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EnterpriseHQ

Enterprise's Los Angeles HQ

Enterprise (企業体) is a group exclusive to the Strider Hiryu manga and its NES adaptation. "Enterprise" is used in the game's manual[1], while in-game the group is known as simply The Syndicate. Its actual business name is the Central Control Organization (中央統制機構)[2][3][4], although the name is seldom used.

Enterprise is a worldwide organization with its main headquarters located in Los Angeles[5]. It possesses networks spread all over the world[6], and deals with many varied businesses, the most well-known of which related to the distribution and replenishment of goods and food[7]. Enterprise also conducts the research and development of weaponry. The organization's current president, Faceas Clay, led Enterprise for the last 30 years attempting to establish a dictatorship over a devastated world.[2]

The group infamously developed a brainwashing machine codenamed "ZAIN" following Faceas Clay's instructions, with the intention of controlling all humanity. This eventually put the organization up against Hiryu and Kain. Following their infiltration of the main headquarters, and its subsequent destruction along with the death of all high-ranking figures, the group has likely ceased to exist.

Business[]

Distribution[]

Enterprise controls the distribution of food and goods across the world, covering not only civilian needs but also military equipment such as ammunitions and fuel. The company handles distribution of rations around the ruined city of Los Angeles, although in such conditions that food riots occur regularly, with citizens unhappy with the quality of rations attempting to break into the company's headquarters.[8]

As part of their alliance with the Striders, Enterprise also handles the mercenary group's distribution of supplies like food and medicines, elements the organization can't produce by itself.[9]

Weapons Development[]

Shadowtagmanga1

The "Shadow Tag Bullets" machinegun in action

Enterprise dedicates much of its resources to the research and testing of state-of-the-art weaponry. They focused most of this R&D on the ZAIN Project, a computer system engineered towards the idea of "mind control", the ability to manipulate humans through basic commands[4]. This project was kept in total secrecy by orders of Faceas Clay, who had plans of his own for the system.

The company still conducted research on more conventional weaponry which they supplied to the Kazakh Secret Police to support their battle against rebel forces. This included heavy-duty weaponry such as an anti-tank aircraft and the latest model of armored tank, codename T-48.[10]

Shortly before their decimation, Enterprise was employing a new type of machine gun known as the Shadow Tag Bullets, with the ability to trace a target's movements independently of its wielder to boost accuracy[11]. The weapon was used against Hiryu during his infiltration of Enterprise's Los Angeles building, but proved useless against his superhuman speed and reflexes.

Buildings[]

Main Headquarters[]

Enterprise's main headquarters are located in the city of Los Angeles. The complex is a skyscraper that towers in an area surrounded by ruined and abandoned buildings. The building has several floors, with the massive "Mother ZAIN" terminal built as part of the complex itself. The underground floor houses the core of the ZAIN computer, nicknamed Yggdrasil by Faceas Clay[12]. While security on the building is comprised of trained soldiers, this area is under protection of a a machine known as the ZAIN Defense System. Faceas Clay favored machines over humans and trusted them with his life.[13]

Research Institutes[]

KazakhIns

Kazakh Federation Mental Institute

Enterprise possessed many research bases spread over the world to carry out development of new weaponry. One of its most important research centers was the Kazakh Federation Mental Institute, which was a front for a laboratory focused on the development of the ZAIN Project. Its existence was kept in total secrecy, and not even the higher-ups of the Kazakh Federation were aware of its location[14]. The Institute hired protection from a Special Forces team expert on hand-to-hand combat, as there were no armed soldiers in the building since the use of firearms could compromise the high precision machinery used for research[15]. The Institute also relied on Doberman dogs as an extra security measure, which were altered by the ZAIN Project to increase their breed's innate aggressiveness.[16]

ZAIN's development of brain surgery techniques and the creation of its terminals were carried out within the Institute for many years. The Institute also kept an underground dungeon, to restrain people that would be used as guinea pigs in the experiments. Those whose experiments ended in failure suffered a total loss of sanity, but they were kept within their cells to be used as an extra defense system against intruders.[17]

Although disguised as a mental health institute, the station demanded a lot of electricity to function and wasted large sums of money in international phone calls, facts which revealed its true nature to Hiryu and Kain[18]. Following their infiltration, they brought down the whole complex and their experiments. Hiryu and Kain found and destroyed a second Institute in the Amazon rainforest. There are also passing mentions about a Terminal being under construction in the Sahara region as well.[6]

Other Bases[]

The NES game provides four extra buildings, located on Egypt, Africa, China and Australia. It is unknown, however, if the Egypt base was part of Enterprise or one of the Secret Police's own bases. All the others housed a ZAIN Terminal and were protected by soldiers, machines and Matic's men.

Alliances[]

In order to carry out the ZAIN Project in secret, Enterprise was in need of powerful allies. Their resources of human guinea pigs were obtained through a deal with the Kazakh Secret Police. The corrupt police force would handle those they arrested (mostly members of the local rebellion) to be used in the Kazakh Institute for experimentation, and in exchange they received armaments from the Enterprise. High-ranking officers of the force were well aware of the experiments and the project’s main objective, but willingly looked the other way.

Enterprise also sought out an alliance with Matic, the de facto leader of the Striders at the time. Matic provided full support to Enterprise, offering his men as elite guards for the organization’s needs. He has, however, secretly desired control of both the Striders and Enterprise to have the means for world domination.

Known members[]

ZainAdmin1
Faceas Clay
Current president of Enteprise, he has dedicated the company's resources into developing the ZAIN Project as part of his plan to cull humanity's evil nature through mind-controlling Earth's population, with him as their leader.
Yuri
Yuri
A secretary of Enterprise located in the Kazakh Federation, sent to investigate the matter of the Striders' interference in the company's plans. He's the link in their alliance with the Striders and is often seen accompanying Matic.
Scientist1
Kazakh Institute Director
The director of the Kazakh Federation Mental Institute and secret ZAIN research laboratory. A man who truly idolizes Faceas Clay and his plan for humanity, he's the creator of the ZAIN Terminal.
Zain project 1
Scientist
A mysterious scientist of the organization who is only briefly mentioned. While conducting research on the human brain, he discovered a radio wave that was capable of controlling a human being's behavior, setting the foundation for the ZAIN Project.
Str manga enterprise guard
Security unit
An unit of trained soldiers which serves as the company's security force. Most of the soldiers carry regular machine guns, with only a small group wielding the company's Shadowtag Bullets.

References[]

  1. Capcom (1989, NES). Strider (English). Instruction Manual, Pg. 4
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Strider Hiryu Japanese Magazine Scans". Marukatsu Famicom, October 1988 issue.
  3. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 1, Pg. 24. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 2, Pg. 70. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  5. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 118. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 114. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  7. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 118. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  8. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 5, Pg. 156. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  9. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 4, Pg. 118. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  10. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 1, Pg. 11. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  11. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 5, Pg. 158. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  12. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 5, Pg. 187. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  13. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 6, Pg. 191. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  14. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 85. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  15. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 87. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  16. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 91. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  17. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 96. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
  18. Wada, Tatsumi (November 10, 1989). Strider Hiryû. Chapter 3, Pg. 107. Kadokawa Shoten. ISBN 4-04-713009-5.
Strider Manga/NES Series
Main Articles Manga (Gaiden) • Strider (NES)Moto KikakuTatsumi WadaMasahiko Kurokawa
Characters AranaCommanderFaceas ClayHiryuKainKubiraKuramotoMaticPolice ChiefScientistSheena
Game only: BadgerDragon FiendFlash BladeKodiakRyuzaki
Manga only: Commander KeithDr. HoganFlower GirlDirectorMariyaMinor StridersRinYuriZangi Brothers
Stage Enemies BirdClawed StridersDobermanEgypt SoldierGiant RobotMachine CannonMechanical SnailRobot Arm
Robot ClawRobot FrongRussian InfantrymanScuba SoldierSharkmanSky WingSpark Machine
Turret/Laser TurretTwin Bats
Technology Assault RifleBootsCypherKaliKunaiPhantom TrainRescue AircraftShadow Tag BulletsStealth Chopper
SystemT-48Transport TubeZAIN Project (ZAIN TerminalZainsYggdrasil)
Locations AmazonKazakh Federation (KazakhMental Institute) • Los AngelesMongoliaStrider Headquarters
AfricaAustraliaChinaEgyptJapanRed Dragon
Techniques Acceleration JumpBoomerang ThrowCypher AttackPlasma ArrowSlide InTriangle JumpTricks
Groups EnterpriseKazakh Secret PolicePhantom UnitRebel ArmyStriders
Strider Matic UnitSpecial Forces
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