Aggretsuko: Stress Management by Daniel Barnes

 

These comics are SO cute. Aggretsuko is a portmanteau of "aggressive" and Retsuko, the main character's name. Retsuko is an adorable little red panda who turns into this demonic looking monster when she's angry and also when she intensely sings heavy metal songs. Unlike a lot of Sanrio characters, Retsuko seems to be geared towards an older audience, as all of the scenes are set in an office where she is the equivalent of an overworked twenty-something.

These comic collections are pretty short, so I'm not sure it would be worth shelling out for them full price, but they are so cute. And honestly, a lot of the situations are high-key relatable. There are three stories in this one. The first is about how much it sucks to come into work when you're unwell and how your work place should allow for you to take time off. The second is about the horrors of over-air-conditioned offices (agree). The third is a sort of office field day, where various teams compete in office-themed sports for bragging rights and the big gold ring: a paid day off.

As with all of the other installments in this series, I thought this book was super cute. The art is adorable and all of the characters are fun. It kind of reminds me of a less mean-spirited version of The Office, only with animals. Ms. Washimi and Director Gori are especially cool. It's neat to see such strong women looking out for more vulnerable women, especially since they're basically at the executive level. They are so protective of Retsuko and her friends and I love that dynamic.

If you're looking for something feel good and fluffy, these comics are seriously great.

4 out of 5 stars