Below is a breakdown of the episode that redefined the "salaryman" drama.
Faced with an internal inquiry at the bank's Tokyo headquarters, Hanzawa refuses to take the fall. He famously declares that he will recover the full 500 million yen himself. The Iconic "Baigaeshi" Moment Hanzawa Naoki Episode 1
The episode sets the stage with Hanzawa being pressured by his ambitious branch manager, Tadasu Asano (Kanji Ishimaru), to approve a massive (~$5 million USD) unsecured loan to Nishi Osaka Steel. Despite Hanzawa’s internal reservations and a lack of proper due diligence, Asano forces the deal through to meet branch targets. The catastrophe strikes quickly: Below is a breakdown of the episode that
Asano immediately shifts the entire blame onto Hanzawa, attempting to sacrifice his subordinate’s career to protect his own. Tadasu Asano (Kanji Ishimaru)