Hoshioka

Hosioka is an engineering factory in Side 3 that before the onset of Mobile Suit technology mostly focused on producing industrial machinery. The company was an occasionally subcontractor of Zeonic, eventually tasked by the company with developing a Prototype MS for the Principality of Zeon in U.C.0074 ostensibly as a new 'mobile worker'.

History
Hosioka is a civilian manufacturing company, notable for being subcontracted by the much larger Zeonic Company to develop a version of the new Mobile Suit technology prototype. The small factory was responsible for the development one version of the MS-04 Prototype Zaku design, specifically the one housing an internal nuclear reactor. Hosioka's head workers quickly deduce that although viable alternative power sources were available, and were indeed being worked on by Zeonic headquarters, Hosioka was brought in due to their concern of a possible nuclear meltdown.

Over the course of their work on the prototype, the Hosioka engineers encounter and overcome a number of challenges to Mobile Suit development, and their strides in advancing the early stages of the technology inform and influence the future of mobile technology throughout the Universal Century.

Employees

 * Mion Hosioka - Daughter of Genzaburou Hosioka, Mion often acts as an on-site work foreman in the absence of her father. She is also the main test pilot of the prototype design, with her competitive streak pushing her to excel in handling the new technology. Her familiarity with the Hosioka workforce's idiosyncrasies allows her to influence their attitudes towards taking the MS development contract.

Genzaburou Hosioka - Chief of the Hosioka industrial factory, Genzaburou is a coarse but experienced engineer, whose skill and judgement have gained him the faith and loyalty of his workforce. He is known to frequently use of folksy proverbs, often prefacing them with "Like we say back home", implying he is not native to Side 3.

Yasu Nishikawa - A leading mechanic at Hosioka, Yasu is considered by his coworkers to be exceptionally clever. He has a great interest in tinkering with the design of the Mobile Suit after seeing the CG blueprints brought to the factory by Theo. As with many other Hosioka workers, when out of company clothes, his style of clothing is reminiscent of a Yakuza thug.

Three Old Men - A trio of aging mechanical engineers, they have both impressive experience and unique talents that make them indispensable. The only named Old Man, Miguel, is the sole employee of Hosioka capable of angstrom-grade mechanical alterations. His skill even impressing Zeonic HQ engineers, Miguel will occasionally refuse to work unless he is given tea or sweets. The other two are seen playing a card game to pass the time, seemingly based on fantasy trading card games like Magic the Gathering.

Auntie - While her specific role in the company is uncertain, she appears to work out of the factory office and has access to the company president's scheduling. Auntie is shown to have good common sense and an ability to read other people well. It is she who offers the simplest and easiest method to overcome Minovsky Particles interfering with inter-factory communication. She suffers from the vice of illegally-imported snack foods.


 * Tio Pajitonov - A supervisor to the MS project subcontracted to Hosioka. Sent by Zeonic Company's headquarters to oversee the progress of the industrial factory's prototype design. While he does not actually work for Hosioka, his close working relationship with Hosioka endears the offbeat employee force to him, to the point of defending their quirks and decisions to his superiors.

Advancements
A number of important manufacturing firsts are spearheaded in Mobile Suit development by the Hosioka team. Among these are:

Trivia

 * A number of Zabi family cameos are present in the manga, with most of the children of the Sovereign appearing in a televised Side 3 broadcast. Later in the story, Gihren is shown personally observing Zeonic's company demonstration of the Mobile Suit prototypes.
 * In the same broadcast, next to Garma there is a young, fair-haired man who looks quite a bit like Char Aznable.
 * Near the end of the manga, a panel showing Elliot Rem's working with the military to develop future MS has him sarcastically suggest placing a 'horn' onto commander-use units to distinguish them from rank-and-file.