Kensuke Tanaka Interview: Comptiq Magazine January 2019

Introduction

Comptiq's January 2019 Interview with Tanaka page 1

The following interview comes from Comptiq Magazine's January issue, which was released on December 10th, 2018.

In the article, Comptiq's T-ko interviews Kancolle's main producer, Kensuke Tanaka, discussing the upcoming End of the Year 2018 - 2019 Winter Event. He cover historical details regarding what the event will consist of along with explaining some additional details of the Type 2 Land-based Reconnaissance Aircraft and some of the newer ships which includes, Nisshin, Minegumo, and at least one to two possible others that have close connections to Tawi-Tawi anchorage.

Tanaka also hints about coming year which will feature Fletcher-Class Destroyers which will be by ZECO and a new map for 7-3 which will take place in Palau.

Finally, he ends the interview by discussing about the coming KanColle Jazz Concert Festival.

Christmas, Winter Event, Jazz... and moving towards 2019!

We've finally entered the Christmas season of 2018. This time our talking points aren't just limited to the winter event that's on everyone's minds, but has been expanded to a space for adults i.e. jazz concerts that'll be held at the end of this year as well as New Year.

Furthermore, what will be the KanColle keywords for 2019? Let's head straight into our end-of-year Comptiq interview with the KanColle Naval Operations Base!

The stage of the upcoming winter event will be the central Solomon Islands area!

The Second Sequence (Block-1) of KanColle has finally arrived. Ohh, the window's so big! This new sorting system's wonderful! The Early Fall Event has already begun, and I've got a lot of questions! But maaaan, it's been hot for days now. I want to drink something cool!

Associate Editor (Hereafter E): Greetings, it's Comptiq! Today I'll definitely get the latest info out of you! Now let's get started! Come to think of it, it's been a while since our last interview!

Tanaka P (Hereafter T): Yeah, sorry about that. Ever since the Phase 2 transition I've hardly got the time because my schedule has been so chaotic it's making my head spin. Alright, well, how about we cut straight to the chase then?

E: Sure thing! Let's do that! A straight interview! The Winter Event is going to start next month, right? What's it gonna be like?

T: The upcoming winter event's theatre is planned to be, get ready, the "Central Solomon Islands Sea".

E: Solomon Islands... which means somewhere near that infamous Ironbottom Sound, right?

T: No, it won't be a battle in the previously visited Solomon Islands area that was centred around Ironbottom Sound, where those fierce battles took place. It'll be the central Solomon Islands sea, which means we're moving more to the northeast, from Rabaul through Ironbottom Sound, around the central Solomon Islands group, all of which is going to be the main theater of the upcoming winter event.

E: Central Solomon Islands... from Rabaul... and Rabaul totally means land-based air forces! Right?

T: That's right. Starting from the mid part of the event there'll be an all-out air battle featuring the land-based air forces that are stationed at the Rabaul base, and it'll only get fiercer from there. All kinds of air forces, such as zero fighter squads and land-based bomber squads, will have to gather at the Rabaul base and engage in fierce air battles. During the Winter Event you'll also be able to obtain the "Type 2 Land-based Reconnaissance Aircraft" among other things. "Land-based Reconnaissance Aircraft" is a new type of equipment that won't just guide your bomber or fighter squads in order to increase their radius of action, but also be able to trigger a guiding support effect for attacks against surface ships or dogfights. Stats-wise the "Type 2 Land-based Recon" doesn't really stand out, but there's still a chance that it'll later be upgraded to the night fighter "Gekkō", which fought bravely during air battles above the mainland. Furthermore, there'll be more high-spec "land-based recons" coming soon. If you're a fan of reconnaissance aircraft, I think there's something to look forward to.

E: What will the first stage of the winter event be like?

T: The first map will feature a destroyer fleet performing Rat Transportation duty to the central Solomon Islands, so basically I'd like to kick off this winter event with a battle against an enemy fleet that's equipped with radars to ambush the Tokyo Express.

E: Oh, it's that one, isn't it? The one Jintsū's Desron 2 was part of...

T: Yes. The Battle of Kolombangara, where Jintsuu met her end and which was covered by one of the previous events, was a large battle for the Japanese torpedo squadrons, but this time the first map will be on a smaller scale than that... It'll be based on a battle where the seasoned Shiratsuyu-class destroyer Murasame, as well as an Asashio-class destroyer who was accompanying her, were spotted by enemy radars and lost in a pretty much one-sided attack.

E: Which means that the first new ship girl is going to be...

T: Yes, we're planning to release the Asashio-class destroyer Minegumo, who shared the same fate as Murasame.

E: Ooh! Uhm...

T: She's the younger sister of Asagumo and Yamagumo.

E: Oh, of the Nishimura Fleet!

T: Right. This winter event is planned to consist of a total of three maps, and scale-wise won't be that big, but the last map, which is based on a transport mission to bolster up the defence of Buin, is going to be a tough battle, especially on Hard Mode. And on this winter event's final map...

E: Oh, lemme guess! We're finally getting that seaplane tender you announced a while ago!

T: Yes. That modern high-speed seaplane tender that was used even for tough transport missions into battlegrounds. Seaplane tender Nisshin will be implemented in the last map of the winter event!

E: There she is! Nisshin!

T: On top of that players will be able to get another new destroyer ship girl that's associated with the recently added "Tawi-Tawi Anchorage Sea" map. And if the situation allows it, I'd like to add yet another ship.

E: I see, I see. So there's a lot going on even for a small-scale event! Anyway, what about real-life events?

T: We're preparing Jazz Events for the event of this year as well as New Year. The end-of-year event will take place at the Tokyo Opera City with its great acoustics and where we'd like to create more mature jazz experience, and the new-year event will take place at the Nippon Budōkan and be more like a New Year festival, including guests...... so basically we're diligently working on a rather different type of jazz festival. I'd also like to deliver yet another fantastic collab in February. Also also, for spring...

E: As usual your weird vigour knows no bounds...

T: Next year the next normal map will be in the Palao area...... Also, Zeco has been working super-hard and drawing several Fletcher-class ships......

E: I'd love to know more, but we're running out of page space!

T: Roger that! In that case, see you next year!

E: Don't you have at least some new artwork to show off? Oh, what's that?

T: This is Zuikaku's Xmas Mode that we're going to implement in an update in early December... oh, come on, don't just grab it!

E: It's fine, think of it as an early Christmas present for our readers! Also, gimme something cute!

T: Ugh...... Well, then how about this? It's a Pyjama Mode character design by Fujikawa. E: Yoink!

T: Aaaaand you're back at it again...

E: Don't sweat it! Alright then, back to the editorial department I go!

T: To the admirals and editors. This might be a bit early, but thank you so much for everything! I wish you all a happy new year! E: Good luck with the end-of-year and New Year events! And thank you for your valuable time!

Special thanks to User:Admiral Mikado for his translation work