History YMMV / AggressiveRetsuko

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Anai's habit of responding to every single perceived slight with a StronglyWordedLetter. While the abuse he dishes out onto Retsuko is particularly brutal, the eventual reveal this this is just something he does makes it [[PokeThePoodle hilariously petty]], especially after Heida goes out of his way to talk to Anai in the gentlest, lest aggressive way possible... and ''still gets an angry email.'' Not to mention the CatharsisFactor when ''[[FatBastard Ton]]'' gets one too.

** Retsuko's death metal screams have become this for oodles of fans.

* ParanoiaFuel: InUniverse where Haida gets freaked out by Fenneko and her constant use of her interpretations and stories behind pictures she's seen. Fenneko even tells him to stay off of social media if that was bad.

* StoicWoobie: Some people do feel sorry for Resasuke [[spoiler:as his relationship with Retsuko breaks down]].

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Sure, it's made by Creator/{{Sanrio}}, the creators responsible for ''Franchise/HelloKitty'' and [[Anime/OnegaiMyMelody other]] [[Franchise/{{Jewelpet}} similar characters]], and it retains the cutesy animation style. It also regularly depicts character drinking alcohol and enduring sexual harassment, not to mention occasionally swearing. Meanwhile, a realistically grounded workplace setting and plots about overworking, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_capitalism late-stage capitalism]] and [[GrowingUpSucks adjusting to the responsibilities of adulthood in your twenties]] don't sound like something that would appeal to children, nor would some of the [[NightmareFuel scarier scenes]], such as Retsuko's metal singing or Anai blackmailing her, be considered scary in ways that would be appropriate for them. Beyond that, however, it's arguably no more vulgar than earlier episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and only slightly more vulgar than ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'', so responsible parents not concerned with the more child-unfriendly aspects of the show may not mind older children (ie, upwards of 8) watching it.

** The Office theme, complete with elevator dings and phone rings. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNovylNeE-A&list=PLWN9gi5AtVxwXOSBNMQc1m5jsHIihhS9m Enjoy a 1-hour loop of it]] while you work, and it never leaving your head. ''Forever.''

** Anai's mood swings, intense social awkwardness, and trouble focusing; paired with his [[spoiler: negative reaction to pressure, positive reaction to motherly positive reinforcement, him having a singular skill he excels at, cooking,]] as well as his tendency to say insensitive and tactless things even when he's not trying to be insulting, has made many guess that he has some sort of AmbiguousDisorder. With some even pointing out the above traits are often symptoms of those affected by the autism spectrum, even with high-functioning types like Asperger's, and that his [[spoiler: hyper-focused excelling in a singular talent despite struggling with other tasks is indicative of savant disorder.]]
** An interpretation some fans have is that Tadano is very much a ControlFreak [[spoiler: and a borderline jerk who wants to control Retsuko and come off as very "abuse" due to how he comes off in terms of their relationship]].

** Anai, at least to American viewers (see ValuesDissonance). The shows tries to pass off his borderline criminal levels of abuse and blackmail over any imagined slight (including cornering Retsuko in the archives room and recording their conversation), as well as his outright refusal to do any work once the whole office becomes too scared to approach him, as a cry for positive reinforcement from a nervous, paranoid young man, and that [[EasilyForgiven putting it all in the past]] once he [[HeelFaceTurn shows off his better side]] is perfectly reasonable. The fact that he only responds positively to Kabae's motherly approach makes him come off as a {{manchild}} who'll only cooperate with superiors who "mommy" him.

** Puko's status as TheScrappy might be due to this as well. To many people, she's a SpoiledBrat coasting on her parents' money and other, more responsible people's effort. But in Japanese culture where honor is paramount, failure and losing face can drive someone to suicide, and that getting paid to do nothing is considered shameful and insulting, Puko's attitude of acknowledging how she's coasting on other people's money can be seen as SelfDeprecation.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Sure, it's made by Creator/{{Sanrio}}, the creators responsible for ''Franchise/HelloKitty'' and [[Anime/OnegaiMyMelody other]] [[Franchise/{{Jewelpet}} similar characters]], and it retains the cutesy animation style. However, ''Aggretsuko'' is the second Sanrio creation that is geared towards the teen and adult demographic (the first being the ''VideoGame/ShowByRock'' franchise), and it's more explicitly shown in the Netflix series than in original TBS shorts. Retsuko drops some strong language while in Rage Mode, and she, along with the other co-workers, is seen drinking alcohol to the point that she passes out. On a less extreme note, it's ''much'' more grounded in reality than other Sanrio series, with the characters dealing with job pressures, debilitating stress, and even sexism and other forms of harassment with RealityEnsues-forms of consequences.
** Season 2 keeps the trend going, hitting you with some [[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop heavy-handed life lessons that scoff at typical children's media]], political jabs towards [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_capitalism late-stage capitalism]]... oh and [[spoiler: even a graphic (but [[CensorBox mercifully mostly censored]]) picture of a car crash victim's shown as part of a driving school course.]] And no, the art style does nothing to mitigate the gravitas of it all!

** Puko's status as TheScrappy might be due to this as well. To many people, she's a SpoiledBrat coasting on her parents' money and other, more responsible people's effort. But in Japanese culture where honor is paramount, failure and losing face can drive someone to suicide, and that getting paid to do nothing is considered dishonorable and insulting, Puko's attitude of acknowledging how she's coasting on other people's money can be seen as SelfDeprecation.

** Puko's status as TheScrappy might be due to this as well. To many people, she's a SpoiledBrat coasting on her parents' money and other, more responsible people's effort. But in Japanese culture where honor is paramount, failure and losing face can drive someone to suicide, and that getting paid to do nothing is considered dishonorable and insulting, Puko's attitude can be seen as SelfDeprecation

** "I'M COMING, SENPAI!!!" [[labelnote:Explaination]] Fans have joked and said that due to how his mood changes, some see Anai as a {{Tsundere}}, especially with Episode 6 of Season 2 where he goes from eccentric happy thanks to Kaebe and then borderline aloof to Retsuko when she thanks him for his hard work. The phrase has even become his fandom catchphrase! [[/labelnote]]

* EarWorm: The Office theme, complete with elevator dings and phone rings. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNovylNeE-A&list=PLWN9gi5AtVxwXOSBNMQc1m5jsHIihhS9m Enjoy a 1-hour loop of it]] while you work, and it never leaving your head. ''Forever.''

* NightmareFuel:
** Retsuko can be heard vomiting in her death metal voice, which can be a bit jarring for people unfamiliar with death metal.
** When Fenneko shows images from social media to Haida. He eventually gets creeped out and paranoid by her behavior and how often she uses it to check on everything. Fenneko then tells him if he thought that was bad, then he should stay off of social media since he isn't as familiar with it. It doesn't help that the way she said that made it sound threatening.
** Anai's [[CantTakeCriticism complete inability to take criticism]]. At first, he plays off this adorable facade of kindness... but the second someone, anyone (from Retsuko to ''Ton, the head of the department'') corrects him, he [[FreakOut becomes a completely different person]], sending them hostile emails with the intention of using anything they say as leverage against them! And he makes it clear that he's willing to do ''whatever it takes'' to get back at them in the name of petty revenge, going so far as to corner Retsuko in the archives room and force her to say something potentially incriminating while recording her. You wouldn't be blamed for assuming that he was going to do something even worse, like murder or rape her.
** After Haida fails to get through to him, we see Anai sitting on the floor of his apartment, hiding under a blanket and frantically typing another StronglyWordedLetter, muttering "Don't mess with me!" over and over through gnashed teeth like he's on the verge of GoingPostal. And that's how the episode ''ends!''
** One of the later episodes of Season 2 [[spoiler: has Retsuko becoming a student at a driving school to get her driver's license. One class lecture is dedicated to driver safety, with the students being shown a slideshow that contains graphic images of the aftermath of a car crash/accident. While we don't see the rest that Retsuko mentions after the lecture, we do see a photo showing a dead driver complete with a bloody cracked windshield, which makes her feel sick in the stomach.]]

** The fact that the entire office puts up with Anai's erratic, uncooperative behavior rather than firing him on the spot might confuse western viewers. For Japanese businesses, recent college grads are considered a valuable part of the labor force and management would likely side with them in a dispute to avoid them badmouthing them online and potentially give the company a bad reputation. This is why Retsuko is so hesitant about standing up to him and no one suggests reporting Anai's actions and texts: the most likely outcome is that ''they'd'' get fired rather than Anai.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Anai's habit of responding to every single perceived slight with a StronglyWordedLetter. While the abuse he dishes out onto Retsuko is particularly brutal, the eventual reveal this this is just something he does makes it hilariously petty, especially after Heida goes out of his way to talk to Anai in the gentlest, lest aggressive way possible... and ''still gets an angry email.'' Not to mention the CatharsisFactor when ''[[FatBastard Ton]]'' gets one too.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Anai's habit of responding to every single perceived slight with a StronglyWordedLetter. While the abuse he dishes out onto Retsuko is particularly brutal, the eventual reveal this this is just something he does makes it hilariously petty, especially after Heida goes out of his way to talk to Anai in the gentlest, lest aggressive way possible... and ''still gets an angry email.''

** Puko is a difficult character to like, as her easygoing lifestyle is predicated entirely on spending money that other people like Retsuko and her parents actually ''earn''. Even when her slacking eventually caught up with her in season two, she still finds ways to burden her friend, such as forcing her to move the contents of her headquarters up four flights of stairs because she was too cheap to hire movers.

** Anai's [[CantTakeCriticism complete inability to take criticism]]. At first, he plays off this adorable facade of kindness... but the second someone, anyone (from Retsuko to ''Ton, the head of the department'') corrects him, he [[FreakOut becomes a completely different person]], sending them hostile emails with the intention of using anything they say as leverage against them! And he makes it clear that he's willing to do ''whatever it takes'' to get back at them in the name of petty revenge. You wouldn't be blamed for assuming he's going to ''murder'' Retsuko (or [[RapeAsDrama worse]]) when he corners her in the archives room.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Anai's habit of responding to every single perceived slight with a StronglyWordedLetter. While the abuse he dishes out onto Retsuko is particularly brutal, the eventual reveal this this is just something he does makes it seem a lot less threatening.

** "I'M COMING, SENPAI!!!" [[labelnote:Explaination]] Fans have joked and said that due to how his mood changes, some see Anai as a {{Tsundere}}, especially with Episode 6 of Season 2 where he goes from eccentric happy thanks to Kaebe and then borderline aloof to Retsuko when she thanks him for his hardwork. The phrase has even become his fandom catchphrase! [[/labelnote]]

** After Haida fails to get through to him, we see Anai sitting on the floor of his apartment, frantically typing another StronglyWordedLetter, muttering "Don't mess with me!" over and over through gnashed teeth. And that's how the episode ''ends!''

** Puko is a difficult character to like, as her easygoing lifestyle is predicated entirely on spending money that other people like Retsuko and her parents actually ''earn''. Even when her slacking eventually catched up with her in season two, she still finds ways to burden her friend, such as forcing her to move the contents of her headquarters up four flights of stairs because she was too cheap to hire movers.
** Anai (at least per ValuesDissonance; see below). His habit of threatening literally anyone who criticizes him with blackmale is not only petty but frustratingly immature, especially since he only seems to respond positively to Kabae responding to his habits like he's an angry child.

** Anai, at least to American viewers (see ValuesDissonance). The shows tries to pass off his borderline criminal levels of abuse and blackmail over any imagined slight (including cornering Retsuko in the archives room and recording their conversation), as well as his outright refusal to do any work once the whole office becomes too scared to approach him, as cry for positive reinforcement from a nervous, paranoid young man, and that [[EasilyForgiven putting it all in the past]] once he [[HeelFaceTurn shows off his better side]] is perfectly reasonable. The fact that he only responds positively to Kabae's motherly approach makes him come off as a {{manchild}} who'll only cooperate with superiors who "mommy" him.

** The fact that the entire office puts up with Anai's erratic, uncooperative behavior rather than firing him on the spit might confuse western viewers. For Japanese businesses, recent college grads are considered a valuable part of the labor force and management would likely side with them in a dispute to avoid them badmouthing them online and potentially give the company a bad reputation. This is why Retsuko is so hesitant about standing up to him and no one suggests reporting Anai's actions and texts: the most likely outcome is that ''they'd'' get fired rather than Anai.

** Similarly, Ookami was confused to be a fox before it was confirmed he was a maned wolf.

* TheScrappy: Puko is a difficult character to like, as her easygoing lifestyle is predicated entirely on spending money that other people like Retsuko and her parents actually ''earn''. Season Two may [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap save her]] given that all of her slacking off catches up to her.

** [[spoiler: [[CantTakeCriticism Anai]]. At first, he plays off this adorable facade of kindness...but the ''minute'' someone (not just his coworkers, but even ''Ton, the head of the department'') corrects him, he goes into a FreakOut mode and sends people alerting messages that could potentially be used as leverage against them. YIKES!]]
*** This is more terrifying when [[spoiler: he and Retsuko confront each other in the Archives room, it's disturbing and comes off as like a borderline murder threat with how unnerving Anai is]].

** Anai. [[spoiler:The shows tries to portray him as a nervous, paranoid young man who needed positive reinforcement to loosen up and get along with. However, he blackmailed and harassed his coworkers to a near criminal level over any imagined slight, even angrily cornering Retsuko in the archives room at one point, and then proceeded to spend his work days slacking off since everyone was too scared to try and get him to his job. Many viewers were annoyed that everyone in the office just [[EasilyForgiven forgave him]] after his HeelFaceTurn without acknowledging previous treatment of them.]]

** Anai's behavior and actions towards his coworkers. [[spoiler:In the west, for the most part, if a new hire repeatedly sent their coworkers and superiors threats and ultimatums and acted erratic and uncooperative, then they would likely find themselves reported and quickly terminated. However, in Japanese businesses, recent college grads are considered a valuable part of the labor force and management would likely side with them in a dispute to avoid them badmouthing them online and potentially give the company a bad reputation. This is why no one suggests reporting Anai's actions and texts and why Retsuko's fantasies of telling him off would have been a firable offense.]]

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: While Puko does try to help her high-school friend through a tough time, her carefree, easy-going lifestyle depends entirely on her having rich parents to mooch off of and responsible people like Retsuko doing all of the work for her. Her best advice to Retsuko's financial struggles amounts to "move back in with your parents." To the show's target demographic of millennials, the first generation in recent history to earn ''less'' than their parents and as a result generally struggle with the most basic living necessities, Puko ends up coming off as a SpoiledBrat.
* ValuesDissonance: The series shows that sexual discrimination in the workplace is ''much'' different in Korea and Japan than in many western countries, as pointed out in [[https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17302544/netflix-aggretsuko-show-sanrio-character this article]].