Overview:

Retsuko’s life is full of monotony and endless work. However, one particular evening, alone at the office, she finds herself chased by a white rabbit. Stumbling on his way, Retsuko finds himself spiraling down the rabbit hole to a fantasy world filled with mysterious creatures.

Poor Retsuko explores this wonderland in a manic way as she enters a rat race, becomes a maid, joins a tea party, and plays golf with the Red-faced Monarch. Sadly, all Retsuko wants is to go home. However, she may have to face her anger before she can do this.

Our opinion :

Aggretsuko deep in the rabbit hole is the latest in a growing collection of comedic adaptations of the hit Netflix animated series. In fact, it came out at the same time as the Aggretsuko: Super Fun Special and in front Aggretsuko: out of the office. All of these new comic book titles are coming in time to get us excited for the fourth season of the original animated series which returns in December.

This standalone one-issue comic is a straightforward parody of Lewis Carrol’s classic fairy tale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Truth be told, there is a long and important history of Alice and Wonderland appearing in the comics. The public domain property exhibits a balanced approach to humor and whimsy, making it an ideal vessel for entertaining children. Much of the success of the comic book industry rests on the shoulders of Alice’s adaptations in the 50s and 60s.

Of course, this interpretation of wonderland has its own Aggretsuko– waistlines. The story manages to incorporate many themes from the animated series, turning Wonderland into a paperwork-themed nightmare. Additionally, Retsuko’s friends are scattered throughout the cosplay as adorable characters from the classic tale, such as Haida playing the Mad Hatter role.

The plot does well to take Alice’s adventures and make them Retsuko’s personal demons. Throughout the story, she is forced to confront her feelings about work, life, and relationships. This makes the surprise ending even more impactful.

Unfortunately, this book is moving way too fast. The elaborate plot of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland isn’t meant to squeeze into a single cartoon problem. Without an understanding of the source content, readers are sure to be at a loss as to what is going on. And even knowing the Wonderland tradition well, this comic was a challenge to read at the rate it moves.

Conceptually, it is one of the best Aggretsuko comics available in a growing collection. Although, in the execution, more detail, attention and paneling would have given this parody a more readable story. Either way, for Retsuko fans and his friends, this is a book that is always worth reading because it puts the beloved characters in a fun and recognizable setting.