Red panda Retsuko continues to work at her cyclic office job, with the occasional stress-venting via
death metal karaoke on the side. With the company of her newfound friends Gori and Washimi, life is
more enjoyable than ever before. But some new shake-ups to her status quo threaten to add more stress
to her life. At the office, new employee Anai seems like a fine addition to the company. Yet when
Retsuko is placed in charge of his training, she finds that beneath his steadfast dedication, he may
pose a threat to the stability of the workplace. Meanwhile, at home, Retsuko's mother pays an abrupt
visit, fully intent on having her daughter finally settle down and find a man. With this in mind, she
sets Retsuko up for various marriage appointments, much to her chagrin.
Now, Retsuko finds all the more reasons to head to the karaoke bar and unleash her furious diatribes.
However, knowing that this will not truly solve her problems, she decides to make a more spontaneous
choice to avoid her issues. And so, Retsuko finds herself set upon another self-reflecting journey,
coming to learn more about herself and love, with the ever cathartic support of death metal karaoke.
“What am I doing, really?” The second season of Aggretsuko seeks to delve into this question. It’s a question I ask myself a lot, as I know many here do. After all, it’s a question even more relatable than the struggles of the workplace and having to work with people who make your job harder. While I’m not sure this second season succeeds at tackling either quite as well as the first did with the former, it’s still a charming and relatable season of one of 2018’s greatest shows. One of the best things about both characters is how fleshed-out the characters feel, as it’s easier to connect with almost every character in this season, just like last time. The arc that Retsuko goes through is still great, and even easier to connect with than ever, with issues of learning to drive, dealing with overly meddling parents and peers who can’t take criticism, and having to deal with the prospect of marriage crammed down her throat. As good as it is, I think it comes at the cost of some of the other characters. The series has always been about Retsuko, but at times I feel some of the side characters got underrepresented. Retsuko’s older friends, Washimi and Gori, have about as much screen time as before, and are about as fun to hang out with as before. Her boss Ton’s presence still looms over both arcs of the season, but he’s no longer an antagonist to deal with, so his decreased presence makes perfect sense. Her best friends, Fenneko and Haida, do take a hit in terms of screen time, especially Fenneko who never has much relevance in any given episode outside of a few funny jokes. Other returning characters also have varying amounts of screen time, and one of the most pivotal characters of the first season’s second half is absent entirely. That said, it’s impressive how much we get to learn about most of these characters, even now, later into the franchise and with most of the side characters having less screen time. There are a few new characters, most of which are entertaining, but there are only two I’ll bring up here: Anai and Tadano. Without spoiling, neither character is who they seem to be at first glance, with Anai serving as a somewhat disturbing antagonist of the first arc and the latter proving to be more interesting and layered over time in spite of how nonchalant he is. Both characters’ relationships with Retsuko feel a bit rushed, with Anai’s bad blood with Retsuko essentially dissipating after one big moment in the climax of episode 5, and Tadano’s conclusion with Retsuko feeling like it could have used more time, on top of feeling a bit rehashed from the first season. That said, the arcs starring these two characters are mostly solid, even though the former drops one tension-inducing plot point halfway into the arc, and the latter feels a bit rushed and almost a tad too high in scope. It also gets a bit more topical than the first season towards the end, adding to the heightened sense of scope. Visually, this second season is about on par with the first, with a few new crazy facial expressions, some visually interesting sequences, and a fair amount of fun new character designs for Fanworks to play with. It’s about as simple and effective as before. Musically, there are barely any new tracks mixed in with the fun earworms of the previous season, as expected. One problem I have with the soundtrack is that while it doesn’t feel the need to kick off every episode with Retsuko screaming her head off, it decides it needs a few cheesy musical numbers, like in the penultimate episode. There’s also no new OP or ED, but those were the last thing on either season’s priorities anyway, so it seems we have to settle for new opening visuals and nothing else. At least the dub is still wonderful. Ultimately, while I do have some misgivings with this second season, it’s still charming, funny, and relatable, like a good friend that knows how to level with everyone. I’m not entirely sure how much longer they can keep this series going without losing freshness, but I’m glad this second season was still a fun ride we could all use. Aggretsuko knows exactly what it’s doing, but what about us? Written and edited by: CodeBlazeFate Proofread by: Peregrine
This is not one of those long and well thought out reviews you usually see but just one that lets me get this thought out of my chest. As I am writing this I am still thinking about the elements from the show that reflected people and situations IRL. __Of course spoilers ahead.__ My talking point is: __The ending__ I, from the bottom of my heart felt happy for Retsuko. I know it's a comedy but it would be just all too painful to do the usual 'bring the main character back to the beginning and maintain the status quo'. I am sure everyone that watched enough would fully expect Retsuko to fail in this relationship and go back to her old life, and unsurprisingly that was what happened. __Except that she came back with more understanding of herself than before.__ But the way she came back was satisfying enough for me to not pick up my pitchfork. - She now knows what she wants (A lot to talk about, better to watch the show and understand it yourself) - She once again reaffirmed her support network (her friends) - She improved her working environment (better relationship with friends and piggy boss Ton, in a sense lol) I am sure someone out there that wants to write about this season would take the first bullet point and beat it to death in their analytical youtube video rofl Tadano is one of those genius that is willing to work hard for his vision. It does not surprise me that he thinks that marriage is just a meaningless social status, kids are not necessary, and that momentary happiness is good enough. The rift between people who have plans for future and those who don't. It's not rare to see people these days to not know what they want to do in the future. Life quality increased overall for us humans, our options increased, and people with no dreams became envious of people who do have a higher goal in their lives. I know I was one of them, I was given options but never a direction. I've always thought of it as freedom poisoning but that's just me and my first world problem. People I saw, wanting to adopt kids instead of having one, are okay with not marrying and sticking together forever, wholeheartedly wanting to improve society without thinking about the immediate consequences... they are not too far off from Tadano's values. Too bad for our main character without a dream it was only a burden. I cannot stress enough about Retsuko and Tadano being a burden to each other if their relationship continues and that it was such a waste that they could not be together. Side note, we get to see the pig boss Ton having some actual personality! I was mildly surprised and happy they at least made him less 1 dimensional, to say the very least (if say the critical role he played this season does not satisfy you). Also, nakama power from Gori and Washimi. The hippo mom, the constant harassment of the new recruit, great lens into the characters even if they are shallow interpretation the fact that I get to see these in anime made it worthwhile. I'm sure I would look back to this review and be extremely embarrassed.
~~~__This review contains spoilers!__~~~ ~~~img220(https://gaijinpot.scdn3.secure.raxcdn.com/app/uploads/sites/4/2019/07/Aggretsuko-5-1-e1564109483495.jpg)~~~ ---- -- #~~~___Summary___~~~ Retsuko is a red panda, working in the accounting department of a Japanese trading firm, trying her best to navigate through the typical problems encountered by young adults in 21st century Japan. Taken straight from Wikipedia, the short summary above tells you everything you need to know about Aggretsuko, but chances are, if you’re reading a review about the second season, you are well aware of the show's premise. You know what this show’s about, you know the deal. We’re not here to read a SparkNotes of the show that tells you what you already know. We’re here to talk about the 2nd season, what you may have missed first time through, and how this show, and it’s writers were able to tell a gripping and meaningful story, depicting the brutal truth, and sometimes, scary reality of modern romance. --- --- This is, in this reviewer’s opinion, the best season of Aggretsuko, with a fun, interesting plot in the first half tackling the new guy mentality in the workplace, that gracefully leads into the 2nd half of the show’s plot about romance. #~~~___First Half: The New Guy___~~~ The first half of the show deals with Anai, who is the perfect stereotype of a young workaholic who didn't get any social skill in school. With Anai, the show points out the absurdities of the seniority complex in office culture, but more than that, the young startup who fears that sort of culture and bullies their co-workers in some delusional attempt to protect themselves. ~~~img400(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BestTestyAztecant-size_restricted.gif)~~~ >I cite a quote from Jasmine Lav: This is referencing kind of a Japan/Asia-specific issue. Since forever, workplace superiors there have taken advantage of younger workers by verbally abusing them and forcing them to do work that FAR exceeds what their job actually is. Apparently that kind of thing has become a lot less common in modern times now that workers have the tools to fight back, but it still happens. Anai is like someone who's hyper-sensitive about racism or sexual harassment, to the point where he sees it in EVERY comment or interaction. That's why he's so unbalanced and can't relax. It's not that his fears aren't real, he's just taking it WAY too far and assuming the worst out of everyone. It’s an issue that isn’t exclusive to Japan/Asia however. We see this in every walk of life, from work culture, to politics, to even high school clubs. It's something I've seen in my life in such school clubs, the "senior vs the newb" mentality, and it almost always ends in a shitty situation for all involved. The show both hilariously and accurately depicts this dynamic with over the top absurdity and "on-the-dot" satire of what this mentality does to people, all while remaining a fun comedy for the viewer. --- --- #~~~___Second Half: Romance___~~~ ~~~img300(https://64.media.tumblr.com/a424d981dd91fab7e3fde5eb229bd4dd/tumblr_pt9zbdRS0E1txsff9o3_r1_500.gifv)~~~ Now for the romance plot. Personally on a first time watch, I actually hated the romance story. I thought it was boring, had no build up, and I didn’t feel Retsuko and Tadano’s connection. But on a re-watch, I realize I was a brain-dead moron, and didn’t see how this show has what is by far one of the most realistic depiction of a romance I've ever seen in an anime. It's a deep dive so here we go: The show spends the entire season leading up to it’s main motif. Take Gori and Washimi, two returning (and fan favorite characters) geting into a fight on the topic of marriage. Long story short: Gori, despite reaching her 40s is still looking for the perfect someone and dreams of getting married. "It can't hurt to dream of that prince charming to come in one day and sweep you off your feet!" However, Washimi we learn, had been married (for a few months), and divorced. She has a much more pessimistic view on romance and marriage. "It's foolish for people to think that signing your name on some piece of paper will just make you happy and guarantee things will work out. I tried it, and it doesn't work." It's this clash of two mindsets that leads them to fight for several episodes in the season, but it's a theme that we'll seen throughout the WHOLE season. ~~~img220(https://cdn.anisearch.com/images/character/cover/full/78/78787.jpg) img207(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/b1/cb/ee/b1cbee90045198ef7a0f0d6622fd4e26.jpg)~~~ >Gori: "What's wrong with a girl dreaming? Washimi: "If you ask me, marriage is a trap. Even if it's great at first, people change. Do you really want a life where you're always lying to yourself?" --- --- Retsuko's mom is introduced in this season, and along with providing some great comedy, brings her own, more pushy views of marriage into the equation. She's arranging match-maker dates, photoshopping the candidates, and manipulating Retsuko into going on these dates. She embodies the old fashion, and at times hypocritical view of marriage. The rush into things, get a guy before they are all married mindset. ~~~img220(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/550910121434152960/771124648393179186/450.png)~~~ >"By the time you're ready to finally settle down, all the good men might have gotten snatched up and then you're going to kick yourself because you missed the boat!" --- --- On the opposite side, we have people like Fenneko with the viewpoint that marriage is a waste. Committing yourself to someone is a scam, and a crappy deal. It's a waste of time, old fashion, and is a mindset that exists in fairytales. This is becoming a much more common viewpoint, especially in the younger generation. I currently go to college and have heard this viewpoint on the topic of marriage brought up plenty of times. Many people in their 20s are no longer seeking marriage or life partner. It’s a clashing viewpoint from the older generation that places such an importance on getting married and starting a family. ~~~img220(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/550910121434152960/771124367236005898/fenneko.png)~~~ >"Marriage is so old fashion. In a poll taken on over thousands of people our age, 60% of men and 75% of women say they are not actively seeking a long-term partner or have any interest in marriage and starting a family. People are opening their eyes to the crappy deal marriage really is." --- --- We have many different viewpoints, ideas, and opinions on marriage in the modern age. From old to young generations, from experienced to inexperienced. None of these are a "correct" answer, it is a subject that should be handled on a person by person basis. What’s important on this subject is the individual. Which leads to my next point. Notice how no quote here comes from Retsuko, the main character of the show. They come from other people outside her life, and other influencers. What is her stance? What is her opinion? I won't spoil it, as if you’ve seen the show, you’ll know the answer. But point being, the show puts her in a relationship that will force Retsuko to answer: Do you want to get married? Do you want to have kids? If you found the perfect man who had the opposite opinion, and did/didn't want those things while you did/didn't, would you give up set those needs aside to be happy with that person? Or do you need to stick to your guns and not give up on what you may genuinely want in life? ~~~img500(https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/ijhnjav8q1mycfsijph8.png)~~~ The answer isn’t a pretty one. Sometimes, people work well together, but there are too many bumps, hic-ups, and differing opinions for the pieces to fit. Though you may want to stay together, you must face reality, and each person must do what is truly best for themselves at the end of the day. The show really explores every viewpoint on the topic, giving a meta commentary to the viewer, while creating an interesting story for the characters. --- --- Perhaps I'm reading too much into a show with a metalhead red panda. We did a lot of analyzing and dissection in this review. For some, they may have noticed these messages and themes, but for others, this show is a fun, silly slice-of-life with cute characters and emotional moments. ~~~img500(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/550910121434152960/771087308081332275/d5a467d40df79f72c75de50cc9c95a89.png)~~~ On the technical side of things, everything from the 1st season is here. The chibi Sanrio animation style, the spectacular voice acting, the music, all of it is still here. The show doesn't dip in it's technical quality, so if you've enjoyed the 1st season, you're sure to find enjoyment in this one. Even if we take away the themes and motifs the team explores this season , the show can still be watched and enjoyed as a light rom-com with cute characters, funny jokes, and some heart warming moments. Aggretsuko stands as one of the best, and at times, most underappreciated slice-of-life shows that I think most everyone can get enjoyment from. Whether it's the thought-provoking themes and message, or the fun slapstick the show has consistently delivered, viewers are sure to get something out of the 2nd season of Aggretsuko.