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Hagetaka: Episode 2 Recap
Hagetaka Recap: Episode 2 (Golden Parachute)
Link to Episode 1 Recap
The same opening narration plays over recap scenes from the first episode.
The actual episode begins with President Nishino's funeral. Shibano arrives to pay his respects, and in the background, we can hear two women gossiping:
"Is Osamu-san still missing?"
"Apparently he walked out and never came back. And he's the only son, too."
The camera shifts to the first row of mourners, where the family is supposed to sit, and we see that there's an empty cushion next to Nishino's wife, where Osamu should be sitting.
The scene briefly shifts to Osamu wandering the streets of Tokyo.
Cut back to the funeral. The services have apparently just finished, and Nishino's wife is saying goodbye to the mourners and thanking them for coming. Shibano approaches and she turns away, but stops when he asks, "What happened to Osamu-kun?"
"I don't know," she replies.
"Has he contacted you?"
"No," the wife replies, bending down to pet the inn's cat.
Shibano says, "Nishino-san, if there's anything..."
The wife interrupts, "Shibano-san, thank you for everything. I'm sorry, but please don't show up again."
(It's a more polite rejection than the one Washizu got at President Mishima's funeral five years ago, but maybe now Shibano can understand a little better how Washizu felt.)
Shibano slowly walks away, looking dejected. From behind, Yuka watches as he leaves, although he doesn't see her.
***
Caption: August 2000, Tokyo
There is a brief recap (narrated by Yuka) explaining how Horizon is buying up the Japanese banks' bad debts for the sake of making a quick profit. The narration plays over a scene where Washizu signs a business contract, and then he and his team celebrate with glasses of champagne.
***
Washizu and his Horizon team are at an extravagant 70th anniversary party for a company called Sunday Toys. (I'll abbreviate it as "ST" for the rest of the recap.) There are playrooms where kids are playing with toys, while adults circulate in a ballroom, talking and drinking. It's noted that Okochi Mizue is the President of the company, and a man named Momose is the Managing Director.
A couple of ST employees are serving as a bartender and a waiter. The bartender wonders how profitable the company is if it can afford to have parties like this one. The waiter grumbles that he didn't enter the company to dress like this, but the bartender tells him not to complain.
Washizu comes up to get a drink, and listens as the two continue to gossip. They say that Section Chief Kinoshita is in management and still has to do humiliating things like dress up as the company mascot. (The scene cuts briefly to Kinoshita in the restroom, taking off the mascot head, looking exhausted and sweaty.) The waiter and bartender talk about how Kinoshita will do anything for President Okochi. They say that the company motto is "Toymaking requires service spirit," but that the President is the one that's forgotten that spirit.
Alan is standing near Washizu, videotaping the party with a camcorder, and points out that "Mister Shibano" is here, commenting, "Well, he is with their main bank." (He uses the English word "Mister" rather than "san," although the rest of his dialogue is in Japanese. There's a note of disdain in his voice, so perhaps it's meant to be an insult, though the American Horizon staff occasionally speak in English, so maybe I'm over-thinking things.)
Meanwhile, Murata is making small talk with Shibano, and receives Shibano's business card, which says that he is in the "Business Strategy" department. (It's not clear whether Shibano realizes that Murata is with Horizon; I don't think he was among the staff members who attended the bulk sale meeting at Mitsuba.) Shibano says that he's in charge of restructuring businesses, and Murata asks if he's restructuring ST. Shibano replies yes, but is a bit hesitant, and clearly doesn't want to discuss it in detail. Murata says, "That's a heavy responsibility," then politely excuses himself. After he leaves, Shibano's colleague Numata says, "You forgot to mention that it's for businesses of concern"--i.e., he didn't say that ST is in trouble, although it seems to be common knowledge...
Because outside the building, reporters (including Yuka) are grilling a ST rep about whether they're selling out to a foreign company, but the rep refuses comment, telling them to set up an interview with HR.
President Okochi takes the stage with dramatic flair, dressed flamboyantly. "Here comes the Queen," Alan says, a bit sarcastically.
(He's really snarky and disdainful in this scene, which does reflect his overall personality. Having watched the entire series, I see now that he's meant to be an unpleasant and arrogant character, but I like his sarcasm and snarkiness. Then again, I am a Snape fan, so I suppose that's not surprising!)
Okochi coyly says that it's been one year since she became President, than laughs and admits that she "married this company called Sunday Toys" twenty years ago. Then she talks, still in that cutesy tone, about how jealous people are spreading bad rumors about the company, and says that she's heard frightening things about a "vulture fund". She then calls the Mitsuba Bank staff to the stage. As Iijima and Shibano head up there, Numata tells Shibano that he has it rough, dealing with Okochi.
Murata hands Shibano's business card to Washizu and says that he's in charge of ST. Alan sighs and says disgustedly, "Him again?"
Murata tells Washizu, "You must really have strong fate with him."
(Interesting that Alan has taken such a dislike to Shibano. It's true that Shibano wasn't happy with the result of the bulk sale, but Horizon ended up getting the price that they wanted, so there's no real reason for Alan to hold a grudge. I'm sure that Washizu hasn't told his staff any personal details about his past history at Mitsuba, but possibly Alan has picked up on the tension between Washizu and Shibano? Or probably I'm over-thinking things, and he just sees Shibano as a business rival because Shibano was in charge of the bulk sale, but it's fun to speculate. If I ever get around to writing that Washizu/Alan plot bunny that's eating my brain, I might say that Alan is jealous because he's picking up on the bond between Washizu and Shibano--right now it's one of animosity rather friendship, and there's zero slashiness between those two, but as the series progresses it becomes clear that their fates are entwined for good or for ill, and that it was Shibano who shaped the man that Washizu is today, but more on that later.)
***
Later at Horizon office, Nakanobe is showing a video documenting ST's history to the team, as he provides commentary. ST products are strewn across the conference table. He says that ST was founded in 1930 by Okochi's father as a company that made wooden toys, then post-war, they had lots of success with board games and the original character Sansan ("Mr. Sun"). But in recent years, due to declining birth rates and competition from US toy firms, sales declined as they dealt with structural recession.
The video and the lecture end. Washizu asks if there's any merit to buying out ST. Nakanobe replies that they have an established reputation in board games and game development, so considering overseas expansions and online games, they could move from manufacturing to software development.
Washizu picks up a piece from a set of blocks on the table, and asks about the wooden toys. Nakanobe replies that the profit margin is flat, though they have a reputation of the best craftsmanship in the business. Alan asks how much the toy costs, and Nakanobe replies about $700. Everyone reacts with disbelief, and Alan exclaims, "Who would buy that?"
Murata reports that the Okochi family controls the company, and that the theme park, salon, and sports club that were proposed by the President are all unprofitable. Furthermore, she misappropriates company funds for her personal use, writing off tens of thousands of dollars as business expenses.
Aya asks, "How do we break them down?" Murata replies that the Okochi family holds 62% of the company stocks, and Nakanobe adds that it will be hard to acquire stocks.
Washizu says that they will buy ST's debts, and Nakanobe says that's a good idea because the major creditor holds power comparable to that of a major stockholder. Washizu says that ST has $500 million in debts, of which $150 million is owed to Mitsuba. 11 creditors hold the remaining $350 million. He says that they will buy the latter out as cheaply as possibly, and one of the American men (not Alan) says in English, "Yes, sir!"
They head out, singly and in small teams, to the banks that hold the smaller debts. Mostly they talk in the banks' meeting rooms, but Nakanobe meets one-on-one with a bank official in a more casual setting, in what looks like a sauna. The sales pitches are all basically the same, though: they tell the creditors that they will be left with nothing if ST goes bankrupt, so they should sell to Horizon now. Initially, the creditors are reluctant, not wanting to cause waves with Mitsuba who is ST's main bank, but once one of the smaller banks caves in, several others quickly follow.
***
At Mitsuba, Shibano has heard that Horizon is making its move in going after ST. Iijima warns Shibano and Numata that Mitsuba is merging with Sumikura Bank next April, and if they don't show their power, there will be no posts for them after the merger--they absolutely must revive ST. President Okochi is a celebrity with great media exposure, so they can use her for advertisement and good PR. Iijima tells Shibano that he is the only one who can get ST back on their feet.
Shibano and Asano arrive the President's mansion. They see ST employees doing yardwork, sweating under the hot sun; they all look as if they're nearly about to collapse from heatstroke.
Inside the house, they meet with the Okochi family (Momose is also there), and Shibano tells the President that she must sell off the theme park because it's crucial to reduce losses. He gives them copies of his restructuring plan, but the President yawns and sets it aside carelessly, saying that she'll look at it later. Shibano asks her if the people doing yardwork are ST employees. When the President says yes, he asks her why she makes them give up their day off to do weeding. He also points out that her home is owned by ST and is listed as housing for ST employees, and that all utilities are paid for by ST. He says there are also many extravagant items bought under the company's name.
The President's son, Nobuaki, looks uncomfortable, but the President replies indifferently, "What of it?"
Shibano replies, "I'll be straight with you. Unless you change that, Sunday Toys cannot be revived." One of the other family members tries to break the tension by jokingly telling him not to show up with a scary face saying such things out of the blue.
However, the President says that she'll answer his questions, and that the weeding is "employee training" to teach them ST's service spirit. She also defends her use of the mansion as "company housing," saying it's because she thinks about the company 24/7. She then turns the tables and goes on the attack, asking Shibano why a foreign company called Horizon has bought their debts. She flings the financial forms listing the debts at him, saying that as their main bank, Mitsuba should get its act together before they fall prey to the vultures.
The scene cuts to Washizu, Alan, and Nakanobe arriving at the mansion.
Cut back to the President saying that she has called "that vulture" here, and tells Shibano that they can talk after he chases the vulture away.
The Horizon team enters the room and Shibano asks what they want. Washizu replies that they're here to help everyone.
The President orders him to explain, and Alan explains that they have bought out seven creditors, totaling $200 million of ST's debts, making them the foremost creditor. Washizu says that he will consider canceling ST's debt, but only on the condition that the owners remove themselves from management.
The Okochi family starts to protest, but Alan jumps in, saying smoothly, "We merely don't want you to waste your time on intricate matters of management." Washizu adds that they should leave management to the pros and live off their dividends. Alan assures the family that they will have advisory positions and be compensated with the same pay they are receiving now. Washizu tells them that they can enjoy their current lifestyle without having to work.
(One thing I like about this scene is how well and Alan and Washizu work together. They take turns pitching their proposition to the Okochi family, with each resuming the thread of conversation smoothly where the other left off, without any hesitation or accidentally talking over the other person. It's clear that either their speech has been well-rehearsed, and/or that they've worked together long enough for it to have become second nature--probably a little of both.)
Nobuaki looks like he might be swayed. Shibano says that while the offer sounds tempting, he wants to know if Washizu has a specific restructuring plan. Before Washizu has a chance to reply, the President interrupts, saying she's not so stupid as to trust a vulture. She tells him to leave and not come back and "Sorry, but this isn't a place for people like you!"
Washizu calmly says, "It's useless to talk, then. I'll see myself out."
On their way out, Nakanobe complains that her (the President's) perfume is all over his clothes now. Alan complains that they didn't have a good harvest, but Washizu tells him, "We actually had a good harvest. The Okochi family isn't a monolith."
As they leave the mansion, Shibano goes after them and calls out, "Washizu!" (Note that he uses no honorific, although to be fair, Washizu told him in Episode 1 that it wasn't necessary. However, the sense here isn't one of friendly familiarity, but more like Shibano is deliberately being rude because he's angry with Washizu.)
Washizu signals to the others to head to the car without him. Shibano asks him what he plans to do with ST. Washizu replies that Horizon is an investment company that expects to reap profits from their investments. Shibano asks if he's going to do the same thing to ST that he did to Nishino-ya, and Washizu responds with another question, asking what Shibano intends to do with them. Shibano says that as their main bank, they will revive ST.
Washizu replies skeptically, "Really? Didn't you say that banks only know how to loan money, Sempai? I look forward to seeing what a Japanese bank can do." He then excuses himself and leaves.
***
Back at the office, Numata asks Shibano to speak to "the pretty reporter from Toyo TV" because he owes her a favor. They leave the bank to meet her outside, and of course it turns out to be Yuka. She gives Shibano her business card, and while she obviously knows whom he is, he doesn't seem to recognize her. Catching her staring at him, he asks, "What is it?" She says it's nothing, but he takes a closer look at her card.
Numata offers to get them some coffee, and they head to a café. Sitting at a table with Shibano while Numata is getting the coffee, Yuka asks about ST's debts and the restructuring plan. He answers vaguely and a bit evasively, though he concedes that "they're in a tight situation." Yuka asks about Horizon's involvement and the rumor that they bought out the debts. Shibano says that she's quite thorough. She asks if Washizu is Shibano's former subordinate, and says that she also interviewed Nishino-ya.
Shibano only says, "I see," in response, and Yuka says, "When he gets involved, everyone meets with misfortune. He's receiving a lot of criticism as the vulture right now. What was he like before?"
Shibano is silent for a long moment, then replies that Washizu used to be a compassionate and straightforward young man. Yuka asks what about now, and Shibano says, "I think he's changed." Yuka says she wonders why, and Shibano says that he doesn't know, but that there shouldn't be another victim like Nishino-ya. Yuka says that she coincidentally ran into the Nishino-ya heir who left home. Shibano asks where she saw him, but her phone rings, interrupting them. She writes out Osamu's address for him, then leaves just as Numata returns with the coffee, saying that she's been called away by her office.
***
Cut to a brief scene of Osamu standing on a bridge or overpass, watching a train go by; he still looks guilt-stricken. He wanders aimlessly away.
***
In a meeting with Iijima, Shibano explains that they have to dismiss President Okochi in order to save ST. He says that with her in charge, even if they implement the new plan it will be like driving a car with a hole in the gas tank, and will only hurt Mitsuba more. He has come up with a new plan to apply for civil rehabilitation before bankruptcy, and give ST a fresh start as a completely new company. If they can eliminate the Okochi influence, there are sponsors who would be interested in investing. "Sunday is a company that sells dreams," he says. "If we can get sponsors, we can avoid hurting their business image."
Iijima replies that if they could have dismissed the President, they would have done so long ago. He says she will never agree to it. The bank has been doing business with ST for 30 years, and the accounting managers are all Mitsuba alumni. "You should know what that means," Iijima says. Shibano tries to argue further about replacing the President, but Iijima tells him to cool down, and to go back to the President again and reach an agreement with her.
The camera focuses on Iijima saying, "They're still living in a dream, when they went to study in New York in the 80s, and Japan was number one. They were walking down Wall Street proud."
As the camera pulls back, we see that the scene has shifted and that he is now meeting with President Okochi. She says, "Dream again? How naive."
Iijima says, "He's a competent man, but that's his flaw. Ideals aren't worth anything."
"You can't live without a dream, though," the President replies. She hands Shibano's restructuring plan to Iijima and tells him to take care of things.
***
The President is appearing on a TV talk show. The camera pulls back to show that it's a TV screen playing in ST's headquarters as Alan and Washizu walk in. Washizu asks to speak with the President, and the receptionist asks them to wait while she checks.
In her office, the President is watching herself on the talk show, complaining that she looks fat. Momose tells her that it's because of the TV cameras. "How unpleasant," she replies, frowning at the TV and squeezing the skin beneath her chin.
Meanwhile, the receptionist tells Washizu that the President is out and that they don't know when she'll be back. "I see," Washizu replies. "In that case..." Alan opens his briefcase and takes out a document. "Please give this to President Okochi. This application for seizure will be filed with the court. Please tell her that we'll see her in court."
They turn to walk out, and the receptionist frantically calls out for them to wait as she picks up the phone. A short time later, Momose runs out, apologizing for the wait and saying that the President will be back shortly. Washizu impatiently asks how much longer it will be, and Momose replies that it will be about 15 minutes. "He said 15 minutes," Washizu tells Alan, who makes a big show of setting the timer on his watch.
The scene changes to a meeting room, where Alan and Washizu are sitting at the table, with Alan counting down the seconds in English, starting at "Ten." On "one," the President dramatically bursts into the room, with Nobuaki following behind her. (I don't like her, but I do have to admire her sense of timing and drama.) She angrily demands to know who they think they are, and says that their threatening tactics will only hurt negotiations.
Washizu and Alan are less polite this time. Alan says bluntly, "President, we are not here to make a request. We are here to give you advice as the foremost creditor. If you don't want to go bankrupt, resign immediately."
The President laughs and tells him to stop joking around, that she didn't borrow any money from them. Washizu says that they are exercising their legal rights. "What's so legal about you?" the President retorts. "You're vultures buying our debts. You've got a lot of nerve!" She then picks a teacup off the table and throws the contents in Washizu's face.
Alan jumps to his feet, shouting in outrage, "What do you think you're doing?!" Washizu has to reach out with one hand to restrain him.
The President shouts, "Get out! Don't take me lightly because I'm a woman!" She starts to walk out of the room.
Washizu is perfectly calm and composed despite the tea running down his face. (At least I assume it's tea, since the cup looked like a teacup--and hopefully it wasn't hot, since it's probably been sitting there cooling for the fifteen minutes the President made them wait.) "President," he says, "when it comes to debts, status, citizenship, or skin color are irrelevant. It's all about money. Returning what you borrowed is a global understanding. Even a child knows that. In your line of business, what matters most is your image." Nobuaki looks uneasy as Washizu continues, "It's for your own company's sake."
The President responds angrily, "Enough of this whitewashing! Listen carefully: a company isn't something you can easily give up. It's like your own child--it's filled with love!" Nobuaki is still looking troubled, and perhaps a little jealous during her speech; I think it's implied that she's unconsciously placing the company over Nobuaki as her dear "child".
"Which means you failed at childbearing," Washizu replies coolly. The President glares at him, while Nobuaki stares at him for a moment before dropping his gaze.
As they leave, Alan says, "That was some convincing performance."
"A performance?" Washizu replies, seeming a little amused. "I guess it was."
"She's a terrible woman," Alan says, still sounding outraged about the insult to his boss.
"It's all right," Washizu says calmly. "I'm not working on her. The target is her son, Nobuaki."
"Nobuaki?" Alan asks, sounding surprised.
(This scene is my favorite in the entire series for a number of reasons. Washizu and Alan have clearly worked together long enough to be familiar with each other, and for Alan to pick up on Washizu's cues without missing a beat. For example, when the receptionist first tells them that the President is out, Alan is ready to take out the court document without needing to be specifically told so. Similarly, he sets the timer on his watch at Washizu's cue of "He said 15 minutes." I love the efficiency and the sense of rapport between them. It's also my favorite scene because we get to see Alan lose his cool when the President throws the tea in Washizu's face--I like the sense of loyalty that it implies, and that he can get emotional over Washizu. Or at least, the scene allows me to interpret it that way if I want! I do feel like if Nakanobe or Murata had been there instead, they probably would have been surprised and offended on Washizu's behalf, but wouldn't have reacted as strongly, though perhaps that would also be partially due to Japanese and American cultural differences. Anyway, I love the scene because it encourages the Washizu/Alan shipper in me, and I love how Washizu remains perfectly calm and unfazed by the incident. I also like that while Alan appears to be efficient and intelligent, this scene shows that he isn't quite up to Washizu's level yet, since he didn't realize that Washizu was targeting Nobuaki and not the President. Just as in the earlier scene at the mansion, he didn't realize that Washizu was actually evaluating the family's reaction as well as the President's. The Horizon employees all seem to be very good at their work, but it's clear that Washizu is always thinking one step ahead of them, which I suppose is why he is the boss.)
***
Alone in a meeting room, Shibano looks down at the copy of his restructuring plan lying on the table.
***
As Washizu and Alan return to the Horizon building, Yuka is waiting for them. (After watching this scene for the third or fourth time, I noticed that she's holding a copy of the Wall Street Journal, which probably means that she's fluent in English, or at least written English.) She confronts Washizu again, trying to question him about ST as Alan physically fends her off, saying in English (in a slightly irritated voice), "Excuse me" and "No comment". She asks how it feels to be called a vulture, and why Washizu won't respond to anything she asks. The security guards finally arrive to restrain her, and Washizu and Alan continue on into the building. Yuka shouts after them that she talked to Shibano and "he said that you used to be a good person!" Washizu walks away without looking back. Alan hurries to catch up with him and hands him Yuka's business card (which she must have passed to him while he was pushing her away from Washizu). Alan suggests casually, "Why don't you talk to her sometimes?"
(Probably over-thinking things again, but the last bit puzzled me a little. Does he feel sorry for Yuka, or at least admire her persistence in continuing to pursue Washizu no matter how many times he rebuffs her? Although I doubt that Alan feels sorry for her, since he shows no compassion or remorse over any of the people who lose their businesses or jobs due to Horizon's buyouts. Maybe he just thinks that it would be easier for Washizu to give her an interview so that she'll go away and stop bothering them? Or--and this is my fannish spin on things--is Alan encouraging the interview because he's curious about the connection between Washizu and Yuka? And stretching things a bit, one could say that Alan feels comfortable enough with Washizu to suggest that his boss meet with a reporter that he has been persistently avoiding. If there wasn't a degree of closeness, or at least respect between them, surely he would fear being reprimanded for interfering in something that is clearly a sore point with his boss.)
Alone in his office, Washizu looks at the business card, then flashes back to the past at the Mishima Factory.
In the flashback, he's crawling on the floor at the factory looking for a dropped screw. In contrast to his polished appearance in the present, he's not wearing his glasses or suit jacket, and his shirt sleeves are rolled up, and we can see that his shirt is soaked with sweat and his hands are dirty. The factory owner (Yuka's dad) tells Washizu to forget it, that it isn't worth bothering just for one screw. However, Washizu persists and eventually finds it, saying, "That costs 7.5 cents to make. That's money. Like they say, 'Many a mickle makes a muckle.'" Mishima hands Washizu a can of beer, and Washizu jokes, "I guess it turned into a beer."
("Many a mickle makes a muckle" is kind of an odd turn of phrase, or at least one that I wasn't familiar with. I assume that the translator was trying to approximate whatever Japanese saying Washizu uses in the original version. I've tried listening to the dialogue to see if I can get the literal translation, but I can't quite make out what he's saying.)
They laugh as Mishima's wife hands him some senbei (rice crackers) to go along with it. Teenaged Yuka arrives home and smiles along with them as Mishima and Washizu have a good time toasting each other and drinking their beer.
(It's obvious that the younger Washizu got close enough to the Mishimas to be considered almost like family, which is probably why Yuka feels so betrayed by him. Lead actor Omori Nao does a good job of making Washizu seem much younger in the flashback: obviously the actor was the same age while playing both versions, but seeing Washizu laughing cheerfully and joking easily with the family is a huge contrast to the serious, guarded Washizu in the present. Not wearing his glasses also makes him look a little younger and more vulnerable. Present day Washizu doesn't wear them all the time, but he has them on more often than not, especially during business meetings.)
The scene flashes forward back to the present. Washizu throws Yuka's business card into a desk drawer; several others are already in there. (Interesting that he refuses to call her, yet doesn't just throw her cards away.) His phone rings; the call is from Shibano. He says there's a new proposal from ST and asks if they can meet.
***
At a traditional Japanese restaurant (much like the one in Episode 1--possibly even the same restaurant?), Shibano and Nobuaki meet with Washizu in a private room. Shibano says that as the main bank, they'd like to proceed peacefully. Nobuaki says they have a proposal for Horizon, and they hand over the new restructuring plan.
The terms of the plan are:
-The current management will remain in place.
-The President will continue using the company-owned housing.
-Mitsuba will buy the receivables that Horizon is holding for 3 times the amount.
Washizu angrily demands, "Are you taking us lightly?" He throws down the plan and asks, "Do you know the situation you're in? We're not doing a merger and acquisition of a normal operating company. We're offering to help your insolvent company that is on the verge of bankruptcy!" He pauses to compose himself and says, "Sorry about that. I got emotional." (I'm not sure whether he really lost his temper, or if he's putting on a show for Nobuaki.) He asks what Shibano's thoughts on the proposal are. "Do you think that Sunday Toys can bounce back from this?" Shibano remains silent, but he obviously doesn't. "Never mind," Washizu says. "Actually, I feel most sorry for you, Nobuaki-san. The President came up with this proposal. You actually don't think it will be accepted." Nobuaki stares down at the floor silently, looking uncomfortable. "Let's stop this already," Washizu says.
"What?" Nobuaki asks.
"I did my research on Sunday Toys. President Okochi's reckless management could be charged as misappropriation. With the way things are, you could share the same fate."
"What are you saying?" Nobuaki asks.
"I want the young you to have a part in the new company," Washizu replies. "That's how I feel."
"Are you telling me to betray the President?" Nobuaki asks.
"The absolute condition for your company's recovery is President Okochi's resignation."
"That won't happen," Nobuaki says. "My mother...I mean, the President...won't listen to what I have to say."
"I can imagine," Washizu replies. "That is why we came prepared."
Nakanobe, Alan, and Murata push back the sliding doors and enter the room, carrying large briefcases. They set the cases down on the floor.
(This is another example of how well Washizu's team anticipates his cues. He doesn't call for them or make any other obvious kind of signal, but they enter the room perfectly on cue. Presumably, they were listening to the conversation behind the doors and waiting for the right moment, but it's still very impressive.)
"Golden parachute," Washizu says (speaking in English).
"Golden parachute?" Nobuaki repeats.
The three men open the cases, which are filled with money.
"In other words," Washizu says, "in return for having the current management team resign, we will pay a special bonus as compensation."
Murata says, "$3 million to President Okochi, $1 million to you as the Vice President, plus the house you are living in."
Nobuaki protest that there's no way she will agree to it for a measly $3 million. Washizu says that's where Nobuaki comes in, that he'll have to persuade her. If he succeeds, they will pay him the same amount as the President: $3 million, plus the position of President. The latter causes Nobuaki's eyes to widen in surprise.
"You have two weeks," Washizu tells him. "We'll wait for a favorable reply." His three subordinates close up the briefcases, and the Horizon team leaves.
Shibano runs after them, calling out, "Washizu!" (Again, he doesn't use an honorific and speaks curtly.)
The two of them walk off to talk in private (near what looks like a baseball field), and Shibano asks Washizu if that's his way of doing business. "You trample on people's pride by slapping them with a bundle of cash?"
"What do you mean?" Washizu asks.
"Do you honestly think the company can recover by that method?" Shibano retorts.
"I repeat," Washizu says, "what are you talking about? My objective is just money."
"Is that what it was about for Nishino-ya?" Shibano demands. "All you cared about was buying cheap and selling high?"
"That's right," Washizu replies. "Is that a problem?"
"What is it with you?" Shibano asks angrily. "Someone died in the process." He grabs Washizu by his jacket. "Doesn't that bother you?"
"You said it yourself," Washizu replies, pulling away from Shibano. "Seven years ago the president of Mishima Factory was cornered because we refused to lend him money, so he committed suicide. When I was crying, you told me, 'It can't be helped. Japan is a capitalist country.'"
The scene flashes back to Washizu standing outside in the rain, then slowly walking through the factory's open door. He's soaking wet. Shibano follows, holding an umbrella, which he closes when he enters the factory.
"This is unbearable," Shibano says, patting Washizu on the shoulder comfortingly. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You did it for the company. If we can't collect what we owe, we'll be in trouble. As cruel as this sounds...we will absolutely collect on what we lend out. If they can't pay, they'll just have to file for bankruptcy. Ultimately, that is the theory behind capitalism. It's not your fault."
Flash-forward to present. Washizu asks, "What is the theory of capitalism? Didn't you mean that nothing would start without money? This country is finally coming to terms with that truth. That factory was the subsidiary of the subsidiary of the subsidiary of an auto manufacturer. They were making special screws to fixate the parts. The cost of making a screw was 7.5 cents. It took two people to make 2,000 screws in eight hours. What does that make the hourly rate? They worked hard from morning to night, but couldn't afford to buy the car they made the screws for. To meet the parent company's demand, they had to borrow $20,000 to buy machinery. Unable to pay that $20,000, he hung himself.
"I tried to save him that time. I resented the bank for refusing to loan him money." His hands grip the chain-link fence enclosing the baseball field. "But the bank did the natural thing. $20,000...he was weak to die for a measly $20,000. That's how the world is. There's no such thing as honest or dirty...good intentions or bad. If he had $20,000, he wouldn't have had to die. I was a fool for not realizing that. I went to America to fully learn the theory on capitalism that you told me about. I learned that justice is with the one who has the money. You are the one who changed me, Shibano-san."
(Although the translator for the version that aired on the local TV station simply used "he" when Washizu talks about the Mishima factory owner, I can hear that he's actually saying "oyaji-san". That translates roughly to "old man" or "Dad"/"Pops"--a sort of casual way to address one's father, or at least that's the way I see it used in anime and dramas. It's possible that Washizu is being insulting here by referring to Mishima as "the old man," but I think it's more likely that he used to affectionately call Mishima "oyaji-san" back in the days when he was close to the Mishima family. If so, it's interesting that he's still using that term of address--possibly unconsciously or out of habit?--even though he's trying to act cynical and uncaring.)
Shibano looks shaken by his words. Washizu continues, "Sunday Toys is a money tree. I promise to get my hands on them, just like I did with Nishino-ya. Excuse me."
(Interesting that Washizu seems to be deliberately playing the bad guy here. I'm sure he believes what he says about "justice is with the one who has the money," but at the same time, I also think he cares about more than just making a profit and that he does want to save the Japanese companies that he's buying out, even if his methods are extreme. However, he makes no attempt to justify himself to Shibano, and there's a sense of bitterness and accusation when he tells Shibano, you changed me." If Washizu really cared about nothing but profits, I don't think he'd be so bitter. Instead, it's as if he doesn't like the person that he's become, and resents Shibano for crushing his youthful idealism. Which perhaps that's why he keeps rubbing it in that Shibano changed him, as if to say, "You can't complain about me when you're the one who made me this way.")
***
Still looking shaken, Shibano takes a taxi to a construction site where Osamu is working. It's raining--possibly meant to invoke a comparison to Washizu's flashback scene? He holds his umbrella over Osamu to shelter him from the rain.
"Lend an umbrella on a sunny day, take it away on a rainy day," Osamu says. "That's what a bank is. That's what my dad used to say. You're lending it to me when it's raining. What do you want?"
"I know I'm in no position to say this," Shibano says. "But...if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."
Osamu laughs. "What happens if I call you? Will you lend me money? Then lend it to me. I want to start up a company. I need $30,000 as capital." He laughs again. "You can't lend it to me. You can't do anything to help me. I don't begrudge you. There's nothing you could have done. You're just a salaryman, after all." He adds, "You're getting in the way," and walks away to go back to work. Shibano is left standing there, still holding the umbrella. Then he walks away, dropping the umbrella down to his side. (Which is another comparison to the guilt-stricken Washizu in the rain?)
***
At Horizon, Nakanobe is telling Washizu that if Nobuaki can persuade the President, they win, and can apply for civil rehabilitation and become the sponsor. They walk into the conference room where the other members of the team are already at work. Alan and Aya are calculating ST's potential profits in three years, subtracting the money Horizon is investing from the projected earnings, which comes out to $200 million. For a change, they're speaking in English instead of Japanese. "Not bad," Murata says (in Japanese).
There has been no word from Nobuaki yet. Murata wonders if he's having trouble persuading his mother, but says that he still has a few days left.
***
The next scene is a board meeting at ST.
Shortly after President Okochi starts the meeting, there is a flashback to Shibano telling Iijima that he will persuade Nobuaki to organize the anti-President faction. Iijima asks if he's sure that Mitsuba's name won't get out, and Shibano assures him that it will be a strictly internal affair for ST. "We will outwit Horizon," he promises.
The scene shifts back to the board meeting, where the President is asking if there are any questions. Nobuaki raises his hand, and she calls on him. He says that the theme park has lost $50 million, and that they should clarify whose responsibility that is. As his mother starts to protest, another board member stands and proposes the dismissal of the current President/CEO. The President is completely shocked.
Flashback to a Mitsuba board meeting where they are discussing the plan to egg on Nobuaki into dismissing the President, then apply for civil rehabilitation. (Sound familiar?)
The scene cuts back to ST, where the President is shouting in outrage.
The scene shifts back to Mitsuba, where Sakamaki says, "Iron Ox, the sponsor, is our affiliate."
Sakota adds, "If it becomes publicly traded, we will reap huge profits."
Back at ST, Momose calls for a vote: "Those in favor of dismissing the current President/CEO, please stand." Slowly, one by one, everyone rises to their feet, including Nobuaki. The President stares at him in disbelief, her eyes widening at his betrayal.
Outside the ST building, Yuka reports that Okochi Mizue was dismissed as President at the board meeting, and that the new President will be Nobuaki.
The camera pulls back, and we see that the report is airing on a TV at the Horizon office. Alan turns off the TV and slams the remote down on the table, saying, "We've been screwed!"
"Damn," Nakanobe says.
"It must be Mitsuba," Washizu says.
"Mitsuba?" Alan repeats, still sounding angry.
"They planned it, knowing Nobuaki would betray the President," Washizu says. "Their restructuring plan of setting Nobuaki up as President was ours and they took it."
He's angry, but still fairly calm in the meeting room. However, the scene then shifts to him standing alone in a hallway, staring out the plate glass windows that overlook the street. We see his frustration as he slams his hand against the window, and then hits the blinds as he walks away.
(End of Episode 2; the same ending credit sequence as Episode 1 plays, as it does in all the episodes.)
Link to Episode 3 Recap
Link to Episode 4 Recap
***
Final thoughts on this episode: For some reason, the subtitled version I watched on local TV left out the "August 2000" caption after the funeral scene, which caused some confusion for me when I was doing the re-watch of the video I had taped. I assumed the Sunday Toys story arc was still taking place in 1998, so I did a double-take when Washizu said that President Mishima committed suicide seven years ago when it should have been five years ago (or so I assumed). Fortunately, as mentioned on a previous blog post, I was able to buy a used copy of the Japanese dvd set, so I checked the dvd and it did indeed set the date as "August 2000" for the Sunday Toys arc, which means the story skipped ahead two years.
Which perhaps makes Alan's and Murata's comments during the party scene a little more understandable. If it's been two years since they've seen Shibano, it probably seems unusual, maybe even fateful (as Murata points out) that they'd be crossing paths with him as an adversary again.
It also makes Osamu's storyline even sadder, since he's still at loose ends two years after his father's death. And although he doesn't say so one way or the other, I think he probably hasn't gone back home or contacted his mother since his father's death. At most, maybe he's called to tell her that he's okay (and I hope for her sake that he did), but I think his guilt would keep him from resuming a normal family relationship. We never see her in the show again after the funeral scene, but I feel sorriest for Osamu's mother, who has, in a sense, lost both her husband and her son.
The two year gap also means that Yuka has been obsessively hounding Washizu for two years, without him giving her any kind of interview or even a brief comment. In hindsight, that makes Alan's suggestion that Washizu talk to her more understandable--if she's been this persistent, she's not going to just go away, so he might as well talk to her and get it over with.
Unrelated to the time-skip, this episode made me understand why Washizu resents Shibano so much. It's not just that he crushed Washizu's ideals and set him on the path to being a vulture, but that he (albeit unintentionally) comes off as a hypocrite. He tells both Nishino's wife and son to let him know if there's anything he can do for them, but as Osamu points out, it's an empty promise that he can't fulfill. He can't give them back the inn or bring Nishino back from the dead. He can't even loan Osamu the $30,000 that he mockingly asks for even though it's a pittance compared to the huge debts of Nishino-ya or Sunday Toys.
Also, although he berates Washizu for taking Nishino-ya and trying to buy out Sunday Toys, those two businesses were Shibano's responsibility before Horizon appeared on the scene, and he didn't do a very good job of protecting them--at least until the end of this episode. In Episode 1, it's clear that he knew Nishino-ya was on the verge of bankruptcy because he urged Nishino to sell the golf course, but he let Nishino brush him off instead of being more insistent and telling him that he'd lose the business if he didn't wake up. And with Sunday Toys, he knew that President Okochi had to be removed for the business to survive, but initially, he let his boss talk him into going with a watered-down restructuring plan that he knew wouldn't work.
He blames Washizu for preying on the dying companies like a vulture, but Shibano himself was completely ineffective at protecting them, even though he acts as though he's more principled than Washizu. So I can't really blame Washizu for thinking along the lines of, "Who are you to criticize me?"
Which isn't to say that Washizu isn't ruthless in his dealings, because he is, but at least he's upfront about it. And frankly, Nishino and Okochi both brought their problems on themselves, so I can't muster up much pity for them. Yuka's father seems to be the only blameless victim in the story, and it's his death that is the catalyst that changes Washizu so drastically.
Ironically, it's Washizu who spurs Shibano on to convince Iijima and Nobuaki to go along with the plan of ousting President Okochi. However, although Shibano has won the battle, he hasn't yet won the war, as Washizu still has something up his sleeve in Episode 3.
Link to Episode 1 Recap
The same opening narration plays over recap scenes from the first episode.
The actual episode begins with President Nishino's funeral. Shibano arrives to pay his respects, and in the background, we can hear two women gossiping:
"Is Osamu-san still missing?"
"Apparently he walked out and never came back. And he's the only son, too."
The camera shifts to the first row of mourners, where the family is supposed to sit, and we see that there's an empty cushion next to Nishino's wife, where Osamu should be sitting.
The scene briefly shifts to Osamu wandering the streets of Tokyo.
Cut back to the funeral. The services have apparently just finished, and Nishino's wife is saying goodbye to the mourners and thanking them for coming. Shibano approaches and she turns away, but stops when he asks, "What happened to Osamu-kun?"
"I don't know," she replies.
"Has he contacted you?"
"No," the wife replies, bending down to pet the inn's cat.
Shibano says, "Nishino-san, if there's anything..."
The wife interrupts, "Shibano-san, thank you for everything. I'm sorry, but please don't show up again."
(It's a more polite rejection than the one Washizu got at President Mishima's funeral five years ago, but maybe now Shibano can understand a little better how Washizu felt.)
Shibano slowly walks away, looking dejected. From behind, Yuka watches as he leaves, although he doesn't see her.
***
Caption: August 2000, Tokyo
There is a brief recap (narrated by Yuka) explaining how Horizon is buying up the Japanese banks' bad debts for the sake of making a quick profit. The narration plays over a scene where Washizu signs a business contract, and then he and his team celebrate with glasses of champagne.
***
Washizu and his Horizon team are at an extravagant 70th anniversary party for a company called Sunday Toys. (I'll abbreviate it as "ST" for the rest of the recap.) There are playrooms where kids are playing with toys, while adults circulate in a ballroom, talking and drinking. It's noted that Okochi Mizue is the President of the company, and a man named Momose is the Managing Director.
A couple of ST employees are serving as a bartender and a waiter. The bartender wonders how profitable the company is if it can afford to have parties like this one. The waiter grumbles that he didn't enter the company to dress like this, but the bartender tells him not to complain.
Washizu comes up to get a drink, and listens as the two continue to gossip. They say that Section Chief Kinoshita is in management and still has to do humiliating things like dress up as the company mascot. (The scene cuts briefly to Kinoshita in the restroom, taking off the mascot head, looking exhausted and sweaty.) The waiter and bartender talk about how Kinoshita will do anything for President Okochi. They say that the company motto is "Toymaking requires service spirit," but that the President is the one that's forgotten that spirit.
Alan is standing near Washizu, videotaping the party with a camcorder, and points out that "Mister Shibano" is here, commenting, "Well, he is with their main bank." (He uses the English word "Mister" rather than "san," although the rest of his dialogue is in Japanese. There's a note of disdain in his voice, so perhaps it's meant to be an insult, though the American Horizon staff occasionally speak in English, so maybe I'm over-thinking things.)
Meanwhile, Murata is making small talk with Shibano, and receives Shibano's business card, which says that he is in the "Business Strategy" department. (It's not clear whether Shibano realizes that Murata is with Horizon; I don't think he was among the staff members who attended the bulk sale meeting at Mitsuba.) Shibano says that he's in charge of restructuring businesses, and Murata asks if he's restructuring ST. Shibano replies yes, but is a bit hesitant, and clearly doesn't want to discuss it in detail. Murata says, "That's a heavy responsibility," then politely excuses himself. After he leaves, Shibano's colleague Numata says, "You forgot to mention that it's for businesses of concern"--i.e., he didn't say that ST is in trouble, although it seems to be common knowledge...
Because outside the building, reporters (including Yuka) are grilling a ST rep about whether they're selling out to a foreign company, but the rep refuses comment, telling them to set up an interview with HR.
President Okochi takes the stage with dramatic flair, dressed flamboyantly. "Here comes the Queen," Alan says, a bit sarcastically.
(He's really snarky and disdainful in this scene, which does reflect his overall personality. Having watched the entire series, I see now that he's meant to be an unpleasant and arrogant character, but I like his sarcasm and snarkiness. Then again, I am a Snape fan, so I suppose that's not surprising!)
Okochi coyly says that it's been one year since she became President, than laughs and admits that she "married this company called Sunday Toys" twenty years ago. Then she talks, still in that cutesy tone, about how jealous people are spreading bad rumors about the company, and says that she's heard frightening things about a "vulture fund". She then calls the Mitsuba Bank staff to the stage. As Iijima and Shibano head up there, Numata tells Shibano that he has it rough, dealing with Okochi.
Murata hands Shibano's business card to Washizu and says that he's in charge of ST. Alan sighs and says disgustedly, "Him again?"
Murata tells Washizu, "You must really have strong fate with him."
(Interesting that Alan has taken such a dislike to Shibano. It's true that Shibano wasn't happy with the result of the bulk sale, but Horizon ended up getting the price that they wanted, so there's no real reason for Alan to hold a grudge. I'm sure that Washizu hasn't told his staff any personal details about his past history at Mitsuba, but possibly Alan has picked up on the tension between Washizu and Shibano? Or probably I'm over-thinking things, and he just sees Shibano as a business rival because Shibano was in charge of the bulk sale, but it's fun to speculate. If I ever get around to writing that Washizu/Alan plot bunny that's eating my brain, I might say that Alan is jealous because he's picking up on the bond between Washizu and Shibano--right now it's one of animosity rather friendship, and there's zero slashiness between those two, but as the series progresses it becomes clear that their fates are entwined for good or for ill, and that it was Shibano who shaped the man that Washizu is today, but more on that later.)
***
Later at Horizon office, Nakanobe is showing a video documenting ST's history to the team, as he provides commentary. ST products are strewn across the conference table. He says that ST was founded in 1930 by Okochi's father as a company that made wooden toys, then post-war, they had lots of success with board games and the original character Sansan ("Mr. Sun"). But in recent years, due to declining birth rates and competition from US toy firms, sales declined as they dealt with structural recession.
The video and the lecture end. Washizu asks if there's any merit to buying out ST. Nakanobe replies that they have an established reputation in board games and game development, so considering overseas expansions and online games, they could move from manufacturing to software development.
Washizu picks up a piece from a set of blocks on the table, and asks about the wooden toys. Nakanobe replies that the profit margin is flat, though they have a reputation of the best craftsmanship in the business. Alan asks how much the toy costs, and Nakanobe replies about $700. Everyone reacts with disbelief, and Alan exclaims, "Who would buy that?"
Murata reports that the Okochi family controls the company, and that the theme park, salon, and sports club that were proposed by the President are all unprofitable. Furthermore, she misappropriates company funds for her personal use, writing off tens of thousands of dollars as business expenses.
Aya asks, "How do we break them down?" Murata replies that the Okochi family holds 62% of the company stocks, and Nakanobe adds that it will be hard to acquire stocks.
Washizu says that they will buy ST's debts, and Nakanobe says that's a good idea because the major creditor holds power comparable to that of a major stockholder. Washizu says that ST has $500 million in debts, of which $150 million is owed to Mitsuba. 11 creditors hold the remaining $350 million. He says that they will buy the latter out as cheaply as possibly, and one of the American men (not Alan) says in English, "Yes, sir!"
They head out, singly and in small teams, to the banks that hold the smaller debts. Mostly they talk in the banks' meeting rooms, but Nakanobe meets one-on-one with a bank official in a more casual setting, in what looks like a sauna. The sales pitches are all basically the same, though: they tell the creditors that they will be left with nothing if ST goes bankrupt, so they should sell to Horizon now. Initially, the creditors are reluctant, not wanting to cause waves with Mitsuba who is ST's main bank, but once one of the smaller banks caves in, several others quickly follow.
***
At Mitsuba, Shibano has heard that Horizon is making its move in going after ST. Iijima warns Shibano and Numata that Mitsuba is merging with Sumikura Bank next April, and if they don't show their power, there will be no posts for them after the merger--they absolutely must revive ST. President Okochi is a celebrity with great media exposure, so they can use her for advertisement and good PR. Iijima tells Shibano that he is the only one who can get ST back on their feet.
Shibano and Asano arrive the President's mansion. They see ST employees doing yardwork, sweating under the hot sun; they all look as if they're nearly about to collapse from heatstroke.
Inside the house, they meet with the Okochi family (Momose is also there), and Shibano tells the President that she must sell off the theme park because it's crucial to reduce losses. He gives them copies of his restructuring plan, but the President yawns and sets it aside carelessly, saying that she'll look at it later. Shibano asks her if the people doing yardwork are ST employees. When the President says yes, he asks her why she makes them give up their day off to do weeding. He also points out that her home is owned by ST and is listed as housing for ST employees, and that all utilities are paid for by ST. He says there are also many extravagant items bought under the company's name.
The President's son, Nobuaki, looks uncomfortable, but the President replies indifferently, "What of it?"
Shibano replies, "I'll be straight with you. Unless you change that, Sunday Toys cannot be revived." One of the other family members tries to break the tension by jokingly telling him not to show up with a scary face saying such things out of the blue.
However, the President says that she'll answer his questions, and that the weeding is "employee training" to teach them ST's service spirit. She also defends her use of the mansion as "company housing," saying it's because she thinks about the company 24/7. She then turns the tables and goes on the attack, asking Shibano why a foreign company called Horizon has bought their debts. She flings the financial forms listing the debts at him, saying that as their main bank, Mitsuba should get its act together before they fall prey to the vultures.
The scene cuts to Washizu, Alan, and Nakanobe arriving at the mansion.
Cut back to the President saying that she has called "that vulture" here, and tells Shibano that they can talk after he chases the vulture away.
The Horizon team enters the room and Shibano asks what they want. Washizu replies that they're here to help everyone.
The President orders him to explain, and Alan explains that they have bought out seven creditors, totaling $200 million of ST's debts, making them the foremost creditor. Washizu says that he will consider canceling ST's debt, but only on the condition that the owners remove themselves from management.
The Okochi family starts to protest, but Alan jumps in, saying smoothly, "We merely don't want you to waste your time on intricate matters of management." Washizu adds that they should leave management to the pros and live off their dividends. Alan assures the family that they will have advisory positions and be compensated with the same pay they are receiving now. Washizu tells them that they can enjoy their current lifestyle without having to work.
(One thing I like about this scene is how well and Alan and Washizu work together. They take turns pitching their proposition to the Okochi family, with each resuming the thread of conversation smoothly where the other left off, without any hesitation or accidentally talking over the other person. It's clear that either their speech has been well-rehearsed, and/or that they've worked together long enough for it to have become second nature--probably a little of both.)
Nobuaki looks like he might be swayed. Shibano says that while the offer sounds tempting, he wants to know if Washizu has a specific restructuring plan. Before Washizu has a chance to reply, the President interrupts, saying she's not so stupid as to trust a vulture. She tells him to leave and not come back and "Sorry, but this isn't a place for people like you!"
Washizu calmly says, "It's useless to talk, then. I'll see myself out."
On their way out, Nakanobe complains that her (the President's) perfume is all over his clothes now. Alan complains that they didn't have a good harvest, but Washizu tells him, "We actually had a good harvest. The Okochi family isn't a monolith."
As they leave the mansion, Shibano goes after them and calls out, "Washizu!" (Note that he uses no honorific, although to be fair, Washizu told him in Episode 1 that it wasn't necessary. However, the sense here isn't one of friendly familiarity, but more like Shibano is deliberately being rude because he's angry with Washizu.)
Washizu signals to the others to head to the car without him. Shibano asks him what he plans to do with ST. Washizu replies that Horizon is an investment company that expects to reap profits from their investments. Shibano asks if he's going to do the same thing to ST that he did to Nishino-ya, and Washizu responds with another question, asking what Shibano intends to do with them. Shibano says that as their main bank, they will revive ST.
Washizu replies skeptically, "Really? Didn't you say that banks only know how to loan money, Sempai? I look forward to seeing what a Japanese bank can do." He then excuses himself and leaves.
***
Back at the office, Numata asks Shibano to speak to "the pretty reporter from Toyo TV" because he owes her a favor. They leave the bank to meet her outside, and of course it turns out to be Yuka. She gives Shibano her business card, and while she obviously knows whom he is, he doesn't seem to recognize her. Catching her staring at him, he asks, "What is it?" She says it's nothing, but he takes a closer look at her card.
Numata offers to get them some coffee, and they head to a café. Sitting at a table with Shibano while Numata is getting the coffee, Yuka asks about ST's debts and the restructuring plan. He answers vaguely and a bit evasively, though he concedes that "they're in a tight situation." Yuka asks about Horizon's involvement and the rumor that they bought out the debts. Shibano says that she's quite thorough. She asks if Washizu is Shibano's former subordinate, and says that she also interviewed Nishino-ya.
Shibano only says, "I see," in response, and Yuka says, "When he gets involved, everyone meets with misfortune. He's receiving a lot of criticism as the vulture right now. What was he like before?"
Shibano is silent for a long moment, then replies that Washizu used to be a compassionate and straightforward young man. Yuka asks what about now, and Shibano says, "I think he's changed." Yuka says she wonders why, and Shibano says that he doesn't know, but that there shouldn't be another victim like Nishino-ya. Yuka says that she coincidentally ran into the Nishino-ya heir who left home. Shibano asks where she saw him, but her phone rings, interrupting them. She writes out Osamu's address for him, then leaves just as Numata returns with the coffee, saying that she's been called away by her office.
***
Cut to a brief scene of Osamu standing on a bridge or overpass, watching a train go by; he still looks guilt-stricken. He wanders aimlessly away.
***
In a meeting with Iijima, Shibano explains that they have to dismiss President Okochi in order to save ST. He says that with her in charge, even if they implement the new plan it will be like driving a car with a hole in the gas tank, and will only hurt Mitsuba more. He has come up with a new plan to apply for civil rehabilitation before bankruptcy, and give ST a fresh start as a completely new company. If they can eliminate the Okochi influence, there are sponsors who would be interested in investing. "Sunday is a company that sells dreams," he says. "If we can get sponsors, we can avoid hurting their business image."
Iijima replies that if they could have dismissed the President, they would have done so long ago. He says she will never agree to it. The bank has been doing business with ST for 30 years, and the accounting managers are all Mitsuba alumni. "You should know what that means," Iijima says. Shibano tries to argue further about replacing the President, but Iijima tells him to cool down, and to go back to the President again and reach an agreement with her.
The camera focuses on Iijima saying, "They're still living in a dream, when they went to study in New York in the 80s, and Japan was number one. They were walking down Wall Street proud."
As the camera pulls back, we see that the scene has shifted and that he is now meeting with President Okochi. She says, "Dream again? How naive."
Iijima says, "He's a competent man, but that's his flaw. Ideals aren't worth anything."
"You can't live without a dream, though," the President replies. She hands Shibano's restructuring plan to Iijima and tells him to take care of things.
***
The President is appearing on a TV talk show. The camera pulls back to show that it's a TV screen playing in ST's headquarters as Alan and Washizu walk in. Washizu asks to speak with the President, and the receptionist asks them to wait while she checks.
In her office, the President is watching herself on the talk show, complaining that she looks fat. Momose tells her that it's because of the TV cameras. "How unpleasant," she replies, frowning at the TV and squeezing the skin beneath her chin.
Meanwhile, the receptionist tells Washizu that the President is out and that they don't know when she'll be back. "I see," Washizu replies. "In that case..." Alan opens his briefcase and takes out a document. "Please give this to President Okochi. This application for seizure will be filed with the court. Please tell her that we'll see her in court."
They turn to walk out, and the receptionist frantically calls out for them to wait as she picks up the phone. A short time later, Momose runs out, apologizing for the wait and saying that the President will be back shortly. Washizu impatiently asks how much longer it will be, and Momose replies that it will be about 15 minutes. "He said 15 minutes," Washizu tells Alan, who makes a big show of setting the timer on his watch.
The scene changes to a meeting room, where Alan and Washizu are sitting at the table, with Alan counting down the seconds in English, starting at "Ten." On "one," the President dramatically bursts into the room, with Nobuaki following behind her. (I don't like her, but I do have to admire her sense of timing and drama.) She angrily demands to know who they think they are, and says that their threatening tactics will only hurt negotiations.
Washizu and Alan are less polite this time. Alan says bluntly, "President, we are not here to make a request. We are here to give you advice as the foremost creditor. If you don't want to go bankrupt, resign immediately."
The President laughs and tells him to stop joking around, that she didn't borrow any money from them. Washizu says that they are exercising their legal rights. "What's so legal about you?" the President retorts. "You're vultures buying our debts. You've got a lot of nerve!" She then picks a teacup off the table and throws the contents in Washizu's face.
Alan jumps to his feet, shouting in outrage, "What do you think you're doing?!" Washizu has to reach out with one hand to restrain him.
The President shouts, "Get out! Don't take me lightly because I'm a woman!" She starts to walk out of the room.
Washizu is perfectly calm and composed despite the tea running down his face. (At least I assume it's tea, since the cup looked like a teacup--and hopefully it wasn't hot, since it's probably been sitting there cooling for the fifteen minutes the President made them wait.) "President," he says, "when it comes to debts, status, citizenship, or skin color are irrelevant. It's all about money. Returning what you borrowed is a global understanding. Even a child knows that. In your line of business, what matters most is your image." Nobuaki looks uneasy as Washizu continues, "It's for your own company's sake."
The President responds angrily, "Enough of this whitewashing! Listen carefully: a company isn't something you can easily give up. It's like your own child--it's filled with love!" Nobuaki is still looking troubled, and perhaps a little jealous during her speech; I think it's implied that she's unconsciously placing the company over Nobuaki as her dear "child".
"Which means you failed at childbearing," Washizu replies coolly. The President glares at him, while Nobuaki stares at him for a moment before dropping his gaze.
As they leave, Alan says, "That was some convincing performance."
"A performance?" Washizu replies, seeming a little amused. "I guess it was."
"She's a terrible woman," Alan says, still sounding outraged about the insult to his boss.
"It's all right," Washizu says calmly. "I'm not working on her. The target is her son, Nobuaki."
"Nobuaki?" Alan asks, sounding surprised.
(This scene is my favorite in the entire series for a number of reasons. Washizu and Alan have clearly worked together long enough to be familiar with each other, and for Alan to pick up on Washizu's cues without missing a beat. For example, when the receptionist first tells them that the President is out, Alan is ready to take out the court document without needing to be specifically told so. Similarly, he sets the timer on his watch at Washizu's cue of "He said 15 minutes." I love the efficiency and the sense of rapport between them. It's also my favorite scene because we get to see Alan lose his cool when the President throws the tea in Washizu's face--I like the sense of loyalty that it implies, and that he can get emotional over Washizu. Or at least, the scene allows me to interpret it that way if I want! I do feel like if Nakanobe or Murata had been there instead, they probably would have been surprised and offended on Washizu's behalf, but wouldn't have reacted as strongly, though perhaps that would also be partially due to Japanese and American cultural differences. Anyway, I love the scene because it encourages the Washizu/Alan shipper in me, and I love how Washizu remains perfectly calm and unfazed by the incident. I also like that while Alan appears to be efficient and intelligent, this scene shows that he isn't quite up to Washizu's level yet, since he didn't realize that Washizu was targeting Nobuaki and not the President. Just as in the earlier scene at the mansion, he didn't realize that Washizu was actually evaluating the family's reaction as well as the President's. The Horizon employees all seem to be very good at their work, but it's clear that Washizu is always thinking one step ahead of them, which I suppose is why he is the boss.)
***
Alone in a meeting room, Shibano looks down at the copy of his restructuring plan lying on the table.
***
As Washizu and Alan return to the Horizon building, Yuka is waiting for them. (After watching this scene for the third or fourth time, I noticed that she's holding a copy of the Wall Street Journal, which probably means that she's fluent in English, or at least written English.) She confronts Washizu again, trying to question him about ST as Alan physically fends her off, saying in English (in a slightly irritated voice), "Excuse me" and "No comment". She asks how it feels to be called a vulture, and why Washizu won't respond to anything she asks. The security guards finally arrive to restrain her, and Washizu and Alan continue on into the building. Yuka shouts after them that she talked to Shibano and "he said that you used to be a good person!" Washizu walks away without looking back. Alan hurries to catch up with him and hands him Yuka's business card (which she must have passed to him while he was pushing her away from Washizu). Alan suggests casually, "Why don't you talk to her sometimes?"
(Probably over-thinking things again, but the last bit puzzled me a little. Does he feel sorry for Yuka, or at least admire her persistence in continuing to pursue Washizu no matter how many times he rebuffs her? Although I doubt that Alan feels sorry for her, since he shows no compassion or remorse over any of the people who lose their businesses or jobs due to Horizon's buyouts. Maybe he just thinks that it would be easier for Washizu to give her an interview so that she'll go away and stop bothering them? Or--and this is my fannish spin on things--is Alan encouraging the interview because he's curious about the connection between Washizu and Yuka? And stretching things a bit, one could say that Alan feels comfortable enough with Washizu to suggest that his boss meet with a reporter that he has been persistently avoiding. If there wasn't a degree of closeness, or at least respect between them, surely he would fear being reprimanded for interfering in something that is clearly a sore point with his boss.)
Alone in his office, Washizu looks at the business card, then flashes back to the past at the Mishima Factory.
In the flashback, he's crawling on the floor at the factory looking for a dropped screw. In contrast to his polished appearance in the present, he's not wearing his glasses or suit jacket, and his shirt sleeves are rolled up, and we can see that his shirt is soaked with sweat and his hands are dirty. The factory owner (Yuka's dad) tells Washizu to forget it, that it isn't worth bothering just for one screw. However, Washizu persists and eventually finds it, saying, "That costs 7.5 cents to make. That's money. Like they say, 'Many a mickle makes a muckle.'" Mishima hands Washizu a can of beer, and Washizu jokes, "I guess it turned into a beer."
("Many a mickle makes a muckle" is kind of an odd turn of phrase, or at least one that I wasn't familiar with. I assume that the translator was trying to approximate whatever Japanese saying Washizu uses in the original version. I've tried listening to the dialogue to see if I can get the literal translation, but I can't quite make out what he's saying.)
They laugh as Mishima's wife hands him some senbei (rice crackers) to go along with it. Teenaged Yuka arrives home and smiles along with them as Mishima and Washizu have a good time toasting each other and drinking their beer.
(It's obvious that the younger Washizu got close enough to the Mishimas to be considered almost like family, which is probably why Yuka feels so betrayed by him. Lead actor Omori Nao does a good job of making Washizu seem much younger in the flashback: obviously the actor was the same age while playing both versions, but seeing Washizu laughing cheerfully and joking easily with the family is a huge contrast to the serious, guarded Washizu in the present. Not wearing his glasses also makes him look a little younger and more vulnerable. Present day Washizu doesn't wear them all the time, but he has them on more often than not, especially during business meetings.)
The scene flashes forward back to the present. Washizu throws Yuka's business card into a desk drawer; several others are already in there. (Interesting that he refuses to call her, yet doesn't just throw her cards away.) His phone rings; the call is from Shibano. He says there's a new proposal from ST and asks if they can meet.
***
At a traditional Japanese restaurant (much like the one in Episode 1--possibly even the same restaurant?), Shibano and Nobuaki meet with Washizu in a private room. Shibano says that as the main bank, they'd like to proceed peacefully. Nobuaki says they have a proposal for Horizon, and they hand over the new restructuring plan.
The terms of the plan are:
-The current management will remain in place.
-The President will continue using the company-owned housing.
-Mitsuba will buy the receivables that Horizon is holding for 3 times the amount.
Washizu angrily demands, "Are you taking us lightly?" He throws down the plan and asks, "Do you know the situation you're in? We're not doing a merger and acquisition of a normal operating company. We're offering to help your insolvent company that is on the verge of bankruptcy!" He pauses to compose himself and says, "Sorry about that. I got emotional." (I'm not sure whether he really lost his temper, or if he's putting on a show for Nobuaki.) He asks what Shibano's thoughts on the proposal are. "Do you think that Sunday Toys can bounce back from this?" Shibano remains silent, but he obviously doesn't. "Never mind," Washizu says. "Actually, I feel most sorry for you, Nobuaki-san. The President came up with this proposal. You actually don't think it will be accepted." Nobuaki stares down at the floor silently, looking uncomfortable. "Let's stop this already," Washizu says.
"What?" Nobuaki asks.
"I did my research on Sunday Toys. President Okochi's reckless management could be charged as misappropriation. With the way things are, you could share the same fate."
"What are you saying?" Nobuaki asks.
"I want the young you to have a part in the new company," Washizu replies. "That's how I feel."
"Are you telling me to betray the President?" Nobuaki asks.
"The absolute condition for your company's recovery is President Okochi's resignation."
"That won't happen," Nobuaki says. "My mother...I mean, the President...won't listen to what I have to say."
"I can imagine," Washizu replies. "That is why we came prepared."
Nakanobe, Alan, and Murata push back the sliding doors and enter the room, carrying large briefcases. They set the cases down on the floor.
(This is another example of how well Washizu's team anticipates his cues. He doesn't call for them or make any other obvious kind of signal, but they enter the room perfectly on cue. Presumably, they were listening to the conversation behind the doors and waiting for the right moment, but it's still very impressive.)
"Golden parachute," Washizu says (speaking in English).
"Golden parachute?" Nobuaki repeats.
The three men open the cases, which are filled with money.
"In other words," Washizu says, "in return for having the current management team resign, we will pay a special bonus as compensation."
Murata says, "$3 million to President Okochi, $1 million to you as the Vice President, plus the house you are living in."
Nobuaki protest that there's no way she will agree to it for a measly $3 million. Washizu says that's where Nobuaki comes in, that he'll have to persuade her. If he succeeds, they will pay him the same amount as the President: $3 million, plus the position of President. The latter causes Nobuaki's eyes to widen in surprise.
"You have two weeks," Washizu tells him. "We'll wait for a favorable reply." His three subordinates close up the briefcases, and the Horizon team leaves.
Shibano runs after them, calling out, "Washizu!" (Again, he doesn't use an honorific and speaks curtly.)
The two of them walk off to talk in private (near what looks like a baseball field), and Shibano asks Washizu if that's his way of doing business. "You trample on people's pride by slapping them with a bundle of cash?"
"What do you mean?" Washizu asks.
"Do you honestly think the company can recover by that method?" Shibano retorts.
"I repeat," Washizu says, "what are you talking about? My objective is just money."
"Is that what it was about for Nishino-ya?" Shibano demands. "All you cared about was buying cheap and selling high?"
"That's right," Washizu replies. "Is that a problem?"
"What is it with you?" Shibano asks angrily. "Someone died in the process." He grabs Washizu by his jacket. "Doesn't that bother you?"
"You said it yourself," Washizu replies, pulling away from Shibano. "Seven years ago the president of Mishima Factory was cornered because we refused to lend him money, so he committed suicide. When I was crying, you told me, 'It can't be helped. Japan is a capitalist country.'"
The scene flashes back to Washizu standing outside in the rain, then slowly walking through the factory's open door. He's soaking wet. Shibano follows, holding an umbrella, which he closes when he enters the factory.
"This is unbearable," Shibano says, patting Washizu on the shoulder comfortingly. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You did it for the company. If we can't collect what we owe, we'll be in trouble. As cruel as this sounds...we will absolutely collect on what we lend out. If they can't pay, they'll just have to file for bankruptcy. Ultimately, that is the theory behind capitalism. It's not your fault."
Flash-forward to present. Washizu asks, "What is the theory of capitalism? Didn't you mean that nothing would start without money? This country is finally coming to terms with that truth. That factory was the subsidiary of the subsidiary of the subsidiary of an auto manufacturer. They were making special screws to fixate the parts. The cost of making a screw was 7.5 cents. It took two people to make 2,000 screws in eight hours. What does that make the hourly rate? They worked hard from morning to night, but couldn't afford to buy the car they made the screws for. To meet the parent company's demand, they had to borrow $20,000 to buy machinery. Unable to pay that $20,000, he hung himself.
"I tried to save him that time. I resented the bank for refusing to loan him money." His hands grip the chain-link fence enclosing the baseball field. "But the bank did the natural thing. $20,000...he was weak to die for a measly $20,000. That's how the world is. There's no such thing as honest or dirty...good intentions or bad. If he had $20,000, he wouldn't have had to die. I was a fool for not realizing that. I went to America to fully learn the theory on capitalism that you told me about. I learned that justice is with the one who has the money. You are the one who changed me, Shibano-san."
(Although the translator for the version that aired on the local TV station simply used "he" when Washizu talks about the Mishima factory owner, I can hear that he's actually saying "oyaji-san". That translates roughly to "old man" or "Dad"/"Pops"--a sort of casual way to address one's father, or at least that's the way I see it used in anime and dramas. It's possible that Washizu is being insulting here by referring to Mishima as "the old man," but I think it's more likely that he used to affectionately call Mishima "oyaji-san" back in the days when he was close to the Mishima family. If so, it's interesting that he's still using that term of address--possibly unconsciously or out of habit?--even though he's trying to act cynical and uncaring.)
Shibano looks shaken by his words. Washizu continues, "Sunday Toys is a money tree. I promise to get my hands on them, just like I did with Nishino-ya. Excuse me."
(Interesting that Washizu seems to be deliberately playing the bad guy here. I'm sure he believes what he says about "justice is with the one who has the money," but at the same time, I also think he cares about more than just making a profit and that he does want to save the Japanese companies that he's buying out, even if his methods are extreme. However, he makes no attempt to justify himself to Shibano, and there's a sense of bitterness and accusation when he tells Shibano, you changed me." If Washizu really cared about nothing but profits, I don't think he'd be so bitter. Instead, it's as if he doesn't like the person that he's become, and resents Shibano for crushing his youthful idealism. Which perhaps that's why he keeps rubbing it in that Shibano changed him, as if to say, "You can't complain about me when you're the one who made me this way.")
***
Still looking shaken, Shibano takes a taxi to a construction site where Osamu is working. It's raining--possibly meant to invoke a comparison to Washizu's flashback scene? He holds his umbrella over Osamu to shelter him from the rain.
"Lend an umbrella on a sunny day, take it away on a rainy day," Osamu says. "That's what a bank is. That's what my dad used to say. You're lending it to me when it's raining. What do you want?"
"I know I'm in no position to say this," Shibano says. "But...if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."
Osamu laughs. "What happens if I call you? Will you lend me money? Then lend it to me. I want to start up a company. I need $30,000 as capital." He laughs again. "You can't lend it to me. You can't do anything to help me. I don't begrudge you. There's nothing you could have done. You're just a salaryman, after all." He adds, "You're getting in the way," and walks away to go back to work. Shibano is left standing there, still holding the umbrella. Then he walks away, dropping the umbrella down to his side. (Which is another comparison to the guilt-stricken Washizu in the rain?)
***
At Horizon, Nakanobe is telling Washizu that if Nobuaki can persuade the President, they win, and can apply for civil rehabilitation and become the sponsor. They walk into the conference room where the other members of the team are already at work. Alan and Aya are calculating ST's potential profits in three years, subtracting the money Horizon is investing from the projected earnings, which comes out to $200 million. For a change, they're speaking in English instead of Japanese. "Not bad," Murata says (in Japanese).
There has been no word from Nobuaki yet. Murata wonders if he's having trouble persuading his mother, but says that he still has a few days left.
***
The next scene is a board meeting at ST.
Shortly after President Okochi starts the meeting, there is a flashback to Shibano telling Iijima that he will persuade Nobuaki to organize the anti-President faction. Iijima asks if he's sure that Mitsuba's name won't get out, and Shibano assures him that it will be a strictly internal affair for ST. "We will outwit Horizon," he promises.
The scene shifts back to the board meeting, where the President is asking if there are any questions. Nobuaki raises his hand, and she calls on him. He says that the theme park has lost $50 million, and that they should clarify whose responsibility that is. As his mother starts to protest, another board member stands and proposes the dismissal of the current President/CEO. The President is completely shocked.
Flashback to a Mitsuba board meeting where they are discussing the plan to egg on Nobuaki into dismissing the President, then apply for civil rehabilitation. (Sound familiar?)
The scene cuts back to ST, where the President is shouting in outrage.
The scene shifts back to Mitsuba, where Sakamaki says, "Iron Ox, the sponsor, is our affiliate."
Sakota adds, "If it becomes publicly traded, we will reap huge profits."
Back at ST, Momose calls for a vote: "Those in favor of dismissing the current President/CEO, please stand." Slowly, one by one, everyone rises to their feet, including Nobuaki. The President stares at him in disbelief, her eyes widening at his betrayal.
Outside the ST building, Yuka reports that Okochi Mizue was dismissed as President at the board meeting, and that the new President will be Nobuaki.
The camera pulls back, and we see that the report is airing on a TV at the Horizon office. Alan turns off the TV and slams the remote down on the table, saying, "We've been screwed!"
"Damn," Nakanobe says.
"It must be Mitsuba," Washizu says.
"Mitsuba?" Alan repeats, still sounding angry.
"They planned it, knowing Nobuaki would betray the President," Washizu says. "Their restructuring plan of setting Nobuaki up as President was ours and they took it."
He's angry, but still fairly calm in the meeting room. However, the scene then shifts to him standing alone in a hallway, staring out the plate glass windows that overlook the street. We see his frustration as he slams his hand against the window, and then hits the blinds as he walks away.
(End of Episode 2; the same ending credit sequence as Episode 1 plays, as it does in all the episodes.)
Link to Episode 3 Recap
Link to Episode 4 Recap
***
Final thoughts on this episode: For some reason, the subtitled version I watched on local TV left out the "August 2000" caption after the funeral scene, which caused some confusion for me when I was doing the re-watch of the video I had taped. I assumed the Sunday Toys story arc was still taking place in 1998, so I did a double-take when Washizu said that President Mishima committed suicide seven years ago when it should have been five years ago (or so I assumed). Fortunately, as mentioned on a previous blog post, I was able to buy a used copy of the Japanese dvd set, so I checked the dvd and it did indeed set the date as "August 2000" for the Sunday Toys arc, which means the story skipped ahead two years.
Which perhaps makes Alan's and Murata's comments during the party scene a little more understandable. If it's been two years since they've seen Shibano, it probably seems unusual, maybe even fateful (as Murata points out) that they'd be crossing paths with him as an adversary again.
It also makes Osamu's storyline even sadder, since he's still at loose ends two years after his father's death. And although he doesn't say so one way or the other, I think he probably hasn't gone back home or contacted his mother since his father's death. At most, maybe he's called to tell her that he's okay (and I hope for her sake that he did), but I think his guilt would keep him from resuming a normal family relationship. We never see her in the show again after the funeral scene, but I feel sorriest for Osamu's mother, who has, in a sense, lost both her husband and her son.
The two year gap also means that Yuka has been obsessively hounding Washizu for two years, without him giving her any kind of interview or even a brief comment. In hindsight, that makes Alan's suggestion that Washizu talk to her more understandable--if she's been this persistent, she's not going to just go away, so he might as well talk to her and get it over with.
Unrelated to the time-skip, this episode made me understand why Washizu resents Shibano so much. It's not just that he crushed Washizu's ideals and set him on the path to being a vulture, but that he (albeit unintentionally) comes off as a hypocrite. He tells both Nishino's wife and son to let him know if there's anything he can do for them, but as Osamu points out, it's an empty promise that he can't fulfill. He can't give them back the inn or bring Nishino back from the dead. He can't even loan Osamu the $30,000 that he mockingly asks for even though it's a pittance compared to the huge debts of Nishino-ya or Sunday Toys.
Also, although he berates Washizu for taking Nishino-ya and trying to buy out Sunday Toys, those two businesses were Shibano's responsibility before Horizon appeared on the scene, and he didn't do a very good job of protecting them--at least until the end of this episode. In Episode 1, it's clear that he knew Nishino-ya was on the verge of bankruptcy because he urged Nishino to sell the golf course, but he let Nishino brush him off instead of being more insistent and telling him that he'd lose the business if he didn't wake up. And with Sunday Toys, he knew that President Okochi had to be removed for the business to survive, but initially, he let his boss talk him into going with a watered-down restructuring plan that he knew wouldn't work.
He blames Washizu for preying on the dying companies like a vulture, but Shibano himself was completely ineffective at protecting them, even though he acts as though he's more principled than Washizu. So I can't really blame Washizu for thinking along the lines of, "Who are you to criticize me?"
Which isn't to say that Washizu isn't ruthless in his dealings, because he is, but at least he's upfront about it. And frankly, Nishino and Okochi both brought their problems on themselves, so I can't muster up much pity for them. Yuka's father seems to be the only blameless victim in the story, and it's his death that is the catalyst that changes Washizu so drastically.
Ironically, it's Washizu who spurs Shibano on to convince Iijima and Nobuaki to go along with the plan of ousting President Okochi. However, although Shibano has won the battle, he hasn't yet won the war, as Washizu still has something up his sleeve in Episode 3.