Drama Digest
An unconventional anime, Cells at Work, demonstrates the working of the different cells of the human body by personifying them. This season of Cells at Work!! picks up from where the first one left off, where Hakkekkyu U-1146, who is always ready to protect Sekkekkyu AE3803, the crew of platelets, the neutrophils, and all the other cells he meets, understands some important lessons. He learns on his adventures that vital cells can still make mistakes, and not all bacteria are harmful bacteria. In this wild ride, the cell comrades figure their way out of several challenges and have each other’s backs.
The Feel-Good Part
If the first season did not impress you, I recommend you not to watch this season because it expounds on the same line of events that took place formerly. The cells work hard at maintaining the body’s health and navigate it through complex diseases. The story is more on the slice-of-life side, except for the last two episodes, which are pure action. There is also a bacteria sporting a fox fursuit, and is that not enough initiative to watch this? Jokes aside, this has pretty good educational value, impressive art style, and ambient soundtrack consistent with the first season.
The Disappointing Factor
This series might feel boring if you did not enjoy the first one, and at some parts, the anime feels like it is trying too hard looking for content even though it spans only eight episodes. The cancer cell arc is interesting, but it also makes the mistake of reducing it into an action sequence that lacks any depth whatsoever. There is also a slight lack of fluidity between the episodes besides the weekly aim of defeating the villain. The usage of CGI can be off-putting as well.
In-Depth Analysis
The anime has good educational worth and is very family-friendly. This can be an effective way of educating kids about cells while entertaining them. There are a lot of jokes, but at some point in time, they do feel slightly feel forced. However, there is good camaraderie between the cells, an action sequence that is pure fun (if you overlook the lack of depth), and the well-liked characters make a comeback. The CGI can appear tacky, which is disappointing considering David Production churned it out.
Star Power
Maeno Tomoaki does an excellent job at emoting as the situation demands.
Overall Opinion
This is a good watch if you are into biology and also want to enjoy anime along with it. However, if the first two episodes do not interest you, but you want to see more of this franchise, you can always watch BLACK, the critically acclaimed spin-off.
