Kensuke Tanaka Interview: Comptiq Magazine June 2019
Introduction
The following interview comes from Comptiq Magazine's June issue, which was released on May 10th, 2018.
In the article, Comptiq's T-ko interviews Kancolle's main producer, Kensuke Tanaka, discussing the Zuiun and Reppu Festival at Yokohama Sea Paradise and all the contents that came with
Tanaka also hint about ships coming in the upcoming Spring 2019 Event and some of his future plans as KanColle enters it's 7th year.
A special interview and messages for KanColle's 7th Year!
Congrats for KanColle's 6th Anniversary! A special interview with Producer Tanaka!
'Interviewer (I):' KanColle is welcoming its sixth anniversary. Comptiq is celebrating as well!
Producer/Director Tanaka Kensuke (T): On April 23, 2019, KanColle entered its 7th year. Before KanColle had even been released, Comptiq has been an unwavering source of support. I'm grateful that now, six years later, our two staffs stay in close touch. Thank you very much!
I: What comes to mind when you think of how the voyage has entered its 7th year?
T: Strong feelings about our development and management of KanColle, obviously, but also the love the Admirals all have for their own shipgirls, the support they give KanColle, and the world we built together. Since the project started there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about KanColle, but for just as long the Admirals have shown their shipgirls and the franchise so much love. Thanks to that, KanColle was able to enter its 7th year.
I: The Naval District Zuiun Festival at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise was pretty eventful again this year!
T: I'm glad to hear it. We were exploring so many potential projects, but in the end, we went for somewhere near the shipyards in Yokohama where the DDH [1] with full-length flight decks Hyuuga, Ise, and Kaga were built and not far off from the old base of the Yokosuka Naval District, especially the remains of the air strip of the Yokosuka Navy Air Corps. We decided with Sea Paradise-san to hold the festival around the time of the 6th anniversary. We put in as much passion and ideas as we could muster to prepare for this Zuiun Festival. This meant collaborative attractions and good food and drinks, of course, but also hosting performances of the Zuiun Ondo... er, Kanmusu Ondo, and seeing if we could let people experience a night battle version of it.
I: I did! It was awesome! That green glow, and the enthusiasm - can't quite put it into words!
T: I think it's in moments like that that you really grasp KanColle's entered its 7th year. Moments like that can only happen with not just the developers, but all the player Admirals with their passion and emotion. That scene had a strange, sort of affectionate feeling, like the gaps between the waves of green light.
I: It seemed this was also the biggest Zuiun Festival in terms of sheer number of participants.
T: Yes, in an odd way. There are plenty of states for games and franchises to be in, but KanColle seems to be able to exist in a unique one like no other, because of how its Admirals take it and together with us create time and space around it.
I: And who would've thought the Zuiun plush doll would be so cute too!
T: Thanks, that's good to hear. There's the face, but I think it's the eyes. It was drawn by Shibafu. I'm glad the Admirals have found it adorable as well.
I: Hirota-san's ice cream puffs were very popular as well!
T: Thank you very much. After all, finding and sharing tasty food is our starting point! It ended up being quite a complex plan to execute, with even Sasebo oranges and Yuubari melons. Yet everyone at Hirota-san put in all they had to score a real home run with this, not only collaborating with us but even helping with the original flavors. This collab all arose from a connection with Admiral Mura, who performed at last year's Naval District Ice Festival [2]. It turned out really well. We'd love to continue cheering Mura-san on in his new endeavors, even if they're unrelated to KanColle.
I: True, at C2 you all seem to focus on good food first and foremost.
T: Not just food, but things that connect with regular life, wonderful things, important things, and things you just think would be nice. What originally motivated us to do these projects was presenting that approach to content and sharing in the fun. In a sense, that was how KanColle itself was also born.
I: The new anime is kicking into gear too!
T: Yeah! The elite and up-and-coming ENGI-san, and Kadokawa-san, along with us at C2 Preparat, have been working hard on the preparations. It's quite fun, the folks at ENGI have really devoted themselves to it. With the PV that premiered at the New Year's Jazz Festival at the Nippon Budokan, they inserted Yahagi Kai Ni's clothing as designed by Konishi-san into the updated 10-second cut shown at the Zuiun Festival's Main Operation just recently. Sometime around the Extra Operation, the CG for Yamashiro and others will have been worked on enough to see a further updated version of the PV. We're preparing a completely new story. We are also making preparations for Shigure to get her third remodel.
I: That's some surprising news! As production continues things slowly get set in stone, huh? I'm looking forward to the story.
T: The franchise has grown for a long time with all the Admirals. We're devoting a lot of passion to delivering a good new anime. And for the game itself, before this issue of Comptiq-san is out, the fast battleship that has supported Admirals' fleet strength from the very start, the first of the Kongou-class battleships, Kongou, will be getting her third remodel. She'll be a very what-if remodel fast battleship, able to lead torpedo and heavy cruiser squadrons in hard-hitting attacks on the enemy and in night battle chew them to pieces.
I: "Kongou Kai Ni C", I see. The perfect evolution for Kongou! I'm really happy for her!
T: Thank you very much. We also have a message from Konishi-san, who'll be in charge of the cover for Comptiq-san. For Konishi-san, Kongou Kai Ni C really serves as Kongou's magnum opus. She drew, with all, she had.[3] Also, this year's spring event will finally be coming after that. At that time, another ship who has supported the frontline from the start, aircraft carrier Akagi, will be getting her Kai Ni, the long-awaited Akagi Kai Ni. We plan to simultaneously implement the heavily-armed, short-range fighter Reppuu Kai, plus a what-if carrier-based Reppuu Kai without the oblique guns.[4] Frankly, I wanted to implement a night variant of the Suisei[5] as well, but we just had too much in the pipeline and didn't want to impact the quality of any of them... there's also a connection with their former squadron, so I'd really like to get it in soon!
I: That was quite a helping! What new shipgirls can we expect in this spring event?
T: A very important class for KanColle, the coastal defense ships. We plan on adding another Shimushu-class shipgirl as well.
I: With that said, the name "Hachi" has been floating around - Hachijou?
T: And Ishigaki, yes. I've got so many coastal defense ships I'd like to get out, so many! I might get a little impatient if we can't hurry on them.
I: As for larger classes?
T: To say it straight, one of the battleships that formed the Big Seven will be implemented.
I: Seriously!?
T: Seriously! We're looking forward to it too!
I: Quite a helping indeed, but we're pretty much out of space for the interview, so any final thoughts, please!
T: All of us at the KanColle Management Naval District will continue to work hard together. We have many plans and implementations in store, as well as a wonderful "variety" of things we want to introduce. Troop members Tanibe and Wakana are in ever higher spirits! Please continue having high hopes for KanColle. To all the Admirals, thank you so very much! Please continue to enjoy our seventh year at sea!
(Late April, 2019, KanColle Management Naval District at C2 Preparat)
Bonus
6th Anniversary Message
Fujita Takahira(?) (Comptiq Editor-in-Chief)
Congratulations to KanColle on its 6th anniversary.
It's rare enough for a game to go through its 6th year with a fanbase that still adores it, but I think what's incredible is how it can continue to surprise with things like the migration to Phase 2, the ice skating, the Jazz Concert at Budokan, and the endless onslaught of new milestones.
In the 7th year I look forward to seeing the energy we saw at the 6th Anniversary Event at the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise Special Anchorage continue with further developments in the new era of Reiwa.
6th Anniversary Message Konishi (Illustrator)
Congratulations to KanColle on its 6th anniversary!
For 6 long years the Admirals have supported me, and I got the chance to give Kongou-san yet another big remodel.
Thank you very much! Please continue to support KanColle and the shipgirls!
Special thanks to User:/a/nonymous for his translation work
References