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59.
FUNKY TOWN (BUSHIDO TERRITORY)
 Funky
Town
takes up the Northwest corner of the Combat Zone, and
is claimed by Bushido. It is probably the safest
area in the Zone, as well as one of the
strangest. This is mostly due to Bushido’s
influence. Even before the walls went up,
Bushido claimed the streets here. Bushido is
something of a guardian gang centered around martial
arts whose style can best be described as
“kung-fu-funk nightmare!” The leader of
the gang, who goes only by the name Shogun, has wiped
most of the violent crime from his area with his
gang. While the gang prefers to settle things
with martial arts, preferably in a non-lethal fashion,
they are also heavily armed and well equipped, and not
afraid to deal with any threat to the community.
 The
gang’s style and jive talking demeanor is strange
enough, but as part of their deal with the locals, it
is suggested, that anyone who wants their protection
to let them hook up speakers outside their businesses
and homes, through which they will pump funk music 24
hours a day. Its not required by any means, but
most of the businesses in the area comply, because it
will mean Bushido members will hang around longer, and
their presence will keep trouble away. It has
also led to a spider web of speaker cables strung
across rooftops and alleyways. Unlike most
gangs, who charge their fees to stores to protect them
from themselves, Bushido actually does protect the
neighborhood, and acts benevolently in the community.
 Th is
is
also one of the most diverse areas in the Combat Zone,
and the only place outside of rice town where you will
see a significant Asian population, in addition to
blacks, whites, and even hispanics, many of whom come
to escape Stomp and in turn have introduced Bushido to
Tijuana brass jazz, which seems to fit in well with
their funk sensibilities and its not uncommon to hear
some Herb Alpert plying through the
speakers. Bushido’s odd mix of retro style
has actually started rubbing off on the civilians here
as well, and has become something of a fashion trend
here, although few take it as far as the actual gang
members.
  Funky
Town
is the only area in the Zone to have a functioning
movie theater, it plays whatever old movies it can
aquire, but every Friday night there is a kung-fu
double feature, and every saturday night a
blaxploitation double feature. It also has a
rather strange bar/arcade, both are owned by the
Bushido leader. Because Funky Town is the safest
place in the Combat Zone (this does not mean it is
actually safe), there are several successful
businesses here, and residential rent is higher on
average here than anywhere in the Zone save for in the
towers controlled by Shrapnel and the Walking
Dead. There are also a lot of street performers
here, including musicians and breakdancers.
 
(For more Information on Bushido please see Gangs Of
The Combat Zone.)
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