Working Buddies! is an anime about a cheerful orange tabby cat, Tapio Chatorazawa, and a rather pessimistic Russian blue, Kuehiko Roshihara, who live like human beings in an anthropomorphic world. The two cats study at the same college and work together on various part-time jobs throughout the city, in which they learn a series of life lessons along the way. Each episode is extremely short, coming in at just five minutes in length, which provides just enough time to give an overview of what they are up to each day and the tasks they must complete.
While Working Buddies! may not be targeted at an older audience, it manages to provide some interesting information about part-time work in Japan and will likely remain engaging for anyone who simply wants to see some cute cats. Tapio’s excitable nature, mixed with Kuehiko’s grouchy temperament, creates a few laughs along the way and will likely make them memorable characters despite the series’ lack of an overall plot line.
Working Buddies! Highlights Part-Time Work in Japan
While the titular working buddies Tapio and Kuehiko appear to be hard-working kitties (at least most of the time), they seemingly can't hold down a job. The pair take up a new occupation in each episode, allowing viewers to learn about the plethora of part-time employment opportunities available throughout Japan. Whether it’s acting as couriers for a delivery service, selling fresh croquettes at a convenience store or helping customers purchase clothes at an apparel outlet, this tabby and Russian blue put their whole heart into their work.
Tapio is a non-stop talker and will do everything in his power to help his colleagues and customers. The orange cat acts as the audience’s guide and helps explain what he and his buddy are doing for the day. Kuehiko, on the other hand, is more played down and the realist of the pair. While he won’t exactly try and get away with not working, he’s largely apathetic to the whole process and doesn’t feel it’s necessary to give all of his energy to a job. His cold and calculated approach often leads him to work efficiently, while Tapio’s excitable nature can sometimes make him clumsy and prone to mistakes.
The cats are often accompanied by a sensei (full-time employee) who teaches them the ins and outs of the profession they are currently occupying. Many of these characters are incredibly quirky and provide even greater comic relief, which is usually derived from their particular animal's nature and the tropes often associated with them.
In Episode 2 of Working Buddies!, “Convenience Store”, Tapio and Kuehiko’s boss is a civet who loves making coffee and going to the bathroom. This appears to be incredibly random at first; however, a little research reveals there is a type of coffee -- Kopi luwak -- that consists of partially digested coffee cherries that have been eaten and then defecated by the Asian palm civet.
However, one of Working Buddies!' strangest additions is the recurring appearance of a yellow koala, who often appears at the end of an episode to provide philosophical advice about life or work. As this character’s mystical background music plays, Tapio and Kuehiko are usually left perplexed and in a hilarious fashion, the koala is quite often ignored. The purpose behind this character is left largely unexplored, but the bizarre nature of these scenes becomes a bit of a highlight as the series progresses.
Is the Cat-Themed Anime Working Buddies! Worth a Watch?
It’s a little difficult to recommend Working Buddies! for the average anime fan. The series has no overall plot and, despite its sequence of humorous moments, very little takes place outside its characters' conversations and menial tasks. While Tapio and Kuehiko are compelling characters with their own individual quirks and interests, they are by no means in-depth studies that call for viewers to follow their story.
However, for those who are looking for a more relaxed viewing experience, a few laughs and a couple of cute cats, this might be the perfect find. The shortness of the show’s episodes makes it easy to watch and progress through at a rapid pace, in which its entire first series is only 45 minutes long. For anime fans just looking to have something on in the background or to chill out with at the end of a hard day's work, Working Buddies! certainly fits the bill.