Osaka AWAKING

Synopsis

It had been two years since the introduction of the Osaka Reconstruction Project, centered around the construction of the Pleasure District. Osaka’s finances had been successfully restored, turning a profit, but Kakimoto Tooru, Osaka’s representative, could feel the limits of further economic growth.

"Osaka today is full of waste—even with the profits we’ve made, they’re being squandered by the pigs clinging to their vested interests. We’re not achieving the ideal economic impact. Sure, they’ll say it’s already a success. But that’s not enough. I don’t just want to turn a profit—I want to elevate Osaka into a massive city that rivals Tokyo as one of Japan’s two great capitals. I want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Tokyo."

As this desire grew stronger by the day, Kakimoto, along with his supporters, launched a new project: the Osaka Restructuring Plan. The plan was to reorganize Osaka’s fragmented municipalities from the ground up, eliminating unnecessary administrative elements and personally overseeing the most efficient distribution of profits to each district. In short, it was a reform. But reform always comes with resistance. The reaction from those clinging to their privileges was predictable. Force would be necessary to remove them.

"——Once again, I’ll need his power. To push this reform through, no matter what it takes, I’ll need the strength of someone who’s like another version of myself. Someone who can handle the vested interests——Kurashima Renji."

With unwavering determination in his eyes, Kakimoto picked up the phone——.