TV-Series
Description
"Africa Salaryman" is a comedic anime and manga series that blends workplace satire with anthropomorphic animal characters, set in a corporate environment. The story revolves around three main characters: Lion, a confident yet often clueless salaryman; Toucan, a scheming and manipulative colleague; and Lizard, a laid-back and easygoing employee. These characters navigate the absurdities and challenges of office life, often finding themselves in ridiculous situations that parody corporate culture.
The narrative unfolds in a fictional African savanna, where the characters work for a company called Jungle Soft Drink. The series humorously explores themes such as office politics, hierarchy, and the daily grind of corporate life, all through the lens of its animal protagonists. Lion, despite his bravado, frequently struggles with his lack of competence and often becomes the target of Toucan's schemes. Toucan, on the other hand, is portrayed as a cunning and opportunistic figure who manipulates situations to his advantage, often at Lion's expense. Lizard serves as a contrast to both, embodying a more relaxed and carefree attitude, which sometimes leads to unexpected outcomes.
Throughout the series, the characters engage in various workplace scenarios, including dealing with demanding bosses, navigating office romances, and participating in team-building exercises. The humor arises from the juxtaposition of animal traits with human behaviors, creating a unique and entertaining dynamic. For instance, Lion's pride and dominance often clash with the realities of his subordinate position, while Toucan's bird-like cunning is used to outmaneuver his colleagues.
The series also features recurring side characters, such as the stern and authoritative President, who embodies the typical corporate leader, and other animal employees who add depth to the office environment. The interactions between these characters highlight the absurdities and frustrations of corporate life, making "Africa Salaryman" a relatable yet exaggerated portrayal of the modern workplace.
Overall, "Africa Salaryman" uses its anthropomorphic premise to deliver a sharp and humorous critique of corporate culture, blending animal instincts with human workplace dynamics to create a distinctive and engaging narrative.
The narrative unfolds in a fictional African savanna, where the characters work for a company called Jungle Soft Drink. The series humorously explores themes such as office politics, hierarchy, and the daily grind of corporate life, all through the lens of its animal protagonists. Lion, despite his bravado, frequently struggles with his lack of competence and often becomes the target of Toucan's schemes. Toucan, on the other hand, is portrayed as a cunning and opportunistic figure who manipulates situations to his advantage, often at Lion's expense. Lizard serves as a contrast to both, embodying a more relaxed and carefree attitude, which sometimes leads to unexpected outcomes.
Throughout the series, the characters engage in various workplace scenarios, including dealing with demanding bosses, navigating office romances, and participating in team-building exercises. The humor arises from the juxtaposition of animal traits with human behaviors, creating a unique and entertaining dynamic. For instance, Lion's pride and dominance often clash with the realities of his subordinate position, while Toucan's bird-like cunning is used to outmaneuver his colleagues.
The series also features recurring side characters, such as the stern and authoritative President, who embodies the typical corporate leader, and other animal employees who add depth to the office environment. The interactions between these characters highlight the absurdities and frustrations of corporate life, making "Africa Salaryman" a relatable yet exaggerated portrayal of the modern workplace.
Overall, "Africa Salaryman" uses its anthropomorphic premise to deliver a sharp and humorous critique of corporate culture, blending animal instincts with human workplace dynamics to create a distinctive and engaging narrative.
Episodes
Staffel 1
1Africa no Sararīman
The episode introduces three animal coworkers navigating human corporate culture in Japan: Lion, a middle manager who is intimidating in appearance but mild-mannered; Toucan, a flamboyant and self-centered employee; and Lizard, who often serves as the straight man to Toucan's antics. The narrative is presented in a series of comedic segments, beginning with Lion's morning routine, which contrasts his fierce image with his domestic life and includes a fantasy sequence parodying a famous animated film. A central conflict arises when Toucan, whose car is being repaired, commutes via train with Lizard and is accused by a lioness high school student of inappropriate conduct. Lizard attempts to logically refute the plausibility of the accusation based on Toucan's known preferences, yet Toucan escapes the situation by detaching Lizard's tail as a distraction, establishing a recurring gag. In the office, Toucan's self-serving motivation is highlighted when he uses catnip to distract Lion and steal a prized ham that Lion had received as a gift. Lizard's own animal instincts conflict with his professional demeanor during a visit to a donut shop, where he is fixated on a fly, though he ultimately resists. The episode's latter half follows Toucan to a group dating event where he is paired with a pig, whom he believes to be the unattractive friend of a more desirable panda. The immediate consequence of this encounter reveals that the pig is actually the pet of the woman Toucan was interested in, leaving his pursuit of a wealthy partner unresolved and underscoring his obliviousness. Throughout these segments, Lizard's detachable tail is used multiple times as a physical escape mechanism, cementing it as a core character trait and a consequence of his association with Toucan. The episode establishes its premise of anthropomorphic animals experiencing the mundane and absurd aspects of Japanese working life through these interconnected short stories.
2Africa Corporate Drone
The episode presents three distinct narrative threads involving the main characters. Lion, motivated by health concerns revealed at a medical checkup, initiates a strict diet, which impacts his daily routine and interactions at the office. His personal life is further complicated by friction with his teenage daughter, who is rebelling against his parental authority. Simultaneously, Toucan deals with complications arising from his romantic life, as his multiple simultaneous relationships begin to conflict, creating personal stress. In a separate office scene, the coworkers engage in a discussion about the practical and economical repurposing of lightly used bathwater, highlighting their mundane workplace conversations. The episode's central plot is set in motion when the company's CEO, Turtle, announces a special assignment for the employees: an expedition to search for a rare cryptid. This corporate directive shifts the focus from their individual domestic and health issues to a shared, unconventional task. The announcement serves as a turning point, redirecting the characters' energies from their personal dilemmas toward a collective company mission. The immediate consequence is that Lion, Toucan, and Lizard must prepare to embark on this search, leaving their office environment for an external adventure. The episode concludes with the characters anticipating this change of scenery, which is intended to alleviate their current work-related stress.
3Africa Flower-Viewing Parties
The episode presents three concurrent storylines centered on the workplace and social pressures faced by the animal employees. Lizard's narrative is driven by a professional setback where he fails to amuse clients, motivating him to acquire a party trick to improve his business interactions. This quest leads him to seek advice from his colleagues, with the office's flower-viewing party serving as a potential venue for him to practice and learn new skills. Simultaneously, Toucan is given the specific task of reserving the company's desired spot for the flower-viewing event, a duty that carries its own set of challenges and bureaucratic complications. His efforts to secure the location form a separate thread of workplace logistics. The third plotline introduces a more somber tone, as Lion and Lizard are depicted mourning the loss of a coworker. This event provides a contrast to the other, more comedic pursuits, grounding the episode in the broader realities of office life that include both social obligations and personal loss. The episode interweaves these three distinct character-driven plots, exploring how each character responds to a different facet of their professional and personal environment. Lizard's motivation stems from a desire for professional competence and social acceptance, while Toucan's actions are defined by a direct order from superiors. The mourning storyline reveals the characters' capacity for genuine emotion in the face of an irreversible workplace event. The immediate consequences see the characters grappling with their respective situations: Lizard continues his search for social grace, Toucan contends with the outcome of his assignment, and Lion and Lizard process their grief. Through these parallel narratives, the episode examines themes of workplace social hierarchy, personal inadequacy, and communal loss within the animal office setting.
4アフリカのOL / アフリカの歯医者 / アフリカのゆるふわキャラ / アフリカのJK～ゆるふわキャラ見本市～
The episode is divided into multiple segments, each presenting a distinct scenario in the daily lives of the anthropomorphic office workers. The first segment follows Lion as he visits a dentist to address severe tooth pain, placing him in a vulnerable position outside his usual authoritative office role. His discomfort is compounded by the clinical setting and the dentist's procedures, highlighting the character's struggle to maintain composure in an unfamiliar environment. The narrative then shifts to a workplace assignment where the trio of Lion, Toucan, and Lizard is tasked with creating a new company mascot. To gather ideas and conduct research for this project, the coworkers reach out to their respective personal connections, consulting old friends for inspiration. This plot point serves to briefly expand the show's cast of characters as the protagonists interact with their contacts. A subsequent segment introduces high school girls who are involved in a mascot character trade fair, which ties into the overarching creative task faced by the main characters. The various storylines are connected thematically by the concept of mascots and character design, whether in a corporate or casual context. Throughout these scenarios, the characters' motivations are driven by immediate personal needs, such as Lion's relief from pain, or professional obligations, like the completion of a work project. The consequences within each segment are typically resolved by the end of their respective sketches, maintaining the series' episodic structure. The episode relies on the juxtaposition of ordinary office life and slice-of-life situations with the characters' inherent animal traits.
5Afurika no Shūkatsu
The episode centers on the company's thirty-sixth meeting focused on cost reduction, which includes board members such as Lion (referred to as Big Cat) and Lizard. Toucan is unable to attend this significant meeting due to an unfortunate accident that befalls him. His absence from the discussions on cutting expenses creates a notable gap in the proceedings. In preparation for upcoming recruitment efforts, the employees take time to recall and share their personal memories of joining the Africa Company. These reflections lead to a series of flashbacks detailing the individual entry stories of the main characters. The narrative delves into the specific motivations and circumstances that led each animal to become an office worker. Lion's initial days in the corporate world are contrasted with Lizard's reasons for seeking employment at the firm. Toucan's own origin story within the company is also explored, providing context for his usual role in such meetings. The accident that sidelines Toucan serves as a narrative catalyst for this retrospective on career beginnings. Consequently, the episode's structure juxtaposes the current corporate objective of cost-cutting with the foundational moments of the employees' professional lives. The immediate consequence of Toucan's mishap is not only his missed meeting but also the subsequent trip down memory lane for his colleagues. This dual focus allows for a deeper exploration of the characters' motivations as they prepare to evaluate future candidates.
6Episode 6
The episode primarily follows Toucan as he is entrusted with delivering work materials to a character referred to as Granny, establishing an initial task that drives his portion of the narrative. Concurrently, the anticipation surrounding the office's upcoming summer break is established, only to be immediately undercut by Lizard, who delivers news that all summer vacation plans have been cancelled. This cancellation introduces a conflict between the characters' personal desires and the demands of their workplace, altering the episode's tone. In response to the lost holiday, the employees of Africa Company find themselves burdened with a full summer workload. The situation within the office deteriorates further due to the actions of an unidentified individual who begins executing a series of malicious pranks on the staff. These pranks create a secondary conflict, shifting the focus from the lost vacation to the need to identify the culprit. Motivated by the disruption to his and his colleagues' work environment, Toucan decides to take matters into his own hands. His decision to pursue justice personally escalates the episode's central conflict, moving it from a passive grievance to an active investigation. The immediate consequence of this choice is that Toucan transitions from a victim of the pranks to an agent attempting to restore order within the office, though the outcome of his pursuit forms the crux of the episode's resolution.
7Episode 7
The episode begins with the lion CEO summoning the trio of lion, toucan, and lizard to inform them of a company trip to the beach as a reward for their labor. Each character exhibits their distinct personality in preparing for the journey; the toucan selects a flashy swimsuit, the lizard attempts to gather information on colleagues for networking purposes, and the lion focuses on work-related matters to maintain his composure. The employees subsequently board a company bus decorated with promotional posters, embarking on a journey meant for Hawaii. During the trip, the colleagues encounter a childhood friend of the toucan, whose demeanor appears untrustworthy to the others. The bus ride itself features typical company outing scenarios, including group singing and navigational errors attributed to the toucan's poor sense of direction. Upon arrival at the coastal destination, the group is met with a scenic sunset, but the atmosphere shifts with the onset of a sudden rainstorm. The employees are forced to crowd together for shelter under a small straw hut, where space is limited and chaos ensues as the toucan struggles to accommodate his large swimsuit. The lizard continues his networking efforts even amidst the storm, seeking potential clients among the trapped colleagues. A further complication arises when the group realizes they have forgotten to pack food, necessitating a nighttime search with flashlights to secure a meal. The episode concludes with the trio successfully finding sustenance and sharing a moment of camaraderie despite the preceding challenges.
8Africa Post-Vacation
The episode depicts the return of the lion, toucan, and lizard to their office duties following a vacation. The trio initially exchanges anecdotes about their time off before confronting the reality of their accumulated workload. A bison superior exacerbates the situation by assigning an urgent new project with a stringent deadline, adding to the pressure. Each character exhibits a distinct coping mechanism in response to the stress: the lion attempts to overpower the workload through sheer effort, the toucan struggles with concentration, and the lizard endeavors to integrate self-care into her routine. Concurrent subplots involve the toucan employing a ruse to extricate himself from an unfavorable date and the lizard voicing apprehension regarding a new employee. Frustrated by the state of the workplace, their manager procures a robotic vacuum cleaner. To further boost morale, he also organizes a company sports event. As the deadline approaches, the mounting pressure begins to impact their personal lives, with the lion neglecting his romantic partner, the toucan's social engagements diminishing, and the lizard experiencing guilt over her efforts to avoid exhaustion. Encountering various obstacles and setbacks, tensions among the three coworkers begin to rise. The narrative culminates in the trio recognizing the necessity of mutual support. By pooling their distinct strengths, they manage to complete the project, learning a lesson about teamwork and the importance of balancing professional demands with personal well-being.
9Africa Loan Sharks
The ninth episode presents two parallel narratives centered on financial desperation and social manipulation. Honeyguide, facing continued paycheck deductions by his seemingly immortal superior Ratel, finds his finances severely strained after funding a premature celebration of Ratel's assumed demise. Seeking a solution, he visits a loan office operated by Gnugnu, where he initially requests an exorbitant sum and vents his workplace frustrations. The lender responds not with a standard loan offer but with a sinister suggestion to take more permanent action against the troublesome boss, placing Honeyguide in a moral quandary. Concurrently, Caracal persuades Lion and Ratel to attend a group dating event, which quickly reveals itself to be a disorganized and fraudulent gathering. The speed-dating venue devolves into chaotic and random encounters for the three attendees, highlighting the absurdity of the situation. Throughout these events, the episode maintains its focus on the characters' motivations: Honeyguide's need for financial relief, and the others' pursuit of social connection, however ill-advised. The episode concludes with both plotlines reaching their endpoints; Honeyguide is left to grapple with the temptation presented to him, while the dating event dissolves without providing any meaningful connections for its participants.
10Africa Play-by-Play Commentator
The episode presents two primary narrative threads centered on workplace anxieties and personal ambition. The first storyline focuses on Crane, a new and seemingly timid employee in Lion, Lizard, and Toucan's department. After Crane makes an elementary mistake by emailing a client a message intended for his mother, Toucan attempts to instill basic business etiquette in him. Despite his quiet and reserved demeanor in the office, Crane harbors a secret aspiration to achieve fame as a YouTuber. The narrative follows him as he prepares to challenge himself with a livestream from his childhood bedroom, revealing a stark contrast between his professional and private personas. Simultaneously, the episode details the approach of the company's annual physical examinations. Lion's pronounced nervousness about the medical checkup causes a delay for all employees, highlighting a common workplace stressor. The episode illustrates how different characters cope with distinct pressures: the newcomer's struggle to balance corporate conformity with personal goals, and the veteran employee's anxiety over routine health evaluations. Crane's secret pursuit of online fame sets the stage for potential future conflicts, as his actions in his personal time could intersect with his professional life. The dual narratives serve to contrast the private fears and ambitions that employees manage beneath the surface of their daily office routines.
11アフリカのBBQ
The episode presents a Sunday company barbecue organized by the Turtle President for Africa Trading Company employees, intended as a team-building and social gathering. The protagonist animals engage in activities consistent with their established character traits during the preparations: Lion diligently handles the setup, the Turtle President uses cash to ignite the grill, and Lizard roasts insects, much to Toucan's dismay. The initial atmosphere is one of casual enjoyment as the coworkers partake in the leisure activity in their own ways. The turning point of the episode occurs with the sudden arrival of the Lethal Hamster, a character whose presence is consistently associated with chaos. This event dramatically shifts the narrative from a light-hearted company outing to a situation involving an unforeseen disaster. The motivation for the characters shifts from relaxation to survival or damage control as the 'unexpected tragedy' befalls the group. The synopsis implies that the characters' individualistic approaches to the barbecue are rendered irrelevant by the external threat posed by the Lethal Hamster. A direct consequence of this encounter is the disruption and likely destruction of the harmonious company event. The episode serves as a standalone comedic scenario that leverages the series' recurring theme of mundane office life being upended by absurd and violent animal instincts.
12Africa Salaryman
The series finale places Lion, Lizard, and Toucan in a high-stakes situation as they are tasked with securing a major project for their company. President Turtle施加 pressure on the trio by explicitly stating that failure to win the contract will result in their immediate dismissal. The project in question involves the development of a movie theater cafe concept, for which they have only one week to prepare. Their primary competition comes from Tiger and Leopard, former rivals of Lion who now work for a competing firm and do not hesitate to issue a declaration of war. Despite the intimidating circumstances, the three colleagues draw motivation from observing each other's dedicated work ethic as they collaborate on the presentation materials. Their preparation extends through the night, leading directly into the morning of the pitch. In a narrative turn that subverts his established character, Toucan acts with unexpected seriousness during the preparation phase, contributing meaningfully to the team's effort. However, his fundamental nature reasserts itself in a post-credits scene, where he misdelivers a crucial drink to a member of the competing company. The episode concludes with the ending theme playing in its entirety, providing a formal close to the series.
Cast
Comment(s)
Staff
- DirectorTetsuya Tatamitani
- ScriptYūichirō Momose
- Episode DirectorHee Kyu JangHyung-Il KimTetsuya Tatamitani
- Original creator
- Chief Animation DirectorTetsuya Tatamitani
- 3D DirectorShōta Sakamoto
- Director of PhotographyTetsuya Tatamitani
- ProducerKozue KananiwaMitsuhiro OgataHiromi InoueChiaki KurakaneKenichi TokumuraManabu Kimuramars
- Series CompositionYūichirō Momose
- StoryboardTetsuya Tatamitani
- MusicTako Yamaguchi
- Art DirectorTetsuya Tatamitani
- Animation DirectorByung Hee ChoiEun Joung JoungYeon Soon JeongHyo Jung AnHuma Ozadinlik
- Sound DirectorJunichi Inaba
- Executive producerShingo KuniedaDaiji HoriuchiYasuo SudaFumihiko ShinozakiYōko KogawaHaruki SatomiTakaaki Suzuki
Production
- ProductionMOVICSammyKadokawa Media HouseKadokawaPony CanyonBandai Namco Live CreativeANIMA&CO.Anima
- Animation ProductionHOTZIPANG
Relations
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