The hugely popular anime and manga "Cells at Work!" has been loved by a wide range of generations, from children to adults. One of the official spin-off works of "Cells at Work!", "Cells at Work! BLACK," will be adapted into an anime in 2021, coinciding with the second season of the main series, "Cells at Work!". The story features completely different characters and situations, set inside the body of a man working for a black company. In this article, we'll introduce the characters that appear in "Cells at Work! BLACK." Characters that don't appear in the main series, "Cells at Work!", will make for a fresh and different worldview to enjoy.
Character 1: Red Blood Cell AA2153 (Protagonist)
First, when discussing this work, it's essential to mention the protagonist, the red blood cell. There are many types of red blood cells, each with a different number, but the protagonist's number is "2153." He wears glasses and has a serious personality. A relatively new employee, he works hard every day, enduring complaints from terminal cells and angry yelling from his superiors. He has a distinctive ahoge poking out from his red hat. His red hair and red clothing are the same as those of the red blood cell in the main story.
Surviving a Stressful Environment
The protagonist, Red Blood Cell, works in a stressful environment. Working at a black company, he's already physically and mentally exhausted by stress, but the stress can lead to drinking, smoking, and sleep deprivation, creating a vicious cycle. Despite these circumstances, he continues to work hard, until one day he loses a close colleague and abandons his job for a while. After a series of events, he returns to work, and through these emotional changes, he also grows.
He actually receives a blood transfusion!?
In a shocking turn of events, in Chapter 2, the protagonist's red blood cells are transfused into another body! The heroine's white blood cells are also there, which is surprising, as we've never seen a transfusion before. However, this body is in a more difficult situation than ever before, and she faces even more challenges, such as caffeine addiction and diabetes. It's surprising that the cells are transfused into a different setting, but it's even more surprising that they're going from an already harsh environment to an even harsher one.
Character 2: White Blood Cell
Next up is White Blood Cell, the heroine of "Cells at Work! BLACK." In this work, White Blood Cell is depicted as a female character. She wears a hat with her name "White Blood Cell" written on it, has long hair, and hides one eye. She shares her white-skinned appearance with the original White Blood Cell, but she's unique in that she has large breasts so large that the buttons on her uniform won't fasten. Many fans are captivated by White Blood Cell's sexiness, especially in battle scenes. This work also highlights White Blood Cell's beautiful beauty!
A cool beauty with a crush on Red Blood Cell
White Blood Cell is a beautiful, cool-beautiful heroine. He calls the main character, Red Blood Cell, "rookie" and has a kind personality, sometimes encouraging and sometimes protecting him. He also starts calling the main character "Red Blood Cell" halfway through the story. He has extremely high combat abilities and fights using a Japanese sword as his main weapon. He continues to fight without caring if he gets covered in blood, which is similar to White Blood Cell in the main story. White Blood Cell also likes Red Blood Cell, and is often depicted blushing and smiling. There is also a scene where he becomes jealous when he discovers that Red Blood Cell is getting on well with another girl.
She's Actually a Loving Older Sister
White Blood Cell is sexy, highly skilled, and a cool beauty. While she may seem perfect, she's actually just trying to stay cool in order to fulfill her mission. Apparently, she's actually a loving older sister. These are the author's words, but looking at her from that perspective, you can see her somewhat endearing side. Incidentally, Akane Shimizu, the author and original author of the "Cells at Work" series, commented that the white blood cell in "Black" is one of her favorite characters of all the manga she's read.
A Very Popular Character
In fact, she's the cute and beautiful heroine, a rare source of sex appeal, and a good match with the protagonist, making her the most popular character in "Cells at Work! BLACK." I'm really looking forward to seeing how the white blood cells will be portrayed in the anime!
Character 3: Hepatocytes
In this world, hepatocytes remove alcohol from red blood cells. In fact, in "Cells at Work! BLACK," the liver is a red-light district, and these hepatocytes are positioned like hostesses (!). This is truly a work aimed at adults. Hepatocytes, resembling a warm and sweet older sister, welcome the red blood cells seeking healing with a gentle smile. They're also as beautiful as the white blood cells, so it'll be interesting to see which one will be more popular once the anime starts.
They Take Pride in Their Work
Specifically, they break down alcohol. While they can be affected by the toxins in asadoaldehyde, hepatocytes take pride in their work and never lose their smile. It's clear that each and every cell works with a strong sense of professionalism. It all stems from a deteriorating work environment.
Character 4: Helper T Cells
Next, we'll introduce the "Helper T Cells." They act as commanders within the body. They detect invaders, formulate strategies based on the information, and issue orders to the Killer T Cells. Despite his strict nature, this awful work environment causes him to suffer from extreme fatigue.
In a Body Overwhelmed with Stress...
However, in a stressful workplace (within the body), Helper T Cells gradually lose the ability to make sound decisions. Ultimately, the policy shifted to eliminating anything even slightly suspected to be a bacterium, leading to an attack on the self-antigens. This resulted in the tragic outcome of being trapped by steroids.
Character 5: Killer T Cells
A muscular male character. The word "kill" is written on the chest of his uniform. Killer T Cells are responsible for eliminating foreign substances such as cancer cells, and operate under the orders of helper T cells.
By Order of Helper T Cells
In the stressful work environment described above, helper T cells lose the ability to make sound decisions and give incorrect orders to killer T cells. As a result, killer T cells attack hair follicles, causing alopecia areata.
Character ⑥ LDL
This is what's known as bad cholesterol. It dumps cholesterol into the bloodstream, causing arteriosclerosis. He's dressed in work clothes and sunglasses.
Character #7: Gonorrhea
This bacterium was introduced into the body through sexual intercourse between the host and the host. It possesses a powerful reproductive ability and the troubling trait of rapidly regenerating even after being attacked. Its sturdy cell wall armor made it difficult for even white blood cells to fight it.
What Happens in the End?
After a fierce battle by the protagonists and white blood cells, penicillin was used to stop the cell wall from regenerating, resulting in its demise.
[Cells at Work! BLACK] Character Summary!
This concludes our introduction to the characters appearing in "Cells at Work! BLACK." While a diverse cast of characters appears, each one is unique and charming. Compared to the original "Cells at Work!", the worldview is darker, with many characters featuring serious elements. Furthermore, the story focuses on the social issue of "black companies." I'm excited to see how these characters will play a key role in the anime.
