Shinkawa-kai#

Summary#

Shinkawa Godo Kaisha (新川合同会社), or Shinkawa GK, is a company centered on Prism Island that focuses on real estate and property management, investment and sales, and managing smaller businesses. Shinkawa GK owns a number of businesses across Prism City, and is known to help smaller businesses struggling to get started. Shinkawa GK has become a common company name on Prism, frequently donating to or hosting public events, and showing up at disasters with aid. There are rumors of Shinkawa GK having darker businesses dealings… suspicions that are unproven. In truth, it is also the front for the only known morph bokuto yakuza: Shinkawa-kai, or the Shinkawa Family. They only accept non-human members, and keep several irons in the fire of Prism’s commercial industry, working quietly in the background to keep Prism’s wheels greased and turning whilst lining their own pockets.

Description#

The public face of Shinkawa GK is as stated above: an investment and real estate company that’s earned much goodwill on Prism Island. They own a number of businesses on the island, including (but not limited to): T-N-T Cabaret (a host/ess club), Crown Jewel (pachinko parlor), Amber Horizons (hotel resort & casino), The Armageddon Club (nightclub/disco), and Kinryuu Ramen. Staffed entirely by Pokemorphs, Shinkawa GK works much like a traditional limited liability company would on in Kanto; while they prefer the language of the mainland, they are able to work with English-speaking businesses as well.

Shinkawa GK emerged around the time Hydra dissolved, at first working as hired security to protect small business owners from Team Rocket extortion, harassment or other threats. As they built up notoriety and goodwill amongst the local business owners, they began to invest in the businesses themselves; as well as worked for hire for security gigs for specific events. Through wisely-placed investments, Shinkawa GK has slowly but steadily grown in the company it is today, reaching across much of Prism’s commercial industry.

As Shinkawa GK has gained money, they’ve also gained influence - taking ventures to invest in fresh-faced, promising small businesses, giving them a boost; as well as helping familiar, older businesses that are struggling to get by in tougher times. Shinkawa GK has also been quick to respond to disasters on Prism Island, providing morphpower, food, aid and other assistance where needed. As such, Shinkawa GK has some influence with the island government.

Shinkawa-kai#

Shinkawa-kai are a subsidiary of the Takeda Clan (Takeda-gumi); the leading yakuza organization of Saffron City, and oversees several Families across Kanto. Currently, Shinkawa-kai is the only non-human division, and is led by Tetsu Shinkawa, a Duraludon-Morph. Shinkawa-kai operates much like a traditional yakuza group in many ways, with the notable exception of being open to any gender. Shinkawa-kai members are expected to follow jingi - their code of justice and duty. They are also a bakuto yakuza, meaning their primary focus on earning money is via business, rather than black market dealings. They are also adjacent to an unsanctioned underground fighting ring, although nothing has been traced back to Shinkawa GK legally.

Shinkawa-kai, via the business name of Shinkawa GK, may still be hired to deal with less tasteful issues (such as helping collect owed debts). While their jingi dictates a lifestyle of honorable behavior, Shinkawa-kai’s primary motivator is lining their pockets, not social welfare - it’s just convenient that their methods of making money often result in blackmailing corrupt politicians and company presidents into staying on a moral and just path. (As one yakuza boss has put it: “If you’re being blackmailed by the yakuza, obviously you’ve done something bad to deserve it. We’re enforcing social justice and fining people for bad behavior. What’s wrong with that?”)

Members of Shinkawa-kai don’t take the moniker of “Shinkawa Family” lightly - the organization is family for them, and they commonly refer to each other (outside of business meetings) with familiar terms. Lower-ranking members may call the ranks above them “big bro” (aniki)/”big sis” (aneki), regardless of age differences. Lower ranks tend to refer to each other directly by name, but may be referred to in a group as “siblings” (kyoudai). Tetsu Shinkawa may be called Mom/Momma (okaasan) by Family members with some seniority, in addition to “Boss” (oyabun).

Joining#

ICly: Just about anyone with the right skillset may be hired by Shinkawa GK; simply submit your resumé and wait for a response. Joining the Family properly is another matter. A prospective new member of Shinkawa-kai must understand that joining the Shinkawa Family is a serious undertaking: When one joins Shinkawa-kai, the Family becomes their family, and all members are expected to be loyal and respectful to their new family. It is a lifelong commitment; typically leaving the family is done so in an oil barrel and concrete.

New members (rank: Junkouseiin) undergo a process to prove their loyalty and commitment to Shinkawa-kai, which often takes a few years. Once they’ve proven their loyalty, they may proceed to be recognised as Family members (rank: Kanbu) via a sake-sharing ceremony, and will be expected to start the process of getting their irezumi (tattoos) as a demonstration of said commitment and loyalty.

All members of Shinkawa-kai must be fluent in Japanese; fluency in other languages (particularly English and Pokéspeak) is a plus, but not required. All members must also be capable of respecting at least the higher ranks; especially the Boss and lieutenant ranks (Wakagashira and Saiko-Komon); this is a Japanese group with Japanese ideals, and disrespect to authority within a yakuza will not be tolerated.

OOCly: If you’ve read all of this article (particularly the above) and you are interested in joining or creating a character within the yakuza, contact Shinkawa on the MUSH via page or @mail.

Ranks#

Shinkawa-kai follows a strict hierarchy; below is the rank structure of the Family.

  • Kuminaga - Chairman: Currently Takeda Kenji (NPC), leader of the Takeda-gumi. The Kuminaga is the leader of a greater Clan, a union of several Families; the Bosses’ Boss. All ranks defer to this one.

  • Oyabun - Boss: Currently Tetsu Shinkawa, of Shinkawa-kai, a subsidiary of Takeda-Gumi. Referred to as Oyabun/Boss by lower ranks, though she may also be called Okasan/Momma by officers or Kazoku; this implies a certain degree of familiarity and is likely not to be used by Kobun, and is downright rude when used by a Junkouseiin.

  • Wakagashira - Lieutenant: Second-in-command, essentially; can act as defacto leader when the Boss isn’t available. Oversees the Kazoku, Kobun and Junkouseiin; answers to the Oyabun and Kuminaga.

  • Saiko-Komon - Head Executive: Assistant and advisor to the Oyabun; considered on equal ranking with Wakagashira. Oversees the Kanbu in particular; answers to the Oyabun and Kuminaga.

  • Kazoku - Soldiers: Family members who have gone through full initiation and are recognised as acting members; considered on equal ranking with the Kanbu.

  • Kanbu - Executives: Family members who take executive roles; considered on equal ranking with the Kazoku. Led directly by the Saiko-Komon, they make up the Shingin (counselors), Kumicho Hisho (secretaries), and Kaikei (accountants). These differ from executive-types associated with the yakuza in that Kanbu have undergone the initiation and work exclusively for the Family.

  • Junkouseiin - Associates: Associates to (but not full, initiated members of) the Family; prospective members are also placed in this rank. As trainees/prospects, Junkouseiin are expected to do menial tasks and jobs. As Associates, Junkouseiin are simply people who have chosen to ally themselves with Shinkawa-kai for business benefits, but without committing fully to joining the Family. As such, Shinkawa-kai also reserves the right to refuse requests from Junkouseiin associates.