LORE | Valiant Mayors of Karakura

[RexLobo]

Written by @RexLobo
Proofread by @ConeKicker.pt2, @rslyn & @Shmotato
Screenshots taken by @Ecocide.​

---

Karakura’s government has had a long string of mayors since it’s creation in 1946. With a streak of good and bad mayors, ones that cemented themselves in history and others that are known only for their titles, there are a few that stand apart from the rest. A series of three mayors that gained the recognition of the town, and the title of the Valiant Mayors of Karakura. An era starting at the latter part of 1967, and ended 1994.

This reign of honorable mayors started with Oki Nori, the first female mayor in Karakura’s history. She started her career as a young lawyer with a burning passion for her city. Her first action as the mayor was a new ordinance reworking the judicial procedures. The main aspect was to include a jury of judges to preside over cases. The effect of this ordinance was to give a fair trial to anyone standing accused of a crime. Nori’s office was short-lived, due to elder members of Karakura’s court disliking her attitude. Propaganda began being spread across Karakura, slandering her until she was removed from office.
Nori's resignation was followed by the election of Harada Tadao, a popular businessman in Karakura. His term lasted two years, which saw little changes through his term. Of the streak which was titled the Valiant Mayor era, he is the only one not given such a title. During a hunting trip, a decrepit tree tipped and fell, crushing Harada’s leg. This life changing incident forced him to resign from his position, resulting in a follow up election.

Through this election, Oki Nori rose once again, campaigning strongly against

the court’s corruption. The previous two years were spent uncovering the dishonesty, and once it was brought to the surface, the citizens voted her back into office. On January 10th, 1970, she stood on the mayor’s balcony once more, swearing her oath to the city to raise Karakura’s name to be one of Japan’s greatest cities. Oki Nori’s first task as the re-elected mayor was uprooting the corruption in Karakura’s court. This endeavor took many years, and much of her attention. Still, her title was formed through this task, her persevernce, and her goals of strengthening the infrastructure of the city. Building regulations were updated, and many outdated complexes and buildings were renovated to meet new standards. The mayor also worked hard to create a proper sewage system for the city, as well as building four train stations to circle the city: Zikani, Shinboshi, Masamaru, and Kagoshima. Before the end of her time as mayor, she witnessed the resignation of Commissioner Junpei Saiky. Captain Kasai Masahiko was sworn in as the next commissioner with the mayor’s blessing. By the start of 1980, Nori believed she had completed enough and gracefully stepped down from office.

The individual who continued her legacy was Nii Rika, a close confidant of Oki Nori. Rika spent much of her efforts easing the city into modernizing Karakura. Meeting the wave of westernization. Continuing from where Nori left off, Rika established proper districts for Karakura City. Roads were repaved to make travelling easier. Businesses were spread across multiple districts, allowing commerce to spread across the city, rather than be central to the shopping district. These efforts led to the creation of the first business district for the city, mixing both shops that sold goods, and businesses that brought many services to the citizens.With tourism increasing to the city, attractions like the pier and parks were built. During this time, Mayor Rika took advantage of Karakura’s tourism to boost the city’s economy and built up its docks to allow more imports. Though, in 1989, a major flood struck the island. Many homes were destroyed, businesses left with their stock completely unsellable, and many injured. In response to this tragedy, Mayor Rika created plans along with the city’s architects to rebuild everything that was destroyed. The government subsidized the businesses who were affected to prevent mass bankrupcy from striking. At the end of her term, Mayor Rika could not keep up with all the major changes, leading her to resign. Another election was held in June of 1991, and Okazaki Satoshi rose to the position of mayor afterwards.

Satoshi was the final mayor in the streak of greatness. During his three year term, his main effort was fostering relations between the citizens and the new families who migrated to Karakura. He held many speeches and events to create a friendly atmosphere, sharing personal experiences. Under Mayor Satoshi, Karakura celebrated its first, and only, Karakura Day festival to celebrate the creation of its government. This festival was held to celebrate all the major successes that the citizens had undergone through the ages, as well as a way to ensure its history and culture were preserved. Months following this festival, Karakura was struck with a major tropical storm. This storm desimated multiple apartment complexes, leading to the start of the housing crisis. The town hall was opened to those who lost their homes during the storm. After a week of constant rain and torrential winds, the city was finally able to be rebuilt. Satoshi expedited this reconstruction, allowing residents to return to their normal lives. Satoshi also worked hand in hand with the Karakura police department to minimize impacts of criminal activity. His term is known for hosting the most raids on gangs, leading to a massive decrease in criminal activity. Due to familial problems, Satoshi resigned from office so he could aid his household. Marking the end of the era of Valiant Mayors.