Aggretsuko (ONA) 3rd Season
Synopsis
After an emotional breakup with her boyfriend, red panda Retsuko closes herself off to the thought of ever being in love again—well, with an actual person anyway. Retreating into the world of VR, her virtual boyfriend showers her with praise and shows up in cute outfits, albeit for a price. While scrambling to find other ways to earn money, Retsuko finds herself in yet another financial bind after accidentally ramming into a parked van with a rental vehicle. The owner of the van, a gruff cheetah named Hyoudou, recruits her as an accountant for an underground idol group which he manages. Retsuko soon begins to buckle under the pressure from the new job, leading to plenty of inspiration for her next death metal vent sessions. In the midst of it all, Retsuko begins to wonder if she truly desires a colorless and uninteresting life, or if there's something waiting beyond her office desk. Will Retsuko finally come out on top, both in love and in the workplace? Or will she once again be convinced that the dull and sterile life in her office environment is the one she must lead? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception to Aggretsuko Season 3 is mixed. While some appreciate the new direction with the idol group storyline and character development, others find Retsuko's character irritating and the ending unsatisfying due to a perceived 'soft reset'. There is a notable divide between viewers who enjoyed the thematic shift and those who preferred the original workplace focus.
Strengths
- Unexpected fun twist with the idol group subplot.
- Character growth for Haida and Fenneko.
- Relatable exploration of adult life and its challenges.
- Good story and message with the typical art style.
Weaknesses
- Retsuko's character becomes irritating and overly dependent for some viewers.
- The idol group arc feels like a departure from the original workplace comedy.
- Soft reset at the end negates character growth and feels infuriating.
- Some found the new characters dull and unnecessary.