Bullbuster

Bullbuster (Japanese: ブルバスター, Hepburn: Burubasutā) is a Japanese multimedia franchise by Kadokawa.[2] Originating as a concept book released in November 2017, it later received a novel series written by Hiroyuki Nakao and illustrated by Eisaku Kubonouchi. An anime television series adaptation produced by NUT premiered in October 2023. A manga adaptation by Hishio Itami began serialization in Media Factory's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Flapper in the same month.

Bullbuster
First novel volume cover
ブルバスター
(Burubasutā)
GenreMecha[1]
Novel series
Written byHiroyuki Nakao
Illustrated byEisaku Kubonouchi
Published byKadokawa
Original runDecember 27, 2018 – present
Volumes3
Anime television series
Directed byHiroyasu Aoki
Written byHiroyasu Aoki
Music byMasahiro Tokuda
StudioNUT
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkAT-X, Tokyo MX, BS-NTV, Kansai TV
Original run October 4, 2023 – present
Episodes2
Manga
Written byHiroyuki Nakao
P.I.C.S.
Illustrated byHishio Itami
Published byMedia Factory
MagazineMonthly Comic Flapper
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 5, 2023 – present

Characters
Tetsurō Okino (沖野鉄郎, Okino Tetsurō)
Voiced by: Shōya Chiba[3]
A mech designer and pilot from Kanie Technologies who developed the Bullbuster and is transferred to Namidome Industries to help train their pilots in its use.
Arumi Nikaidō (二階堂アル美, Nikaidō Arumi)
Voiced by: Asami Seto[3]
One of Namidome Industries' pilots.
Kōji Tajima (田島鋼二, Tajima Kōji)
Voiced by: Shin-ichiro Miki[3]
The President of Namidome Industries, who is dedicated to exterminating the Giant Beasts so that Ryugan Island's population can reclaim their lost homes.
Miyuki Shirogane (白金みゆき, Shirogane Miyuki)
Voiced by: Yūki Takada[3]
The general affairs manager of Namidome Industries.
Ginnosuke Mutō (武藤 銀之助, Mutō Ginnosuke)
Voiced by: Taiten Kusunoki[3]
One of Namidome Industries' pilots, who is rather old fashioned and is skeptical about the Bullbuster.
Kintarō Kataoka (片岡 金太郎, Kataoka Kintarō)
Voiced by: Ken Uo[3]
The accountant for Namidome Industries who is a stickler for proper procedure and paperwork.
Shūichi Namari (鉛 修一, Namari Shūichi)
Voiced by: Yuma Uchida[4]

Media

Print

The franchise originated as a concept book released at Comitia122 on November 23, 2017, and later at Comiket.[5][3]

A series of novels, written by Hiroyuki Nakao and illustrated by Eisaku Kubonouchi, began publication on December 27, 2018.[3][6] As of September 2023, three volumes have been released.[7]

A manga series for the franchise illustrated by Hishio Itami began serialization in Media Factory's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Flapper on October 5, 2023.[8]

Novels
No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 December 27, 2018[6]978-4-04-735421-0
2 September 5, 2019[9]978-4-04-735716-7
3 September 29, 2023[7]978-4-04-737661-8

Anime

An anime television series for the franchise was announced on November 18, 2022. It is written and directed by Hiroyasu Aoki and produced by NUT, with Takahisa Katagiri adapting Kubonouchi's original designs for animation, Junji Okubo serving as mechanical designer, and Masahiro Tokuda composing the music.[4] The series premiered on October 4, 2023, on AT-X and other networks.[1][3][10] The opening theme song, "Try-ry-ry", is performed by Noristry, while the ending theme song, "Ganbare to Sakebu tabi" (Every Time You Shout "Do Your Best"), is performed by Konomi Suzuki.[11] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[12] Medialink licensed the series in South, Southeast Asia and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand), streaming it on Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.[13][14]

Episodes
No.Title [lower-alpha 1]Directed by [lower-alpha 2]Written by [lower-alpha 2]Storyboarded by [lower-alpha 2]Original air date
1"Bullbuster, Activate! A Small Business on the Verge of Bankruptcy Challenges a Mysterious Monster?!"
Transcription: "Burubasutā Kidō! Gakeppuchi Chūshō Kigyō ga Tachimukau no Wa, Nazo no Bakemono!?" (Japanese: ブルバスター起動！崖っぷち中小企業が立ち向かうのは、謎のバケモノ！？)		Yoshihisa IidaHiroyasu AokiHiroyasu AokiOctober 4, 2023 (2023-10-04)
In the near future, Ryugan Island off the coast of Japan is infested with giant beasts, forcing the population to evacuate. In order to deal with the giant beasts, pest control companies like Namidome Industries employ the use of giant robots to exterminate them. Tetsurō Okino is transferred to Namidome Industries to train them in the use of the next generation mech Bullbuster. He meets Kōji Tajima, Miyuki Shirogane, and Ginnosuke Mutō when an alert goes out of a giant beast on the loose. However, Kintarō Kataoka forces Okino to sign an employment contract first before he can deploy. Okino is then sent to Ryugan Island with Muto and Arumi Nikaidō. While Okino searches for the giant beast, Muto and Arumi attempt to repair the company's older generation mech, Bullrover, which was damaged and left behind after a previous battle. The giant beast then attacks, but Okino and Arumi are able to work together to exterminate it.
2"No Money! No Ship, Either?! The Only Way To Survive Is to Rebrand Namidome!"
Transcription: "Kimu ga Nai! Fune Monai!? Kishikaisei no Ichi te wa "Namitome Burando ka Keikaku"?" (Japanese: 金がない！船もない！？起死回生の一手は「波止ブランド化計画」？)		Satoshi MatsubaraHiroyasu AokiHiroyasu AokiOctober 11, 2023 (2023-10-11)
Okino returns from his successful mission, but is chewed out by Kataoka warning him limit the use of weapons due to the cost of ammuntion. Okino then accompanies Muto to deliver the giant beast's corpse to Shiota Bio, led by Mitsuru Inomata. However, despite dissecting numerous Giant Beast corpses, Shiota Bio has not been able to learn anything substantive about them and Inomata suggest they try to capture a live specimen next time. Muto explains that when giant beasts first appeared on Ryugan Island, they were considered wild animals, and since the island was evacuated due a gas leak, the government has shown little interest in addressing the issue, leaving the job to Namidome Industries. Meanwhile, Kataoka warns Tajima that not only can they barely afford the cost of maintaining Bullbuster and Bullrover, but the local Builders' Union is pressuring the local fisheries to cease loaning their boats to Namidome Industries, which would cut them off from Ryugan Island. Tajima decides to enlist the help of some of Okino's friends to rebrand the company to let the Builders' Union know they aren't in competition. The rebranding is successful with the company getting a new, modernized logo, which begins attracting increased attention online.
3"Okino Steps in It! The Islanders are Angry...In the Company's Hour of Need, Its President Stands Tall!"
Transcription: "Okino, Dai Shittai! Areru Tōmintachi...Kaisha Sonbō no Kiki ni, Shachō ga Tachiagaru!" (Japanese: 沖野、大失態！荒れる島民達…会社存亡の危機に、社長が立ち上がる！)		Hidetoshi WatanabeHiroyasu AokiHiroyasu AokiOctober 18, 2023 (2023-10-18)
Okino finds out that he accidentally uploaded the wrong video to the company website, showing him battling against the giant beasts. Tajima and Kataoka explain that Namidome Industries is legally required to keep the existence of the Giant Beasts a secret from the public to prevent the government from meddling in the reconstruction of Ryugan Island. Tajima and Kataoka then meet with Shinya Shikauchi, the head of their parent company Shiota Chemical, to explain themselves. Shikauchi praises them for their successful damage control of the incident but reminds them their company should be turning a profit. They also meet with the Islanders, who are growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress on reclaiming the island. Muto then checks in on Okino, who is considering resigning due to his mistake, but Muto talks him out of it. Tajima comes to the realization that the Giant Beasts are likely producing the gas that forced the evacuation of the island, so exterminating the Giant Beasts would solve both problems. That night, Arumi heads to the island to hunt a Giant Beast, but when she confronts it, she cannot bring herself to shoot it and it escapes.
4"The Incredible Operation to Capture a Giant Beast Alive Begins!"
Transcription: "Arumi, Namida no Riyū...Zendaimimon no "Kaiju Ikedori Sakusen" Kaishi ！" (Japanese: アル美、涙の理由…前代未聞の「巨獣生け捕り作戦」開始！)		Mitsuhiro Ōgata
Satoshi Matsubara		Hiroyasu AokiUmi Fujisawa
Yoshihiro Kanno		October 25, 2023 (2023-10-25)
Tajima and Muto consider trying to capture the Giant Beast Arumi encountered since it is still relatively small, but Kataoka warns that they don't have the funds to build a new trap, and they still don't have a boat. Meanwhile, Arumi visits Okina to view his recording of his first mission, where she catches sight of the smaller Giant Beast, and comes to the realization that is actually her old dog Shiro which has somehow mutated into a Giant Beast. Okino manages to convince his coworker Yoshi Kameyama to build a trap for Arumi as a personal favor, while Namidome Industries is able to secure a new boat from a charitable patron. Arumi and Muto head to the island to set the trap, but a Giant Beast attacks streamer trespassing on the island. Muto takes the trespasser to safety but is wounded in the process while Arumi uses Bullbuster to try and keep the Giant Beast from escaping into the sea. With no other choice, Okino takes the Bullrover to the island and helps Arumi kill the Giant Beast. Afterwards, the trap successfully captures Shiro.

Notes
  1. All English titles are taken from Crunchyroll.[15]
  2. Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.

References
  1. Chapman, Paul (September 1, 2023). "BULLBUSTER Anime Hits Japanese TV on October 4". Crunchyroll. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  2. https://www.flickerbuzz.com/robot-hero-bullbuster-anime/
  3. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 18, 2022). "Studio NUT Produces Bullbuster TV Anime Premiering in 2023". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  4. Mateo, Alex (September 1, 2023). "Bullbuster Anime Reveals Promo Video, Visual, Cast, Staff, October 4 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  5. 中尾浩之と窪之内英策による、オリジナルロボット作品『ブルバスター』始動. Kai-You (in Japanese). November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  6. ブルバスター 01 (in Japanese). Kadokawa. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  7. ブルバスター 03 [Bull Buster 03] (in Japanese). Kadokawa. Retrieved August 23, 2023. The final volume of the "economically correct" robot hero story! !
  8. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 9, 2023). "Bullbuster Project Gets Manga on October 5". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  9. ブルバスター 02 (in Japanese). Kadokawa. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  10. ロボットヒーロープロジェクト「ブルバスター」アニメ化決定、2023年放送開始. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  11. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 23, 2023). "Bullbuster Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists NORISTRY, Konomi Suzuki". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  12. "Crunchyroll Announces Release Schedule for Fall 2023 Anime Season". Anime News Network. September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  13. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 3, 2023). "Ani-One Asia Streams Bullbuster Anime". Anime News Network.
  14. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-10-14/ani-one-asia-streams-bullbuster-bikkuri-men-the-yuzuki-family-four-sons-6-more-anime-in-india/.203376
  15. "Watch BULLBUSTER - Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
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