The appeal and reputation of Mecha☆Afro-kun: A thorough explanation of the unique characters and depth of the story

Mecha☆Afro-kun: A comedy anime depicting the office worker society of the near future

Overview

Mecha☆Afro-kun is an OVA released on September 3, 2010, based on the original work "Cyborg Salaryman Mecha☆Afro-kun" by Hanakuma Yusaku. It consists of 8 short episodes, 32 minutes each, and is distributed by Happinet(SB)(D). The animation is produced by KOCKA (Takahashi Sachiko, Kaneko Yurika, Oishi Wakana) and directed by the original author Hanakuma Yusaku.

■ Story

The story is set in the near future in Japan. A cutting-edge cyborg office worker, Mecha☆Afro-kun, joins a certain "company" as a new employee. He is a cyborg who doesn't even know his own principles of behavior, and has special abilities and superpowers that go beyond appearances. While living among human society, he spends his days feeling happy and sad about the complex and strange human habits and the harshness of the office worker's life. This anime is a comedy anime that depicts the heartwarming and heartfelt daily life of Mecha☆Afro-kun, as he cries, laughs, dies, and more.

■Explanation

New cyborg employee Mecha☆Afro-kun continues to cut through the absurd world of the office worker in a relaxed manner! This is an animated version of the relaxed, heartwarming, and slightly cynical episodes of the characters Afro and Hage, a subcultural manga artist by Hanakuma Yusaku, who are somehow soothing and good at drawing, in a company in the near future. The original work is the popular manga Cyborg Office Worker Mecha☆Afro-kun, serialized in the monthly magazine Da Capo (Magazine House). The main character is a cyborg office worker named Mecha Afro-kun, who is not human and therefore witnesses the sorrows of the office worker society more than anyone else. The mysterious characters who appear in the series, such as the stingy and sexually harassing section chief, the business-like department head, the cleaning robot Shirai-san, and Kuma, deliver intense gags that will shake the foundations of Japanese society after the collapse of the bubble economy. The original author, Yusaku Hanakuma, himself carefully selected episodes from his own work and created all the necessary illustrations. The film has been made with the same quality as the original.

■Cast

• Mecha Afro-kun: Yasuhi Nakamura
• Manager: Sakichi Sato
• Section Manager: Yoshiyuki Morishita
• Cleaning Robot Shirai: Yoji Tanaka
• Bear:???
• Narrator: Kanji Tsuda

■ Main staff

• Original work: "Cyborg Salaryman Mecha☆Afro-kun" by Yusaku Hanakuma (published by Magazine House/Gentosha Bunko)
• Director and scriptwriter: Hanakuma Yusaku
• Illustration: Hanakuma Yusaku
• Produced by: Image Rings
• Animation: KOCKA (Sachiko Takahashi, Yurika Kaneko, Wakana Oishi)
• Music: Scat Goto

■ Main Characters

• Mecha Afro-kun: A cyborg salaryman. No one knows the true motives behind his actions.
• Manager: Mecha☆Afro-kun's boss. Has a beard and likes to follow trends.
• Section Chief: Mecha☆Afro-kun's boss. Unpopular due to his vulgar personality. Dies often.
• Cleaning Robot Shirai-san: Mecha☆Afro-kun's colleague. A cleaning robot.

■ Related works

• Mecha☆Afro-kun Pilot Edition

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1: Working man (light work)
  • Lyricist: Makita Sports
  • Composer: Makita Sports
  • Performed by: Makita Class
• ED1: School Children's Anthem
  • Lyricist: Makitas
  • Composer: Makitas

■Detailed evaluation

Mecha☆Afro-kun is a comedy anime set in the near future in Japan, but it resonates deeply with viewers by depicting the absurdity of the office worker society and the complexities of human relationships. The original's amateurish style has been faithfully adapted into an anime, allowing viewers to experience its unique humor and healing powers. In particular, the setting in which Mecha☆Afro-kun's principles of behavior are unclear provides viewers with fresh surprises, making them look forward to what gags will pop up in each episode.

The character settings are also fascinating, and in addition to Mecha☆Afro-kun, there are a variety of unique characters, such as the stingy section chief who loves sexual harassment, the business-like department head, and the cleaning robot Shirai-san. The comedy woven by these characters not only makes the audience laugh, but also conveys deep messages by depicting social satire and the difficulties of human relationships.

In addition, the original author, Yusaku Hanakuma, is in charge of both direction and scriptwriting, bringing out the best in the worldview and characters of the original. The animation team at KOCKA, consisting of Sachiko Takahashi, Yurika Kaneko, and Wakana Oishi, also faithfully reproduced the amateurish style of the original, providing new surprises for viewers.

Music is also an important element, and Scat Goto's music enhances the atmosphere of the anime. In particular, the opening theme "Working Uncle (Light Work Version)" and the ending theme "School Children's Song" leave a strong impression on viewers and deepen the worldview of the anime.

■Recommendation details

Mecha☆Afro-kun is highly recommended for people who like comedy anime and want to laugh at the absurdity of the salaryman society. It is also recommended for people who like the original's amateurish style and fans of Hanakuma Yusaku. It is made up of 8 short episodes, so it can be enjoyed casually. Furthermore, the setting in near-future Japan and the comedy woven by the unique characters will provide viewers with new surprises and healing. Please try experiencing the world of Mecha☆Afro-kun at least once.

■ Additional information

Mecha☆Afro-kun is a popular manga based on the original Cyborg Salaryman Mecha☆Afro-kun, which was serialized in the monthly magazine Da Capo. The anime has been highly praised by fans of the original work for faithfully recreating the worldview and characters of the original work. It was also released as an OVA, so it can be viewed on DVD and Blu-ray. There is also a pilot episode of Mecha☆Afro-kun, so if you're interested, be sure to check it out.

Mecha☆Afro-kun is a comedy anime set in the near future in Japan, but it resonates deeply with viewers by depicting the absurdity of the office worker society and the complexities of human relationships. The original's amateurish style has been faithfully adapted into an anime, allowing viewers to experience its unique humor and healing powers. In particular, the setting in which Mecha☆Afro-kun's principles of behavior are unclear provides viewers with fresh surprises, making them look forward to what gags will pop up in each episode.

The character settings are also fascinating, and in addition to Mecha☆Afro-kun, there are a variety of unique characters, such as the stingy section chief who loves sexual harassment, the business-like department head, and the cleaning robot Shirai-san. The comedy woven by these characters not only makes the audience laugh, but also conveys deep messages by depicting social satire and the difficulties of human relationships.

In addition, the original author, Yusaku Hanakuma, is in charge of both direction and scriptwriting, bringing out the best in the worldview and characters of the original. The animation team at KOCKA, consisting of Sachiko Takahashi, Yurika Kaneko, and Wakana Oishi, also faithfully reproduced the amateurish style of the original, providing new surprises for viewers.

Music is also an important element, and Scat Goto's music enhances the atmosphere of the anime. In particular, the opening theme "Working Uncle (Light Work Version)" and the ending theme "School Children's Song" leave a strong impression on viewers and deepen the worldview of the anime.

Mecha☆Afro-kun is highly recommended for people who like comedy anime and want to laugh at the absurdity of the salaryman society. It is also recommended for people who like the original's amateurish style and fans of Hanakuma Yusaku. It is made up of 8 short episodes, so it can be enjoyed casually. Furthermore, the setting in near-future Japan and the comedy woven by the unique characters will provide viewers with new surprises and healing. Please try experiencing the world of Mecha☆Afro-kun at least once.