Cells at Work: Code Black (2021)

**PictureGuy** · 07-04-2025 04:58 PM

Here we go with a third season of one of the most inventive educational anime series. Full of factual biological and medical information, Cells at Work: Code Black seeks to continue its informative mission. Only by now the premise seems to be losing its freshness. So how does Cells at Work: Code Black shake things up? By bringing us to a new body with new characters.

This time the story is set in the body of an older male who hasn’t exactly been leading a healthy lifestyle. He smokes and drinks to access, added to tension and a lack of sleep. Also, the gender roles are reversed. Now all the red blood cells are male, and the white blood cells are large breasted females who are about to burst out of their uniform shirts. (Spoiler: They don’t.)

The new dangers faced by our new characters range from venereal disease to clogged arteries, and more. We see things through the eyes of Red Blood Cell AA-2153. Our hero is a rookie who is ill-prepared in dealing with these crises and begins to crack under pressure. But around episode 3, AA-2153 begins to gain confidence, and eventually becomes an inspiration to others. But the job still has its pressures, and he begins to lose it after one of the main supporting characters dies.

The one drawback for me was what I considered an overuse of stills. That might not make any difference to many anime views, but I just hate stills.

Cells at Work: Code Black lacks the freshness of season 1, but by being a bit darker it did keep my interest. The post-credit ending of the last of the 13 episodes hints at a second season in which AA-2153’s working conditions may grow worse. I do have enough interest to see where the creators plan to take the series – if there is a next season. The series was released in 2021, and there seems to be no word on any continuation.