Working!!/Wagnaria!!; A Heartwarming Comedy Drama

Working!! or Wagnaria!! is a workplace drama anime set in a family restaurant named Wagnaria. This is the type of show you want to watch just for a laid-back experience and a warm smile on your face. It has a colorful cast of characters, well-realized comedy and plenty of episodes to indulge in. Adapted from the four-panel comic strip manga series written and illustrated by Karino Takatsu in 2013, the series spans over 3 seasons and 40 episodes in total, bringing new shenanigans to the plate every day.

The Plot

The plot is kind of like “What goes around, comes around”. On top of that, one character is not out of the ripple effect of another character’s actions. Either it becomes a matter of concern or misunderstanding. Which does clear up in due time. New characters are introduced in each season and they also find new purpose in one way or another. The story isn’t serious nor written in a masterful way that’s gonna make us scratch our heads, but it’s lighthearted and okay enough to pull us back into the show again. The show does a wonderful job of delivering the drama. The characters and the hilarious events taking place certainly make this worthwhile to kill boredom.

This may be a comedy show but there are satisfying character developments. Each season starts with something fresh & a new promise and manages to tie up the loose ends before the end. They also bring aspects from the previous seasons, which makes this feel more alive and fulfilling.

The Characters

The characters are the main strong point of the series. Every character is unique and recognizable. At first, they may seem like typical anime character designs with boring personalities. But you can easily tell what type of character they are when you take a closer look. Everyone has different postures, facial expressions, body language, etc. Once you get to know them from just one episode, each of them becomes lovable for who they are. In time, you even began to root for them for what they want to accomplish. Some characters even become super annoying, which is the beauty of it because they are meant to annoy you. There’s the cook who is basically a Sanji clone, who is blond and a chain smoker. There’s a guy who is always scheming, one who is too lazy to work, one who is overly enthusiastic, one who lacks common sense, one who plays the straight man role whom I wish had more screen time, and others with individual quirks. The chemistry between the characters feels organic and the interactions are entertaining to watch.

Conclusion

Overall thought, Wagnaria!! is a great show. It has fun, crazy moments, with a dash of romance and cuteness. And it’s great for reachability as well. I myself have finished watching this three times over. It also has a spin-off anime named WWW.Working!!, which was aired after the first three seasons, but actually the predecessor to Wagnaria!!. Every time I watch it, it brings me a smile and a heartwarming welcome. I would choose nothing better to spend my downtime on other than Waganaria!!.