Cells At Work! | Anime Review | Pinnedupink.com

Cells At Work!

Anime creators and writers sometimes seem to have the wildest and weirdest of ideas of all time. Regardless, these unorthodox ideas end up spawning some great anime concepts and hit it off with fans. They are masters of their art and convert these concepts into extremely entertaining anime series. “Anime can turn anything into a human version of it.” This famous phrase has proved accurate over the years. As anime creators and artists have turned a myriad of things like the Earth, planets, Internet Explorer, all sorts of animals, and even Sulphuric acid into convincing humanoid versions.

“Cells At Work!” or “Hataraku Saibou'' takes these concepts and mashes them both together, a seemingly ridiculous idea and humanoid versions of human body cells. This television anime series spanned 13 episodes and premiered in Summer 2018. It ran from July 8th, 2018, to Sep 30th, 2018.

Based on the Source Manga of the same title, this was the first anime adaptation of the series. Aniplex, Kodansha produced it, and Magic Capsule, Licensed by Aniplex of America and made by Studio David Production. It falls under the Comedy and Shonen’s genres with a rating of “PG-13” for Teens 13 years or older. Regardless, this series is very Child friendly in addition to being educational in an entertaining way.

The series was accompanied by three OVAs and Specials, “Cells at Work!” (featuring the anthropomorphized cells of the human body, with the protagonist Red blood cell named AE-3803), “Hataraku Saibou Specials” (featuring super-deformed chibi versions of the characters as well as some 4th wall breakage, speaking to you the viewer) and “Hataraku Saibou: Necchuushou - Moshimo Pocari Sweat ga Attara” (featuring Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Pocari Sweat about hyperthermia).

There is also a Side Story episode titled “Hataraku Saibou: Kaze Shoukougun” (featuring a mysterious cell wearing a stylish hat, appearing before the normal cells). Season 2 “Cells at Work!!” and a Spin-off series “Cells at Work! CODE BLACK!” soon followed after the success of Season 1.

The human body is one of nature’s wonders, but what exactly makes it so incredible? “Cells At Work!” answers this question in the most anime way possible. It's the cells, the basic building units of all life. Inside one human body, around 37.2 trillion cells work together tirelessly on a 24/7 basis, all 365 days a year.

They quite literally never get a break or holiday, but regardless they never let up their battle to keep the body going and healthy. Straight out of her training, Sekkekkyuu AE3803, a Red Blood Cell with a terrible sense of direction, is ready to tackle the ever-so-important task of transporting oxygen in the body. She is cheerful and airheaded, with a vital mission entrusted to her. Hakkekkyuu U-1146 is a white blood cell, a Neutrophil that is working hard daily to patrol and eliminate any foreign bacteria that attempt to make the body their new lair.

The little platelets are elsewhere, lining up for a brand new construction project. They deal with wounds and allergies to each their own niche, get lost on their way to the lungs, and bicker amongst similar cell types as they go about their hectic everyday lives. But ultimately, they must all work together diligently to keep the body functioning and healthy.

Season 2 revolves around Hakkekkyuu U-1146 as he discovers how even important cells can make mistakes and that not all bacteria are harmful. The cells of the human body are restless in their tasks. There’s always something new to handle or to learn every day. As he rushes to and fro in his pathogen hunting activities, he feels content with this dangerous line of work as he can ultimately protect the smiles of Sekkekkyuu AE3803, the platelet crew, his fellow neutrophils, and the other cells of the body he encounters. He eventually learns that everyone has their bad days, but it can all work out if they all work together, look out for each other and cover their backs. For him and all his comrades, this is but the typical lifestyle of diligent cells.

The Spin-Off series is centered around a particular human body in constant turmoil due to poor lifestyle choices. Germs, bacteria, and foreign substances appear in hordes, making the residing cells’ jobs increasingly tricky and dangerous. Ready to give up their lives for the cause, Sekkekkyuu AA2153 and Hakkekkyuu U-1196 strive to fulfill all their duties while bearing witness to their many comrades who fall in the line of work.

Cells that mature in this chaotic environment are quite unfortunate, which is deteriorating in the human body. The life-or-death struggles of these cells in a human body which worsens by the second, is devastating to watch, yet whether this body lives or not depends solely on the efforts made by these resilient cells. They are not about to go down just yet.

The story of Cells At Work has no proper chronological order of plot events. As cells inside a human body, they battle diseases, injuries, and other life-threatening dangers daily. All the featured cells contribute to every episode owing to their inherent functionality. While there are episodes primarily featuring a particular specific function performed by one similar group of cells, like the Blood Circulation, the writer has masterfully portrayed the various cells’ various capabilities in conjunction with their real-world counterparts. It is not easy to portray all this on an anime character without it turning down-right weird or disturbing, but Cells At Work did it well.

Like how a White Blood Cell Neutrophil portrays the process of Phagocytosis (hideous in real life) as killing foreign particles with a knife and then spraying them. The story environment is built up neatly as per real-life human body organs, with much attention to real-life accuracy.

The anime’s comedic touch comes mainly via Sekkekkyuu AE3803 and contributes significantly]ly to the overall entertainment factor. The dramatic aspects come from the battles that ensue versus foreign materials in the body, and in classic anime style, we will feel sorry for some of the “villains.” Finally, the series is very educational and informative, explaining things about cells, mechanisms, diseases, and pathogens enjoyably.

As for characters, there is a vast diversity, and the way they are all critical, working together to make the bigger picture come to life is truly a masterpiece. Each pathogen acts as a noteworthy antagonist, whom the cells must band together to defeat. These characters, their executions, and the setting are nothing short of artistic masterpieces.

David Production is notorious for its great art. The artwork fits the theme well and makes it pretty easy for almost anyone to understand, so yes, the artistic genius of it in itself is worth a watch.

The soundtracks of the series are perfect as well. Especially the Opening “Mission! Ken Kou Dai Ichi” and Ending “Cheers.” Overall, very catchy, with lyrics representing the functionality of the cells. It acts as a good character intro as well, in addition to being joyous and very chill. The OSTs are well-fitting of each scenario as well.

As a final verdict, this anime is truly a great watch. It goes right through your skin, onto your bloodstream, and touches the heart. Cells At Work is a very creative masterpiece of anime, which portrays anime’s ability to turn almost anything into an entertaining and fun show. It's an excellent summary of how cells work in the human body and makes them all the more memorable.