At the beginning of this special, we see the final scene from the first season of Aggretsuko, where Haida confesses his feelings to Retsuko when he’s in the hospital. We see that Retsuko turns him down, saying she’s not ready for a relationship right now.

The special then skips ahead in time to right before Christmas. In the intervening time, Retsuko has started using Instagram to help get herself some validation, since she doesn’t really get this at work or in her private life. Tsunoda gives Retsuko tips and advice on how to be an “Instagram Girl.” Unfortunately, Retsuko becomes obsessed with Instagram, and Fenneko watches her closely. There’s a remark that Haida makes about them getting in trouble with Instagram for mentioning them so much, which I found to be rather amusing.

Christmas Eve is right around the corner, and Retsuko becomes obsessed with it, especially after Tsunoda says that’s an important day for “Instagram Girls.” Haida, meanwhile, wants to ask Retsuko out for Christmas Eve, but just can’t find the nerve to do it. Poor Haida.

While there’s more to the story, I don’t want to say any more in order to avoid providing any potential spoilers.

Overall, I found We Wish You a Metal Christmas to be an amusing Christmas special. It had its serious moments, especially when you realize that it’s tackling the subject of becoming addicted to social media. But the special had more of a focus on the comedic aspects that the Aggretsuko anime is known for. We even get to see Retsuko do a short metal song in the special, when she hits her breaking point with what’s happening to her in the special.

I also thought this was a great continuation from the first season of Aggretsuko, and it makes me look forward to when the second season of the anime premieres on Netflix in 2019. If this special is any indication of what the second season will be like, then I feel assured that the style of storytelling that I like for Aggretsuko will continue.

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