User reviews

For some time I avoided this. I am not a big fan of cuteness-overload and animals depicting humans. However, this show has taken my heart in one episode. It is funny and cute, yes, but what makes it so relatable, are the characters and situations that are all too real (at least, if one has experience with (japanese) worklife). This anime feels like a mirror for japanese society and quite a bit to some issues in the western countries, too. And the characters are neither black nor white - they have all their flaws and charms, yes, even this pig of a boss. I ended up watching the whole thing in one day and was sad arriving at the last episode.

It is clear: Regardless of culture, upbringing or gender - We all are a little bit Aggretsuko.

I don't usually watch slice of life shows, but the premise of this show seems so quirky I wanted to watch it anyway. Slice of life shows just seem to be completely lacking of much interest to me because who wants to see more of the everyday anyway?

Well, I'm glad to say that this show changed my mind. There's something about this show that makes the everyday fresh and exciting -- everyone has completely lovable personalites and quirks, and there's something humble about this show that's rare to see. We can all relate to the idea of being the average joe who just want to let things out more wildly in life -- like a red panda playing death metal to release stress.

By the way, death metal 10/10. I didn't listen to metal before, but now I do. I'll pray everyday to Red Panda Metal Queen for her musical genius. I want to go buy a plushie of Retsuko and create a video of that plushie playing hardcore death metal. But unfortunately, I'm too lazy.

Cuteness 100/10. My kokoro got hit 1000/10. Life is meaningless without Retsuko 10000/10.

Having lived in Japan for over nine years, I thought this was such a humorous (and accurate) take on the life of a Japanese OL. It reminded me a lot of people I've met in Japan, (except for maybe Ton-buchou and Tsubone-san). The personalized theme music for some of the characters is great. Favorite characters: Super-classy Washimi, extremely well-balanced Gori-buchou and all around nice guy Haita-san. And of course the cutest lesser-panda ever, Retsuko, is just adorable. Patiently awaiting season 2.

I'm a sociopath, but this show made me smile. Even if you've never worked a terrible office job, the juxtaposition of the art style versus death metal and the wonderful characters should be more than enough to enthrall you in this true-to-life animation. I cried out in anguish when I realized I finished the first season.

It's amazing how an anime with cute looking characters managed to be so relatable with working and personal life in today's society. Kudos to the Brazilian dubbing that did a great job with the voice actors and jokes/dialogues adaptions to Portuguese.

Cute and hilarious anime making fun of cliché everyday work and social situations... super witty & funny - love it! :))

Entertainment value: 8 It's funny and silly, on and off it diverges from this and not all episodes are that funny or interesting. Season 2 is generally bad.

Visuals: 8 Simple but effective design.

Soundtrack: 7 Nothing special but it pairs well with the theme. Season 3 has some girl band songs with high production value.

Plot: 6 Nothing really surprising here, 1 season is good and 3 ok. Here too season 2 is quite uninspiering or interesting.

World building and depth: 7 It's the Japanese society with animals, nothing more to say really. It captures some aspects of Japanese society in an interesting way (hierarchy at work, romantic relationships, karaoke, friendship).

Characters and dialog: 8 Nothing deep per se but some truly hilarious interactions!

Total: 7

Every character brings something special to this series, and each and every one of them has several stand out moments. By the time you're done, you will have at least one character that you love and cherish as your own. Of course, nothing is stopping you from loving all of them.

Aggretsuko is a 10-episode long Netflix original series made by Sanrio, the same company that made Hello Kitty. The characters have the same sort of general simplified design as Hello Kitty, with most of the primary female cast being chibi female characters with large heads, big eyes, and a small mouth.

However, unlike everything else Sanrio makes, this is very much a series directed at adults, as the main character of the series, Retsuko the red panda, is a miserable professional accountant, working in a large office building in Japan with a bunch of other anthropomorphic animals - yes, this is very, very furry.

Retsuko is the main character of this slice-of-life series, and it initially seems to be focused on her and her two coworkers, Fenneko the fennec fox and Haida the hyena, in their daily struggles against Ton, a literal chauvinist pig and a general jerk of a boss.

Retsuko is a little ball of misery at the start of the series - a total doormat who never says no, never stands up for herself, works too hard, stays far too late, is easy to push excess work off onto, and generally is a little ball of stress and anxiety that is constantly simmering beneath the surface, her only escape being escaping to the bathroom or a karaoke lounge at the end of the day to screech death metal to express how she really feels about her miserable life - something she is otherwise half-accepting and half in-denial about.

Frankly, it didn't exactly enthrall me at first - while the character designs were cute and the voice dubbing was excellent (I actually greatly preferred the English voices and script to the subbing), Retsuko was not really the most enthralling of characters, and her general misery sort of felt like a preaching to the choir type thing, with everyone being something of a shallow stereotype.

As the series goes on, however, two of the seemingly untouchable higher staff women in the office - Washimi the secretarybird secretary and Gori the gorilla who supervises marketing - end up taking an interest in Retsuko and take her in under their wing (so to speak). We get to see more and more of her coworkers, and come to recognize that they're not as shallow as they seem at first glance, and all have motivations for being the way they are, imperfect as those motivations might be. The result is that, over the course of the ten episodes, we get a better idea of what kind of people they are, as Retsuke gradually learns to take more control over her own life and be less of a pushover.

With ten 15 minute long episodes, the whole series clocks in at about two and a half hours in length, and the episodes all lead into each other - there's a great amount of continuity here, with the whole show being one continuous arc.

This series is very, very Japanese and is pretty anime as well - the first episode in particular parodies the common opening to many animes about young women, with the protagonist introducing themselves... at which point she twists her ankle and unleashes a loud metal scream. The overall pacing and choreography is very much what I'd expect out of a show made in Japan, with a number of scenes having that certain timing and shot aspect that I see a lot in anime. This isn't a bad thing, but it is very much a product of Japan, and a number of aspects of the show are very, very Japanese - which makes sense, as the show is set in a contemporary Japanese city and invokes the feelings of Japanese salarymen (or salarywomen, as the case may be).

This is definitely a show that feels like it is preaching to the choir a bit at first, but as it unfolds, it actually shows the consequences of actions, both positive and negative, as well as Retsuko growing as a person. Haida and Retsuko both learn to grow from their actions when they recognize that problems are of their own making and that solutions have to come from their own hands (though perhaps with the help of those around them at times). It actually helps to show why people behave in the way that they do, while simultaneously not actually excusing the behavior, as well as how to get along better with your coworkers (a vital skill). While early on, it felt sort of like a socially awkward horror movie, with "No, quit sabotaging yourself!" substituting for "No, don't go in there!", but by the end of it, it has presented a decent little arc.

I thought that this show took a remarkable maturity with its approach towards social masks, which is a major theme of the show, both implicitly and explicitly. Lots of shows go with the trite moral of "be yourself", but this show takes a much more complex view of things - that masks are not necessarily a bad thing and can actually make your life better, but at the same time, if you always wear a mask, you'll be miserable, as you can never truly be yourself. Knowing when to wear a mask - and what mask to wear - is important, as well as knowing when to let your mask slip a bit and show a different side of yourself to help you connect with other people.

This series was decent, and I watched it all the way through to the end, but at the same time, I never really loved it - on the whole, I was left feeling lukewarm. It is decent overall, but there's nothing that really stuck out to me. None of the characters were particularly amazing, but none of them were really deep enough for me to really care about them as people, either. I liked all the little touches, and it was fun watching the characters interact and listen to them bouncing off of each other, but in the end, I couldn't say that I had a favorite (or least favorite) character. There aren't any great moments of catharsis, and the show ends on a somewhat subdued (but hopeful) note.

Overall, I think it was worth the two and a half hours of my time I spent watching it, but I'm not sure if it really batted much above average - if you've got Netflix, it might be worth checking out, but if you don't, I don't think that this is the show that will change your mind and make you want it.

Aggretsuko 3rd season is so good. Netflix has another bojack horseman on their hands. Don't they dare ever cancel it or I'll have to go sing death metal karaoke about it.

When I found "Aggretsuko" on Netflix I had never even heard about it before. I read the synopsis and decided to watch it, as I had nothing else more pressing to watch at the time.

Right, well, I will say that "Aggretsuko" is definitely an alternative anime in comparison to the countless other animes that come from Japan like an animated tsunami. So was that good or bad? Well, for me at least, it was good, because it stood out and was unique.

The series starts out quite nice, and I must admit that I was very entertained by it, especially when Retsuko started singing. That was just hilarious and it had me laughing every single time it happened.

However, the joy for "Aggretsuko" was short lived, because the air started seeping out of the show towards the last third of the first season. Whereas it was previously about all of Retsuko's aggression and her way of expressing this aggression, it turned into a sugar-coated love story. And that was just too much of a sudden change, and that had me getting off at the next stop, with little or no desire to get back on the ride and find out what happened to Retsuko.

"Aggretsuko" started out wonderfully, but then it peaked all too soon and went fast down a steep hill, from which it seemed to do not recover.

I liked the original shorts, so I thought I'd like this one (In fact, I thought they'd just compile the originals into 15-minute collections). Instead, I hate it because of what they did to the original. Instead of Retsuko being determined and capable like in the original, they turn her into a total wimp whose penchant for death metal is severely underplayed (of course, how would Netflix be able to instill its anti-feminist, anti-capitalist message if the female protagonist's coping strategy is actually effective in helping her deal with stress from her annoying coworkers and bosses) and who actively pursues having a boyfriend (she's voiced by Erica Mendez, the voice of Sailor Uranus, a canon lesbian character and one of the biggest badasses among the Senshi... Way to set feminism back/s) so she can become a housewife who doesn't have to work... WHAT?! Why not make it so the plot is about Retsuko rising to power in order to make the office more fair to women, or her and some of her friends (by the way, her friendship with Eaglette (I'm gonna use the names from the original shorts because this version sucks) and Ape Admin is downplayed for one with Zelda and Heinrich) start a metal band that goes on to become super-successful? Those would be MUCH more empowering! But no, Netflix has given us its horrible romantic fanfiction and expects us to like it. Avoid this version of the series at all costs, and instead look for the TRUE Retsuko.

I binged watched this series on Netflix as I was hooked on the first episode. It's both funny and sad to see the daily challenges in Retsuko's life. Retsuko is both overworked and isolated and the series shows her transform into a more confident and content person. The ensemble cast both adds to the craziness of Retsuko's life but sometimes also provides her refuge. One of the central themes in this show is how everyone is not what they first appear to be. Most of the characters get moments in Season 1 that show them as more than just caricatures in Retsuko's life and I found this to be one of the most endearing aspects of this show. Besides just being a good show, it's also a wonderful show that depicts modern life through a young woman's perspective and the specific challenges related to women in the workplace. If a funny, endearing, sincere and wonderfully feminist show is something you're interested in then I can't recommend "Aggretsuko" highly enough!

It's witty, hilarious and relatable. Between this and Bojack, I am clearly in love with animal shows that keep it real and funny.

As a metal head working in an accounting department, this show dang near mirrors my day!! Except I'm not a red panda. Or a girl. But still....this is a amazing show. I really enjoy the contrast of the artwork between the happy go lucky Retsuko, and the angry screaming/singing Retsuko.

I just finished watching Aggretsuko, and I liked it overall, though it certainly has its strengths and weaknesses. All in all it's above average, but it is incredibly safe.

The whole gimmick with the show is that the cute red panda girl screams death metal as a stress relief mechanism at her medial office job, and it's actually consistently the least appealing aspect of the show in my opinion. The death metal comes out of nowhere, and the dubbing is clear as day as It's basically Nathan Explosion every time he does her screaming. It seems almost like it's going for a stylistic suck in this aspect, but it doesn't suck enough to loop back around to be hysterical like 12 Oz. Mouse as it's contradicted by it's clean, albeit simple art style. Fortunately these gags don't make up too much of any given episode. I wonder if this idea came to be with the popularity of Babymetal, a band which mixes death metal with J-Pop, often with humorous effect at the juxtaposition of abrasive instrumentals and cute vocals and pretty girl singers.

The art style is probably my favorite aspect of the show. It may be simple, but it certainly gets the job done, and the characters' simplistic designs add to their cuteness appeal. There's a large variety in the characters, and it's kind of funny to see such child-friendly designs engaging in an adult comedy.

It's nearly impossible for me to watch this show without drawing comparisons to countless others that have come before it that display its shortcomings. Aggretsuko is never as deep as Bojack Horseman, as beautiful as Zootopia, as edgy as Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, as weird as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, or as funny as The Office. What results is a show that does every aspect of an animated comedy decently, but hardly feels as original an idea as it seems to think it is, and never excels at any one thing.

The plot, if one could so much as call it that, is horrifically simple to the point of being mind-numbing. Even as far as dumb comedies go, not a whole lot of development happens in this show throughout the first season, whereas 12 Oz. Mouse, despite deliberately trying to be terrible in every aspect, managed a lot more story despite constantly wasting its own limited time on a regular basis. Unlike 12 Oz. Mouse, there's no depth or anything additional to take away from the characters besides what is shown on screen, and it's rare that I notice such a lack of nuance in shows like these nowadays.

That being said, I would certainly recommend this series to most interested in animated series. At 15 minutes per episode, it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome. I would have wanted more out of it, but it's cute and charming enough to pull above mediocrity. As a whole I'd rate it well above Panty & Stocking as it's very consistent, but that show's best episodes blow this one's out of the water.

In a anime with cutely drawn and colourful animals that live a life parallel to ours there is Tsuko. This 25 year old lady is the office doormat that's too timid to stand up for herself and ends up at the bottom of the food chain at work.

So how does she deal with all that pent up rage? DEATH METAL!!!! SCREAM YOUR RAGE AND BANG YOUR HEAD!

Anyone that's worked in corporate setting will recognized the type of people portrayed in this show. From the suck up to the boss to the bitter old woman that takes pleasure from pointing out others faults and failures.

The show is based on how real people would act not TV tropes making it a refreshingly different kind of show where the cute art style only adds to the charm as it hides what's truly on the inside.

The season's ending was disappointing but doesn't cancel what came before it so give it a watch.

This will cover all 5 seasons without spoilers. A sweet, extremely relatable dramedy about office drama and common social issues with endearing characters.

Each character reflects a common coworker personality almost everyone has and puts them into zany yet grounded life office issues. The main draw is how close to home the scenarios these characters are in, and how it looks at the situations under an optimistic and realistic lens. You will feel all the emotions the characters are feeling: stress, despair, hopeful, confident, etc.

The show does its best to keep things fresh and moving to avoid being boring and repetitive. The show is constantly introducing new characters and developing the preexisting characters by giving them new dynamics to the main character. The show balances between goofiness and drama perfectly.

That is, until the 4th season. I recommend leaving the show at the end of the 3rd season. At that point, the main arcs of the characters have mostly been completed and leaves the characters on a high note where you can gauge where their lives are heading. The last two season lost a lot of what made the show special, and I struggled to finish them. Watch them at your own risk.

I overlooked this show due to the animation and assumed it was a generic comedy. Mistake.

Although off to a bit of a rough start with the first season, like lots of shows, Aggretsuko struggled to find their footing. But by the end of the first season, they had me hooked. Then the second and third seasons had my eyes glued to the action from start to finish.

The fourth season - honestly - was terrible. But the fifth season made up for it with better writing, although the series finale felt incredibly rushed, abrupt and unsatisfying.

The comedy and writing is what truly sells this show. How it's able to balance relatability with excessively ridiculous and unrealistic situations is nothing short of excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed how the relationships were handled in the first few seasons in particular.

Despite these shortcomings, Aggretsuko is honestly worth the watch. Especially the first three seasons, but perhaps not the following two.

As a female metal lover, who is frequently frustrated by her work, and also all generally annoying things in life, the short trailer on Netflix immediately spoke to me. Who wouldn't like to scream/grunt their irritations and anxieties away? The story realisticly depicts the intricacies of office relationships and politics, as well as people's everyday struggle to belong, succeed and/or simply be happy. The characters are cute and relatable, at least from my p.o.v. (obviously, they are charicatures, but still). I also very much enjoyed the fact that a female metal head is involved, who is not depicted as a crazy person, witch or satanist, but just a regular (and even quite demure) office clerk. I am very interested to see how the story will develop. Come on, season two!!

First of all, let me start off with this: I need Season 2 so freaking bad. That's how good I think this show is. If you haven't watched it, seriously please go and watch it. It's really good. Or, if you want to read this review first then go ahead. (just go at your own risk; may contain spoilers)

I know: I'm late. It's June 2019, and I just started binging this show when Season 2 is already near. But hey, at least Netflix recommends me this show instead of nothing! Watched Rilakkuma and Kaoru, then it recommended me this. Boy: this is the best recommendation I've ever got!

The brutal honesty and how it relates to you is so excellent and so fine, it makes you feel like you're also part of their world or vice versa. Aggretsuko is basically a mundane worker's life, from the moments of being 'power-harassed' (in Retsuko's case) or something related to releasing all the anger contained by yourself. So accurate this is, I can't believe a freaking Sanrio property actually got made into this beauty.

But some parts of the show is also fantasy-typed, like the lovey-dovey parts and stuff. To be honest, I don't really care because workers tend to think this way when 'escaping work' comes to mind, so this is also fairly accurate. Not to say that I hate these parts!

Alright, that's it. AGGRETSUKO is by far one of the best Netflix anime shows I've watched. And when I say good: I mean really good (and I don't usually watch anime).

Go and watch it. The honesty brutally hurts, but at the same time it eases you with feel-good parts of its own. Go. Watch. Aggretsuko.

9/10

Aggretsuko is the epitome of perfection. It's like the creators reached into my brain, pulled out my deepest desires, and transformed them into a 25-minute animated masterpiece. The character development, the humor, the music, the commentary on the struggles of working in a corporate environment - it's all spot on. Not to mention, the death metal karaoke scenes are a stroke of genius.

I've never related to a character more than I do with Retsuko. Her daily struggles of dealing with office politics and a demanding job while trying to maintain her sanity is something I think we can all relate to. And let's not forget the amazing supporting cast, from the lovable Fenneko to the insufferable Director Ton.

But what really sets Aggretsuko apart is its ability to be both hilarious and thought-provoking. It's not afraid to tackle heavy themes like sexism and mental health in the workplace, but it does it with a deft hand and a healthy dose of sarcasm.

In short, Aggretsuko is a triumph of animation and storytelling. It's a show that not only entertains, but also resonates with its audience on a deep level. I can't recommend it enough. 10/10, would rage-sing karaoke again.