'Aggretsuko's leading red panda mirrors the challenges young people face in the meaningful comedy drama's season two
Netflix is all set to release the second season of 'Aggretsuko' on June 14 and it is bound to be a treat for fans and new viewers alike. After grabbing attention with its hilarious mix of anime cuteness and death metal, 'Aggretsuko's season two reveals that the show is ready to evolve beyond its novelty premise to become a relatable and thought-provoking millennial comedy-drama. Here's our spoiler-free preview of the latest adventures of Netflix's adorable metal-singing, rage-spewing red panda as she learns to grow up:
The first season of 'Aggretsuko' ended with Retsuko, the lead character, deciding that she needs to stop running away from her problems and start living more authentically. Like most people in their early twenties, Retsuko has to deal with the pressures of growing up in an increasingly frightening world while still managing to maintain her independence and live for herself. In the second season, Retsuko's troubles are far from over and totally relatable. The 25-year-old accountant must now face her most cunning and manipulative enemy: her mother.
Like the quintessential Asian mom she is, Retsuko's mother constantly switches between being an evil, controlling mastermind and a loving mother who just wants what's best for her daughter. The season begins with Retsuko's mom moving in with her daughter with one simple mission: find Retsuko a husband. Add to that her usual trouble with her (literal) pig of a boss and a new co-worker whom she is assigned to train and there is no end to the struggles awaiting our leading lady.
Despite showing Retsuko fighting her mother's insistent marriage proposals, 'Aggretsuko' finds some space to flirt with the idea of a romance for the kawaii red panda; if only she could manage to fix all the other problems in her life. Retsuko does, however, decide to take a strong step towards adulthood and also decides to try and be a better mentor to her trainee after realizing a startling truth about her older, blabbermouth co-worker Kabae. Don't let the 'Hello Kitty' animation fool you because behind the cute artwork there is a very mature world.
'Aggretsuko: Season 2' manages to tell an important story about growing up and illustrates the difficulty young people face entering the workplace. Retsuko's new trainee parallels her own rage-fueled growling fests with his own unique brand of frustration release and gives an important insight into the mind of a fresh graduate dealing with the corporate world for the first time. The characters on the show are so nuanced that you cannot help but sympathize with even the more antagonistic ones. After the success of the first season, 'Aggretsuko' has made it clear that it is here to stay and tell a deep, well-written story about love, maturity and eardrum-splitting death metal fury.
