Anecdotes from one of my favourite animated shows on Netflix
1. Aggretsuko is the super cute, death metal anthem
for anyone who’s ever cried at work.
Chances are when you watch Aggretsuko, you’ll find yourself muttering “amen to that” and slow clapping to our red panda hero. Released on Netflix April 20th, Aggretsuko is a twist on a classic coming-of-age for the young urban professional. A comedy and slice-of-life, Aggretsuko is like a fluffy, easy to eat cake with a surprisingly rich centre. Although Retsuko is a red panda from Japan, the catharsis is real for any entry-level office worker who’s dealt with last minute deadlines, brutal overtime and harassment in the workplace.
2. This overly nice co-worker has 9000x
more emotions than you think.
more emotions than you think.
Retsuko is a 25-year-old pushover who does all the bitch work in the office without a single complaint. All her friends and co-workers see is her meek smile as she goes through the day. But after work (and sometimes in the office washroom), she releases her pent-up rage through death metal karaoke. Retsuko’s secret expressions are hilarious, whether it’s fighting the urge to bitch back at her unreasonable co-workers or accidentally falling in love. Although she has a dark side, almost every other character (even the bad bitches of the offices) eventually reveal a more tender side.
3. You will want to punch more than a
couple of characters in the face. Hard.
The majority of the show is focused on Retsuko keeping a professional face in front of her ass kissing co-workers and misogynistic pig of a boss (he literally told her the only thing he hates more than incompetent women are competent ones). Take your pick; there’s the baby-faced doe that flirts with the boss , the annoying garble of the gossipy hippo prying in her personal life and the senior crocodile who doesn’t do her own work but loves to criticize. They all push their work on to Retsuko.
4. This series marries Japan’s kawaii culture
and the real-world insane work culture.
and the real-world insane work culture.
Sanrio is a company that started off selling stationary, creating characters like Hello Kitty and lazy egg Gudetama. Aggretsuko is their most poignant creation yet, with real world concerns dressed in mass market appeal. Most of the series follows the adorable Retsuko as she tries desperately to escape the office life and catch a break. Young women in the work force have it the worse, especially in Japan. They are expected to take on extra work with grace, and Retsuko’s boss always forces her to make tea for him, which all her other male co-workers goes along with. Last year, a 24 year old Japanese woman, Matsuri Takahashi at an advertising agency tragically committed suicide because of stress and overwork.
5. Aggretsuko is an acknowledgement
of this generation’s come-up years
of this generation’s come-up years
There’s more to this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde cartoon than meets the eye. Within these episodes are the stories about seeing old friends on different paths and continuing onwards even when the future is uncertain. Retsuko’s screamo venting is the rallying cry for this generation of corporate slaves, a very real epidemic and a personal journey for so many. There’s no guerilla terrorism like Fight Club, just hard work and dreaming for a way out, whether that’s through joining a friend’s business or holy matrimony. Is it worth it? Is there another path? Only you can decide that for yourself, as Retsuko does for herself.
“Even when it’s awkward, even when it hurts, you keep moving forward. Because when you do, you’re already a little stronger than yesterday.”