Penguins are popular around the world for their unusually upright, waddling gait, their cuteness, their swimming ability and (compared with other birds) their lack of fear toward humans.
The penguin is typically depicted as a friendly and comical figure, with considerable dignity despite its physical limitations.
Examples include the cute yet somewhat surly Sanrio character Badtz Maru and the penguins in the movie Madagascar, intelligent creatures with devious schemes and plans, who are even capable of defeating humans.
The tawaki in particular is associated with a myth in which it walked among humans until it revealed its divinity by wearing lightning, hence the explanation for the bird's yellow crest.
Despite what commercials and other popular sources may show, penguins and polar bears are found on opposite hemispheres.