Kensuke Tanaka Interview: Comptiq Magazine February 2018

Introduction

Comptiq's February 2018 Interview with Tanaka + Bonus illustration of Akigumo's doujin

Comptiq's February 2018 Interview with Tanaka

The following interview comes from Comptiq Magazine's February's issue, which was released on January 10th, 2017.

In the article, Comptiq's T-ko interviews Kancolle's main producer, Kensuke Tanaka, regarding various details regarding KanColle and some of it's development plans schedules over the course of the beginning of the new year and over the course leading up to Phase 2 of KanColle.

In addition, he discusses about various plans including the new DEs, Kai Ni remodels such as Naganami Kai Ni, planned remodels for a Shiratsuyu-class, a Light Cruiser, some Kagerou-class DD, and a certain ship that partook in Operation Shou-Gou 1.

Also, Tanaka cover other content regarding Chirstmas CGs, and takes time to talk about planned collaborations being planned for the Mitsukoshi, Lawsons and upcoming mangas for the upcoming year.

Looking toward the New Year, we sorta bothered the KanColle Management Naval District during the last days of the year!

A Yuugumo-class Kai Ni finally arrives! And in the early stages of Phase 2, the Kagerou-class too!?

Interviewer (Henceforth, I): Merry Xmas! Merry Xmas, and good work this year! Comptiq's here once again!

Tanaka (Henceforth, T): Merry Christ- wait, is it already time for Comptiq to report on us again?

I: That's right, it's part of our two-part series on KanColle, fufun!

T: Really sends shivers down my spine. Thanks. Well then, no helping it, I'll get some Japanese tea for you. Ooph, here, it's still hot!

I: Ah, how relaxing - oh? What's this then, this freaky-looking thing?

T: Ahh, that'd be something from a collab with a convenience store we're paring to launch right this spring...

I: Oh, the first collab of the new year! Could this be...?

T: Yeah, edible! It's the Prototype Mark III we got just a little earlier from their plant. It's delicious. Wanna try some?

I: ...this isn't machinery, you know. Not to mention, it's huge. Thanks for the meal! (Nom-nom)

T: It's perfect for teatime with the torpedo squadrons, don't you think? Right, let me top-up your tea cup. It turned out pretty different from the original plan, but thanks to the incredible work by the folks at the convenience store chain and at the plant - look, you see this part that looks like a shell...?

I: Thanks for the snack! What's this, seasonal CGs? I've seen something like this. That's how everyone back then was...

T: That's the Yuugumo-class girl Kazagumo striving on-site as a seller alongside Akigumo, who's in the Shambles seasonal we'll be implementing at the end of the year.

I: Ah, folding chairs, drawing up catalogs... gives me a sense of déjà vu.

T: Speaking of the Yuugumo-class, they will finally get a Kai Ni at the end of this year, with Naganami first up to bat! Around the time this issue is published, the final update of 2017 will implement the 12.7cm twin gun mount Model D Kai Ni, a maturation of the flat-trajectory main destroyer guns that was optimized for use on the Type-A [Yuugumo] and other destroyers built for decisive fleet battles, as well as Kai Yuugumo-class destroyer Naganami Kai Ni.

I: Ooh! It's finally time for Yuugumo-class Naganami-sama's Kai Ni! Looking forward to it!

T: Unlike the Type-B - or Akizuki-class air defense - destroyers, the final form of the Type-A destroyers - the Kai Ni of the Yuugumo-class - will place a greater weight on anti-ship combat strength for the sake of a decisive fleet battle. Similar to the great mainstay of destroyers - the Type-A Yuugumo-class - the class preceding them will...

I: Ooooh!

T: We are currently preparing to finally begin to implement Kai Ni in spring 2018 for the mainstay fleet destroyers that bustled about destroying (as the classification implies) targets across the Pacific as well as for the Kagerou-class. Several of them may already be implemented by the time Phase 2 arrives!

I: Seriously!?

T: Seriously!

I: Then next year will host the winter event, the first Kagerou-class Kai Ni, the migration to Phase 2 - sounds pretty busy!

T: That's right, so this year's going to be an admirably packed December crunch time festival as well. Although it ends up being like that every year! But, as is typical of us, we're also steadily building up to a mysterious collaboration. I brought up the collaboration with Mitsukoshi-san timed for the fifth anniversary in 2018 last time, right?

I: You're talking about that, right? From admirals' heads to toes, camisoles, skirts, and the like. And not just alcohol, but rice and umeboshi - that stuff?

T: Yeah. We've managed to get a lot in the works, and I think we will be able to start incrementally announcing things toward the latter half of January next year. But the point is we're preparing a lot of new things for this spring and summer, as well as this winter. Hopefully we can start talking about it a little this spring and some more around April. So we're basically working seven days a week here to prepare all sorts of stuff. Hope you can get just a little excited! Ah, this is part of those plans. What do you think?

I: The hell is this!? This's gotta be that - that energy?

T: Seriously though - think it'd work?

I: Well, it is for the sixth year... Ah, speaking of the sixth year, there's that. Comptiq's preparing to serialize a new KanColle manga, starting maybe sometime next year.

T: Eh? Really? I'm really thankful, but... you don't have to overdo it in the sixth year, you know? I'm really, really thankful though.

I: (...a tsundere?) Well, if it pans out. If it really does, I'll come by again!

T: Ah, that said, I've heard Kadokawa-san will be starting up another new comic next year, besides the one you mentioned with Comptiq-san. Oh, right, here, here. It's not bad, right? I like it, you know, this sorta thing too!

I: Gyaaa! Is this getting an official serialization!? No way. Wow.

T: I'm really thankful.

I: By the way, about the cover of this issue of Comptiq...

T: Right. The one with Kitakami-sama in the center.

I: Kitakami-sama I get, but these girls on her left and right?

T: New coastal defense ships.]

I: I see... wait, what?

T: New coastal defense shipgirls.

I: For real? Ehh!? Awesome, they get to be on the cover before being implemented - that's quite an honor to be chosen for!

T: It is, isn't it! These two new coastal defense ships, launched from Shibafu Arsenal, will be commissioned this winter. I hope admirals find them as cute as the Shimushu- and Etorofu-class. They'll be commissioned and implemented very soon!

I: Wow, that really came out of left field.

T: And for New Year's 2018, first of the Yamato-class battleships Yamato and foreign-born battleships will be getting dressed up for a limited time. New Year's missions will be added right at the end of New Year's Eve in a live maintenance.

I: Yamato's best, huh! And foreign battleships too? Sounds like it'll be a lively New Year's!

T: On the firepower front, building off of Kai Yuugumo-class Naganami Kai Ni's end-of-the-year implementation, we plan for a Shiratsuyu-class destroyer and a light cruiser to get Kai Ni in the new year.

I: Ooh? Before the winter event? So sometime during January of the new year?

T: That's right. We plan to implement these two Kai Ni before the large event that will be the last event of Phase 1's development, "Showdown at Operation Shou-Gou! The Battle of Leyte Gulf Counterattack (Part 2)". And, and...

I: And...?

T: In "Showdown at Operation Shou-Gou! The Battle of Leyte Gulf Counterattack (Part 2)", which we're currently putting together, we plan for a certain vessel who participated in Operation Shou I to receive her Kai Ni.

I: Really!? I feel like all sorts of crazy info just got casually dumped here. Whew...

T: As always, thank you for your time this year. To the throngs of admirals out there, and to the Comptiq editorial department - have a great New Year's! And, while it's a little early - "Happy New Year"! Please continue to support KanColle and the ship girls in the coming year!

I: Looking forward to working with you in the coming year! Thanks for having me!

(Late December 2017, KanColle Management Naval District)

Special thanks to User:-a-nonymous for his translation work