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I love a bit of mecha and that’s why I wanted to give my thoughts on the giant robot anime that’s been making the rounds on the Internet lately. I am, of course, referring to the Bullbuster.
Is there anything else?
Just kidding (Check out Bang Brave Bang Braven!), I think 2023’s Bullbuster unfortunately flew under the radar in a season and year full of great anime. It’s a show for adults but it’s not meant to be sarcastic or edgy. Rather, it’s more of an anime about salarymen with mecha, in the process making the argument for ethical companies as opposed to greedy corporations and cowardly capitalism , plundered them.
Plot: Okino Tetsurou is a mechanical designer assigned to work for a small company called Namidome Industries. He’s a big fan of giant robot anime, and his latest creation, Bullbuster, was created to showcase that aesthetic while also being useful for pest control. However, he soon discovers that “pest control” is a euphemism for large monsters roaming around, and he learns that Namidome Industries was actually founded to exterminate these creatures so that Displaced people can return home. However, there are more obstacles than simply slaying monsters—like actually keeping the business afloat.
The Bullbuster is cut from a fabric similar to that of Patlabor and Dai-Guard. While it doesn’t get into the deep philosophy of the Patlabor movies, Bullbuster features an environment of regular people doing routine jobs that just happen to involve giant robots. In reality, the machines are less attractive than either of the aforementioned vehicles, and they often appear as multiple vehicles with robotic aesthetics added to them. That has its own appeal.
Actually, there’s an even older work that comes to mind: The Unchallengeable Trider G7, a series about a boy who owns his own company and his own super robot. At the beginning, the singer (Taira Isao) asked: “Do we fight to protect our company funds?” He then immediately answered his own question: “NO! We fight to protect the Earth!” Bullbuster faces a similar situation, only the heroes are not an extremely rich kid with almost unlimited money like in Trider G7, but adults who have to solve problems like budget, getting local support and other unappealing things. In the process, it becomes a David vs. Goliath pits Namidome Industries against the mega-corporation, a threat that comes not only from their size but also from their prioritization of profits above all else. One thing I find notable is that while there were times when the big corporation might have had just a few bad apples, it became increasingly clear that the rot was truly deep-rooted.
Bullbuster’s main fault is that it doesn’t look very good. Nothing about the visuals whether static or moving is anything to write home about, and the CG used for the monsters looks a decade or more out of date. Even for someone like me who doesn’t care too much about “animation quality,” I think that would hinder the movie.
Ultimately, what tells me that Bullbuster has an adult perspective isn’t just a matter of scene business or lack of teen tropes. Rather, it’s because whatever hopeful message the anime conveys is inevitably tinged with a touch of cynicism that can only come from the wear and tear of entering the “real world.” Even when problems are resolved and people are held accountable, often those truly responsible for the harm caused are protected by power and privilege. However, I respect Bullbuster for telling us not to give up.
PS: The opening singer is NORISTRY, and he’s actually an utaite, or amateur/semi-professional online singer. If you like this song, he streams it online and releases covers quite often.