Hanzawa Naoki Episode 1 [work] May 2026

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:

Episode 1 introduces the series' signature catchphrase: . This philosophy—that if you are wronged, you must return the "favour" twofold—resonated deeply with Japanese office workers who felt oppressed by rigid corporate hierarchies and "horrible bosses". Key Characters & Cast Hanzawa Naoki Episode 1

Within three months, Nishi Osaka Steel goes bankrupt, revealing it had been cooking its books to hide massive debts. The episode sets the stage with Hanzawa being

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 This philosophy—that if you are wronged, you must

Asano immediately shifts the entire blame onto Hanzawa, attempting to sacrifice his subordinate’s career to protect his own.

Below is a breakdown of the episode that redefined the "salaryman" drama.

The premiere of , which aired on July 7, 2013, on TBS, didn’t just launch a television series; it ignited a cultural phenomenon in Japan. Centred on the high-stakes world of banking, Episode 1 introduces us to the relentless Naoki Hanzawa (played by Masato Sakai), a loan manager at the Osaka Nishi branch of Tokyo Central Bank.