Inside the unusual world of Wagnaria's eccentric restaurant staff
In short: What happens when a family restaurant is staffed by a katana-wielding chief of staff, an androphobic waitress, and a manager who refuses to work? Karino Takatsu's manga explores the chaotic daily lives of these peculiar employees and their strange workplace dynamics.
Originally appearing as a webcomic titled Web-ban Working!!, the series was later serialized in Square Enix's Young Gangan magazine from January 2005 until November 2014. The story focuses on the Wagnaria family restaurant chain, specifically the activities of its highly unconventional staff members.
The central character, 16-year-old Sōta, navigates a workplace filled with eccentricities. He works alongside Popura Taneshima, a 17-year-old high school student who is often mistaken for being younger than she is, and Mahiru, a 17-year-old with androphobia who reacts to approaching men with physical force. The restaurant's leadership is equally unconventional: Kyōko Shirafuji, the manager, maintains an apathetic attitude and prefers eating food over performing actual work, while 20-year-old chief of staff Yachiyo Todoroki famously carries a katana crafted by her blacksmith parents.
The complexity of the staff's lives extends to their families and personal histories. Sōta deals with the influence of his four sisters, including the 31-year-old lawyer Kazue and the 12-year-old elementary student Nazuna. Even the restaurant's founder, Otoo, is defined by a personal quest to find his wife, who is wandering Japan due to a poor sense of direction. This blend of slice-of-life comedy and character-driven drama has seen multiple adaptations, including three seasons of anime produced by A-1 Pictures and several drama CDs.
The series' reach has extended into North America, where the first two anime seasons were licensed by NIS America and the third season by Aniplex of America.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Working!!
- Also: Wikidata — Working!! · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Working!! · CC0
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