Due to poor lifestyle choices, a certain human's body is in constant turmoil. With germs, bacteria, and foreign substances abound, the jobs of various cells become increasingly difficult and dangerous. As some of the unfortunate ones who matured in this chaotic environment, Sekkekkyuu AA2153 and Hakkekkyuu U-1196 strive to fulfill their duties—even if it means seeing many of their fellow cells lose their lives in duty.
Set in an environment vastly different from its parent story, Hataraku Saibou Black portrays the cells' struggles as they try to maintain the body's health. However, the human's condition continues to deteriorate, and whether or not these efforts will amount to something concrete depends on the cells!
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
YeeYeeAss
Hell yeah Do you suffer from depression or do you want to fix your body? Well this is for you. Since you get to realize how much shit is going on in your body Story: Unlike the original Cells at Work this is depressing. This tackles more depressing things just as alcoholism, excessive smoking, liver failure, heart attack and more. It is just a fun and depressing watch Characters: Characters are pretty well done. Of course the waifu in this season is the white blood cell. Our main character himself is a hard worker which is respectable since the body is total shit Music: OSt is good and theopening and ending both are good but kinda unfitting for the show
If you like Cells At Work or depression then this is for you
debochca
What happens when you put something as wholesome as Cells at Work with addictions and bad habits in a blender? Well, Cells at Work Black is what you get. Cells at Work Black is an anime that I refused to watch in a beginning. I thought it was going to be a blunder. When I first saw it would come out, I thought that it was going to be the same but with reversed roles. How wrong I was! If some people disliked Cells at Work because of the lack of characters as such, with this one there shouldn’t be many complaints. The story is Cells atWork but with a body of an stressed adult that smokes, drinks a lot and doesn’t have not one good habit. In consequence, everything is destroyed: the blood vessels are a mess, the defenses are pretty mediocre and the body is exposed to a big lot of germs and toxins, the white cells can’t have a break and let’s not get started with the red blood cells, that are so few that they have to double they job in order to survive in that hell of a world. They are exploted day by day, they are misstreated and don’t understand anything about their surroundings, and what’s most important, they are aware of themselves. They learn that they are disposable and that if they don’t work, they all will die. They are exposed to danger all the time and the main character sees a lot of fellows perish. And all this, my friend, is what you do to your cells when you get drunk and smoke like a chimney.
What I love the most about this is how realistic this anime is. Not only because that’s how the body really reacts when the person has very bad habits and don’t care about themself, but because of the red blood cell that is our main character. He is the bare representation of the baby chick that gets out of the nest just to find out how rotten the world is. All the red blood cells madurate in the bone marrow and are educated in how they are going to work once they graduate. They show them tutorial videos, they give them guides in order to teach them that work is above everything, and these little red blood cells just want to get out as soon as posible so they could work and know that world that everybody is painting for them. But as soon as they do that, they realize that nothing is like the pictures, nothing in life can be solved with a written guide, and that even the people that appears in those videotypes are not what they seemed to be. They start working and waits for their superiors to teach them, but they just go like “you have to work, I have no time for you” and they are just left by their own. That’s what real world is once you grow up and you get to know the fact that you are on your own, and that there is no advice that can solve all your problems, and that school doesn’t prepare you to anything that comes beyond. A child dreams of growing up and living at their expectations, but when they are adults they realize that nothing is like they dreamed, and that sometimes, living to the expectations is a lot harder than imagined. That’s why Cells at Work Black finds a way of connecting two things that are as real as the day you live: the biology nature of the humans, and the dark nature of the humans.
When we talk about dark or Black, I mean it. Different from the original Cells at Work, Black can give you just one or two laughs per episode, but a lot of sadness to carry during the episode. Letting the red blood cells aside, the rest of the cast is shookingly different from the original. The macrophagues are sick of killing in an infested body, raving and mumbering to themselves; Platelets, that are often the best and most cheerful part of Cells at Work, in Black are grumpy, sad and dull, frustrated by the state of the blood vessels that are full of shit and that are more and more unstable. In the first episode, in the first day and with his first colleague, the main character gets traumatized by his crudes words about “you just have to pretend you are okay and supress your emotions. That’s the only way to go on”, and then his death. Amazing. I cried a lot because I’m a pussy but that’s another story. The main character carries those words and his legacy for the rest of the series, getting him more and more frustrated. His emotions eat him alive, so he progressevely starts to supress his emotions and to live a shitty life. Just like that, a lot of other cells come to his life, leaves him some words and story to remember, and they disappear like that, making him more and more damaged and scared.
Another realistic thing about it is how akin it is to some workers that are really exploted and that don’t have another options. It’s an anime that glorifies its name, because it’s all about the dark side of work; monotony, envy, workaholics. Everything represented in the same main cast, and treated with a subtlety that I enjoyed a lot. Their changes and growing are slow, are delicate, and so real. Is just great.
In terms of visuals, this anime deserves a congratulation. Is a cheap art with low budget, but exactly that is what makes it so good, because it fits with the dark atmosphere, and is so loose and poor that envolves you even more in that world where everything crumbles. It’s a good example of a good use of what you have. And about sound… I hated the ending but now I just have it inside my head.
In conclusion, I’m thankful for this anime. I needed this Code Black for Hataraku Saibou, and even if you don’t understand anything of biology, you need it too. It’s a crude anime in disguise, that will make you wonder why you make your cells suffer like that when you get stressed. Don’t be selfish, take care of them.
Snapshot426
I think me watching a show about the human body and all the things that can go wrong with it while in the middle of a global pandemic probably wasn’t the smartest thing but I don’t think it really matters too much. I was looking forward to this series regardless since it essentially was the darker version of Cells at Work and Cells at Work season one was a solid anime back in 2018. But let’s not talk about its parent series and focus on the one right in front of us. A series that doesn’t require you to watch its parent series to jumpin as it is essentially a new body with new characters and new and bad problems. Many, many, many bad problems.
Sit back, relax and make sure you manage your drinking and smoking habits as you get plenty of exercise as I present to you the anime review for Cells at Work! CODE BLACK! Let’s begin.
Story: 10/10
Our story follows rookie blood cell Sekkekkyuu AA2153 (for the sake of this review, we will nickname him “Specs”) as he has just completed his training to help deliver Oxygen around the body. Enthusiastic and ready to go to deliver Oxygen, he soon realises that something is not right. There is built up plaque along the hallways, loads of cells are in a foul mood, the Platelets are back-talking and they are all being overworked. After seeing red blood cells die so easily and being saved from germs by white blood cell Hakkekkyuu U-1196 (Nickname: “Cleavage”), he realises that something is very wrong with this body. Drinking, smoking and lack of exercise has caused this body to deteriorate; making it a harsh environment to work in. The cells must work hard to maintain this body or the consequences could be catastrophic.
What I liked about Code Black’s story was this underlying sense of inevitable doom but the determination to prevent it from happening. With each episode, there is a new problem that has to be prevented, often times just by avoiding death due to the harsh conditions. Whether it would be Kidney Stones or sexually transmitted diseases, they all culminate to this underlying sense that these cells, as well as the body itself, are going to die and it won’t be pretty in the slightest. But the show does a great job of showing that determination through its characters and wanting to see if they break through the wall and persevere. It makes you want to hope that these cells make it through to the end despite showing how easily cells die by the hundreds at a time.
Much like its parent series, Code Black is as much as an educational show as it is a gripping Seinen series. Teaching us about the different cells, body parts and the many dangers that can happen to our body. Your learning as much as you are watching, which does help when some things need explaining to give better context to the situation. But it also tackles the stress of work and how you manage it. Throughout the series, we see our characters get stressed about the job and how they manage to wind down or sometimes the inability to wind down and having to feel that you must carry the burden. I’ve certainly been there when working so I can relate. The show does a good job to show that it is important to not only make sure you are determined and motivated to do your job, but also how to pace yourself to make sure that you aren’t overloaded and overstressed from work, regardless of the work environment. As well as doing a good job of iterating that you need to take care of your body.
Characters: 7/10
The characters in this series definitely have their own quirks to make their role, no matter how small, pretty enjoyable to watch as they all have to work together to keep this body alive by fulfilling each of their roles. But it is mainly the main three trio that carry the cast of characters, Specs, Cleavage and Specs’ best friend and fellow red blood cell, Sekkekkyuu AC1677 (Nickname: Slacker) as they all carry their own burdens and need each other to persevere. Specs is the motivator, the cell that won’t give up and fulfil his task to the end to make sure the body stays afloat, but doing so causes him to carry the workload and overpush himself. Cleavage has to constantly deal with germs and bacteria but also cover ground more as the body deteriorates, more white blood cells are killed off and to be everyone’s shield. Slacker will help Specs when he needs him but struggles to muster the courage for himself and tries to avoid danger. Throughout the series though, we see them try to overcome their flaws by helping each other out to persevere and keep maintaining the body despite the overwhelming odds out of their control. It what makes them such likeable characters because they are rather inspiring and you want to see them succeed due to how the show conveys it, even if it’s practically suicide at times. You want them succeed and survive this, making each scene that has near death experiences more nerve-wracking as one slip up can kill you.
Animation: 6/10
While David Production worked on the second season of Cells at Work, LINDENFILMS worked on Code Black which was alright. The animation itself really isn’t anything to write home about as it does contain quite a lot of still images, especially when the white blood cells are fighting the germs. There are moments where the animation is alright but again, there isn’t anything to write home about here. But what this show does have a very strong art direction. The grittiness and dark tone is well represented here with rust and grit, cracks along the walls and plaque just being everywhere. It goes along well with the very industrial look this show has which helps establish the setting that this isn’t some bright, happy to work here work environment, but rather a gritty, depressing work environment which enhances the message of being overworked and how you handle it. The character designs as well do a good job representing each cell and the black lines used on the characters to capture the dark tone and the fear in the characters is a nice touch.
Sound: 6/10
For a show like this, you expect the ost to be moody, bleak and dramatic to strengthen the idea that this is a bad working environment and that is the case here. It does sound moody. It does sound bleak and it does sound dramatic. Is that a bad thing? Of course not. A good ost will always enhance a scene even if you don’t acknowledge it and Code Black does have a good ost. It was solid enough for it to stand out, especially the more slower pieces because of that ominous feel to it that makes the scene rather foreboding for what is to come.
The opening, "Hashire! with Seiya Yamasaki" by Hiroyuki Hayashi is a rather lacklustre opening. I honestly don’t think it matches the tone of the show at all and is more akin to the tone of its parent series, in both song and visuals, barring a couple of scenes. Same goes with the ED as well "Ue wo Muite Hakobou with Sekkekkyuu & Hakkekkyuu" by Hiroyuki Hayashi. I’m no stranger to relaxing EDs but here, it’s more jarring than usual. With the show usually ending on a dark cliffhanger after each episode, the ED’s tone of it being all happy and upbeat doesn’t mesh with the show at all. I would’ve preferred a more calm ED than this because it can at least keep the vibe of the show after watching the episode.
Conclusion
Cells at Work! CODE BLACK! was a show that slowly grew on me over the course of the season to become one of my absolute favourites this season. The show’s message of managing stress at work and keeping healthy are only enhanced by the bleak and hostile conditions the cells have to work in. It even made me on the edge of my seat at times with each problem our cells have to face and if they are going to survive it. And in the meantime, it is also teaching us about the human body as well to make us learn some new things. But the best part about this is that it’s not a requirement for you to watch the original Cells at Work! You can watch this stand-alone and you will still get the same enjoyment out of it.
The show is a well told, thematic story that can keep you on the edge of your seat, with likeable characters and a good, atmospheric ost to back it up. It’s ability to teach about the body while also having a gripping narrative just makes it even better. Again, you don’t need to watch the parent series to watch this one. Which is great because I do recommend that you check this one out for yourself if you haven’t seen it yet.
My Personal Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall Score: 7.6/10 Recommendation: Watch It
Valinis
Not a whole lot to say about this one. If you enjoyed the regular Hataraku Saibou you'll most likely enjoy this one as well. Follows much the same premise though focuses more on how bad habits can negatively affect the body. It remains a fairly interesting and informative insight into the human physiology. The main cast are essentially genderbent from the original which is an interesting touch. I did however find myself a little bored towards the end and didn't really care too much about the characters, but in fairness the setting kind of makes characters difficult to really get attached to.
RebelPanda
Through the overworked cells of a dying body, Cells at Work: Code Black tells to tell a relatable story about workers struggling to survive in a capitalist market. Unlike the original Cells at Work, Code Black doesn't simply teach you about human biology with kid gloves. It rips off the gloves, grabs you by the neck, and yells at you to be better. Every episode is a PSA: Why smoking is unsafe, unprotected sex, why overconsumption of caffeine weakens your bodily functions, too much alcohol over-saturates your liver, fast food will develop plaque and clog your arteries, causing a heart attack. These cells share stories ofsuffering and trauma they've endured from maintaining an irresponsible body. Witnessing coworkers die from exhaustion, being berated by abusive bosses, and mental breakdowns because of burnout. Although there are dozen of frightening monsters within the body, there's nothing scarier than watching personified cells get tortured. Imagine witnessing dozens of people choking to death because you smoked one cigarette. It's unforgettable. I've only smoked one cigarette in my life, and I still felt guilty and ashamed by watching this.
There is always a sense of danger. Right from the minute the protagonist leaves the heart and enters the arteries, he sees problems with the body. Cholesterol plaque formed browned piles everywhere, rusted walls, cracked flooring, and everyone is frustrated. The first piece of advice given to him is, "If you suppress all of your emotions, you can keep smiling." The stakes are always high because he always has something to lose; his friends, colleagues, and fellow hard workers who he respects. Suppressing his emotions becomes his most helpful tool—the later episodes portray his descent into mental illness believably and in a relatable way.
In Code Black, the nervous system cells figure out what is wrong with the body in real-time. They have an intelligence room where they give cells orders, rather than resorting to a narrator, like the original Cells at Work. Most of the time, the information gets naturally woven into the dialogue. Fight scenes were slow-paced because the action would pause so the narrator could explain the science behind what was going on, cue a slide show of information that I would immediately forget. It felt like I was sitting in a boring biology class. Code Black never gets bogged down. It is constant bloody thrills and psychological trauma. This show is nothing like the original, where everyone is happy because they have a utopian work environment.
Initially, I wondered how this show makes us empathize with these characters if they continually suffer week after week with no reprieve? Empathy. The protagonist is pushed to the edge of insanity, working non-stop as a red blood cell delivering oxygen. While he travels around the arteries, he meets various people in the same situation. We get plenty of intriguing world-building throughout his journeys, but ultimately the lore isn't that deep because it is a vehicle for edutainment.
It is abundantly clear every working cell gets exploited in some fashion: Overwork, no breaks, no retirement, no days off, discrimination based on age, penalties for taking a brief pause. Under capitalism, most people need to work after retirement because you need quite a lot of money to retire 64-62 years old on average since the government won't support you enough financially. One cell represents this to-the-tee—the sebaceous gland, represented by an elderly man, works until the moment he dies. He solemnly tells the protagonist, "I'm retiring today," with full knowledge of his imminent demise. Code Black is without a doubt a hyperbolic satirization of a workplace under capitalism—an economic system that couldn't give two shits working-class people. You can draw a dozen parallels to treating the red blood cells to honest delivery workers: High chance of injury, no time to take a break, literally being called disposable. That's how life is for real workers of all kinds, and that's how it is for red blood cells. They have a brief 120-day lifespan; then, new workers take their spot. It's a perfect metaphor for Amazon's worker turnover rate: 90% of the people who got a job there will quit or be fired within a year because the conditions are so dreadful, then new employees will replace them.
All of this sounds depressing, and it is, but there are a few moments of reprieve. The main character's bond with his best friend provides plenty of levity. He is a diligent student, taking notes at the entrance ceremony, but his friend dozes off during their boss's speech. They support one another physically and emotionally when they're at the end of their rope due to overwork and witnessing traumatic violence. Their friendship feels believable. Over time, they help each other grow into multi-layered characters. I never expected to get so attached to these guys, but I genuinely cared about them.
Under capitalism, the economy gets run by a small minority with the most power—they benefit from exploitation. Who is at the top of the hierarchy in this metaphor? The body. The human being indulges in vices for fleeting pleasure like cigarettes, alcohol, and junk food. It could do equal amounts of labor, by exercising and eating a proper diet, however it exploits the working class by paying them less than what they deserve. When the body over-utilizes organs (such as the liver, by consuming too much alcohol), it increases demand so the supplier has to work with no paid overtime. If they complain, no one cares. In the world nihilistic hellish world Code Black creates, the cells must work regardless of pay, which is known as a “market economy” rather than a “planned economy” that divides labor ethically. There are no unions, no democracy. A small group of apathetic men runs the organs, but even they are unhappy. They don't care if cells work themselves to death or are in unsafe work environments. When the protagonist realizes he's disposable, he questions the system. "Are our jobs really worth risking our lives?" He asks. No, of course, they aren't. If you have no other option but to work a dangerous job, you are getting cheated.
Code Black simultaneously educates the audience on the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle and tells a cautionary tale about working under the crushing boot of capitalism that is so successful I'm amazed it was allowed to air in Japan.
The show doesn't simply tell us "Smoking is bad" and "The economy is exploiting you." That would be shallow. It tells us why the problems exist and how the final arc can solve them: A healthy person who respects their body by not overindulging in vices, eating healthy, and exercising. In this world, cells would take breaks and retire before they work themselves to death. Capitalism will constantly exploit workers—just like a lazy and unhealthy person will repeatedly exploit cells. The only way to break the cycle is a new framework. Within a work environment, every employee would get a say in running the business, rather than ignoring their pleas for better treatment.
Of course, this analogy only tracks to non-disabled people who have a choice to be healthy or not. Someone living in poverty and doesn't have access to healthy food or clean water typically isn't going to have as healthy a body as an upper-middle-class person. We need to be careful not to blame the person for being unhealthy, but their environment. Code Black could've been empathetic to the actual working class by making the body an overworked salaryman. Instead, it is ambiguous as to why it is so unhealthy. The show works as a Public Service Announcement, too, because the body could be anyone. Though it is male, the problems the cells must resolve could happen to anyone—STDs, high blood pressure, bad circulation, blood clots, UTIs, cholesterol. The situations become increasingly severe as the body's health declines, sending the cells into a state of chaos and overwhelming pressure.
There's so much valuable information Code Black has to offer. I'd even recommend showing it to biology students. Honestly, if I had this anime in high school, my biology grade would've been better. If you do show it to anyone, there's one part I suggest you skip. In the second half of episode four, gonococci tentacle monsters sexually assault the white blood cells, who are all women. The show made the mistake of framing it like fanservice, with boob shots and a voyeuristic camera. It's unfortunate because the show treats all of its characters with respect—as real people with turmoils. Otherwise, the fanservice didn't bother me. All of the white blood cells have giant bazongas and unzipped uniforms so you can see every inch of cleavage. But I'm an equal opportunities fanservice kind of guy. I'm happy they made the Killer T cells big muscular dudes with their shirts buttoned-down too.
The art is fine. This production didn't have a super high budget compared to the original series. They frequently use CGI for the crowds of blood cells, but never too close to the camera. The monster designs are similar to the original Cells at Work, cartoony versions of germs, but with sharper edges and deeper shadows. Both the opening and ending were grand. As expected, there was a lot of suffering involved, and the actors gave convincing performances. I loved almost everything about this show. The body horror, the relatable characters, and on-the-nose anti-capitalist metaphors.
Regardless of who you are, we’re all humans and your cells are worth taking care of because they take care of you. Even if you disliked the original Cells at Work, or skipped it altogether, this rises above being a spin-off and stands on its own. I would even say it surpasses the original. Within one season it tells a complete story with a compelling hero on a journey around the human body, as well as navigating adulthood in a working world that doesn’t treat him the way he deserves.
ren0080
The story of Black is unique, but the plot itself is nothing new. It's about a story of the cells that work in a harsh environment. Take out the cell part and it's about the same as other stories. But because they are cells, it makes them more unique. The characters of Black is great. Some of the side characters follow their own archetypes, but it is the result of the Black environment, that's why it is realistic in a way. AC1677 is the Best Boy out of everyone and is probably the most realistic and "human" in the series. He develops as a character alongsideAA2153, who is a great protagonist on his own.
The rest of the cast is great and memorable, but some of the cells are very underused.
The animation is okay. It is decent and flows enough from scene to scene, even better than Hataraku Saibou in my opinion. The CGI RBC is also well done and while it is noticeable, it is better rendered compared to Hataraku Saibou's CGI.
The music is great, like f*cking great. It's not on Sawano, Kajiura, or Kenji level but it's to be expected. It came from the same guy who composed Golden Wind's Giorno's Theme. So it's f*cking great af.
I enjoyed this series overall. It's great, it made me cry, especially on the later episodes. The emotion here is great because it takes itself seriously, that's why the scenes hit differently. The characters' emotion is on another level. The VAs really gave their A-game here (with the exception of the very few minor characters), that's why it is so great.
(8.8/10)
HenriqueNeves
If the person who watched the normal version already has a body idea of all the constant challenges faced by our organism, and even in great conditions we already fear possible threats that can occur in the invisible of our body, the new version will make us fear a fear future and even more worrying. This version is really fascinating. If the common subverts the logic of some anime conventions, HS Black subverts Hataraku Saibou himself. If in the normal version we have what would be close to a shounen, here it gets closer to a seinen. The story is sadder, the character design of thecharacters is already different, the anime pulls to shades of black, the scenarios are dirty and lifeless, that happy and cool soundtrack is almost entirely taken by a more funereal track, it is possible until you hear the sound of a heart beating almost all the time, and I even ecchi the anime has it. In short, the anime stages a more serious theme in a darker way and for sure the impact said is very strong.
The anime will seek to work with some distinct layers that affect each other. One is that we have had contact with before with this idea of an animated Japaneseization of our body, the other focuses more on the drama of the main characters that always has a conflict relationship with the precarious state of the body and one that allegorizes the structure of the anime with everyday social problems, such as alcoholism, depression, stress at work, etc. Not that the normal version that we know doesn't try to do these things too, but here it is really developed more diligently.
First, as a more "contemplative" anime, it can even work, however, when it tries to be more dramatic and melancholy it does not flow 100% perfectly. Not that it is bad, it is possible to notice an assimilation of the drama with the whole narrative structure that surrounds the work, but it does not have the desired impact. I would say that our relationship with the work is more personal than sentimentally unrelated, so when there is a character's death at a certain moment, there is even a shock by the way it happens, only it doesn't have as much impact. Of course, this death does have a future importance that will enhance that idea of an allegory about our social problems. The result of these dramas is stronger than the drama itself.
It is fantastic to think of Hataraku Saibou as a society that faces constant problems, and if it is in perfect condition, it manages to combat such problems, which does not happen in HS Black. The lack of precariousness of the body where the anime takes place has several consequences.
To summarize my review. Hataraku Saibou Black is an anime that manages to further reinforce the importance of being healthy with a darker, more intimate and dramatic approach, causing a more painful and worrying experience with your viewer.
Berm
Cells at Work: Code Black is the surprise of the season. Too be honest, I was not expecting this to be that good, if good at all. The trailers didn't make the show seem very interesting to be honest, but I'm glad my expectations have been subverted. Code Black is a stark contrast to the original Cells at Work series; taking place is an unhealthy body, the cells struggle to keep the human alive. This allows for the series to explore more darker themes, and allows for situations that the original series wouldn't be able to do. The characters in this show are quite interesting, aswe get to see how each of them decides to act in the event of this crisis. Some cells slack off, some cells work their asses off, some cells live happily in the dying body, others give in and indulge in nihilism.
The art is pretty solid, at least in most cases. There's a few shots per episode that are just slightly off, and there's a lack of animation in certain parts, but for the most part the art is consistent and pleasing to the eye. I love the art style of the series; the black lines in each of the shadows gives the series a very grimy look, which is quite fitting for the situation the cells are in.
Music wise the series is average; no stand-out tracks, but nothing that was bad.
Overall, a pretty great series, definitely recommend if you like more grungy stories, or if you're a fan of the original Cells at Work series.
KANLen09
P.S. This review is a follow-up to Season 2 of the main series. If you haven't glanced at that one yet, I suggest you do so, otherwise...continue on. Oh golly god, Hataraku Saibou. As if Season 2 will nap the surprise bin out of a stacked Winter 2021, the REAL surprise draw lies in the myriad adaptation of the spin-off: Code Black, a complete contrast with darker story undertones, whilst still delivering the same Cells formula that was established with the main series. And yet, as gruelsome as Code Black can be, I'd argue that it's far more engaging with the grotesque vibe and none ofthat bright and colorful visuals that instead, are traded with the nuance of an unhealthy body. And to think that we have several mangakas (in this case for Code Black: Shigemitsu Harada) to thank for in the creation of spin-offs, the end result will always be supervised by the main mangaka progenitor Akane Shimizu to ensure that the appeal of the main series will not be relinquished to great effect.
In order to understand what this series is all about, first, an introduction to the coined term known as "Black company": The Japanese term for an exploitative sweatshop-type employment system, more commonly known in the West as a black corporation or business. The typical practice of such "Black companies" is to hire a large number of young employees, force them to work in poor conditions and large amounts of overtime without overtime pay. Not to mention that these workers are subject to verbal abuse and "power harassment" (e.g. bullying) by their superiors, often threatening them with disrepute if they choose to quit, more or less the means to force them to stay. If I have to state an example, you need not look far to see a prime example of this nauseating effect: the anime industry itself.
But back to Code Black. What this show encapsulates its stronghold, lies in its characters: reverse gender-bendered to give a more mature and realistic look in what is the typical setting of an unbalanced and toxic workplace. The star of the show is the newbie RBC AA2153, straight out from the human heart cell colony to be trained like many RBCs to deliver oxygen to the usual innerds of the human body, albeit with the facade similar to that of the main series. And boy oh boy, the way of deception hits harder when reality sets in for the new cells to transport their way through in what is considered the characterization of an unhealthy, stressed and alcoholic deformed individual from the inside out. Together with the same repeat cells of a different character cast to work together with: colleague and friend AC1677; WBC U-1196 (hoo boy, she's boobly stacked); the unscrupulous gangster-type Platelets (with none of that "Anone! Anone!" vibe); and not forgetting to assign the Narrator's job to everyone's greatest and best-known villain seiyuu: Kenjirou Tsuda, the road to liberation does more action than words to save the already malformed body from sustaining as much damage as before. In such an environment where the little-to-no recognition reception is commonplace, it's "through the fiery diseases and inflammations" of survival for AA2153, even as the series progresses to see him earn the Top Rookie placement (and with it, better recognition), but still getting the same ridicule. And honest to God, these are some ragtag conditions that perfectly imitate the real world, and bless the many of you that are going through such inhumane practices IRL. That is some great character development on AA2153's behalf as he quickly changes from being the influenced to being the influencer instead for the adage of "One for all, all for one".
Goddamn holy wowsers, Liden Films...4 shows in a stacked season ever since COVID struck (that's now better controlled). Your production teams must've been saving this moment for an unhealth, yet grandiose comeback, albeit with some good stuff and the usual case of a bad apple (I'm looking at you, Hortensia Saga). Regardless of a Madhouse-like emissary for the crunches, this production surprisingly holds up to deliver many excruciating moments of characters set in a crumbling body, showing all the raw emotions and feelings of the state of survival in a nonchalant manner, that I feel was pretty well done for the most part. Not to mention that the "Darker Than Black" visual existentialism plays well to give off the unnerving feelings that hits harder than most, that was the constant standout to the show.
In terms of music...it's the same ominous feeling as depicted from the visuals, though at the beginning the OST sounds a bit funny to how contradicting things can become. Both the OP and ED are done by Hiroyuki Hayashi of POLYSICS, and much ado about their funky and electronical song repertoire, both songs are great...if you can get used to them throughout watching this show. The OP is already great on its own, but the ED itself mimics the feeling from the main series...which thinking about it, creates that unique stark contrast between light and darkness, right down to the catchy tunes. That is something we see often in anime OSTs, but in the case of Code Black, it affirms the balance that's akin to yin and yang.
Spin-offs or alternate versions tend to have a bad rep of being the sideline figure to their main series, and is just largely for appeal in a "What If" series of imaginations, but in the case of Hataraku Saibou, this proves to be otherwise, and more often than not, can deliver a better experience of what the main franchise is all about. A healthy body that anyone can relate to can't be traded for such travesties of an unhealthy one, and by an extension, edutainment values that turn up a notch for the unknown.
It's highly without a doubt, a recommendation to watch this show, and also learning how to take good care of our bodies so that ours won't be like how Code Black visualized it to be. Wondering if there were plans to have more Cells spin-offs for anime adaptations, we wouldn't know for certain, but we can hope for another one (or otherwise pick up the manga) to go one step further.
SanaeK10
If the original series can be described as "Look at all these cute cells working hard for your body!", Hataraku Saibou Black is "You're gonna die and it's ALL YOUR FAULT". Like the original series, BLACK is an edutainment series focused on body health, albeit for an unhealthy body, contextualized as terrible working conditions for the cells at work. BLACK complements the original series so well, it eclipses even OG Hataraku's sequel in terms of a continuation to the original series. While there is some minor repetition in the beginning with the cell functions or viruses, or overlaps with Hataraku S2's content, it is stillfascinating to see the consistencies and changes across both series. Virus and germ depictions are generally the same, but instead of being harmless villains (with a high body count admittedly), even the simplest virus/germ/bacteria/whatever is an existential threat to our MCs in BLACK, and without a major change in character design too. Cytokines are noticeably depicted differently in both series, but the rest of the body functions are the same. The narration is great in highlighting just why you are basically killing yourself by not taking care of your body.
Content wise while the show does get a bit nihilistic at times, and the commentary on stressful working environments gets muddied especially near the end, it is genuinely heartwarming to see the owner of the body start properly taking care of himself to create a better workplace for the cells. The presence of medicines and surgical techniques do come across as (literal) deus ex machinas at times, but it really can't be helped in a setting like this. After all, if your own body can't pick up the slack, it's either a trip to the ER or death.
Unlike OG S2, the characters are all fairly interesting to follow, and grounding it to RBC-kun does allow the episodes to flow incredibly smoothly from one organ to another. With a new cast to follow, it's nice to see how they all change and react to their work environment compared to the lack of character development in the OG series.
Hataraku Saibou Black stands up as good as the original Hataraku Saibou series as being an edutainment show that is both a joy to watch and a crushing reminder to take care of your body. I can only hope that the S2 tease at the very end of this leads to something more fruitful than the OG S2.
7/10
Kundentelefon
The best educational Anime! Not only for the human body ... Hataraku Saibou was already a damn good Anime without neglecting the educational aspect. Every event is tied to one of the many complex functions the human body has. But there was always some restricting factor to it. It had to be accessible to the mainstream market and for children alike. Code Black doesn't have those restrictions and instead focuses on the more adult oriented themes and harsh side effects of neglecting your physical needs. It may be a lot of fun to know how the body works, but it is more engaging to know whythings don't work. Constantly seeing the hardships of cholesterol and nicotine in action gives a much different tone than the clean and friendly main series. But the excellent aspect of this Anime is not only teaching you about the human body ...
Cells have to work each day in horrible conditions and getting overworked with no compensation whatsoever. People are over stressed and yelling each other because they can't even finish their minimum quota caused by understaffing. Everyone is at constant risk of losing their lives. The only reward for surviving by a hair's breadth is to work even faster to catch up your quota. They work and work but the job still gets harder each day, knowing full well that the main body is collapsing anyway. You think you can be happy because you are awarded as a hard-working employee? Now your coworkers are starting to begrudge you. Your best friend and coworker is gone? Stop crying and work double the amount now! You want to die early? Too bad you are too young and still able to work! Things are getting better? You are now transferred to a new, even more horrible work environment.
And then you realize more and more that this Anime was never about the human body, but a reflection of modern labor force.
10/10
ShinodaChan
Oi, what are you doing reading this review? GET BACK TO WORK! YOU THINK LOUNGING IS GOOD FOR ANYTHING? WE'RE IN DYING BODIES, DAMN IT; EVERY SECOND COUNTS! WORK! FIGHT! HATARAKU, SAIBOU! Going into this review, I asked myself: "What does Code Black do that sets it apart from the original Cells at Work?". The first thing that came to mind was the huge tone shift, but the second might not be what you would expect: The difference in narrative quality. The original Cells at Work suffers from loose continuity, a lack of stakes (some serious moments occur, but due to the original show's mood youknow it'll always end with a happy ending), and next to no character development. It's primarily fluff, and while this can be appealing it doesn't do much to ground itself in reality. Contrast this with Code Black, where not only does the main character go through a full character arc, but the setting of a neglected body is represented in full. Cells die en masse, veins are cracked and filled with plaque, morale is sparse, one crisis lays the groundwork for another...the situation is bad and only gets worse, so nowhere does Code Black neglect to encapsulate the reality it shows. One might argue that as a healthy body is not always happy, an unhealthy body is not always unhappy, but this is no ordinary unhealthy body: This is Code Black, the worst of the worst. The extreme portrayal matches the extreme reality, whereas the original Cells at Work struggles to deliver the darker end of a more balanced atmosphere inside a healthy body. It helps that Code Black has a stricter chronological plotline than its sibling, even if the latter attempts to remedy this in its B plot.
Nowhere is the difference between the original Cells at Work and Code Black more apparent than in Code Black's OP and ED. The OP portrays the protagonist as having a courageous dream before being nightmarishly forced awake by his alarm, setting the mood for the grim episode ahead. The deceptively peppy ED wraps up each episode with protagonist going back to sleep and dreaming once more, restarting the cycle. The ED in particular is genius, unsettling the viewer with its happy-go-lucky rhythm before leaving them with the alarm clock once more: The protagonist's attempts to make his dream come true will continue, as will his harsh conflicts with reality. Never before have I seen an OP and ED work so well as narrative elements before, and to me this represents how the solid narrative quality of Code Black. It's not a masterpiece (the core formula is still repetitive and will wear on the viewer over time), but I'd mark it down as an improvement over the original Cells at Work.
With all that said, whether you enjoy Code Black or the original Cells at Work more comes down to taste: Do you prefer healthy but bitter spinach, or relaxing but sugary junk food? For me, the tighter narrative and darker atmosphere of Code Black convey the core themes of Cells at Work better than the original ever could, but it's all up to personal preference.
EliMol
I really liked Cells at Work! I think the concept/story line had more potential than the original show. What I dislike the most about the show is the over-sexualization of the characters. It is all fanservice. Im not a big fan of the romantic tention either. I like how the cells are struggling to find a reason to continue fighting for a body that seems to have given up. I think the story carries the show. I dont really like any of the characters. I still enjoy the show though. It really shows the importains of the red bloodcells. I would rather watch the"original" cells at work.
StimkyFish
If you are expecting the same writers and story as the original show, that's not here. The theme and art style is the same but that is about it. The show writes itself to be serious but shows some very frustrating moments and the main character is honestly so insufferable that it makes it hard to enjoy the series. It's still informative and it definitely has some great characters in it. Unfortunately, they are background characters. I will say, this show is great for sitting down and making fun of. I definitely yelled at the screen in fustration which was a first, but still entertaining. Itis extremely heavy-handed on flashbacks, so that is something to keep in mind as well.
GA-5365
It’s been 2 weeks now since the show ended. The finale episode of this series is supposed to be aired today had they followed the normal pacing of airing the anime (Episodes 3 and 4 were released simultaneously within the same week Ep. 2 was aired therefore hastening the series end date than scheduled). This show is the direct opposite of the original series’ happy and light premise. This show showcases the different illnesses of the adult human body who is living an unhealthy lifestyle. Each episode will show you a specific illness and how it affects the body and the cells. Now, let me explainmy ratings for each aspect of the anime:
Story: 8
While it's nearly impossible to find a plot for this show, the show made sure to arrange each illness in each episode according to intensity. For the manga readers, I'm sorry to tell you but they deliberately deviated from the manga in terms of sequencing. It turned out to be good you will see why.
Art: 8
The studio who animated the show us LIDEN Films. From what I heard, it has a history of producing bad animation. I had only watched one anime series from this studio and it was good when I watch it.
As for the anime, I find some parts of the animation that are flawed. For example, the ears of WBC-chan is terrible. Another is the inconsistency of their style. Some scenes have a different style. Other than that it was good enough to deserve a score of 8.
Sound: 8
The OP and ED was great. However, it did not fit in with the dark premise of the show. The OP resembles that of a typical shounen OP while the ED fits in the original version of the series. I have nothing else to say about the OSTs except the fact that it is depressing to hear.
Character: 9
I love the main character of this series. You may not like him at first because he is soft-hearted and a wimp. He’s not the typical anime character who is strong willed and can keep on going. Despite of him being a soft-hearted and cinnamon roll guy, there are times that he goes ballistic to the point where he would rage. If you love Male Hakkekkyuu-san of the main series, I’m sure you will love Female Hakkekkyuu-san more. She is a tad bit cooler than her counterpart. I find some of them annoying though I cannot blame them since their personality is due to the nature of the body they are in.
Enjoyment: 8
It was difficult for me to watch the series at first because I’m not into dark themed animes (Ironic that the first anime I watched recently was Eva and I loved it). I accompany watching this with the original series (CaW S2). Throughout its run, I got used to it and definitely soon I enjoyed it. I love the action scenes there and the wholesome moments of the mc of the series.
Overall: 9
Overall, I ENJOYED this anime despite of some of its flaws and its dark premise. There are times that you would almost feel not watching it but you can pick up from there. Quite disappointing that this anime's popularity isn't as high as I expected but I hope you will enjoy this show. I’m looking forward for a sequel of this series with more improvements and better results.
johnbradshaw
I truly ìf I have watched Hatarata Saibou Black earlier, I would definitely tried to lead a much healthier life than what I'm having right now. With that said, Cells at Work! CODE BLACK! is a pleasant surprise, an extremely educational show while also managing to put in an intriguing and intense story to deliver its purposes. Out of shape plus heavy drinking and smoking, unlike its predecessor, everyday life is a torture for our red blood cells. The story follows a young red blood cell as he just completed his training and now he will do his job in the real world. Quickly realizinghis job isn't just as simple as carrying the oxygen around the body. His struggles to survive and keeping this pitiful body alive with his friends and co-workers carved a memorable story in the freezing Winter of 2021.
On the educational side, I found it to be more interesting than the original, here we're learning in more details about part of our bodies, a lots of germs that cause deceases and how something like gout and cardiac arrest came to be. How hair loss happens, why we shouldn't have sex without protections. And those are explained in a very simple way so that my dumb head can absorb. I wished they were taught at school this way but all we got are boring biology lessons related to none and benefits no one.
Even though Cells At Work! CODE BLACK! has to spend a sufficient amount of time to educate us on the matters but somehow through them, they still manage to develops the character quite well. In the span of 13eps, the kid went from a naive rookie to a totally responsible adult with realistic and relatable problems. That's quite an impressive feat considering the side cast (his friend and the white blood cell girl) also got tremendous character developments. I cared for them in the end.
Overall, I think this show is a must-watch anime just for its educational purpose along. now with an intense and intriguing storyline and meaningful characters. I dont see why anyone should avoid this show.
Pepsiisgood
If I could, I would give this anime a 9.5, because unlike the original series (Cells at Work!!), the story here is not only non-episodic, but has character development, logical thinking, emotion, and a great rather grotesque art-style. The original Cells at Work anime was rather boring only because there was a great thought out idea of drawing cells, bacteria, viruses as anime characters, but that's really all the story seemed to be, it was missing something that Cells at Work CODE BLACK has: the crisis and the drama. The series is incredibly well suited for this more horror-like genre with a dash of shonenthrown in. Unlike during it's predecessor in Code Black I felt more like I was watching a survival horror, the characters on screen were not just cells but people with feelings who do have goals, dreams and can laugh as well as cry.
The acting is something frighteningly perfect, the more we go on the more the situation starts to go wrong and it shows perfectly, especially the main character who at first seems like a clumsy man, but when the anime shows us from several angles what it's like to be traumatised, it's worth shedding a tear for him. The half score that separates it from the ten is the happy OP/ED that pulls the viewer out of the mood part by part and as usual this anime has characters that go off and be mean for nothing just to have someone to hate for 10 minutes, but other than that it was a wonderful series and I hope just like the first series CODE BLACK gets a second season too in the near future.
peachynanami
I originally had watched Cells at Work as it was airing a while back and absolutely loved it, as I work in the medical field and have taken many health science courses in the past. With that said, Cells at Work Black is SO much more informative and fascinating than the original. Don't get me wrong, I still love the original because it's funny and entertaining to watch but still informative. However, CWB is very rarely funny (in my opinion) and is much more serious and gives you the staunch reality of what happens to your body when you choose not to take care ofit. It was so fascinating to explore so many different types of bacterial infections and conditions that simply wouldn't be shown in the original series: gonorrhea, alcoholism, caffeine addiction, and cardiac arrest, just to name a few in this god-forsaken body.
CWB doesn't sugar-coat anything. It's almost gruesome in a way as you see several times where various cells die or are put under tremendous pressure because of poor lifestyle choices. I also really love how the information about cells and organ functions, which can be difficult at times to understand, is presented in an easy-to-understand way and everything is explained so even those who have no prior knowledge of bodily functions can totally understand what's going on. If you don't seriously rethink how you take care of your body and what you put into it after watching this show, I don't think anything but a near-death experience will change your ways.
stoptheuwu
Cells at Work: Code Black is an anime that absolutely blew my expecations out of the water and despite the simplicity of its premise, it managed to impress and even inspire me to pay more attention to my body with its wonderful cast of characters and heart-wrenching story developments (no pun intended). Story: Its hard to believe that an anime about cells in a human body can make a coherent story but this one really pulled through. With a similar structure and setting to the original Cells at Work, this gritty reimagining sucessfully shows the struggle of a body in turmoil as it's faced with disesases, poorlife choices, and the like. The anime's story loosely follows a monster of the week type format where a new symptom or function is explored episode by episode. Even though the weekly format can get tedious at times, Hataraku Saibou Black shines the brightest with its surprisingly solid character development and central themes. As our protagonist red blood cell explores the different regions of the body, we find that every type of cell is stressed and are constantly struggling to deal with their own personal issues. Yet they keep working. There is no stopping in the human body. Although it may be a bit bittersweet, our bodies are also constantly working in the same way and there's something beautiful about that.
Story: 8/10
Art:
Although the animation can be quite limited at times, the art in this anime is really good. I especially like the use or darker lineart, harsh shading, and color palette as it really drives home the the fact that this is nothing like the original Cells at Work. Certain scenes of show are also well shot due to good use of lighting and contrast.
Art: 8/10
Sound:
Initially, I was not a big fan of the autotune used in the opening but it grew on me. Big time. Everytime I look at the thumbnail the song instantly plays in my head and I couldn't help but watch the latest episode. I'm a big fan of the roaring percussion and liberties it takes with its very wacky samples (looking at you, alarm clock). Same goes for the ending as well, as both are very fun listens even outside of the anime. However, the same can't be said for the OST. It serves its purpose but most of the time it doesn't really add too much to the scene aside from some emotional moments. Needless to say that I won't be touching this one much.
On the topic of the sound design itself, its actually pretty good. The explosions and effects seem to EQ in all the right places and nothing really stood out to me as I was watching and listening.
Sound: 7/10
Character:
Following in the original work's footsteps, Hataraku Saibou Black has really polished and instantly recognizable character designs that fully embody the cells they're meant to represent. Our red blood cell is timid yet hard working, the white blood cells are badass, and the more timid groups of cells like the ones in the testes and liver are kind and caring. Its impossible to not sympathize with these characters for their great designs and hard working nature. Of course, there are also the moments of subtle characterization which just add the cherry on top.
Character: 9/10
Enjoyment:
I really loved watching Hataraku Saibou Black week by week. Although I tend to wind down more chill anime like Yuru Camp and Non Non Biyori. The story and setting of this anime was just too hard to resist. If anything Hataraku Saibou Black has inspired me to pay more attention to my own body, as I really don't want to suffer the symptoms shown in the anime.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Overall: There is nothing else I can say that hasn't been said already about this show. It may have some flaws but I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in human biology or anime with darker undertones.
Final score: 8/10 would recommend B)
