[Comptiq June 2016]

Original Dump: http://desuarchive.org/a/thread/141710263/
https://youtu.be/4lBkw84OFD0
http://www.mediafire.com/file/cjaply89cjrmkbw/Comptiq_June_2016_Issue_KanColle.7z

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Third Anniversary
Thank you for your patronage.

This is the fourth spring since the birth of KanColle, meaning it's time to celebrate its third anniversary.
We've come this far thanks to the admirals that have supported KanColle, the game about shipgirls and fleets composed of them. Thank you very much. From the bottom of my heart, I express my thanks.

KanColle began as a very small game about the vessels that once fought and sank - about sharing their struggles and final moments and passing them on. I believe that the shipgirls have a truly happy life under the love and care of their admirals.

My hope is that those girls that once sailed the seas and now sleep in the depths of the oceans will someday hear this thought and prayer from each and every one of us - that they have not been forgotten.

During its four year course, KanColle has changed little by little, yet its foundation remains the same - facing and advancing forward bit by bit, toward the future.

Thank you very much to the admirals that have supported KanColle.

Please continue to support KanColle and its shipgirls into their fourth year.

KanColle Operation Naval District, Development/Operation Supervision,
Tanaka Kensuke

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KanColle: A Strategy Chronology
http://desuarchive.org/a/thread/141710263/#141714526
Mirror: https://imgur.com/a/EI99Y

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To the Fourth Year of KanColle...
A Discussion with Shizuma Yoshinori and Tanaka Kensuke
We sat down for a discussion-style interview with two supporters of KanColle during its three years and talked about the trails it's blazed and their thoughts on the fourth year of KanColle!

Precious production secrets and documents are unveiled and discussed for the first time!
Interviewer (I): Firstly, congratulations on KanColle's third anniversary!
Tanaka Kensuke (T): Thank you very much. Thanks for your hard work these three years, Shizuma-san!
Shizuma Yoshinori (S): I can't say enough how thankful I am. Thank you for your hard work all this time, Tanaka-san!

I: Moving on, these three years... It's actually been about four years since development began, correct? I'd like for us to look back on the path KanColle has taken. That being said, I don't think we have to stand on ceremony for a discussion like this, so I'd like it if you two freely reminisced (laugh).
T: Comptiq... you guys sure are as reckless as ever (laugh).

I: Sorry (laugh). So first off, do you have any recollections of when your first request for Shizuma-san?
T: Ah, yes. I might've mentioned this elsewhere already, but the first thing I had Shizuma-san draw for us was actually a rough draft prototype for the Fubuki-class.
S: Ah, right, yeah.
T: And I took the rough draft, but my first thought wasn't "So this is the Fubuki-class!", but rather how fast she looked. To be honest, I thought, "This girl's Shimakaze, Shimakaze!", and with that intuition I went and said "Shizuma-san, I'm sorry, but could we make this girl Shimakaze instead?" (laugh).
S: Yeah, that's what happened. That rough is essentially what Shimakaze looks like today.
T: We kept her basically like that. Like a bunny, or at any rate a very fast-looking girl. Unlike the somewhat old-fashioned, heavily armed and mass produced Type Is... she looked more like a one-off, ridiculously fast girl, including her tone and manner.
S: Yeah. We've changed many minor aspects, but the ribbon on her head and her silhouette - the symbolic elements - were kept basically the same. Her hair, the coloring of her uniform, the details of her equipment and such have all changed, though.

I: So that was how the design of the first shipgirl that KanColle pulled from, Shimakaze, was born. When'd that first exchange take place?
S: 2010... in Spring, I think?
T: Yeah. I made that arrangement with Shizuma-san about a year before launch. At that early stage, I had similarly asked Shibafu-san for designs of the Type I/II destroyers and the main group of carriers.
S: I think at the time, we were still figuring out the artstyle for shipgirl rigging. Once we came to an agreement on the world theme and design, we put off deciding just who would handle each ship. I was later given Shimakaze from earlier, as well as Yukikaze, Nagato, and Mutsu in a stream of assignments.
T: We agreed to have him do four ships... so I was really worried about what ships to ask from him. At launch, we weren't including the Yamato class and had decided on the Nagato class being the strongest surface vessels. As a result, we had him do a major part of the lineup. It goes without saying, but at launch Nagato and Mutsu were the largest and strongest of the implemented shipgirls.
Next was destroyers - from the beginning, I wanted the torpedo squadrons to be drawn with great care. At launch, the destroyer that became the center of the lineup, and who was overwhelmingly well-known and had many impressive tales to tell, was Yukikaze. And at the time, there was a destroyer that, among those not interested in warships, was not particularly well known and hadn't accomplished much but had incredible performance - Shimakaze.
I: These shipgirls are first in the library in-game, aren't they?
T: Yes, I remember arranging them precisely so these ships would have a strong impression.

I: Tanaka-san, when'd you first get the chance to talk with Shizuma-san?
T: For a designer, I was obviously looking for someone who could draw cute girls... that being said, I also needed someone who could draw weapons to at least some degree... and give them the right feel, too... But KanColle had yet to launch, and a niche game about anthropomorphizing warships... there was still a lot to be decided upon... at the time, I went from artist to artist looking for one that could put my ideas to paper (and with the right feel!). I first met Shizuma-san while I was searching with that mindset. He was such a good artist, it seemed like he could pull anything off. Even meeting with him was exciting - it really made me look forward to the future!
I: Wow, is that so?
T: Yes, production is a long road, so it was good he inspired such confidence. So the first thing we had Shizuma Heavy Industries* work on was the Fubuki-class, which ended up becoming the Shimakaze as we discussed earlier... the Shimakaze that had "Fubuki-class" written by her.
*By analogy to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
S: And that's when he asked me "Please make this into Shimakaze!" (laugh).

Insert: The Rough Draft of Shimakaze, First Drawn as Fubuki
< Although there was only one Rensouhou-chan at the time, he was drawn basically the same as he is now. The slightly sinister look he gives off here became the essence of Amatsukaze's Rensouhou-kun and can still be felt there.
> Looking at this now, isn't it Shimakaze!? The coloring's basically the same, besides the hair. There's also a speaking tube on her breast, but this appears to have been used for Yukikaze.

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T: Well, she was Shimakaze (laugh). Of course, she hadn't been carrying quintuple oxygen torpedoes back then, but once we put those in her design she played the role of Shimakaze perfectly.
S: Now that you mention it, there was only one Rensouhou-chan at first too, but during the development process we decided it'd be best to make it 3.
T: In that rought draft, she looked like she clung really tightly to Rensouhou-chan.
S: Yeah, initially she seemed to wield him quite fiercely.

I: Shizuma-san, what was your first impression of Tanaka-san when you met him?
S: That he was a really passionate producer. My view of him hasn't really changed since then. In meetings and conversations, he acted as if that were his job description. When I was assigned work, I'd sometimes feel it was what I wanted to do all along, or that I couldn't turn him down.
I: And Tanaka-san, of Shizuma-san?
S: Like I said earlier - that he was so skilled and fun to work with! As all the admirals already know, he puts out an incredible amount of work, but meeting and talking with him as an illustrator really made one optimistic. He is a very, very important member of the KanColle staff.

I: What do you think about the admirals' reactions when the service began? Shimakaze seemed to have quite a presence.
T: When we first began, there was certainly the impression that Shimakaze had become our poster girl. Afterward, the "CarDiv1" and "Kongou-class" fanbases grew quite large as well.
S: To be frank, I had no idea she was going to become that popular. I had spent a lot of time fussing after I was formally given the job... After service began, I'd read the reports once in a while. It was in one of those that I read "Zekamashi's really popular!" - for a second, I wondered, "Who's 'Zekamashi'?" (laugh). After I thought about it a bit, I realized her name was written backwards like that on her life preserver and went "Ah, so they got it from here" in surprise (laugh).
T: We were really quite busy after that, so I don't remember it very well, but I'm pretty sure we had an exchange about that back then... mmm, it really does feel like it was ages ago (laugh).

I: Afterward, the Yamato class were implemented, with Yamato during the summer event and Musashi during fall. What do you remember of when you decided on their implementation?
S: I felt like, "It's time, it's finally time, huh...". I already couldn't help but wonder what image I'd go for if I had to draw them, so when the time came I wasn't actually particularly worried. If I remember correctly, I discussed Yamato with Tanaka after game launch, and had the rough draft basically done before the summer. After that, I actually worked on the fine details until the last minute, but...
I: Then were you able to draw her fairly close to what you had envisioned her as?
S: Well, I checked over it a lot myself by trial and error, thinking "maybe this'd be good" and such, but I think for the most part I was able to express everything I had wanted to. In designing a shipgirl, there's this sort of distance between the shipgirl and her rigging, which you need to fill in with the design. I was very happy to be able to make her into a real personality by filling in that gap with expression.
T: When the Yamato rough draft was first completed, that umbrella really left an impression. From the start, the Japanese umbrella mounted on that unique and striking mast of hers really engraved itself in the heart. "That's something only Shizuma-san could pull off", I thought. It seemed like a tricky approach, and yet he accomplised it so easily.

Insert: Musashi, Drawn to Contrast With Yamato
<^ The unique black form for her Kai is especially notable. The usage of that color was passed down to Hatsuzuki as well.

Insert: Amatsukaze and Her Unique Uptake Connecting Her Boiler and Smokestack
^ The garters on her thighs are one of her distinguishing features, but they also serve to represent her high-temperature high-pressure boilers. The belts leading upward from them furthmore represent uptakes to smokestacks and can be seen continuing under her clothing.
< They continue on over her chest, eventually leading to her smokestack-like hat. When moderately damaged*, a heart-shaped puff of smoke comes out of her smokestack - another opportunity expertly used to add more detail.
*Surely Comptiq meant her Kai form.

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S: Yes, the battleship Yamato's mast really stands out, so I was thinking "I have to incorporate it into the design somehow". That's when I saw a Japanese umbrella being held by a maiko in Kyoto. A light bulb went off in my head and I said, "that's it!" (laugh).
I: The Japanese feeling really comes through from the illustration. It's her pose, too, isn't it?
S: I feel that because the equipment surrounding her is really imposing, juxtaposing a simpler design within it really makes her stand out.
I: Was putting the final touches on her difficult?
S: I was adjusting Yamato until the last minute. Musashi was even more troublesome. At first, I gave her this strict, disdainful attitude, but the angle I was going for with her expression and face ended up being completely different in the final product. I wanted to contrast Musashi with Yamato, but I put a lot of thought into what would make them different. I think in the original version, that difference had been a bit too strong.
Take for instance the stairs that led to their bridges... Yamato's winded back and forth, while Musashi's had few landings and was nearly vertical as a cliff. So I imagined Musashi as the kind of monster that doesn't let you take a breather or something (laugh).
I: I see! I think already everyone knows this, but it seems like Shizuma-san puts so much thought into his illustrations.
S: That's how I interpret what I'm doing myself, but I sometimes wonder if the message is getting across. It's like using a secret ingredient, so I'm happy that that people have noticed.

I: You've drawn three of the Akizuki-class - was that the plan all along?
T: He was originally going to draw two of them, including the nameship, but three! I'm really thankful! Afterward, we might have Suzutsuki or winter*... the later ships, or...
* Winter ('fuyu') could be taken literally but is probably a hint for Fuyutsuki, the 8th Akizuki-class destroyer
S: Oh no, I thought I'd draw as many as I could! I'd like to try more Akizuki-class ships as long as I live(laugh).

I: Wow, bold words (laugh). The Akizuki-class are special among the destroyers, but were there specific points you were aiming for as you drew them?
S: If you look closely at the way their rigging is arranged and such, Yamato should come to mind. They were destroyers, but they were very large ships, so they give off the vibe that they're older than the other destroyers so far. I wanted them to give off this aura of being petite battleships.
I: Well that's certainly the impression I got (laugh). So the class continued with Teruzuki and Hatsuzuki, but with Hatsuzuki you seem to have changed directions a bit again.
T: Hatsuzuki's design was also wonderful, and her voice actor Nakajima-san did an excellent job as well.
S: I was so surprised when I heard it I felt like saying "so this is it!" I always look forward to hearing the voicing.

T: Come to think of it, before we added Yamato, we ended up using the recording as a chance to adjust her expression again, didn't we?
S: We thought we had to get her image right, so we sure made some careful adjustments! Yamato initially had a little bit more of a piercing feeling, like a cat's eyes, but after hearing Taketatsu Ayana-san's voiceover, in the end we decided to make her a little softer on the edges.

I: Shizuma-san, of the shipgirls you've done, which ones really left an impression on you?
S: I really feel quite attached to Amatsukaze. She's even got bits of Shimakaze, after all!

I: One of the new shipgirls added this time is the first American ship, Iowa. There's a lot I want to ask you about regarding her, but firstly, how long was she in production?
T: She actually took a long time. I think it took about half a year after we first began discussing her.
S: Yeah, she was the first American ship, so I had to do a lot of research, and that took up a lot of time. I was curious as to what kind of girl was popular in America back then, so I also looked through a lot of aircraft nose art.

I: That kind of research really was critical, wasn't it? What concept were you aiming for when you drew her?
S: The most important thing in my mind was making sure anyone could tell she was an American shipgirl at a glance.
T: The most direct route of all*, you could say. And clearest, too.
* Tanaka has been using some very flowery language when talking about Shizuma, but 王道オブ王道 really takes the cake.
S: Right. Making her bright and cheerful was a very important part of the design, but my approach also included small details like putting stars in her pupils.
T: We also had her appear at the end of KanColle Kai. Her smile really is wonderful. I can't give any details, but Iowa will also appear this year on an item for a certain fair we attended last year.
S: Please look forward to it.

I: Having said that, there'll be a lot of opportunities after this to see Iowa, won't there?
T: She's certainly become the face of the fourth year's spring.
S: I'm thankful for it.

Insert: KanColle Spring Festival's Key Visual
Note Their Overlaid Hands
<^ You can feel their bond through the gentle placement of Akizuki's hands. Expressive hand gestures like this are common throughout Shizuma's illustrations.

Quotes:
I'd like to carry on the foundation we've laid here and keep on bringing more surprises, no matter how small. (shizuma)
In KanColle's fourth year, I'd like to slowly and steadily unveil new features of the game. (Tanaka)

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T: Another event we're having is the orchestral concert, although by the time this issue is published it'll have just ended. The main illustrations were again done by Shizuma-san and are incredible. Even with the huge number of shipgirls, they're all drawn with great care playing their orchestral instruments.
I: Musical instruments... they must've been quite tough to draw, right?
S: They were (laugh). Although the shipgirls and instruments shared a color scheme, I got quite picky about making sure each and every one stood out... I'd be happy if you liked it.

I: We've covered quite a lot. Shizuma-san, I feel that one of the highlights of your illustrations is the many atmospheres they can convey. How do you choose, for example, the color scheme?
S: I have the feeling I really enjoy properly arranging my color schemes. Shimakaze's an obvious example, but her upper half is blue while her lower half is red, or something like that. Iowa's navy blue is easy to get as well. Her camoflague is included in the pattern on her skirt*. For color bases, I stick to just one or two colors. I try to avoid mixing colors all over the place.
* https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/USS_Iowa_%28BB-61%29%2C_1944.jpg

I: Alright, we just discussed this briefly already, but regarding your plans for the fourth year of KanColle, if you could...
T: This year we'll be focusing on pushing upgrades to air power. I'd like to introduce land-based attack aircraft, interceptors, army aircraft, and such. There will of course be new shipgirls from both Japan and abroad, but I'd like to shine some light on various facets of the existing shipgirls as well. And not just with Kai Ni, either... for example, Yamato's game sprite only has the most fundamental parts. I'd like to be able to tighten up things like that.
I: How do you mean?
T: Seasonal sprites, or swimsuits, or swimsuits... (laugh)
S: I don't think I can avoid doing something like that, so I'll do the best I can (laugh).
T: I'd appreciate it. I'd also like to challenge you with some ship types you haven't had the chance to do yet.
S: There's a lot I myself'd like to try. I'd love the chance.
T: Submari... and such.
S: That's what I was hoping for!

I: I'm looking forward to whatever you decide on! Now for the last question - taking all that we've said into account, please tell us your ambitions for the future.
S: I'd like to maintain things while bringing on the surprises, no matter how small.
T: Just as Shizuma-san wants to care for the foundations while continuing to try new things, KanColle too will continue to care for everything the admirals have fought for up to now while hopefully unveiling new features. We began as just a small game, but under the admirals' care we've grown much over these past three years. Going forward, I'd like for us to continue to grow alongside the players. Please continue to support KanColle and its shipgirls into their fourth year.

I: Thank you for your time!

Insert: An Attention to Detail for Instruments and Dresses As Well
KanColle Orchestral Concert Key Visual
This was newly drawn for use at the orchestral concert held on May 7th. Alongside Yamato, the Shizuma shipgirls and their instruments came together to form an orchestra.

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Abyssal Ship - Heavy Cruiser Princess
Unveiling Setting and Equipment
Illustration: Akira

The Abyssal ship Heavy Cruiser princess first appeared on the last map of the Winter 2016 event. Design documents about her two-headed snake-like equipment, hairstyle, and other details are now being unveiled to the public! She boasts opening torpedo strikes and thick armor, making her a formidable opponent, but will these illustrations make her too adorable to hate!?

Hood Joint

Kneesocks
Her left leg's kneesock is patterned. Note that she still does wear a kneesock (albeit plain) on her right leg.

Heel Sneakers
Only on the top of the right foot are the lines of her patterned sole visible.

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Hair
There are both long [blue] and short [red] portions.

SFX: Rodeo

Rigging
(Left) The turrets extends swirling from her abdomen. Scrap iron and various odds and ends seem to be crammed into their bodies, but they're covered in a rubbery skin, so sitting on them is painless.
(Right) This is the turret on her hip.

Heavy Cruiser Princess: I said it's alright, buddies.
Snake-Things: Sorry.
Sorry.

Because her rigging comes out of her abdomen, she can't zip up all the way.