Cells at Work! CODE BLACK

Alcohol, smoking, and stress—in the body subjected to these irritants, the cells responsible for maintaining life seem to fight a war that never ends. Due to a severe shortage of workers, Red Blood Cell AA2153 has to quickly learn to deliver oxygen and collect carbon dioxide, even in dangerous conditions. Meanwhile, White Blood Cell U-1196 has to do her part by dealing with germs and viruses during life-threatening situations. In the midst of these crises, they have to work together to keep the body healthy, despite not knowing if their sacrifices will be worthwhile. Cells at Work! Code Black takes a different approach by showing the grittier side of the jobs our cells perform.

Cells at Work! CODE BLACK (2021) is a Japanese anime series created for TOKYO MX, a seinen spinoff of the educational franchise adapted from manga. Narrated by Kenjiro Tsuda, it follows Red Blood Cell AA2153, voiced by Junya Enoki, who must learn to deliver oxygen and collect carbon dioxide in dangerous conditions after a severe staffing shortage. Alongside her, White Blood Cell U-1196, voiced by Yoko Hikasa, battles germs and viruses during life-threatening crises. Across a single season of thirteen episodes, each about twenty-four minutes long, the drama is built from concrete bodily emergencies triggered by alcohol, smoking, and chronic stress, with the cells forced to coordinate under constant pressure. The tone is gritty and somber, with an undercurrent of exhaustion and dread, yet it keeps the wonder of its anatomical premise. Its approach resembles a darker take on Cells at Work! as well as the survival-driven workplace feel of Attack on Titan, appealing to viewers who enjoy science-flavored anime with a sense of duty and sacrifice.

Audiences rate this spin-off positively, praising its gritty take on the body's cellular work and its sharper, more intense tone than the original.

• Cells at Work!anime with an educational premise, seinen tone, and personified workers in a bodily setting
• Attack on Titananimated action-adventure with a grounded war-like survival tone and ensemble of working characters
• Hataraku Maou-sama!animated comedy-drama about a life-sustaining system seen through characters doing their jobs under pressure

Release Date

2021-01-10

Episode runtime

24 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (118)

What is Cells at Work! CODE BLACK about?

Personified red and white blood cells struggle through a body ravaged by alcohol, smoking, and stress in a grittier spinoff of Cells at Work!.

What is Cells at Work! CODE BLACK like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cells at Work! CODE BLACK as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Cells at Work! CODE BLACK violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Cells at Work! CODE BLACK as mild.

What did critics think of Cells at Work! CODE BLACK?

Audiences rate this spin-off positively, praising its gritty take on the body's cellular work and its sharper, more intense tone than the original.

Which shows are like Cells at Work! CODE BLACK?

Shows with a similar feel include Cells at Work!, Attack on Titan, and Hataraku Maou-sama!.

How long is Cells at Work! CODE BLACK?

Cells at Work! CODE BLACK: 1 season, 13 episodes.

Is Cells at Work! CODE BLACK still running?

No, Cells at Work! CODE BLACK has ended.

Where can I watch Cells at Work! CODE BLACK?

In United States, Cells at Work! CODE BLACK streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads.