet still inquisitive, these other Penggumon are only kept in check by their variant siblings whose abilities may assist in countering each other.

It is now in our hands to guide our companion Penggumon to help maintain the fragile ecosystem of Singapaw!

Penggumon official synopsis

But there is more to Penggumon than just homaging Pokémon. Continuing their involvement with the National Volunteering and Philanthropy Centre’s annual SG Cares Giving Week and Great Singapore Give initiatives, Penggumon seeks to raise funds for Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s conservation efforts.

We originally thought of Penggumon as a very rough concept in 2016, when the Pokémon GO zeitgeist was first upon us. It was just an idea that it would be great if we were all as interested in our own local wildlife as we were about Pokémon. But it was only in 2020, during the pandemic-era Pokémon GO resurgence that the idea started taking proper shape, and we began commissioning the art, as well as planning what sort of merchandise it’ll be built on. But, most importantly, we needed to find the right cause and the opportunity presented itself this year, prompting the launch.

– Ryan Mennen, Penggumon creator

Penggumon launches at Singapore Comic Con, happening over the 7th and 8th of December, and will include event-exclusive cards in their faux-TCG decks. Available at the Made In Singapore Island on Level 1 of the convention halls, each 8-card starter pack with pre-determined cards will be available for $10. The randomised 5-card blind booster packs are $5.

Some of the partners on Penggumon present at the Made in Singapore Island

This effort is also bolstered by multiple Singapore-based brands including Chiral Comics, CS Comics, Heng Suay Eating House, High There Studio, Hyperlixir, MERTHEWIZ, Playbox Studios, and Super One Studios.

Giving.sg is your one-stop national giving platform to donate, volunteer and fundraise for any of the over 600 registered non-profits in Singapore. Online giving is safe, meaningful, and simple with us.

The vision of our giving is to build a City of Good – a Singapore where Individuals, Organisations and Leaders come together to give their best for others. Together, we want to embrace an other-centered mindset, valuing people above all else, and nurturing a Singapore that truly cares.

City of Good fuels the national Singapore Cares movement to build a caring and inclusive home for everyone, where care is an integral part of our Singaporean identity and way of life.

Together, let’s build a City of Good!

– About Giving.SG