Health Beyond the Blog: Cells at Work!

An Accurate Glimpse into how our Bodies Work

by Emily Kim

Imagine a world of cells. In Cells at Work!, a Japanese anime, anthropomorphized cells work together to keep the body healthy. Originally a manga, this series has been adapted into an anime and is available on Netflix.  In the first episode, the red blood cell named AE3803 is rescued from an unforeseen attack of pneumococcus bacteria by a white blood cell named U-1146. As the red blood cell goes on to start her first day of work, delivering packages, she starts her pursuit of an escaped bacteria within the human body. To her surprise, the red blood cell finds the hidden bacteria within her package and reunites with the white blood cell, which lures the bacteria to be sneezed out of the lungs. The other episodes feature the two protagonists, the red blood cell and the white blood cell, along with other cells that do their best to protect the body. 

Well-written and extremely detailed, Cells at Work! does an accurate job of portraying cellular functions, especially our immune systems, and how external and internal circumstances influence our body’s homeostasis. Not only is this series enjoyable to watch, but also educational to all age levels. Now available on Netflix, IMDB reviews Cells at Work! To be “a fun ride through the human body. With on-point humor, engaging action, and deep dives into the functions and workings of the various cells of the human body, you’d be hard-pressed to find a show that strikes the balance of informative entertaining like this one.” 

Start watching now on Netflix.