Out of all the Christmas specials in anime, Aggretsuko's We Wish You a Metal Christmas is the best. There have been countless Christmas specials featuring fans' favorite anime characters. There have been wholesome takes on the holiday like in Komi Can't Communicate. There have also been humorous takes on the holiday with Hetalia: Axis Powers. Even Sword Art Online has gotten into the spirit by pitting Kirito against a Santa-like creature named Nicholas the Renegade. However, none have been able to come close to the magical Christmas special following a death metal-loving red panda.
Aggretsuko is a Netflix series from Sanrio created by Rarecho that follows a red panda named Retsuko. She's an ant that's constantly under stress from her boss Ton. However, she lives a secret life where she blasts death metal at a karaoke bar to vent her frustrations and the burnout she endures throughout Aggresuko. During the first season though, she managed to find happiness in a relationship with another red panda named Resasuke. However, her new romance forces her to bottle up her emotions until she can't take them anymore. When she realizes that Resasuke is indifferent to her emotions though, she breaks things off. For many fans, this would feel like a conclusion to the show's first season that wouldn't impact much, but it actually carries over into a phenomenal Christmas story.
We Wish You a Metal Christmas is a 2018 special that takes place between seasons one and two. It picks up not too long after Retsuko and Resasuke broke up, with Retsuko developing an addiction to Instagram. With the help of Tsunoda, the office's resident social media expert, she's obsessed with finding the perfect picture that will generate likes. However, her new love for the platform has led to her forgetting about making plans for Christmas Eve and attempting to fake something nice to continue seeking validation. However, a sweet moment near the end with Gori and Washimi and a walk home with her coworker Haida help her realize that smaller moments with friends can be more meaningful than a post "liked" by strangers. The special is decorated in Christmas imagery everywhere, making it a joyous episode to watch. However, it's how the special connects to Retsuko's development that makes it one of the show's best stories.
Retsuko's Instagram Obsession Makes Perfect Sense
What's fascinating about this Aggretsuko Christmas story is Retsuko's supposedly sudden love for Instagram. This is an entirely new trait that was never mentioned throughout the show's first season. However, it doesn't come out of nowhere. The previous season of the show ended with Retsuko's heartbroken, even if she's the one that ended her relationship with Resasuke. She believed that he was her dream boy. She was so infatuated with him that it clouded her from the parts of their romance that showed they weren't compatible at all. Now that she's single again she feels empty. Instead, she finds joy in the love of strangers online. This episode is key to showing the transition between Retsuko at the end of season one and the beginning of season two, and it's carried out through the lens of the Christmas season to make it a modern Christmas classic.
We Wish You a Metal Christmas is currently available to watch on Netflix, but it has its own streaming page separate from the main show. For fans of the series, it's important to know that this must be viewed following the first season's finale. It cannot be skipped before jumping to season two as it provides important character development for Retsuko. There have undoubtedly been great anime Christmas specials over the years that fans have treasured, but Aggretsuko's take on the season is the best-of-the-best.
Watch Aggretsuko: We Wish You a Metal Christmas now on Netflix!
