It will be the end of a rage-filled era for Sanrio and Netflix. Over the weekend, Japan’s Tudum Livestream announced that the upcoming fifth season of Aggretsuko will be the last. The announcement also came with images, which can be viewed below.

For anybody wondering who this adorable red panda is, meet Retsuko! She’s a 25-year-old adult trying to survive the daily grind in a corporate world that doesn’t appreciate her. Her bosses don’t value her, her friends constantly tease her, and she can’t seem to find happiness no matter what she does! Her only way to let off steam is a dark secret, once in a while the meek adorable panda rents out a room at a local karaoke bar and belts out some of the most aggressive death metal you’ve ever seen!

When Life Gets Tough, Let It Out!

Aggretsuko
Aggretsuko

“Aggressive Retsuko” was born from the company Sanrio, who specializes in products with cute “kawaii” flavored mascots. The company is most well-known for Hello Kitty, but has a plethora of equally cute and endearing characters that have hugged and cuddled their way into the hearts of millions. But Retsuko stands out in a bit of a different way. While characters like Hello Kitty have a fairly equal balance of children and grown-up fans, Aggrestuko was developed and marketed more heavily towards an adult audience. With her corporate related struggles and ‘adulting’ related problems, she’s the face of many who are still trying to figure out their way through life. This made her an easy target for an original series.

What started as a 100-episode series of one-minute shorts in 2016 was quickly adapted into an original Netflix anime that premiered in 2018. Each season focuses on an all-new challenge for Retsuko to overcome. The show has previously tackled themes of love, breakups, standing up to your boss, finding a career that suits you, and even darker themes such as PTSD and company fraud. So, what will season five tackle? According to AnimeNewsNetwork, the season will focus on Retsuko running for office! Now, what kind of office she will be running for is currently a mystery. It could be a big political chair, or it could be for a smaller position in a lower government branch, or it could even be for an office in the company she works for!

A few hints can also be found in the very images themselves. First off, we see Haida (Retsuko’s on and off again love interest) hanging with a new skunk friend, perhaps a possible new love interest? We also see Manaka, Retsuko’s idol-leading friend who was introduced in season 3, who appears to be leading a team of muscle-bound “staff” of some kind. Then there’s Retsuko with… an older hyena? Could this be Haida’s parents? Or possibly some other figurehead? The older hyena’s underbite certainly give away some sort of relation to Retsuko’s former workmate, unless it’s a trait all hyenas have in this universe. And why is she blushing? Are things getting serious?

For now, all we can do is wait and keep theorizing until Aggretsuko Season 5 premieres on Netflix this February!