Tentacle-Free Anime: "Aggretsuko" (2018)

- by Kazekun, 14 July 2018

This has been one helluva long year already. Got a new job, been planning a wedding, been getting more and more opportunities to write and make comics. On top of that I still have shows to watch, reviews to write, and maaaan has my family been keeping me busy like always. It all gets very frustrating at times and I just wanna scream to the high heavens. Much like the little red panda we're about to discuss in this week's TFA. That's right, today we're discussing...

Aggretsuko (2018)
 
Episodes: 10;
Director: Rareko;
Studio: Fanworks, Sanrio;
Rating: PG-13
 
Summary: Retsuko is a 25-year old red panda who works in her dream company's accounting department. But it turns out that she is forced to keep doing more and more impossible tasks by her superiors and co-workers. She doesn't talk back to them, but she still has to let off steam, so she ends up going to karaoke by herself and singing death metal. [AnimeNewsNetwork.com]

SPOILERS!!!

Aggretsuko's title comes from shortening the words Aggressive Retsuko, the titular character of the series. A little female red panda who works in accounting in an office job, toiling away under bosses who both disrespect her and resent her. Essentially, it's a tale as old as time only with cute anthropomorphic animals rather than humans. Also, what's fun about this series is that it is also a Sanrio production. That's right, the company that created Hello Kitty also helped make this.

The poster. Click to enlarge.

Now, me telling you that may send off a red flag at first, that this is something a grown person probably won't want to watch. However, this series so gets the basic struggles of adult life and even throws in some curse words every now and then, that there's no way kids could watch this series. This was made by adults for adults and it isn't even raunchy. It's so clearly about the work life struggles of people and how they attempt to foster relationships outside of work and ultimately Retsuko becomes the spirit animal for all of us.

If you've ever had a shitty boss, you will relate to Retsuko on both an emotional and a spiritual level. The supporting cast is also a lot of fun, and even the villains are so well written that by the end of the show you end up having sympathy for even them. They're not good people, but they're not the worst either. At the end of the day, everyone in this show is just trying to survive the workday and often the stress of it all just gets to them.

Watching Retsuko navigate her work life, and trying to do more normal things outside of work like Yoga, or speed dating, or forming friendships with the higher ups at work that aren't necessarily her bosses are all so fun and fascinating to watch because of how real it all is. And nothing about this series is more relatable than Retsuko's own tradition of going to the karaoke bar every night and singing death metal by herself to get out her frustrations for that day.

Metal 5EVER

And guess what? The death metal is actually passable. Those who wrote this show get the genre and really use it to the show's strengths when Retusko is singing about her shitty boss, her shitty life, but how in the end this is her and she should not have to change for anyone. And even so, by the end, nothing is wrapped up in a nice little bow. Work colleagues are still work colleagues, her bosses are still asshats, her outside friendships are still that, and life goes on. Only now by the end does Retsuko feel more confident in herself which for many of us is all we're trying to do.

As you clearly worry.

This show is fascinatingly relatable and even if you're not a fan of the Sanrio art style, which this very much incorporates, the narrative, the characters, the fun, it's all more than enough to suck you in for one helluva fun ride. Retusko is all of us, and we are all Retusko.
 
The show is on Netflix, you can easily watch it. Each episode is only 15 minutes long with the final episode begin about 20 minutes long. I watched it wish some friends in a single evening so it isn't a huge time commitment. If you have the chance, watch Aggretsuko. It is 100% worth your time.

You gonna say no to this face?

Final Score: 5 Bad Bitch Hallway Walks out of 5


That's quite a recommendation! Have you seen Aggretsuko? Do you agree with our review? Let us know in the comments!

Tagged: Tentacle-Free Anime, movies & TV.

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