“KanColle Kantai Collection” is an action anime series inspired by the popular browser-based and PS Vita video game. It’s a series that caught Japan by storm in 2015 and now the anime series is available on Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. A great compliment to the video games, if you are intrigued about war at sea and cute anime characters, “KanColle Kantai Collection” is a series I recommend!
Image courtesy of © 2014 KanColle Headquarters. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: KanColle Kantai Collection
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 2015
DURATION: Episode 1-12 (300 Minutes)
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese Linear PCM Stereo, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Funimation
RATED: Suggested 13 and Up
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Originally concept by Kensuke Tanaka
Original Story by Kensuke Tanaka
Directed by Kanzou Kusakawa
Series Composition by Jukki Hanada
Music by Natsumi Kameoka
Character Design by Mayuko Matsumoto, Naomi Ide
Art Director: Maho Takahashi
Chief Animation Director: Mayuko Matsumoto, Naomi Ide
Anime Production: diomedea
Featuring the following voice talent:
Felecia Angelle/Sumire Uesaka as Fubuki
Jeannie Tirado/Yuka Iguchi as Kaga
Tia Ballard/Saki Fujita as Akagi
Alexis Tipton/Nao Toyama as Kongou
Amber Lee Connors/Yuka Otsubo as Ooi
Apphia Yu/Aya Suzuki as Hibiki
Brittney Karbowski/Ayane Sakura as Sendai
Camille Liedtka/Aya Suzuki as Inazuma
Cherami Leigh/Rina Hidaka as Mutsuki
Dawn M. Bennett/Nao Toyama as Hiei
Elizabeth Maxwell as Nagato
Jad Saxton/Ayane Sakura as Naka
Kristi Kang/Nao Toyama as Atago
Lara Woodhull/Aya Suzuki as Ikazuchi
Leah Clark/Yumi Tanabe as Yudachi
Megan Shipman/Ayane Sakura as Shimakaze
Monica Rial/Aya Suzuki as Akatsuki
Morgan Berry as Kitakami
Morgan Garrett/Ayane Sakura as Mutsu
Natalie Hoover/Ayane Sakura as Jintsu
Sarah Wiedenheft/Iori Nomizu as Zuikaku
Fubuki is a Special Type Destroyer who has just been assigned to the Naval District. With a grand total of zero battles under her belt, she’s sure to sink fast under the pressure of expectation. Luckily, she’s grouped with Torpedo Squadron Three, and they’re ready to support their new comrade. Together, they’ll prove they have what it takes to defend the ocean and win it all for humanity.
In Japan, “Kantai Collection” a.k.a. “KanColle” has captivated fans thanks to the concept, the characters and the video game.
Created as a Japanese free-to-play web browser games from Kadokawa Games, in 2015, the game had around 3 million registered players.
The series has been released as a manga series, light novels, tabletop RPG and a PlayStation Vita game. And to coincide with the game’s release, an anime series was released in Japan in January 2015 courtesy of Diomedea.
And now the 12-episode anime series is available on Blu-ray and DVD in the USA courtesy of Funimation.
For those not familiar with “KanColle”, the series is set when humanity has lost the seas to a monstrous fleet. To counter this monstrous fleet, humanity has donned human girls known as “fleet girls” who wear weaponized outfits and take on various roles in the spirit of historical naval vessels depending on one’s skill.
The anime series revolves around Fubuki, who arrives at the naval base and was recommended to fight in the Third Torpedo Squadron by the admiral. But no one is sure why, becuase fubuki is always scared, often clumsy and has never fought in battle in her life.
But when she goes out on her first mission and is rescued by Akagi, Fubuki is inspired and wants to do her best in order to train and fight alongside Akagi one day.
The primary characters of “KanColle Kantai Collection” are:
- Fubuki – The main protagonist. Clumsy, not a fighting girl but with a heart of a fighter who is inspired by Akagi and trains hard in hopes to one day fight alongside with her. Fubuki is assigned to the Third Torpedo Squadron and is a Destroyer.
- Mutsuki – The first fleet girl that befriends Fubuki and is often cheerful. She is a member of the Third Torpedo Squadron.
- Yudachi – A destroyer of the Third Torpedo Squadron who is laid back and often says “poi” all the time.
- Kisaragi – A destroyer who is assigned to the Fourth Torpedo Squadron and is mature, more than her oldest sister Mutsuki.
- Yayoi/Mochizuki – Two destroyers. Yayoi lacks emotion, while Mochizuki is often sleepy.
- Akagi – An aircraft carrier belong to the First carrier Division. She fires arrows with her bow which turns into aircrafts piloted by fairies.
- Kaga – An Aircraft carrier of the First Carrier Division who frequently accompanies Akagi. She does not like Shokaku and Zuikaku of the Fifth Carrier Division and refuses to follow Zuikaku’s orders.
- Shimakaze – A Destroyer who claims to be the fastest in the Southwest Area Fleet. Hyperactive personality.
- Yamato – The most powerful naval vessel and her existence is kept as secret.
VIDEO:
“KanColle Kantai Collection” is presented in 1080p High Definition. Animation is very good, detailed and vibrant. A lot went into the mechanical design and does a great job of enhancing one’s appreciation of the game, because of how the characters and battles are portrayed. A slightly soft anime series that one can expect from a TV series but a colorful anime series that compliments the video games. Diomedea did a wonderful job with animation and artistic backgrounds.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“KanColle Kantai Collection” is presented in Japanese and English 5.1. Dialogue and musical score is crystal clear and the voice acting is well-done. Great use of the surround channels for action sequences, may it be explosions or blasts, the lossless soundtrack for this anime series is very good.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“KanColle Kantai Collection” comes with the following special features:
- Promo Videos
- Commercial Collection
- Japanese Warnings
- Textless Opening and Closing Songs
EXTRAS:
“KanColle Kantai Collection” comes with the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the anime series.
Back in 2015, I was in Japan to cover Tokyo’s largest anime event, Anime Japan. And my first introduction to “KanColle” was at Animate in Akihabara. And sure enough, returning back to the US, I would often see “KanColle” cosplayers.
While English information was a bit sparse at the time, I would eventually discover “KanColle” when I was back in Japan in 2016 and purchased the PlayStation Vita video game and was captivated by the fact that unlike Japanese video games which often featured girls in tanks battling it out, this time around, you have female characters as part of the Navy.
They are essentially the naval ships – Destroyers, Carriers, Heavy and Light Cruisers, you name it and you travel the seas taking on enemies and building your team and characters.
So, when I found out there was an anime series, I was hoping it would come out in the US and now it’s available on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Funimation.
While the video game focuses on the aspect of war and going into battle, the storyline of these characters are focused on in the “KanColle Kantai Collection” anime series.
Revolving around the popular character/Destroyer named Fubuki, we see how this girl who doesn’t look like she can fight, often clumsy and is always scared, would eventually train hard to become a better fighter, a better teammate but also inspired to one day fight alongside the person who inspired her, aircraft carrier Akagi.
There are a ton of characters in the game and there are a ton of characters in the series, but fortunately, the series focuses on Fubuki and her friends from the Third Torpedo Squadron. We see how these girls train to fight and become better, but we also see how unsafe the waters are and how powerful the enemy is and you’ll see characters perishing during battle.
Needless to say, the anime series compliments the games very well. Animation is vibrant, well-shaded and detailed, especially the background artwork. The Japanese and English soundtrack are well done, but it’s interesting because for the Japanese soundtrack, unlike the English dub which casts a different person per role, in the Japanese version, a voice actress may have to do the dubwork for multiple people. But both soundtracks are well-acted.
As for special features, you get a few of Japanese promotional videos, commercials and warnings. But there are no major special features like audio commentary or significant featurettes.
Overall, “KanColle Kantai Collection” is an action anime series inspired by the popular browser-based and PS Vita video game. It’s a series that caught Japan by storm in 2015 and now the anime series is available on Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. A great compliment to the video games, if you are intrigued about war at sea and cute anime characters, “KanColle Kantai Collection” is a series I recommend!
