Overview
The Bureau of Anomaly Control (BAC) is the government organization responsible for Anomaly and Esper management in Hethereau and the surrounding regions. The Bureau operates through a multi-department structure, each tasked with a distinct aspect of anomaly response, from frontline combat and containment to administrative support and public relations. A Director oversees the Bureau's overall operations, and all staff are required to participate in regular containment safety examinations.
The BAC's headquarters includes a bustling main hall where both human operatives and Oddities (supernatural beings drawn to Earth by the Hypervortex) queue up for services, including resident permits. The organization's mandate covers everything from tracking Espers with awakened abilities to dispatching tactical squads for major anomaly incidents across multiple cities, including Hethereau and New Helios.
Enigmatic Tactical Division (ETD)
The Enigmatic Tactical Division is the Bureau's frontline field and combat division. ETD squads are deployed to investigate, confront, and nullify active anomalies that pose immediate threats to the public. Multiple ETD squads exist within the Bureau, each led by a captain and staffed with specialized Esper operatives. The division handles both containment and nullification operations depending on the severity and nature of the anomaly.
ETD squads are the Bureau's primary rapid-response units. When Worheimer Index readings spike in a given area, it is typically an ETD squad that is dispatched first to assess and engage the threat. The division's operatives are among the most combat-capable Espers in the Bureau's roster.
ETD-4 (Squad 4)
ETD-4 is the primary squad featured in the game's main storyline. The squad was dispatched from Hethereau to New Helios during the Hypervortex disaster and plays a central role in the game's opening animation, "Hypervortex Before the Storm." ETD-4's members are all S-Class Espers, each with distinct combat specializations and personalities.
Member | Element | Role and Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
S-Class | Captain of ETD-4. Seemingly laid-back but surprisingly reliable in the field. Wields the "Power of Words," an ability tied to his Incantation element. | ||
S-Class | Lieutenant of ETD-4, carrying the title "Shadow Hound Operative." A non-human wolf-man who specializes in shadow manipulation. Described as serious and tough in the opening animation. | ||
S-Class | Holds the title "Apostle of Love and Death." Uses a Transforming Cross-Shield as her primary weapon. Characterized as seductive and somewhat unhinged during the New Helios response. | ||
S-Class | Known as the "Sleepy Construct Master." Creates autonomous constructs to fight on her behalf, freeing her to continue dreaming. Appeared detached during the Hypervortex response. |
In-game dialogue hints that ETD-4's captain, Baicang, is considered "the least captain-like captain" among the ETD squads, suggesting that other ETD squads have more conventionally authoritative leadership. Despite this reputation, Baicang and his squad were selected for the critical New Helios deployment.
Containment Units
While the ETD handles direct combat and nullification, Containment Units focus on isolating and controlling anomalies that can be managed without destruction. These units maintain containment perimeters, monitor contained anomalies, and ensure they do not spread or evolve into larger threats.
Containment Unit 2
Containment Unit 2 is specifically mentioned in the game's lore. Mint is a rising star in this unit, described as "a living dictionary of people and places in Hethereau" who aspires to achieve ace agent status within the Bureau. Mint's encyclopedic knowledge of the city's layout and inhabitants makes her particularly effective at tracking anomalous activity and coordinating containment zones.
General Affairs Office
The General Affairs Office handles the Bureau's administrative functions. This department manages paperwork, personnel records, resource allocation, and the day-to-day bureaucratic operations that keep the larger organization running. While less glamorous than the ETD's frontline work, the General Affairs Office is essential to coordinating the Bureau's multi-department response infrastructure.
The Budoriya
The Budoriya is a Bureau department led by a notably taciturn chief. Details about this department's specific responsibilities remain limited, though its presence in the Bureau's organizational structure suggests a specialized function within the anomaly management apparatus.
DSD Pop
DSD Pop appears to be a public-facing division or location within the Bureau's infrastructure. Located in the Hethereau area, it is staffed with enthusiastic guides who assist visitors and new arrivals. The "Pop" designation may indicate a public outreach or community liaison function, serving as the Bureau's interface with the civilian population and Oddities seeking services such as resident permits.
Eibon
Eibon operates as a severely underfunded branch of anomaly hunters working out of a struggling antique shop. While technically affiliated with the Bureau, Eibon functions semi-independently, taking on anomaly commissions and conducting investigations with limited resources. The Appraiser (the player's protagonist) is assigned to Eibon after being recruited by the Bureau following the Hypervortex disaster.
Despite its underfunded status, Eibon's team includes several powerful Espers. Hotori owns and manages the antique shop, while operatives like Nanally Coluccis bring significant combat experience from previous containment and nullification operations. The shop serves as both the team's base of operations and a civilian-facing business.
Department Summary
Department | Function | Key Personnel |
|---|---|---|
ETD (Enigmatic Tactical Division) | Frontline combat, anomaly nullification, rapid response | |
Containment Units | Anomaly isolation, perimeter maintenance, monitoring | Mint (Containment Unit 2) |
General Affairs Office | Administration, personnel, resource allocation | Bureau staff |
The Budoriya | Specialized department (details limited) | Taciturn chief |
DSD Pop | Public outreach, community liaison, resident permits | Guides and public-facing staff |
Eibon | Independent anomaly investigations, commissions |
Recruitment and Training
The Bureau actively recruits Espers to staff its various departments. Individuals with awakened supernatural abilities are tracked by the BAC, and promising candidates are brought into the organization. The Appraiser's recruitment is a notable example: after demonstrating knowledge of the Hypervortex's Nexus at the disaster's ground zero, the Bureau recognized their value and assigned them to Eibon.
All Bureau staff, regardless of department, are required to pass containment safety exams. These examinations ensure that every operative, from administrative staff in the General Affairs Office to frontline ETD combatants, understands proper anomaly handling protocols. The Bureau's training infrastructure reflects the constant threat that anomalies pose to Hethereau and the importance of a prepared, disciplined response force.