Cells at Work! ( Hataraku Saibou ) is a anime adaptation of the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Akane Shimizu , which returns in 2021 with its new season.
The animation depicts the daily journey of 37.5 trillion cells working to maintain the balance of the human body, starring a rookie red blood cell, AE3803, who is frequently getting lost in the veins and arteries while performing her job of transporting oxygen and nutrients to the cells.
Together, the relentless white blood cell, U-1146, fights daily to protect the body from harmful agents and safeguard the organism's health, only to suddenly encounter the fledgling red blood cell along the channels.
A microscopic world:
The world of Cells at Work!! is unique. Comparable to a city, each cell is part of a larger structure interconnected by various factors. In this world, veins can be seen as streets, organs as neighborhoods—all contributing to a sense of vastness.
In each episode, we are introduced to new cells facing new adversity. For example, in one episode, the white blood cell, U-1146, ends up visiting the hair follicles, where the hair cells live. When the character arrives, they are enslaved by dandruff, which is the most subtle representation of what actually happens on the scalp.
The setting contributes to another extremely important factor: it helps to portray the intensity of adversities in the human body. However, through the anime, it's positive to realize how many cells are lost simply by the entry of a single bacterium, or how devastating and dangerous a cancerous cell can be, and this increases the understanding of the importance of self-care.
Each cell is unique:
In Cells at Work!, each cell is alive, has charisma, feelings, and a history. They are born in organs, grow, go to school, study to perform their function, and finally graduate to begin working.
Even though they are only referred to by codes, each of them has a very well-developed personality, like the rookie Red Blood Cell. However, AE3803, who is a lost character, is also courageous enough to risk her life to save the platelets, another group of cells important for maintaining our bodies.
On the other hand, we have the relentless white blood cell, U-1146, which is a defense cell that, despite being extremely strong, is often overlooked in favor of the cytotoxic T cell, which ends up being considered superior, even though it performs the same function.
Summary:
In short, Cells at Work! is one of the best anime ever created. Its unique style of portraying microscopic organelles captivates everyone, not only those who enjoy studying the human body, but also anyone who wants a fun anime with a lot of information to absorb.