I just finished reading Aggretsuko: Meet Her Friends, a three-issue mini-series that brings all the fun, chaos, and charm you’d expect from our favorite red panda.

Aggretsuko: Meet Her Friends
Covers & Interior Art: Lisa Dubois (Issue 1); Diigii Daguna (Issue 2); Megan Huang (Issue 3)
Writers: Cat Farris (Issue 1); Arielle Jovellanos (Issue 2); James Asmus (Issue 3)
Publisher: Oni Press
Release dates: November 2020 – January 2021

The writers and artists behind this series did a great job of capturing the spirit of Aggretsuko. It’s actually a spin-off of the 6-issue Aggretsuko comic series from 2020, which we didn’t even know about until we found these issues in a $2 box at our local comic book store. What a find! We love Aggretsuko. All five seasons of her Netflix series were amazing, fun, and even surprisingly deep. If you haven’t watched it yet, go fix that right now.

The story consists of three standalone adventures featuring Retsuko’s quirky group of friends and coworkers. The first issue has her hanging out at karaoke with Gori and Washimi, hilariously making up crazy theories about a mysterious yoga teacher. The second issue takes things to the workplace, where Retsuko accidentally goes viral and gets blackmailed by a coworker. Classic Aggretsuko chaos, with everyone rallying around her to help, which is why this one might be my favorite out of the three. And in the final issue, Retsuko spends a day with her boss Ton for a fun golfing adventure that’s both ridiculous and surprisingly heartwarming.

Honestly, I had a blast reading this series. It totally nails the humor and style of the Netflix show, and it feels like lost episodes brought to life. The art is on point, the stories are funny and charming, and it just left me wanting more.

If you can’t find the issues, the whole series is available as a collected edition. And seriously, if you’re an Aggretsuko fan, you’ll want this one.