Bullbuster Ep 8 Review: It’s Restructuring Time

November 30, 2023Episode Review,  Mecha Discussion,  ,  
With Namari issue being dealt with, we can shift our focus to the main issue at hand: the restoration of the Island. This episode deals with another facet of corporation management: the influence of the parent company towards its subsidiaries. It is a delicate dynamic that can benefit one or two sides – but usually, the parent company stands to gain the most. Furthermore, Tetsurou is slowly turning into a full-fledged employee that thinks about the company – albeit he’s still quite rough around the edges.

Just like Sabaton’s lyrics went, “the old ways must die”. Muto is a perfect representation of the headstrong gung-ho traditional way of “blasting through with sheer power and will”. That usually works well for most of the time in the past, but with the rapidly changing landscape of technology and culture, one must also change. Muto is extremely resistant to change, while Tetsurou constantly looks for the next new thing. The clash between generations is very apparent in almost any company, where the old hands are usually “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it”.” In contrast, the new minds are always “This new tech will surely benefit all of us”. But as always, new implementations will always be met with resistance. In this case, there are two types: a relatively new person who has sorta adapted to the usual routine of the company, resisting the abrupt new changes and a seasoned veteran objecting to a complete change in paradigm. Both are interesting to see and might change people’s perspective regarding workplace ethics.

We got another big wig from headquarters coming for an inspection. And this time, it looks like he’s a “proper” big wig. This guy really has that “CEO” vibe that is very friendly and charismatic, yet his calculations are beyond anyone’s imagination. You can see he was extremely easy-going and lenient, yet at times very sharp and analytic. Every word of his has a hidden meaning, and his decisions always have a string attached. Now, Namidome has received financial support, but in exchange, they may have to give up their brand and their entire operation. It’s not as simple as “renaming” themselves into Shiota, but that also means giving up their data and maybe even getting replaced for the entire operation. The CEO guy seems to have a different idea regarding the Beasts.

What bugs me is how they just void Namari’s redemption project so easily. They just went, “Well, we got money now. So can your project.” despite that, the thing Namari was pissing us off to work on as a “surprise” project. Basically, all those times he spent fiddling on his phone was for naught. Muto fighting in this episode was kinda hilarious as well, and it further shows how large the gap between generations is. The next episode might be more re-organized business, but with Arumi’s reaction, this might fall apart after all.

Aaron
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