The Middle Management Blues: Tonegawa is a spin-off of the Kaiji series, which is themed around the brutal and life-threatening world of gambling. However, it's actually a comedy anime! It's devoid of the brutal atmosphere of the original, and even the phrases and expressions that follow the original are all gags! It's a comedy about middle management. I'd like to introduce you to the protagonist, Tonegawa Yukio, who struggles through the struggles of being in a relationship with his superiors and subordinates.
Tonegawa in the original Kaiji
Tonegawa, who appeared in the original Kaiji: Apocalypse of Gambling and the anime Kaiji: Against All Odds, was in charge of planning and running a life-threatening gambling game for multiple debtors. He skillfully intimidated and encouraged the debtors, drawing Kaiji and his friends into the fray. He is portrayed as Kaiji's nemesis, a villain who doesn't care if the debtors die, as befits the number two of the illegal black company Teiai.
A direct confrontation with Kaiji...! And then he goes for a burning grovel.
After successfully walking across the steel beams, Tonegawa faces Kaiji in a direct match of e-cards, overwhelming him throughout. However, Kaiji sees through his cheating through a trivial incident and defeats him with a desperate tactic. In the subsequent match, Tonegawa's arrogance and superiority are exploited, resulting in his defeat and earning the wrath of Chairman Hyodo. Having lost the match, Tonegawa incurs Chairman Hyodo's wrath and is sentenced to a burning grovel. Tonegawa completes the unprecedented task of burning and kneeling, but his whereabouts remain unknown.
Tonegawa Yukio...! Middle management...!
Tonegawa, the No. 2 at Teiai, is a so-called middle manager. He's constantly at the mercy of Chairman Hyoudou Kazutaka's tyrannical whims and scrambling to help his subordinates with their reckless behavior and mistakes. Generally excellent, Tonegawa utilizes his natural abilities to fulfill his duties as a middle manager.
Hard work...! Middle Management
As a middle manager, Tonegawa's work is generally extremely demanding...! Whenever the volatile chairman calls, he has to rush over no matter where he is, and he has to put up with the chairman's whims every time. Chairman Hyodo is basically a personality disorder, and even Tonegawa cannot fully understand his actions and emotions. If he were to anger him, punishment is inevitable. Tonegawa must keep a close eye on the chairman's actions every day.
The nondescript black suits...!
Tonegawa's loyal subordinates in black suits. At first glance, they seem like mob characters with no distinctive features, and they're indistinguishable from one another. However, they all have their own unique names and subtle characteristics. Chairman Hyodo doesn't need to memorize the faces and names of each of the black suits. But Tonegawa is different...! Tonegawa must also pay attention to the black suits. This is because Tonegawa is a middle manager. He can't neglect his subordinates and lose their trust, so he must remember the names of these characterless black suits.
Clear his name and restore his honor...!
No matter how talented Tonegawa is, he sometimes loses sight of himself and makes a fool of himself, a perfect example of a bad boss. But what makes Tonegawa so talented is that he doesn't stop there...! He never forgets to support his subordinates. He always restores his honor. It's this consideration that earns Tonegawa the trust and admiration of the black suits.
Tonegawa Yukio...! A talented man, highly trusted by his subordinates...!
Tonegawa is the boss of the black suits, and as is the case in any company, it's difficult to be forceful with your boss. However, Tonegawa has the broad-mindedness to listen to his subordinates' criticisms without hesitation, and when he realizes that the alternative idea they come up with is superior, he will unhesitantly discard his own and adopt the subordinate's. He also never forgets to care for his subordinates, earning the black suits their trust and portraying him as an ideal boss.
He's a man who never forgets to be considerate of his subordinates...but!
Tonegawa is well-liked by his subordinates for his steadfast management, such as holding party in the conference room after the completion of a major project and giving generous farewell gifts and encouragement to subordinates who are being transferred. However, his management of his subordinates and his consideration for the chairman often backfire, so even though Tonegawa is an excellent employee, he is not perfect.
Teiai is a black company...! The suffering of Tonegawa Yukio...!
Teiai is a black company...! It's a nightmarish environment that's not only harsh on those with heavy debts, but also on employees. Tonegawa, who works there, is a loyal corporate slave. Naturally, Tonegawa faces the same hardships as a black company. Working 20 days in a row is the norm, and he's constantly being called in unexpectedly, unreasonable demands from the chairman, and power harassment are commonplace. Perhaps because Tonegawa seems like the ideal boss, the company that inspired the story seems far more black.
The chairman's devilish demands and power harassment...!
Tonegawa is frequently summoned by Chairman Hyodo, who makes unreasonable demands each time. It starts with planning a devil's game in which heavily indebted people reveal their ugly side. He then makes demands like, "I want to see a movie, so prepare one," "I'm obsessed with fortune telling, so I should ride right now," "I feel like someone is targeting me, so prepare a body double," and so on. Still, he has no choice but to obey, because Tonegawa is a corporate slave and a middle manager...!
His subordinates are out of control...! Tonegawa at the mercy of his subordinates
Tonegawa's job isn't just about being at the mercy of the chairman's power harassment. As a middle manager, Tonegawa's job also involves managing and supervising his subordinates, but he's often at the mercy of his subordinates. While they may appear nondescript in their black suits, they sometimes go off the rails in completely unexpected directions. It's also Tonegawa's job to support his subordinates. He must be strict but kind to them. He's a middle manager after all...!
Summary of Yukio Tonegawa from Middle Management Chronicle Tonegawa
In the original Kaiji, Tonegawa is portrayed as a ruthless villain, but in Middle Management Chronicle Tonegawa, he's a good boss with almost no trace of that. Even though it's a spin-off of Kaiji, it's a very comical work, and the contrast with Kaiji is very enjoyable. Even though he's such a villain in the original, this character makes you think, "I wish I had a boss like this!"
