Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Silent_Seinen_
Hataraku Saibou Black is the darker, more serious version of the Cells at Work universe.
While the original series presented the human body in a fun and educational way, Black shows a body that’s worn down by smoking, alcohol, stress, and lack of sleep.
Strengths
1) A bold idea and a different approach
Shifting from a light, educational tone to something darker and more realistic was a smart move. The anime successfully portrays the body as a real battlefield caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices. This gives it a stronger psychological and social impact compared to the original series.
2) Atmosphere and visual identity
The darker color palette, dim lighting, and the way the “sick body” is designed visually all serve the concept really well. There’s a constant feeling of exhaustion and p…
Read at the sourcemaya_kotori
This honestly had me thinking “like what the hell” in the best way possible. I’ve definitely seen better anime, but this one wasn’t bad at all :33 It’s fun, educational in the weirdest way, and surprisingly adorable. Sometimes it did feel a bit rushed, but even then, it still managed to keep its charm. And let’s be real… those two characters absolutely belong together. Don’t even try to deny it. If you’ve seen the show, you know exactly who I’m talking about XD The chemistry is there, the dynamic is there, the vibes are there, it’s basically canon in my heart. Also, the fact that another series was supposed to come out in 2021 had me so excited. I really, really hope it actually releases because I’m looking forward to it owo The world inside the human body has never been this entertaining,…
Read at the sourceReddington_BL
[color=green][size=130]As soon as you start watching the first episode after having seen the OG CAW, you can see there is a difference in animation. Initially, I was bothered by this. However, as episode 1 progressed, I realized why they made the change and agreed with it.
In the original, there were only male WBCs. Right away we're introduced to a female WBC and..of course..she is overly sexualized with insanely large breasts. In fact, all of the WBC were female and had the same breast size. Was it nice to look at? am I in love with them? Yes, but it still felt weird that, for no real reason, their breasts were unnaturally large.
I looked up some information. I understand Code Black is a spin off by a different person, and that the intent is to differentiate it. Considering the original…
Read at the sourceinfinitecheese
The main thesis of Cells at Work as a series has always been "take care of your body." But while the main series takes a motivational, lighthearted approach by showing tons of lovable characters going about their jobs as if to say "look how hard they're working! Don't you want them to be happy? Don't disappoint the cute little platelets, work hard and take care of yourself!!", Cells at Work Black takes a darker, more cynical approach.
In Cells at Work Black, we see the conditions inside an overworked man who does not take care of his body. Every character is jaded, and the question of "what's the point of even going on?" is raised each episode, representing the severe decline in health that comes along with poor lifestyle choices.
Seeing the heavily fanserviced white blood cells, I was…
Read at the sourceNkalaB
This is a darker twist on the original Cells at Work series. If the original series had the body working at its best capacity and all the cells are working at their best pace....then the Code Black edition shows what and how the cells have to adapt to situations whereby the body has constant issues.
The red and white cells have changed genders, but it still relates to the context of the show. This time around, the value of oxygen is beaten down upon the viewer to show that red blood cells have a high value to the body. Thus, showing how to take care of your body is of high importance to ensure that every cell is optimised well to work for a longer time.
The liver, the stomach and even the killer T-Cells by the hair follicles are having a high effort to work and really need support to be…
Read at the sourceRosie96
A darker hard hitting spin on the Cells at Work! while Cells At Work focuses on a healthy body, Code Black trades the light-hearted educational tone for a sobering look at what happens inside an unhealthy body. It blends medical knowledge with intense action, showing the consequences of smoking, stress, alcohol, and poor diet in a way that feels both entertaining and informative. While not always subtle, it’s an eye-opening anime that makes you appreciate how fragile and resilient the human body can be. Fans of science-driven series or darker reimagining's will likely find it both gripping and educational.
The story follows Red and White Blood Cell as they navigate the chaos of a failing body. The pacing balances medical explanations with action, ensuring viewers learn while still being e…
Read at the sourceuchu_no_otaku
Man… this one caught me off guard.
I went into Hataraku Saibou Black thinking it would just be a darker spin-off of the original Cells at Work, but it turned out to be way more intense than I expected—in the best way. While the OG series had this upbeat, educational charm, Black hits differently. It still teaches you a lot about the human body, but it does so in a way that feels heavier, more real, and honestly a bit brutal at times.
What really impressed me was how it managed to stay accurate. It still walks you through biological processes and conditions, but this time it’s through the lens of a body that’s… basically falling apart from abuse. Smoking, drinking, overwork, stress—yeah, all the stuff we kinda ignore until it's too late. The show doesn’t shy away from how much damage that…
Read at the sourceblackbunshin
Never drinking alcohol or skipping leg day ever again lol
Compared to the original anime, this one is less fun and more information (and tragedy). Clearly targeted to an older audience. not just because of the themes that include implicit sexual activity, but also because the cientific language is a lot more complex (I watched the sub version). Oh, yeah and the fanservice. Who would've thought you could sexualize a cell? Still, this anime shows what realistic body positivity is about and amazes you with all the things your body does for you, regardless of how you treat it. Really good if you're struggling with depression and self-depracating thoughts and GREAT if you need a motivation to drop bad habits.
On the downside, the characters aren't really interesting. The background character…
Read at the sourceMx_Human
If you treat this a stand alone it’s great, I even like it more then the source material (Cells at work) in terms of storytelling at some point and information given albeit by a narrator for the details. I can see why it ended on a cliffhanger at the end, while it’s definitely a more about you vs your body it just beats the same depressive ideas over and over again (like a heart beat one might say) and at some points it switches gears from serious stressed out moments to realistic interpretations of what the host would go through in a [spoiler redacted] situation instead of being about cells in this particular host. I don’t recommend watching this series and the original series around the same time, as they may share a concept but one handles it better (in my opinion)
Read at the sourcePaul-A-Bear
When I watched this anime, I was just doing it so I could complete the Cells At Work Series. I knew Cells at work code black was wayy wayy more messed up than the other cells at work and it really showed that with all these different types of crazy diseases, illnesses, infections and even critical body damage. If being honest, I did not really find it as interesting or appealing at the first few episodes and just watched it to get the anime over with. However, nearing the end of the anime things took a turn for the worse for this body and the things that happened to the cells during this really struck me emotionally. Funny huh? Crying for some cells in a body? But it was truly sad and I couldn't hold back the tears.
Let's get some rating out the way! Firstly, the story. Well completely th…
Read at the sourceRebelPanda
Through the overworked cells of a dying body, Cells at Work: Code Black tells to tell a relatable story about workers struggling to survive in a capitalist market.
Unlike the original Cells at Work, Code Black doesn't simply teach you about human biology with kid gloves. It rips off the gloves, grabs you by the neck, and yells at you to be better. Every episode is a PSA: Why smoking is unsafe, unprotected sex, why overconsumption of caffeine weakens your bodily functions, too much alcohol over-saturates your liver, fast food will develop plaque and clog your arteries, causing a heart attack. These cells share stories of suffering and trauma they've endured from maintaining an irresponsible body. Witnessing coworkers die from exhaustion, being berated by abusive bosses, and mental breakdow…
Read at the sourceEDOSHINRATENSEI
Workaholic cells.
Cells at Work is such a creative and amazing show. As a med student, the concepts in the show were all reviews, and there were even new materials that I can learn from. The first season surprised me, and now Code Black went even further with its creative ideas. There were more cells, regions, and most importantly more conditions. These conditions are actually quite complexed and although I found some inaccuracies, I still loved the brainpower behind it. I usually get bored when shows like Food Wars explaining the concept behind each decision. However, this is not the case for Cells at Work. The explanation was not super detailed but offered enough description that interested me. I’m pretty biased here.
The theme of this season is work work work work work. The intensity…
Read at the sourceMaiGalaxy
If you are new to the Cells at Work! series I'd recommend checking out the OG TV series as that should be your entry point, though, you could also just watch Code Black, but the two are very different beasts. The OG TV series focuses on the inside of a HEALTHY human body but Code Black is true to its name. Check out my review below for Code Black and my review for the OG TV series for the other one. Thankfully both anime explain stuff so you will most of the time, not be confused even if the same thing was covered in one it'll be covered in the other if its shown in both, though sadly Code Black doesn't explain every detail involving the human body that it depicts and or talks about but it covered most of it that it shows. With that, onto the review.
Welcome to the inside of an UNHEALTHY…
Read at the sourceEliMol
I really liked Cells at Work! I think the concept/story line had more potential than the original show. What I dislike the most about the show is the over-sexualization of the characters. It is all fanservice. Im not a big fan of the romantic tention either. I like how the cells are struggling to find a reason to continue fighting for a body that seems to have given up.
I think the story carries the show. I dont really like any of the characters. I still enjoy the show though. It really shows the importains of the red bloodcells. I would rather watch the "original" cells at work.
Read at the sourceStimkyFish
If you are expecting the same writers and story as the original show, that's not here.
The theme and art style is the same but that is about it. The show writes itself to be serious but shows some very frustrating moments and the main character is honestly so insufferable that it makes it hard to enjoy the series. It's still informative and it definitely has some great characters in it. Unfortunately, they are background characters. I will say, this show is great for sitting down and making fun of. I definitely yelled at the screen in fustration which was a first, but still entertaining. It is extremely heavy-handed on flashbacks, so that is something to keep in mind as well.
Read at the sourceWowWaldo
Cells at Work Code Black is a spin-off to the main series Cells at Work, but still has the premise of the cells dealing with the environment either healthy or unhealthy.
Unlike the original, Code Black focuses on when the body is unhealthy or dealing with various issues such as smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating habits, stress, and such so the situation is direr yet more compelling.
I say it's compelling since you want to find out how the cells survive or how they handle the situation. The art and animation are very good along with the sounds and music when they persevere or when the situation gets worse.
I enjoyed seeing Red Blood Cell's growth throughout the series along with his yellow-haired friend. Keeping a consistent work ethic is good, but resting is just as important. It did…
Read at the sourcePepsiisgood
If I could, I would give this anime a 9.5, because unlike the original series (Cells at Work!!), the story here is not only non-episodic, but has character development, logical thinking, emotion, and a great rather grotesque art-style. The original Cells at Work anime was rather boring only because there was a great thought out idea of drawing cells, bacteria, viruses as anime characters, but that's really all the story seemed to be, it was missing something that Cells at Work CODE BLACK has: the crisis and the drama. The series is incredibly well suited for this more horror-like genre with a dash of shonen thrown in. Unlike during it's predecessor in Code Black I felt more like I was watching a survival horror, the characters on screen were not just cells but people with feelings who do h…
Read at the sourceBayuPrana
This anime is my first Marathon Anime
Hataraku Saibo: Code Black is about the body that had a bad life-style such as smoking, eating irregular foods, lack of sleep, and other reasons, in this anime we can see the struggle of cells to keep your body alive.
Unlike Hataraku Saibo which is more geared towards children, Hataraku Saibo: Code Black is specifically for adults with a sensitive theme. like in episode 3 (no spoilers)
It makes an effect that makes us aware of the consequences of what we do every day, this really makes me realize about the health of my body, and there is a scene that is almost similar to me like I will not stop doing things that make my condition worse before I accept the consequences, it really pierces my feelings like this anime is talking about me
That's all I…
Read at the sourceSparklelily
This was a really great series. It had drama, storytelling, and story-building. About the setting, I was expecting the setting to feel like dark dystopian Gotham City or Panem from the Hunger Games. It felt more like an apocalyptic show or story like "War of the Worlds." Though, I enjoyed the apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, invasion literature feel to it.
And like the original it has biology facts. And unlike the original there was greater build-up, it made it more exciting, not prolonged. It definitely had more description.
I would describe the body, is probably the body of overworked model, gangster, overworked entrepreneur, or overworked factory worker. Would I recommend it okay for teenagers and above 18+? And about the age rating, I do not think its the most perverted or bloodiest sto…
Read at the sourceLenevalia
This anime was a wake up call that I probably needed a long time ago.
Cells at Work Code Black tells the story of a body trying its best to survive in spite of terrible conditions. Unfortunately this story is relatable and hits home for too many people, myself included. You're stressed out from external factors either at work or from family and friends, etc. and indulge in short-term fun that may not have great long-term consequences for your body. Your stress relieving methods in turn makes your body worse which causes you to turn to more stress relieving methods which again make your body function worse, and the cycle continues.
The series takes an unapologetic look at what happens when that cycle starts to get to the point of no return, the toll that fast food takes on your body, how…
Read at the source
