Retsuko, a 25-year-old anthropomorphic red panda with light orange facial fur, black eyes, brown limbs, and a striped tail, toils as an accountant at Carrier Man Trading Company. Outwardly timid and polite, she masks a simmering rage fueled by workplace frustrations, societal pressures, and casual sexism. This suppressed anger erupts in cathartic death metal karaoke sessions, where she transforms with corpse paint, jagged teeth, and the kanji for “rage” etched on her forehead.

Her life orbits a tight-knit circle: Fenneko, a sardonic fox coworker dissecting office absurdities, and mentors Gori and Washimi, who champion her self-expression. Familial ties strain under her mother’s relentless marriage-focused nagging, countered by her father’s quiet support revealed in later years. Romantic entanglements weave through Resasuke, an aloof boyfriend unfazed by her metal alter ego; Tadano, a visionary yet commitment-averse entrepreneur whose ideals clashed with her need for security; and Haida, a hyena colleague whose enduring affection weathered missteps, culminating in a marriage rooted in shared growth.

Her evolution from stifled office drone to self-assured advocate unfolds through failed escapes—entrepreneurial gambits, fleeting romances—and bolder leaps into political campaigns and confrontations with workplace corruption. The Christmas special *We Wish You a Metal Christmas* captures her struggle between social media obsession and familial bonds, pushing her to discard digital validation for real-world joy.

Influencers like Tsunoda, who schooled her in online personas, and Manaka, a bandmate from her OTMGirls interlude, sharpen her resilience. Career trials, from exposing corporate malfeasance to navigating leadership, forge her into a tenacious voice against complacency. By her final arcs, she balances marriage, family reconciliation, and a purpose untethered from societal scripts—no longer enduring life but commanding it.