All TopicsNewsTravelAnimeKawaii CharactersKawaii FashionJapanese StationeryMember Spotlight
YumeTwins Kawaii Culture Blog5 Ways Aggretsuko’s Anai is Actually Relatable

5 Ways Aggretsuko’s Anai is Actually Relatable

By Alana Juric
July 29, 2021

If you’re unfamiliar with the show, Aggretsuko is an animated Netflix series featuring adorable Sanrio characters. The only twist?  This show is for adults. It follows the daily life of Retsuko, a red panda office worker, and showcases the struggles of adult life with humor and relatability.

In Aggretsuko’s second season, we meet Anai (穴井). He is the office newbie and the main antagonist of the first few episodes. This badger is an incredibly annoying underling, managing to be overly eager and very insecure. He even launches unwarranted power harassment complaints against Retsuko and other coworkers after receiving criticism. 

While Anai is one of the show’s most annoying characters, he is also one of the most relatable Aggretsuko characters. His actions are an exaggeration of real-life work problems. So here are 5 ways we can relate to Anai, plus some lessons we can learn to not end up like him!

An exhausted anime office worker

Image via Shutterstock

A Feeling Nervous Starting a New Job

Many new hires are eager to please in their new jobs. When starting a new job, it feels as though your results will determine the whole course of your life, so you want to please everyone there and do everything perfectly. This much pressure leads you to feel nervous. 

When Anai first enters the company, he is also overly eager and stiff. He then gets very nervous answering the phones, so he keeps making mistakes. We can all relate to being overly nervous in a new environment. Fortunately, over time, like Anai, you’ll settle in and the fear will go away.

Is work getting to you too? Unwind with some cute Aggretsuko goods and other adorable merch with the YumeTwins subscription box. Get a huge collection of awesome kawaii goods sent straight from Japan.

YumeTwins Button

Workplace Bullying Fears

Anai is very worried about being harassed at work by his superiors. He tries to get everything in writing and even starts recording his conversations with Retsuko. While his behavior is exaggerated, his actions may be relatable to many people entering the workforce. 

Recently, many workplace harassment cases have been making headlines in the news. Seeing it so much on news platforms means that it’s easier than ever to become worried about workplace problems —  especially if it’s your first job. 

It’s good that there is more awareness about power harassment, as it helps to prevent future instances of harassment. Retsuko herself, in the first episode of the show, was taken advantage of and forced to do extra work by her boss, Ton. Anai is just trying to protect himself from those exact situations. Unfortunately, the way he initially handles things is definitely not right.

Two anime office workers that are afraid

Image via Shutterstock

Difficulty Taking Criticism

Anai’s oversensitivity and insecurity prevent him from taking constructive criticism and doing his job more effectively. This is extremely annoying for Retsuko and Ton. However, receiving criticism without taking it personally is difficult. 

This is something Anai has to learn throughout the series. It’s also something we all eventually end up learning, at some stage in our lives. Although criticism always hurts, even when given with good intentions, it’s important to know how to learn from it without reacting negatively to the person giving it.

A Different Person at Work and Home

Many times, we are forced to behave differently at work than at home. Anai is the embodiment of this. When he is at home with his girlfriend, or when he is cooking delicious Japanese festival foods, Anai completely transforms. Gone are the bloodshot eyes, replaced by the sparkling smile of an adorable, young badger. 

Ultimately, it’s Anai’s love of cooking that brings him closer to those at work. He ends up selling his homemade lunches to his co-workers, bringing himself closer to them. This shows that it’s ok sometimes to bring a bit of your personality and home interests into your work life after all.

Two anime office workers feeling accomplished

Image via Shutterstock

Just Wanting to Fit In

At the end of the day, Anai, like many of us, just wants to fit in at his new job, do well, and earn the money he needs to live. In the beginning, this seems impossible due to all of his mistakes and perceived harassment. But once he gets used to his job and gets to know his co-workers, he finally starts fitting in at the company.

 This is something we can all relate to when beginning a new stage of our lives. It’s good to remember that after the difficult adjustment period passes, no matter how hard it seems, we too will eventually learn the skills we need to fit in and succeed.

As yet another accurate representation of modern workplace culture, Aggretsuko gives us the perspective of the older coworker as she attempts to cope with her newbie. For those just entering the workforce, Retsuko’s struggles can give you insight into what your own bosses might be thinking. And for those dealing with difficult newbies, perhaps it can help you remember what it was like when you first started.

Thumbnail image via @SrFennec on Twitter

Enjoy Popular Japanese Kawaii Merchandise Every Month!

Enjoy Popular Japanese Kawaii Merchandise Every Month!

Starting from $32.50 USD

Get YumeTwins

Author avatar
Alana Juric

1 Responses

Say says
June 03, 2023 at 2:40 AM

There’s a youtube video that also pointed out that Anai is likely the product of cram school. This is a thing in Japan where people are put under stress and when they get to the “real world” they often don’t know how to act and are still in this high pressure state of mind (a type of PTSD).

Anai would probably be happier as an entrepreneur running a Bento business but the Salary Man archetype is considered the ideal in his culture. . . he’s a bit tragic.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

A bunch of Sanrio characters at a diner. Characters include Badtz-Maru and Kuromi.

Sanrio Characters: The Ultimate Guide! (Part 2)

Sanrio characters’ wide appeal spans different ages and cultures, making them iconic symbols of Japanese kawaii culture.

October 22, 2024
A decorative pattern featuring Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and My Melody.

Sanrio Characters: The Ultimate Guide! (Part 1)

Sanrio characters are some of pop culture’s most beloved and recognizable figures! But who are they?

October 19, 2024
Members from the Sentimental Circus looking at a barrel of gold.

Sentimental Circus: Who Are They?

San-X’s Sentimental Circus, an adorable troupe of acrobatic stuffed animals, brings together happiness and hope for some of our more forgotten and lost friends. Few things can bring greater love, warmth, and comfort than a cute stuffed animal.

June 26, 2024
Rilakkuma the Bear in a video game.

Rilakkuma the Bear: Five Great Video Games!

From mobile games to home console releases, Rilakkuma and his friends have a video game for everyone!

June 20, 2024
A young woman wearing princess cosplay. It's purple and pink and she's holding a staff.

Cosplay: What Is It, Exactly?

Cosplay is an exciting and creative hobby that’s been captivating fans for decades. Let’s dive in and explore exciting aspects of this hobby together!

June 19, 2024
Pochacco close to a rainbow.

Pochacco: The Cute Dog from Sanrio!

Let us go on a super cute journey into the enchanting world of Pochacco, where every moment is filled with warmth, laughter, and cute paw prints!

April 05, 2024
YumeTwins logo

Be a YumeTwins Insider!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive kawaii news!


Facebook
Instagram

Accepted Payments
Visa payment availableMastercard payment availableAmerican Express payment availableDiscover payment availablePayPal payment available

YumeTwins Logo

Be a YumeTwins Insider!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive kawaii news!

Facebook
Instagram
Ichigo Logo
Copyright © 2024 YumeTwins™. All Rights Reserved.
Accepted Payments
Visa payment availableMastercard payment availableAmerican Express payment availableDiscover payment availablePayPal payment available