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「ブレスト」 (Buresuto)
“Brainstorming”
Yup, it’s the first episode of no badminton action but plenty of salaryman work, after all, you can’t be a Badaryman without the salary. Mikoto has much to learn with his new job, but luckily he’s been blessed with a supportive team that’s always got his back. At the same time, being the newbie in the team is always hard, not to mention the youngest member, so it’s normal that Mikoto began to feel a little overwhelmed, particularly in the brainstorming session as everyone constantly calls out ideas in a fast-paced manner. Any introverted person who has worked in corporate jobs knows the struggles of contributing to team discussions, but I was glad to see Mikoto not give up and wait for his moment to play his card.
Teamwork makes the Dreamwork!
In many ways, how the team bonds and the roles they play at work are likely going to reflect how they play badminton as a team. No doubt, Mikoto can be seen as the team’s hidden trump card that rises when the others have exhausted themselves. We can see an example of this with his clutch suggestion of using a ramune style bottle for their product proposal. Coming in strong when the rest of the team were out of brainpower was essential to carry them forward to the implementation phase of writing up the proposal. While he may not be a “grinder” like the rest of his teammates who are able to throw out ideas in a ‘hit or miss’ fashion, Mikoto is able to make more crucial suggestions that navigate the team towards success. We see this through his suggestion of the ramune bottle as well as his initial idea for the new green onion flavor.
Mikoto’s Roasting Session
Indeed, sometimes roasting your colleagues and paying them out for their flaws is a good remedy for one to feel closer with the team and get their voices heard, so long as it is met with an acknowledgment of their strengths and positive characteristics as well. When Mikoto went on a drunken rampage calling out each individual member’s flaws, he definitely did some emotional damage but also gave them something to reflect and improve on. Luckily, Mikoto wasn’t a complete toxic mess in his drunk state, as he also mentioned how appreciative he was for everyone helping him out, with the exception of Tatsuru of course. It’s hard to say why he didn’t mention anything good about Tatsuru, but my guess is that he feels especially close with him and perhaps even sees him as something of a fatherly figure, and we all know father-son relationships can be a little deeper and more complex than just work colleagues.
On a final note, I’d say this wasn’t the most eventful episode but it was a necessary one. Not only did we get a deeper understanding of each individual member of the salary/badminton team, but also learned a little more about Mikoto’s past and the “tragic” event that turned him away from doubles. With the stronger and more experienced Tatsuru backing him now, Mikoto should hopefully be able to move past his trauma. As this was a heavily work-related episode, I’m hoping the next will be jam-packed with badminton action! Looking forward to how things pan out on this journey of the Badarymen.