Profile: Aggretsuko

SHE is the epitome of cuteness but Hello Kitty has a new challenge to her popularity – an angry red panda that is becoming a symbol for downtrodden Japanese women.

In a country where politeness is key, the new character is capturing the underlying frustration of many people forced to bottle up their feelings under ever-increasing workloads.

While she is created by the same people behind the Hello Kitty phenomenon, Aggretsuko, which means aggressive rage girl, couldn’t be more different.

A lowly officer worker with a mean boss, she releases the frustration of the daily grind in night-time sessions at a karaoke bar where she slugs beer and belts out heavy metal numbers.

Her nights out only go so far in relieving the pressure, however, and during the day when her boss dumps more paperwork on her desk, anger often gets the better of her, making her face contort while the Japanese symbol for rage erupts on her forehead.

Her situation is one that many office workers, especially women, identify with. In a culture where girls particularly are taught from a young age to behave politely and act “properly”, Aggretsuko reflects their pent-up feelings.

IS THIS A PROBLEM?

THE popularity of the character also shows that people are beginning to recognise the issue of overwork in Japanese society. Last month the boss of the country’s most successful ad agency, Dentsu, was forced to resign after the suicide of 24-year-old worker Matsuri Takahashi who died on Christmas Day 2015 after complaining about extreme working hours.

As well as making her mark in Japan, Aggretsuko seems to be striking a chord with office workers around the world.

One-minute clips of her trials and tribulations have been surfacing on the web with English subtitles although the majority are still only available in Japan.

It is possible, however, that the little red panda could eventually overtake Hello Kitty in the popularity stakes although the character wasn’t initially seen as a huge money-spinner by Sanrio, her creators.

Aggretsuko was the result of a competition run by the company for its employees to come up with new characters.

Out of 24 designs, Aggretsuko was voted eighth but was developed as an anime or cartoon after becoming popular as a Line sticker. She made her debut last year on TV and quickly became a hit.

Her designer, who is known only as Yeti, said: “I observed office workers who are at the centre of Japan’s corporate culture and I could hear their heartfelt screams.

“Japan’s working environment often becomes an issue and I think there are many people who are enduring a lot of stress.”

WHAT DOES SHE DO?

AGGRETSUKO is what is called an office lady in Japan, which is basically a secretary.

Her biography states: “She ultimately has become a pushover within the company.”

Her one-minute Christmas special shows her looking at smooching couples and a Christmas tree before heading home alone to drink sake in her apartment.

She also has to deal on a daily basis with colleagues who include a hippo that is constantly showing photographs of her nephew and spits food when she speaks.

“I’ll quit one day anyway!!! This is not my fate!!” Aggretsuko mutters to herself.

Many Aggretsuko fans have been surprised to find she was created by the same people behind Hello Kitty, who made her debut way back in 1974. Cute and well-mannered, her character has been a hit around the globe and as well as being used to sell a huge range of stationery and fashion products, was also used in Japan in educational videos to teach children how to be polite.

Sanrio then created other cute characters like Lala and Kiki but their first really unconventional one made its debut in 2013. A lazy egg called Gudetama, it immediately became a hit with its catchphrases “seriously I can’t” and “meh”.

Depressed and negative, the runny egg is popular with the younger generation in Japan who identify with his low self-esteem and disillusionment.

WHY SUCH A HIT?

AGGRETSUKO has also managed to tap into the zeitgeist.

“Japanese girls suffer from a social structure where we are supposed to act properly,” said cross-dressing singer Charlie Shikazaki, who is employed as a researcher during the day.

“But many of us have two sides. They might look cute on the outside but can be aggressive inside. Sanrio shows this kind of girl quite well with Aggretsuko.”

She added that pressure to behave and look cute made her begin dressing as a man to sing in a band. She said it was “to express my feelings and emotions”.

Aggretsuko has managed to tap into these sentiments but whether she will be as big a money spinner as Hello Kitty is debatable.

The anthropomorphic white kitty cat with a red bow is now worth around £5 billion a year for Sanrio and she is also the main character at two Japanese theme parks.