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Kensuke Tanaka Interview: Comptiq Magazine September 2017
Introduction
The following interview comes from within the "Comptiq Magazine September Edition" which was released on August 10th, 2017. Within the book, Chief Editor "T" has an interview with Kancolle's main producer, Kensuke Tanaka. Within the article, Takana discusses about, the wrap up to the Zuiun Festival, details regarding Kantai Collection's upcoming Summer 2017 Event, some of the content that's expected to come out, regarding all the new of the new ships, The 4th KanColle Naval Review that will be making is appearance as the Tokyo Big Sight. The Interview was conducted on Late July of 2016.
Interviewer T, henceforth I: Thanks for the hard work! This is summer Comptiq!
Kensuke Tanaka, henceforth T: Same to you! It's gotten really hot~ And the cicadas are out in force~!
I: It's already summer! The Naval District Zuiun Festival at the foot of Mount Fuji was real hot too. Big thanks for all the hard work from planning to execution!
T: All the planning and execution we did at the Management Naval District to develop the Naval District Zuiun Festival this year, on top of the Naval District Sanma Festival, plus certain live events, made for quite a lot of work~! It was a real relief that things went off without a hitch. Huge thanks to everyone that supported us and all the admirals that cheered us on.
I: Maaaan, all the events were so enthusiastic!
T: During the unveiling ceremony, we not only had Kadokawa's Inoue-san [Senior VP], but also got a big wave from the people riding on the Fujiyama roller coaster...
I: You could say that the unexpected unity born at Fuji-Q Highland was quite enthusiastic!
T: I'm very thankful to everyone at Fuji-Q Highland and Fujikyu Railway for their cooperation. I'm also very grateful that they continued to scale up their capacity as we also held our curry festival there.
I: It was delicious! You've also extended the 1/1 life-sized Zuiun replica's exhibition until the rest of the summer, right?
T: Yes, we've gratefully accepted Fuji-Q's proposal to keep the Zuiun on exhibit there through August. I'd love for everyone to see it for themselves if they happen to be near the foot of Mount Fuji this summer.
I: I'd love if you guys had another new festival in the works for next year!
T: Yeah... We're thinking over several plans, but implementing the summer event comes first! As the Naval District Zuiun Festival wraps up, preparations are underway for the Summer 2017 Event: "Crossing Through the West Once Again! The European Rescue Operation" - you could say both engines are on full throttle.
I: It's here! It'll be a "large-scale" event this summer, right?
T: That's right. This summer's event will consist of four main and three extra operation maps, for a large-scale event consisting of seven maps. Assuming we're ready, the new shipgirls this event will include a carrier, battleship, destroyer, submarine, etc. for a total of seven ships. We actually still have some recording left to do for the new shipgirls! The first [Sagiri] will be at E-1 and elsewhere [E-2], and clearing E-2 will reward another new shipgirl Hatakaze.
I: Ooh! 4+3 = 7 maps! And with new shipgirls being added too!
T: Admirals who clear the main operations will have a new battleship Richelieu, and admirals who clear the extra operations and achieve total victory will have that carrier ][Ark Royal]] finally join their fleet. We have something a bit special related to her in the works - the biplane torpedo bomber Swordfish, archaic at first glance but high-performing.
I: Ooh, looking forward to it! Well theeeen, now I'm worried whether to clear on hard, or medium, or even easy!
T: Admirals should take up the challenge suited to their fleet's versatility in combat strength and their preparation for battle. While the equipment, items, etc. you obtain on each map vary by difficulty, you will be able to encounter the new shipgirls no matter what difficulty you pick this time as well. Additionally, the main operations are primarily about establishing a deployment of Japanese warships from the Western Seas [Indian Ocean/World 4, relative to Japan] to the European Front. During the extra operations, admirals may encounter European capital ships that they have yet to encounter themselves. For some ships, a second encounter is possible.
I: Oooh, so you can farm any European capital ships you don't have!?
T: This time, on top of Japanese ships, we will be implementing ships born in Britain, France, and Italy. The Italian ship had quite a stormy and dramatic life, er, service record. In the end, she came here, to Japan... Also, during this summer's limited time event, "Crossing Through the West Once Again! The European Rescue Operation", we're preparing to add a seasonal sprite for a certain small German ship [U-511/Ro-500]!
I: O-Oooooh! What a great summer!
T: This summer, while working on collabs with Lawson-san and Mitsukoshi-san, we also implemented new summer seasonals like Summer Festival and Swimsuit sprites, but we'll continue to look for more opportunities for seasonals as we move into fall.
I: Nice-su! Please do-su!
T: Feels sorta like I'm talking with Shimushu-su... [1]
I: I get that a lot nowadays. Don't worry 'bout it. Fumizuki Kai Ni is finally here, but how are preparations for other Kai Ni going?
T: Yes, next in line is finally a certain powerful foreign fleet carrier, with her Kai Ni on standby. She's already quite powerful in terms of combat strength. We're also preparing even more Kai Ni remodels for the latter half of this year. We're looking forward to it on our end as well!
I: The fifth year sure is going full force with Kai Ni remodels. I'm glad! Although come to think of it, it's already the fifth year... meaning next spring will be the fifth anniversary, huh.
T: It's... unbelievable, isn't it? I'm grateful. We have lots of things planned with regard to the fifth anniversary, but the biggest will be improvements to front-end systems.
I: Hohoh.
T: While continuing the kinds of improvements we made last year, we are simultaneously working on plans to improve front-end systems around the time of the fifth anniversary. We at the KanColle Management Naval District are developing new systems for KanColle, not particularly because our platform, DMM-san, is requesting anything. After four and a half years of operation, the internals have gotten quite bloated, so there's a fair amount of work. But our programming team is getting pretty far in their endeavors. When it's done, the appearance we're all familiar with won't have changed much, but the internal front-end systems will be almost entirely reworked. Preparation is underway, sorta like how a certain space battleship was reborn from Operation Ten-Gō.
I: But that one did change appearance in the end.
T: That's true, my bad. Hopefully, we can announce the changes formally and concretely during the KanColle Naval Review this fall. [2]
I: That's right, the Naval Review! The dates have finally been set! The location's been moved to Tokyo, right?
T: Yes. The KanColle Naval Review we hold with support from Kadokawa-san. With one stage of the anime complete, we'll be changing things up this time by sizing up the venue. We will be holding the Naval Review this fall on September 16 at Tokyo Big Sight, Ariake. This is official!
I: Fall, in Tokyo!
T: Yes, with a huge cast of 20 seiyuu all assembled together, it'll be a huge live event. The scale, the info, the performances, the merch - it'll be the biggest event. A KanColle Fall Festival.
I: Looking forward to it~!
T: Ah, right, before that, we're entering the final stages of our collab with Mitsukoshi-san this summer! We plan on the long-awaited food and alcohol being available online from the second half of summer into fall. Look forward to enjoying Kancolle with delicious food and alcohol!
I: Will you be doing sake this time too?
T: Of course! We have a new one! There's also a shochu! Also, the customary canned good this time is curry! We plan on it being delivered by the four Kongou sisters. Konishi-san is furiously drawing away at it for us. We'll be selling a high-class curry set with good decoration, good food, and a good gift!
I: That again! Ah, this is...!
T: Yeah, that's the new shipgirls we're preparing to add right now, you know? Ah, hey, wait!
I: Come on, just a bit!
T: No! Heyyyy!
I: Just the silhouette is fine, come on!
(T While Running:) Look forward to developments this summer and fall! (July 31, 2017, KanColle Management Naval District)
Credit goes to /A/noynomous for his translation work.