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Aggretsuko’s second season introduces meddling moms and psychotic colleagues

Aggretsuko’s second season introduces meddling moms and psychotic colleagues

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Netflix’s Aggretsuko remains a perfect show

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Netflix’s Aggretsuko was a surprise breakout hit last year, considering it was a Sanrio property that got unexpectedly real about sexism in the workplace and millennial anxieties. The second season is streaming now, and it’s as hilarious and painfully relatable as ever.

While the first season introduced us to Retsuko, the 25-year-old red panda who deals with the stress of her power-tripping boss through death metal karaoke, season 2 finds her settling into her job and being given the responsibility of training a new co-worker — who turns out to be more than she can handle.

One of Aggretsuko’s many strengths comes from its character design and the stylized animation that delightfully serve as the joke itself. Facial expressions and bodies move in a way that looks like an elevated version of early internet Flash animation, but it works for the show, which celebrates all forms of exaggeration. Without giving too much away, the scenes involving her unsettling new co-worker Anai, an entitled young man unprepared to enter the workforce, are truly the highlight of the season, and gives Aggretsuko plenty to scream about.

Netflix

Then there’s Retsuko’s mom, who shows up to stir up some drama. She sends Retsuko a frilly abomination of a dress to put on, which should rouse up some violent flashbacks for every daughter out there whose argued with her mom over clashing fashion tastes. Retsuko’s mom is determined to set up her daughter with arranged marriage prospects, including a handsome polar bear boasting the sharpest, most angled eyebrows.

The first season ended with Retsuko’s co-worker Haida confessing his feelings for her, and we saw from the Christmas special that she turned him down. You can tell from the dramatic trailer and poster below that a good old-fashioned love triangle’s about to go down.

Aggretsuko season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.