The episode highlights the "invisible labor" of office politics—the forced smiles, the strategic nodding, and the crushing weight of being "polite" to people you despise.

We see the stark contrast between how Director Ton treats Tsunoda (with favoritism) and Retsuko (as a literal "calendar" or errand girl).

Retsuko tries to take the high road, convinced that hard work will eventually be rewarded. However, seeing Tsunoda get away with doing zero work while she is buried under a mountain of spreadsheets pushes her to the brink.

Aggressive Retsuko (Aggretsuko) – Season 1, Episode 2: A Summary

Episode 2 solidifies the show’s relatable core: the unfairness of the workplace. It moves beyond the boss-employee conflict to show how peer-to-peer relationships and "playing the game" can be just as draining as the work itself.