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 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 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 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 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 sourceHenriqueNeves
If the person who watched the normal version already has a body idea of all the constant challenges faced by our organism, and even in great conditions we already fear possible threats that can occur in the invisible of our body, the new version will make us fear a fear future and even more worrying.
This version is really fascinating. If the common subverts the logic of some anime conventions, HS Black subverts Hataraku Saibou himself. If in the normal version we have what would be close to a shounen, here it gets closer to a seinen. The story is sadder, the character design of the characters is already different, the anime pulls to shades of black, the scenarios are dirty and lifeless, that happy and cool soundtrack is almost entirely taken by a more funereal track, it is possible unt…
Read at the sourceKundentelefon
The best educational Anime! Not only for the human body ...
Hataraku Saibou was already a damn good Anime without neglecting the educational aspect. Every event is tied to one of the many complex functions the human body has. But there was always some restricting factor to it. It had to be accessible to the mainstream market and for children alike.
Code Black doesn't have those restrictions and instead focuses on the more adult oriented themes and harsh side effects of neglecting your physical needs. It may be a lot of fun to know how the body works, but it is more engaging to know why things don't work. Constantly seeing the hardships of cholesterol and nicotine in action gives a much different tone than the clean and friendly main series. But the excellent aspect of this Anime is not…
Read at the sourceGA-5365
It’s been 2 weeks now since the show ended. The finale episode of this series is supposed to be aired today had they followed the normal pacing of airing the anime (Episodes 3 and 4 were released simultaneously within the same week Ep. 2 was aired therefore hastening the series end date than scheduled).
This show is the direct opposite of the original series’ happy and light premise. This show showcases the different illnesses of the adult human body who is living an unhealthy lifestyle. Each episode will show you a specific illness and how it affects the body and the cells.
Now, let me explain my ratings for each aspect of the anime:
Story: 8
While it's nearly impossible to find a plot for this show, the show made sure to arrange each illness in each episode according to intensity. Fo…
Read at the sourceValinis
Not a whole lot to say about this one. If you enjoyed the regular Hataraku Saibou you'll most likely enjoy this one as well. Follows much the same premise though focuses more on how bad habits can negatively affect the body. It remains a fairly interesting and informative insight into the human physiology. The main cast are essentially genderbent from the original which is an interesting touch.
I did however find myself a little bored towards the end and didn't really care too much about the characters, but in fairness the setting kind of makes characters difficult to really get attached to.
Read at the sourceSanaeK10
If the original series can be described as "Look at all these cute cells working hard for your body!", Hataraku Saibou Black is "You're gonna die and it's ALL YOUR FAULT". Like the original series, BLACK is an edutainment series focused on body health, albeit for an unhealthy body, contextualized as terrible working conditions for the cells at work.
BLACK complements the original series so well, it eclipses even OG Hataraku's sequel in terms of a continuation to the original series. While there is some minor repetition in the beginning with the cell functions or viruses, or overlaps with Hataraku S2's content, it is still fascinating to see the consistencies and changes across both series. Virus and germ depictions are generally the same, but instead of being harmless villains (with a hi…
Read at the sourceren0080
The story of Black is unique, but the plot itself is nothing new. It's about a story of the cells that work in a harsh environment. Take out the cell part and it's about the same as other stories. But because they are cells, it makes them more unique.
The characters of Black is great. Some of the side characters follow their own archetypes, but it is the result of the Black environment, that's why it is realistic in a way. AC1677 is the Best Boy out of everyone and is probably the most realistic and "human" in the series. He develops as a character alongside AA2153, who is a great protagonist on his own.
The rest of the cast is great and memorable, but some of the cells are very underused.
The animation is okay. It is decent and flows enough from scene to scene, even better than Hataraku…
Read at the sourceShinodaChan
Oi, what are you doing reading this review? GET BACK TO WORK! YOU THINK LOUNGING IS GOOD FOR ANYTHING? WE'RE IN DYING BODIES, DAMN IT; EVERY SECOND COUNTS! WORK! FIGHT! HATARAKU, SAIBOU!
Going into this review, I asked myself: "What does Code Black do that sets it apart from the original Cells at Work?". The first thing that came to mind was the huge tone shift, but the second might not be what you would expect: The difference in narrative quality.
The original Cells at Work suffers from loose continuity, a lack of stakes (some serious moments occur, but due to the original show's mood you know it'll always end with a happy ending), and next to no character development. It's primarily fluff, and while this can be appealing it doesn't do much to ground itself in reality. Contrast this wi…
Read at the sourceYeeYeeAss
Hell yeah
Do you suffer from depression or do you want to fix your body? Well this is for you. Since you get to realize how much shit is going on in your body
Story: Unlike the original Cells at Work this is depressing. This tackles more depressing things just as alcoholism, excessive smoking, liver failure, heart attack and more. It is just a fun and depressing watch
Characters: Characters are pretty well done. Of course the waifu in this season is the white blood cell. Our main character himself is a hard worker which is respectable since the body is total shit
Music: OSt is good and the opening and ending both are good but kinda unfitting for the show
If you like Cells At Work or depression then this is for you
Read at the sourceBerm
Cells at Work: Code Black is the surprise of the season. Too be honest, I was not expecting this to be that good, if good at all. The trailers didn't make the show seem very interesting to be honest, but I'm glad my expectations have been subverted.
Code Black is a stark contrast to the original Cells at Work series; taking place is an unhealthy body, the cells struggle to keep the human alive. This allows for the series to explore more darker themes, and allows for situations that the original series wouldn't be able to do.
The characters in this show are quite interesting, as we get to see how each of them decides to act in the event of this crisis. Some cells slack off, some cells work their asses off, some cells live happily in the dying body, others give in and indulge in nihilism.…
Read at the sourcedebochca
What happens when you put something as wholesome as Cells at Work with addictions and bad habits in a blender? Well, Cells at Work Black is what you get.
Cells at Work Black is an anime that I refused to watch in a beginning. I thought it was going to be a blunder. When I first saw it would come out, I thought that it was going to be the same but with reversed roles. How wrong I was! If some people disliked Cells at Work because of the lack of characters as such, with this one there shouldn’t be many complaints.
The story is Cells at Work but with a body of an stressed adult that smokes, drinks a lot and doesn’t have not one good habit. In consequence, everything is destroyed: the blood vessels are a mess, the defenses are pretty mediocre and the body is exposed to a big lot of germs and…
Read at the sourceSnapshot426
I think me watching a show about the human body and all the things that can go wrong with it while in the middle of a global pandemic probably wasn’t the smartest thing but I don’t think it really matters too much. I was looking forward to this series regardless since it essentially was the darker version of Cells at Work and Cells at Work season one was a solid anime back in 2018. But let’s not talk about its parent series and focus on the one right in front of us. A series that doesn’t require you to watch its parent series to jump in as it is essentially a new body with new characters and new and bad problems. Many, many, many bad problems.
Sit back, relax and make sure you manage your drinking and smoking habits as you get plenty of exercise as I present to you the anime review for C…
Read at the sourceKANLen09
P.S. This review is a follow-up to Season 2 of the main series. If you haven't glanced at that one yet, I suggest you do so, otherwise...continue on.
Oh golly god, Hataraku Saibou. As if Season 2 will nap the surprise bin out of a stacked Winter 2021, the REAL surprise draw lies in the myriad adaptation of the spin-off: Code Black, a complete contrast with darker story undertones, whilst still delivering the same Cells formula that was established with the main series. And yet, as gruelsome as Code Black can be, I'd argue that it's far more engaging with the grotesque vibe and none of that bright and colorful visuals that instead, are traded with the nuance of an unhealthy body. And to think that we have several mangakas (in this case for Code Black: Shigemitsu Harada) to thank for in the…
Read at the source