Takahashi Family
Nickname: Masters (disrespectful), The Family (respectful)
The Takahashi Family fancies itself the natural leader of the three zaibatsu. For obvious reasons, this puts its members at odds with most of the city. However, they maintain the strongest ties to Hototogisu, which gives them a deep advantage in most dealings. They have complex influences in powerful corporate entities as well, including The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, the Japan Exchange Group, and Honda.
The Family is anything but a family. Its board disallows blood relations from serving simultaneously, or even immediately replacing displaced members. It keeps a strict hierarchy; every ranking member has two subordinates. The six board members each have two subordinates, those 12 each have two, and those 24 each have two. That limits total membership to 90 Kindred. At times, the pyramid has been complete. Currently, nearly half the 24 have either one or no subordinates. Each member answers to her superior, and her superior’s word is rule above all, even superseding the board. The zaibatsu thus encourages the occasional upward coup; they believe it keeps officers on their best, most competitive behavior.
Takahashi members take assignments by industry. Every board member has a broad industry under her authority; inferiors take assignments within that field. The board divides business by transportation, financial, energy, media, manufacturing, and health. The board debates gray areas and overlap, but every member has a role to play in the greater plan. Takahashi expects members to entrench themselves completely in their roles; they create ghouls, they take havens, and they financially delve into their work as directly as possible.
While members usually meet with their superiors regularly, the zaibatsu tradition requires monthly reporting, staggered by days of the week to move information up the chain quickly. These reports must be performed as a piece of art: usually a poem, a painting, or a play. Some members use interpretive dance or other more abstract art forms, but bear the risk of confounding their superiors. These ritual performances establish standing in the conglomerate, as proud mentors show their superiors their workers’ reports at board parties. In recent years, thanks to the media board, many of these meetings have taken place virtually, with all participants logging into network video calls. A group within the financial wing has pushed to inperson meetings, touting accountability in the face of the Beast.
Zaibatsu Advantage: Takahashi Family members enjoy many benefits of station. They receive the Retainer, Herd, and Haven Merits equal to their Zaibatsu Status Merit, free of charge.
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