David Farnor | On 08, Aug 2020

“I don’t know what I want to do. Most people have no idea.” That’s the sound of Retsuko returning to Netflix this summer to continue grappling with the meaning and purpose of life.

Based on the beloved Sanrio character, Aggretsuko follows Retsuko as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance. From her meddling mother to nightmarish coworkers, the tiny red panda’s story is a reminded to us all that internal strength comes from the strangest places – in this animal’s case, it’s by venting stress through private death metal karaoke sessions.

Written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank), the series has proven a popular hit with a following around the world. In our review we praised the entertaining series as “a reassuring reminder that you’re not the only one politely bearing with the mundane annoyances of the world”.

Season 3 sees Retsuko’s rage rise another octave when she finds herself moonlighting with an underground idol group to pay off her debts. It premieres on Netflix on 27th August. Here’s the trailer:

 

Netflix renews Aggretsuko for Season 3

6th August 2019

Netflix has renewed Aggretsuko for a third season.

Based on the beloved Sanrio character, the anime follows Retsuko as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance. From her meddling mother to nightmarish coworkers, the tiny red panda’s story is a reminded to us all that internal strength comes from the strangest places – in this animal’s case, it’s by venting stress just private death metal karaoke sessions.

Written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank), the series has proven a popular hit with a following around the world. In our review we praised the entertaining series as “a reassuring reminder that you’re not the only one politely bearing with the mundane annoyances of the world, and that you should probably be considering karaoke too.”

Now, Netflix has ordered a third season, which the streaming giant announced alongside Sanrio at the Taipei Comic Exhibition. The renewal order comes as Netflix continues to cancel a number of series, including Designated Survivor, Tuca and Bertie and The OA. It also comes despite Rareko admitting that he didn’t really have any ideas yet for Season 3. Speaking at the exhibition<, he told fans that he had squeezed out all he could for the first two seasons, but that he was eager to get going once ready with ideas.  

Trailer: Aggretsuko returns to Netflix this week for Season 2

11th June 2019

Aggretsuko returns to Netflix this week – and the tiny red panda still has a lot to rage about in her karaoke sessions.

Based on the beloved Sanrio character, the anime follows Retsuko as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance – and reminds us all that internal strength comes from the strangest places. From her mother meddling in her personal affairs to a nightmarish new coworker, Season 2 promises more stress to be vented through her death metal singing sessions.

Written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank), expect more adorable, relatable everyday rage. Season 2 premieres on Friday 14th June. Here’s the trailer:

 

Aggretsuko: Season 1 and 2 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

We Wish You A Metal Christmas: Netflix’s Aggretsuko gets festive special

11th December 2018

This year, all we want for Christmas is a tiny red panda with a passionate love of karaoke. And now, Netflix is giving us just that, with a festive special for Aggretsuko.

The unique, odd, charming anime has been a global hit since Season 1 dropped on Netflix earlier this year. Based on a Sanrio character, it follows Retsuko, a 25-year-old red panda who copes with her thankless office job and daily frustrations by belting out death metal karaoke after work.

“There’s not much more to the short, 10-episode series, but its accurate observations and cute visuals make for an entertaining, easy watch,” we wrote in our review of Season 1, “and a reassuring reminder that you’re not the only one politely bearing with the mundane annoyances of the world, and that you should probably be considering karaoke too.”

Netflix has already ordered a second season, which will arrive in 2019. But fans won’t have to wait much longer for another fix, with a special seasonal outing on the way this month. We Wish You a Metal Christmas will see Retsuko’s newfound obsession with posting pics on her social media account threaten to ruin her Christmas, while Haida still hopes to spend Christmas with her.

The episode, written and directed by Rarecho, features a punk cover of Jingle Bells, performed by Tim Timebomb (a music project of Tim Armstrong, frontman of the legendary punk band Rancid) and the Interrupters.

It will premiere on Netflix on Thursday 20th December and joins a number of other Netflix shows enjoying festive specials, including Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Midwinter’s Tale (out on 14th December), Nailed It! Holiday! (out now), RuPaul’s Holi-Slay Spectacular (out now) and Neo Yokio: Pink Christmas (out now).

 

 

Netflix renews Aggretsuko for Season 2

6th July 2018

Everyone’s favourite death metal panda is returning to Netflix.

Yes, the streaming giant has renewed Aggretsuko for a second season.

Based on the beloved Sanrio character, Aggretsuko follows a red panda called Retsuko as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance – and reminds us all that internal strength comes from the strangest places.

Produced by Fanworks and featuring a character originally created by Sanrio, the creator of Hello Kitty, the series is written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank). It sees Retsuko struggle under the daily pressures of modern life – and unleash it all in death metal karaoke sessions.

Retsuko will return to Netflix in 2019 for Aggretsuko Season 2. Here’s a sizzle reel to give you a taste.

 

Trailer: Aggretsuko is your new Netflix BFF

17th April 2018

Meet Retsuko. She’s 25 years old, single, a Scorpio, blood type A and an office worker. By day, she struggles under daily pressure and an overbearing boss. By night? She goes to karaoke to sing death metal.

Oh, and she’s a red panda.

That’s the basis of Netflix’s new original animated series. Based on the beloved Sanrio character, Aggretsuko consists of 10 15-minute episodes following her trials and tribulations, as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance – and reminds us all that internal strength comes from the strangest places.

Written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank), who also voices Retsuko’s death metal interludes, Aggretsuko was first announced last year. Now, Netflix has confirmed that the whole thing lands on the streaming service this Friday (20th April). Just take a look at the delightful new trailer:

 

Japan’s Aggretsuko heads to Netflix

9th December 2017

Say goodbye to Hello Kitty, because a new Japanese animated animal is about to come into your life, in the form of a Netflix original series. Introducing Aggretsuko.

The creator of Hello Kitty, Sanrio, is teaming up with the streaming giant for a new animated show about 25-year-old red panda Retsuko. Working as an office associate in the accounting department of a trading company in Tokyo, all she wants is to do her job and get through the day, but when office frustrations hit boiling point, she reaches “rage mode” and vents her frustrations through death metal karaoke sessions.

Originally introduced to the world in a series of short sketches airing on Tokyo Broadcasting System, the characters of Aggretsuko (whose Japanese title is literally translated as “Aggressive Retsuko”) have found a steadily growing fan base throughout the world.

The Netflix Original series will be presented in 10 15-minute episodes and will follow Retsuko’s trials and tribulations, as she navigates company politics, befriends co-workers, and attempts to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

“Aggretsuko may be a uniquely Japanese show, but the frustration it taps into – not to mention the joy of venting – is universal,” says Rob Roy, Vice President of Content Acquisition at Netflix. “We’re excited to partner with Sanrio in bringing it to a global audience.”

Written and directed by the multi-talented Japanese creator Rarecho (Yawaraka Tank), who also voices Retsuko’s death metal interludes, Aggretsuko is co-produced by Sanrio, TBS and Fanworks (Lulu & Lolo: Tiny Twin Bears). It will premiere globally on Netflix in spring 2018.

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