Mitsugoshi Company

Mitsugoshi Company (ミツゴシ商会) is a relatively new, but highly successful multi-trade company known for its innovative products and becoming the most well-famed trading company with a reputable reputation in the world.

Unbeknownst to the public, Mitsugoshi Company is operated by Shadow Garden as their front managed by Luna as the company's director, who founded it with help from Alpha. The establishment of this company were inspired by the knowledge given to them by Shadow, which actually comes from Earth as they were able to recreate modern products and then will be traded until they gain enormous amount of wealth, thanks to their unique goods which have been sold well by buyers because Its revolutionary qualities that are has been considered a trend and loved by all people.

Also, the company has created banknotes to be used as a popular currency by the populace in order to speed up their financial processes until they could build their own bank for investing in transactions and loans. In addition, Mitsugoshi even promotes all types of business commodities that they have, as well as introducing all kinds of entertainment for customers who come to visit until Mitsugoshi gains popularity in the public society.

This company is used as an important asset that funding Shadow Garden's missions as well as their employees, the Numbers and became a fundraising base in storing their wealth to increase their source of financial income, which became a vital place for building Mitsugoshi's foundation until the company has advanced considerably in order to consolidate their power against the Cult of Diablos by eliminated their influence.

Mitsugoshi has reaped success with astounding product sales rates in conducting trade, both in urban and rural areas accompanied by a high demand to trade their merchandise to the general public and conglomerates, even nobility until Mitsugoshi's commerce system has made progress on the economy in the Midgar Kingdom.

While the company has grown rapidly with the spread of their influence to foreign countries so that it requires them to expand their expansion in building branches in every country, Mitsugoshi has competed with the Great Commerce Alliance which intends to prevent the process of selling their product merchandise resulting in continuous conflicts in the struggle for trading district area by sabotage in their distribution chain until becoming a trade war over the marketplace in the region.

Amidst the conflict, Mitsugoshi first to realizes that there has been counterfeit bills from the Alliance's currency which already circulate and tries to conduct an investigation to find the source before escalating the situation happen, at the same time Shadow has been collecting money in secret for helping Mitsugoshi to survive the crisis by working together with Yukime, in the hopes of triggering a credit collapse.

By the time Mitsugoshi was at in the most worrisome situation, Shadow Garden then has learned the true purpose of Shadow's plan in hiding his identity by posing himself as "John Smith" and moves independently to remove any clues linking on their secret connection with Mitsugoshi thus preventing it from being revealed to the public, when while reading his message containing the location where he hoarded the money has been kept for the taking in order to replenish their reserves to be able to weather the crisis.

As the credit collapse time had begun, Mitsugoshi Company has survived from the verge of bankruptcy because they are able to overcome the crisis and successfully regained the people's trust in banknotes after adequately conducting the money transactions on their gold coins. Knowing the Alliance's swift fall, Mitsugoshi bought all of their assets and becoming the winner in the trade war on the region, even forming a partnership with the Snow Fox Corporation.

With a predetermined outcome, Mitsugoshi took advantage of the Great Commerce Alliance's downfall to eliminate their competitors and gain monopoly rights to full control of the market, also further increasing their trust on the consumers, as well as elevate their position until it become unassailable in the Midgar Kingdom until eventually Mitsugoshi has brought an unprecedented waves of prosperity and one day this company will shake up the world economy.

Background
As Gamma was not capable in combat abilities nor adept in defensive arts, she compensated with her intelligence and administration. When she asked Shadow for his "wisdom" shortly after joining, he would recount unique and interesting ideas to which Gamma would then reverse-engineer out of inspiration-- not knowing that he was regaling her with anecdotes of commodities from his previous life.

After the "Seven Shadows" left Cid and scattered all over the world, Gamma was tasked with managing the entire Shadow Garden organization by gaining financial and political power that could influence the world. Gamma would used some parts of her knowledge that she once heard from Cid as the "Shadow Wisdom" to create various products and trade goods that had never existed in another world, which would lead to the founding of the Mitsugoshi Company after she acquire shares of the old company at its limits, called "Luna, Ltd." owned by Mrs. Luna, which had been inactive due to her age and made a huge fortune by selling all the goods product and started Mitsugoshi Company based on that asset.

After the opening of the Mitsugoshi Company with the construction of a new commercial facility on the street in the city center where they had access in the heart of the Midgar Kingdom's royal capital, sales of the company's products became very profitable because the products made by Mitsugoshi are uniquely innovative and truly revolutionary merchandise. The Mitsugoshi Company run by Gamma has grown rapidly and has developed to the point where it can compete with existing conglomerates, so it has a mighty scale in both front and back society.

Therefore, Mitsugoshi Company is never empty of customers every day and their merchandise were in great demand among the visitors, both for the local commoners and the wealthy aristocratic nobles. At the same time, the company was branding a sense of luxury in addition to developing food chain stores to be offered to the general public at low prices, securing high-quality materials through contracts with specialized farmers, delivering services to remote areas, and so on.

After carrying out various sales of products that have been traded to the public, the greater the popularity of the Mitsugoshi Company which can trigger interest from other countries. Mitsugoshi Company also has several franchises around the cities and they even create a peddling system that can be run to get customers from far away by using mail order in remote areas. Because of this, it is estimated that many people who own the same business or merchants dislike the Mitsugoshi Company as well.

As a result, Mitsugoshi Company rose to fame as the best company in the kingdom and the most influential company in the country that other nations were interested in and wants to make business relations with them, after the word spread and many kingdoms or feudal lords wanted Mitsugoshi to set up a branch of its shop in their kingdom or city.

Once the company had expanded well enough, it was setting trends and establishing itself as an economic powerhouse in Midgar Kingdom before expanding into opening company branches in prime locations both in neighboring and abroad nations, such as Lindwurm, the Velgalta Empire, and the Oriana Kingdom until eventually, the Mitsugoshi Company caused a distribution revolution and became one of the world's largest trading companies within a few years of starting a business. Also, Mitsugoshi had possesses great influence and respect for being the largest economic power, despite being just one company.

From this rapid success, Mitsugoshi Company would apply the wealth that is generated from the company's business success to helps funding the Shadow Garden's operations as they finance the organization and administration of its membership. While Shadow Garden exists as a covert organization, they use the company not only to amass vast wealth and power, but also as a front for their war against the Cult of Diablos.

While Gamma continued to be the public face of the company, Alpha was the covert leader aligning Mitsugoshi's success with Shadow Garden's missions, and Eta would contribute to Research and Development of their public innovations and covertly developing other insights of "Shadow Wisdom". By reverse-engineering more "revelations", Mitsugoshi produced new trade goods from commodities, garments and cosmetics to developing technologies, such as The Rolapoid instant camera and the automobile.

Midgar Academy Terrorist Attack
Before the incident of the Cult of Diablos's terrorist attack on Midgar Academy happened, Cid Kagenō visited the Mitsugoshi Company store with with his friends, Skel Etal and Po Tato, to see what kinds of things they sold. He later found out that everything was created and directed by Gamma, one of his "Seven Shadows" from the Shadow Garden, who was waiting for him with a throne made for her lord, Cid. As he seated, Gamma would update him of their financial gains and discuss the serial killings used to defame Shadow Garden. When his business concluded, Gamma introduced Nu to Cid, a new member but was validated by Alpha herself to which she earned her position and can be vouched for by Gamma personally.

After the Midgar Academy incident, Gamma discuss with Alpha about Shadow and his organization being wanted by the kingdom. Even so, Shadow Garden are swear to continue with their leaders' resolve. Alpha tells Gamma to assemble the available Seven Shadows to discuss their next move.

Bushin Festival Tournament
After the time of the Sanctuary operation mission has passed, Gamma is in Madlid City, the minor region on the outskirts of the Velgalta Empire. She is negotiating with Rude, a eldest son of a feudal lord to buy the property estate and open a second Mitsugoshi store because the Mitsugoshi Company had already opening their branch in the Velgalta's Royal Capital.

Gamma isn't sure at first because the Mitsugoshi company was carrying out a reconstruction process in the Sacred Land, Lindwurm after their lord Shadow had destroyed the Sanctuary under the dam water by unleashed his Atomic Attack until there was nothing left which resulted the city being flooded.

But, Nu tells her that they found petroleum in the city which makes Gamma decide to buy every property in that street and she explains to Rude that she will redevelop the city if he's willing to meet their conditions and make it the greatest city in Velgalta Empire. Then, she ordered her employees to buy up all the necessary land downstream of the Nyle tributary and building a canal there.

During the Bushin Tournament, Cid went to the Mitsugoshi Company and asks them to help him disguise himself so he can participate in the tournament. Gamma agreed to her master's request and with the Nu's help, they made Cid a disguise as "Mundane Mann", someone already dead and gone, but also his death was never confirmed, thus allowing him to enter without issue.

In the anime, the Mitsugoshi Company was carrying out a reconstruction process in the Midgar Academy.

Great Trading Company Conflict
Due to resentment from their competitors, especially Garter along with the Great Commerce Alliance, their economic trade rivals, the Mitsugoshi Company found itself involved in a secret internal war against the company alliance. Fighting over product secrets and superiority in commercial reliance, they fought to see whose side would be the last one standing.

The Alliance subsequently attempted to sabotage Mitsugoshi by attacking their supply lines and even send their best mercenaries The Clovers to infiltrate at their Company Headquarters along with Garter private army and their rear guard. Fortunately, the supplies kept running smoothly as a meager mercenaries that hired by them were no match for Shadow Garden's well-trained forces and failing an attempt of The Clovers mission raid by eliminate all of them, along with their support from behind.

The prevalence of trade and the support of the people in profit, neither knew that another company called the Snow Fox Corporation was taking advantage of their commercial war, waiting for them to clash from the shadows until both sides were weakened to crush them at the same time and keep all the commercial benefit, aiming to be the only one remaining.

Shadow learned of this covert commercial war thanked to Yukime, the Monarch of the White Tower and the legitimate business leader of Snow Fox Corp. outside of the Lawless City. Shadow decided to help Yukime under the pretext of helping with her revenge, without telling her that Shadow Garden ran Mitsugoshi Company as well as helping to make Mitsugoshi win the economic dispute by making an counterfeit bills and sending them into circulation to create a credit crisis.

Few days later, Shadow Garden received word that there were counterfeits bills being circulated throughout the country. They sent out a team of Numbers to investigate it before it severely affected Mitsugoshi. The team returned and reported that a mysterious man named "John Smith" intercepted them. Concluding that John Smith was responsible for the counterfeits, Alpha sent Delta out to find John and eliminate him.

However, Delta had disappeared during her track on "John Smith" causing Shadow Garden to believe that she was killed by John Smith (In reality, Shadow, under the guise of "John Smith", ordered Delta to venture toward the Lawless City to eliminate Juggernaut of the Black Tower). An enraged Alpha decided to confront "John Smith" to avenge Delta only to discover to her horror that the man's true identity was Shadow. Heartbroken by the revelation, Alpha demanded an explanation from her master by attempting to subjugate him to force an answer out of him. She ultimately lost to Shadow who knocked her unconscious.

Following the confrontation, the rest of the Seven Shadows learnt about their master's betrayal but decided to keep the secret on John Smith's true identity just to themselves, not wanting the truth to severely cripple Shadow Garden's morale. As the credit crisis grew worse with both Mitsugoshi and the Great Commerce Alliance suffering backlash by the public who demanded their gold, Gamma considered to give away what remained of their funds to placate them for a while. Just when all hope seemed lost, Nu arrived to inform Gamma and Alpha that the secret leader of the Alliance, Gettan was in league with the Cult of Diablos and had planned to cause a credit crisis as well to cripple Mitsugoshi.

Then, Beta arrived to present an encrypted message by Shadow which Eta helped in translating its contents. The message revealed about Shadow's alliance with a partner and how the two started a credit crisis to steal the gold and placing it in a secure location. Because of the message and the discovery of Gettan's status as a Cult member, Shadow Garden believed that Shadow was actually helping Mitsugoshi to overcome the credit crisis but had to change his identity to ensure their company's identity as a Shadow Garden front would not be exposed. When Delta finally returned to Shadow Garden after completing her mission given to her by Shadow, the reinvigorated members headed out to acquire the gold, under the assumption that was Shadow's plan as well.

Assuring their secured victory with the help of Cid disguised as "John Smith", the Mitsugoshi Company emerged triumphant from the secret commercial war by saving them from the collapse of credit trust after retrieving the funds in order to stockpiling the Mitsugoshi's reserves and Shadow also saved Yukime from assassination by her ex-fiancée, Gettan, the de-facto leader of the Great Commerce Alliance.

In the end, the Mitsugoshi Company are able to elevated their trust with the consumers by honoring their bills with enough surplus remaining from the funds that Shadow collected on their reserves, making the company position will be nigh unassailable and improved their social standing in the public eye. Not only Mitsugoshi won the commercial trade war, but their position was now arguably more powerful than ever with the Great Commerce Alliance swift collapse and elimination of all of its competitors, also be able to snatch up all former Alliance assets, including the Cult's funds and gain a complete monopoly over the marketplace.

Afterward, Mitsugoshi's influence became so powerful that even the Midgar Kingdom's government could not risk defying them and was financially dependent on the commercial monopoly and the Snow Fox Corporation became an ally of the Mitsugoshi Company after Alpha revealed Shadow's plan along with their connection to Shadow Garden.

Oriana's "Black Rose" Civil War Wedding Incident
During the civil war of the Oriana Kingdom, the Mitsugoshi Company had a branch store operating per normal and concurrently served as a recuperation base for Shadow Garden members.

During 666's supposed betrayal, Cid went there with Epsilon and 559, who discuss the Rose Oriana's announced wedding and the previous failed mission to retrieve the ring which is connected to the Black Rose as Epsilon already sending a message to Alpha for send additional personnel before Cid interrupted their conversation when he enter the room and both offered him a body massage. Cid telling them that during his infiltration, the investigation that he conduct had already went well and the only thing left to do is nip the problem at its source and his mission will be complete.

When Epsilon is bath together with her lord, Cid tell her that everything is at its place and the showdown will be taking place at the wedding ceremony by the time Rose make an signal, which make Epsilon decide to make the necessary preparations.

Products
The company has branches in every major city also the capital, within and outside of Midgar Kingdom, as Mitsugoshi produces to sell various kinds of products which are all based on the "Shadow Wisdom" from their leader, Cid Kagenō. Using his wisdom as the basis, they were able to recreate various products with novel and fascinating qualities, which include chocolate, one of their most popular products. Another popular product is the business suit, a trend for nobility which was more stylish than the traditional noble garb.

Their lines of products include:

 * Candy
 * Chocolate
 * Clothing/Accessories
 * Coffee
 * Cosmetics
 * Daily goods
 * Gourmet/Preserved foods
 * Lingerie
 * Liquor
 * Soap
 * Shoes
 * Suits
 * Tea
 * Whiskey
 * Uniform

Banking
Aside from commercial products, Mitsugoshi also established the "Mitsugoshi Bank" (ミツゴシ銀行), issuing banknotes for the first time, causing a revolution on the monetary value as Mitsugoshi began printing promissory vouchers in exchange for the world's coin-based system.

This was based on the bank and credit economic creation system that Cid once talked about to Gamma. The main reasons they produced the banknotes was to stimulate the economy and sell more products, while also incentivizing patrons due to the ease bills exchange compared to hefting large coin purses or troves.

Mitsugoshi then created a revolving loan service with an interest rate on loans of around 2% per month, equaling 24% per annum, the lowest rate among money lenders in the capital.

Profit Income Result & Company's Power of Influence
Although the company was relatively new at first, Mitsugoshi had continued to progressed steadily towards success until it grew into a large commercial company thanks to Gamma by remaking all kinds of products from the knowledge of her Master, Shadow.

From the net profit income generated, the Mitsugoshi Company is able to get large and abundant profits on product sales, even the profit turnover that Mitsugoshi has so far can reach millions of Zeni that generated on their budget amount from the income in the sale of their product until there is already a high demand for trading Mitsugoshi merchandise due to its popularity.

With the expansion of Mitsugoshi, the company gained fame and became one of the most famous companies in the Midgar Kingdom. Today, the Mitsugoshi Company operates in many countries and even has branches in these countries.

The Mitsugoshi Company had accumulated a vast amount of wealth and wielded a large sphere of influence over the world, that even a single nation would find it difficult to challenge their influence.

Enterprises Development
The Mitsugoshi Company has made several types of businesses that they have developed into popular tourism traps. Based in part on Shadow's Wisdom, these are types of businesses that appeal to commoners as well as nobility, with eateries for delicious cuisine to public lodgings for travelers, as well as relaxation locales for decompressing stress and improving beauty hygiene.
 * Beauty salons
 * Cafes
 * Hotels
 * Massage parlors
 * Restaurants
 * Saunas
 * Spa resorts

Industrial Business Opportunity
The Mitsugoshi Company has planned to invest in each venture and putting its myriad techniques to be use in the industry. Mitsugoshi has shown their sheer degree of engineering prowess in the construction industry where they have succeeded in creating artificial walls called “reinforced concrete".

Mitsugoshi has even developed an manufacturing process by creating high-end chandeliers whose lamps are made from specially cut, highly transparent crystal glass to which their glow casts radiant shadows across the hallway. The cheapest models cost 10 million Zeni, but sells off quickly from the shelves like there’s no tomorrow.

Also, Mitsugoshi has been running the mining industry by processing its natural resources in kinds of ores and minerals.

Franchise Restaurants
The McRonald (まぐろなるど) (Tuna King in the Light Novel) is a burger shop that has chain stores all over the world, and like Mitsugoshi Company, this is also a front company of Shadow Garden. When Mitsugoshi Company was Luna, Ltd., it was developed as a street shop to obtain funds for its activities.

Prior to the founding of the Mitsugoshi Company, Gamma was worried that her business was not growing and confused about finding a solution because Shadow Garden lacked reserve funds due to Eta's continued excessive use of funds which caused the financial process of Luna, Ltd. which was managed by Gamma to experience a drastic decline. However, Gamma was able to overcome his company's financial problems thanks to Zeta's help, who invited her and Eta to a beach near the capital city of Midgar to take a break and at that time, they created a food made from the sea, called "Tuna Sandwich" which describe like a fried tuna sandwich with tartar sauce made based on "Shadow Wisdom", and later improved the tuna burger, which became a big hit.

After getting the idea of a business opportunity to increase Shadow Garden's financial funding and the company it manages using food that Gamma knows, she set up a tuna sandwich stall in the capital as a side business that functions as a food stall and eventually opened a permanent store which provides different food menu items other than tuna like sea bream, squid rings, beef, and onion rings with the sauce additions like mayonnaise, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar. By the conclusion of her venture setup, the sandwich shops were named McRonald / Tuna King by Cid.

When Gamma acquired shares of an existing business in Midgar Kingdom, in addition with the opening a new venture of McRonald / Tuna King stalls across the capital as a new side business branch, Shadow Garden's income rate had continue to increase with the net profit of 25 million Zeni per month, compared to the 4 million Zeni on the fashion side. Until eventually, Gamma expanded the venture side business into a developed food chain stores and gained a huge amount of wealth.

Currently, it is being developed separately from Mitsugoshi Company, but Gamma's personal ultimate goal is to make burgers using beef.

Layout
The Mitsugoshi branches, despite being in different cities, follow a similar layout for easier navigation and inventory. At the top of the Midgar Branch building, and every other store, a mansion is set up on the roof as a Shadow Garden operation room, and in addition to setting up a throne for Shadow. The rooftop mansions also serve as residential quarters for the Seven Shadows and their immediate attendants.

In the anime version, the statues of Shadow and "Seven Shadows" are displayed in the atrium-style hall of the royal capital head office, and the mansion on the roof is hidden by a raised wall that extends the outer wall upwards, and when viewed from the ground, it is a mansion. The structure is such that the is not visible.

Leader

 * Luna: Public Founder/Owner

Employees

 * Nu: Gamma's Personal Aid & Bodyguard.
 * Kai
 * Omega
 * Staff: Shadow Garden Numbers operating as store employees.

Trivia

 * Mitsugoshi Company are based on real life Mitsukoshi, just renamed as parody offshoots.
 * The store interiors of Mitsugoshi branches closely mirror the real world supermarkets and shopping malls of Shadow's past life. This is due to Cid having taught the Seven Shadows about architecture and construction of his old life as well, especially Eta.
 * Mitsugoshi work uniform is a short and simple navy-blue dress marked with the company logo, which look like the flight attendants that reminds Cid as he saw in his past life.
 * 1 billion Zeni is always available as Shadow Garden's activity funds.
 * Despite Named Numbers having the privilege of knowing Shadow's secret identity, Gamma's aids are allowed to know as they must assist her in his presence. Such as welcoming him to his throne in the executive suite or helping to apply make-up slime for the Bushin Festival.
 * However, it is unclear if they know he is simply a student at the academy or if they know the name to his civilian identity.
 * The restaurant brands that Gamma's Mitsugoshi Company owns are based on real life fast food chains such as McDonald's and Burger King, just renamed as parody offshoots.
 * During the conflict between the Mitsugoshi Company and the Great Commerce Alliance, the McRonald / Tuna King doesn't got involved, probably because the field is different from the Mitsugoshi Company.
 * In Other World, Tuna is a fish that can be easily eaten by common people because of its large quantities and easy to catch and "Sea Bream" is more valuable as a high-class fish. Also, Beef is treated as a luxury ingredient and livestock technology is not yet available which is still immature, even it seems that there is still no stable supply and not possible to provide it stably.