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Kensuke Tanaka Interview: Comptiq Magazine January 2018
Introduction
The following interview comes from Comptiq Magazine's December issue which was released on December 9th, 2017.
In the article, the Editor in Chief interviews Kancolle's main producer, Kensuke Tanaka, regarding details about the Fall 2017 Event that is already in progress. And discusses in detail about the upcoming Winter 2018 Event in lots of detail explaining the importance of this event which will server as the final part of Phase 1 of Kantai Collection before KanColle move on to Phase 2 which will be when the series to HTML 5.
In addition, he also takes time to talk about planned collaborations being planned for the upcoming year. Revolving around various food collaborations along with a collaboration for a department store.
Interviewer (Henceforth, I): It's Comptiq! Thanks again, and good work!
Tanaka, Hencforth, T: Thanks! It's gotten really cold, hasn't it? The signs of winter are everywhere now. Would you like something warm to drink?
I: Hot cocoa, please!
T: Sorry, we don't have any! How about this Shizukoa tea from a certain collab? It's delicious!
I: Alright, I'll go with that! ...[Sniffle]. A breather! I haven't had one in a while, since I'm right in the middle of the fall event. I just opened the route to Surigao Strait in the Extra Op!
T: Ohh. Just a little more to go! Good work. And thank you! I look forward to the First Striking Force, Third Section breaking its way through and the girls' achievements!
I: The Fall event, "Showdown at Operation Shou-Gou! The Battle of Leyte Gulf Counterattack (Part 1)", will be just about over by the time this issue of Comptiq is published, won't it? And the upcoming winter event will be Part 2!
T: Yes. It'll be the final event of KanColle Phase 1, and will of course be entitled "Showdown at Operation Shou-Gou! The Battle of Leyte Gulf Counterattack (Part 2)". Preparations are already well underway.
I: I'm trembling with excitement!
T: The setting for the winter event will be Palawan Passage, the Sibuyan Sea, and... those fateful waters off Cape Engaño.
I: It's finally time!
T: That's right. The waters off Cape Engano, the final resting place of Japan's Mobile Force, where it faced a life or death struggle with a massive enemy task force. Furthermore, the main surface force will charge into Leyte Gulf to launch a counterattack on and attempt to destroy the enemy invasion force.
I: The main force... the Kurita Fleet, then!
T: That's right! We plan for the Ozawa Fleet and air cover from a fully developed land-based air corps to allow our main surface strike forces, composed primarily of the Kurita and Suzuki Fleets, to launch a massive counterattack.
I: Can't wait!
T: And of course, the Nishimura and Shima Fleets, which broke through Surigao Strait, will feature as well. We're looking forward to it as well!
The Sibuyan Sea...? We have to get through!
I: Getting fired up!
T: We plan to depict the fierce battle fought by that battleship Musashi - the last battleship built and commissioned by the navy, who was wounded all over and became a shield for her allies' advance - and that aircraft carrier Zuikaku - who carried on the glory of CarDiv 1's name and fought with distinction through countless battlefields alongside her older sister. Many other ships also participated in what became the Combined Fleet's last and largest battle. The elite carrier task forces raised by the admirals, and the full force of the land-based air corps's firepower - despite it all, you'll face overwhelmingly large enemy fleets. Even so, the counterattack will be launched under strategic conditions that will bridge that gap in a titanic clash.
I: Oohh!
T: The medium/otsu and hard/kou difficulties will be suitably difficult, but veteran admirals will likely have Zuikaku's comrade to the bitter end from CarDiv 5, Shoukaku, alongside her. Deploying them together in carrier task forces will allow them to fight on par with that. And a little before next year's winter event in 2018, we plan for admirals without the second of the Yamato-class battleships to get a significant boost to the success rate of constructing her in LSC. Admirals without her, please plan your resource stockpiling accordingly. Of course, you will still be able to clear the winter event without her. Many ships participated in that operation. I think even the shipgirls you encounter relatively early on will perform more than adequately. I think it'd be great for everyone to use the fleets and shipgirls they've raised throughout Phase 1 of KanColle to take on the final, decisive battle, Shou-Gou.
I: I'm raring to go!
T: Before all that, we plan for the maintenance at the end of the fall event to include a Kai Ni remodel for a 5,500t light cruiser that played an active part in defending the north, before being transferred south as the war situation deteriorated and fighting in the Shou-Gou decisive battle at Leyte as part of the Ozawa Fleet. The remodel will allow you to obtain "Arctic Camouflage (+ Arctic Equipment)", which strengthens the defenses of certain vessels and improves all vessels' evasion in northern waters.
I: Hohoh, a new type of equipment, eh? Will being unable to clear Leyte Part 1, the fall event, make part 2, the winter event, harder?
T: No, it'll be alright. However, each Nishimura and Shima ship that fought hard and grew through the fall event will certainly remain powerful assets in Part 2 of Leyte.
I: I see, that's a relief! Whew, even I got a little fired up hearing such a passionate deluge of game info. Tell me about what collabs you have in the works as well!
T: Yeaah, we've got a lot of the kind of plans typical for us in the works... but I think we'll announce those next year, for the most part.
Rice, umeboshi, seaweed, and tea! Food collabs, port and starboard, coming in fast!
I: Come on, just a little something. Something fitting for "KanColle", something weird, anything!
T: "Weird"... (laugh). Well, as is customary, we're in the midst of preparing a collab for next year with a well-established department store...
I: Hm-hm. T: We have a multi-stage plan for next year, from February until our fifth anniversary... For February, we'll have chocolate for Valentine's. We also have plans for some pretty good clothes, top to bottom, for male admirals. Oh yes, the female admirals' apparel we were selling earlier was also quite popular, so we'll also preparing camisole, with several designs, and skirts.
I: Eh? What'd you just say? Skirts?
T: Yes, miniskirts. Wonderful marine skirts for everyday use are in the works as well, for female KanColle admirals.
I: "Marine"...? Man, I wanna see that! The approaches... they sure are endless.
T: It'd be great if it does well. There's also something more like me that we're eagerly preparing, some Japanese cuisine... food, that is...
I: Hmhm.
T: KanColle collaborative... rice. Umeboshi. Seaweed. And Japanese tea. The last time we did tea it was pretty popular, so. Oh, and that's what you're drinking right now.
I: What? Rice, umeboshi, seaweed? The heck for?
T: Just hear me out, it's delicious~ The tea's good, right? Warming you up?
I: Well, yeah, but...!
T: Also, we have the wonderful and popular sake in the works this time as well. We should be able to announce this all one by one after the new year.
I: It was pretty good last time! But can you do shochu too!?
T: Shochu with hot water [oyuwari] is good for your health, but so's cold water [miyuwari]~! For those long nights in the fall and winter! Oh yeah, from late fall through winter, KanColle Arcade will be having its Fourth Event: "Recon Seaplanes, Launching!" I hope everyone enjoys the wonderful Abyssals and the exciting anti-air cut-in of the arcade!
I: Yeah, it really is incredible. The shipgirls are cute, but Isolated Island Demon's great too!
T: Harbor Princess is great too! Their expressions are indescribable. And when their whole body gets pounded with Type 3 shells! Of course, they weren't nearly this effective in real life, but fans of the Type 3 shell should definitely try to fire the volley of their dreams. Almost makes me tear up... Oh, looks like I've got some sand in my eyes.
I: I don't think there's many fans...
T: Ah, sorry, got a little excited there. There's also the KanColle Management Naval District Official 2018 Calendar coming out this winter as well. You can see a side to the shipgirls you don't really see in the game - well, I guess you do, nowadays? Anyhow, please enjoy experiencing daily life through the four seasons with your shipgirls with the calendar!
I: Oh, this is great!
T: Hey, that's my line!
I: We plan on an extraordinary commercial for the calendar starting toward the end of this year, in a collaboration with our own editorial department. It seemed like lots of fun, so we're providing covering fire- oh shoot, we're way overtime! Well then, that's it for today. I'll be heading back to report to the editor-in-chief and get my Nishimura Fleet through Surigao Strait! We'll beat December too! Have a Happy New Year!
(Late November 2017, KanColle Naval District)
Special thanks to User:-a-nonymous for his translation work