I’m not going to do a First Impressions on this, because it’s the same show with the pretty much the same cast as the last two Workings!!, all working in the same restaurant. The only difference is the stories and situations they find themselves over the particular few days of their lives the episode covers.
Working!! has been a favorite of mine and of RABUJOI in general for its earnestness, simplicity, and a quirky brand of comedy that gets better the more you know the characters. The show’s following of unusual people with unusual traits working in an otherwise normal, even generic family restaurant has been a winning formula, and I’m glad it’s back for a third season.
Working!! isn’t deep, and it’s not meant to be deep. Like the food served at Wagnaria, it’s simple, tasty, and comforting fare. Both the restaurant itself and its employees lends a distinct feeling of being welcomed home after a long hiatus (which included the run of Servant x Service, which may as well take place in the same setting. A crossover would also be fun.)
It hits all the familiar beats: Everyone is eccentric in one way or another. Takanashi likes small things and little girls, but not in the wrong way, and maintains his senpai-kohai relationship with Popura. The would-be romance between him and Inami remains obscure, but that’s not altogether surprising either.
Working!! is the kind of show that could probably go on far more than three seasons, whether or not it punched up the serialization level (such as having relationships grow and progress). It’s just got that kind of formula. And it never fails to surprise a couple of times a week, such as when Inami and Kirio find a housewife in the woods. As it’s developed its shorthand and gradually built up its dynamics and fully organized its quirks, the show has gotten better and more refined.
RABUJOI - An Anime Blog 