KanColle: Itsuka Ano Umi de – Review and Reflections at the Halfway Point

“A ship does not sail with yesterday’s wind.” –Louis L’Amour

After the third section enters Surigao Strait, Mogami’s spotter aircraft identify Abyssal patrol boats, signifying an ambush. Moments later, Abyssal forces strike the third section from the skies, but Shigure and the others are able to repel this attack and press forward deeper into the strait. Upon nightfall, Mogami, Yamagumo, Asagumo, and Michishio break off to engage Abyssal patrol boats. However, this leaves Shigure, Yamashiro and Fusō to come under fire from additional Abyssal forces. Mogami and the destroyers return just in time to provide covering fire, while the second fleet begin to advance towards the Abyssal fleet. During the combat, Fusō sustains damage from an Abyssal torpedo and is damaged, but Yamashiro orders the remainder of the third section to continue advancing. They reach the heart of the Abyssal fleet, where a pair of Night Strait Princesses await them. Although their firepower is inadequate to deal with this threat, the first fleet arrive and begin bombarding one of the Princesses, leaving Yamashiro to dispatch their remaining foe. In the aftermath, Fusō and Yamashiro are decommissioned, having sustained too much damage to remain sea-worthy. Shigure and Mogami both managed to survive with minor injuries, and although Shigure is saddened to see Fusō and Yamashiro retire, she promises to keep fighting for everyone’s sake. Shigure is reassigned to the Second Torpedo Squadron, learns that their contributions have delayed the Abyssal invasion of the Japanese mainland, and given orders to take some time off. She visits a ryokan and meets Yukikaze. The pair share time together, and Shigure hardly believes that even amidst a war, she is still able to rest up and enjoy something as luxurious as an onsen. The next day, she returns to base and meets the remainder of the Second Torpedo Squadron, which is placed under Yahagi’s command. Itsuka Ano Umi de was supposed to reach this point three weeks earlier, but unexpected challenges in production ultimate lead the fourth episode, the series’ halfway point, to be delayed until today.

Now that half of Itsuka Ano Umi de is in the books, it is evident that this is the Kantai Collection anime fans were waiting for. Between the grim gravity of the Kan-musume‘s situation, vividly-rendered battle sequences and significantly improved world-building, Itsuka Ano Umi de captures the emotional tenour of every moment more effectively than its predecessors did. The stakes are plainly laid out for viewers: the Abyssal’s objective is the attrition and destruction of Japan, and to this end, are preparing for an invasion. Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s version of Operation Shō-Gō, then, was to cripple the Abyssal fleet’s fighting capability, and thanks to the contributions of each fleet, including Shigure and the third section, enough damage was done so that the Abyssals won’t be directly attacking Japan any time soon. This in turn allows for the Kan-musume and their Admiral to repair their forces, rearm and reorganise for the difficult path ahead. After two full episodes of continuous combat, the fourth episode is deliberately paced to give viewers insight into the Shōwa era. Civilians are seen browsing through their local shopping district, and peaceful ryokan exist in rural areas, giving Shigure a chance to unwind and meet a peer, Yukikaze. Watching ordinary people live out their lives is a subtle reminder to viewers of what the Kan-musume are fighting for; they’re here to protect their homeland and its people. Seeing these elements coming together in Itsuka Ano Umi de makes this second season of Kantai Collection a dramatic improvement over its predecessor – there’s a clear reason why the Kan-musume must fight the Abyssals. This time around, Shigure and the others aren’t fighting to define the purpose of their existence, but rather, they’re fighting to protect what is dear to them. However, just because the Abyssals have taken a loss doesn’t mean the war is over yet, and at present, despite having sustained heavy damage to their own fleet, the Abyssals still have a largely-intact submarine force, which necessitates additional action in the name of protecting Japan and its people.

Screenshots and Commentary

• Having now seen the combat sequences, it is plain that the visuals in Itsuka Ano Umi de are a step above from those of its predecessors with respect to small details like the anti-air guns on each Kan-musume and the færies, which are more prominent than they’d been in earlier instalments. Similarly, Abyssals attack in larger groups, which, in conjunction with improved visuals and cinematography, means that battles tend to feel more dynamic and chaotic.

• One aspect that Itsuka Ano Umi de will need to address is how the Abyssals fit into things in light of what Kantai Collection: The Movie had revealed; Kantai Collection had left the Abyssals purely as a foe to fight against, but the film clarified that they’re the negative manifestations of a given vessel’s spirits, and showed that Fubuki was the first to understand that rather than fighting those feelings, she should accept them because they were a part of her. In Itsuka Ano Umi de, Fubuki is absent, and the anime’s portrayal of the Battle of Leyte Gulf doesn’t have much context.

• All that was shown thus far, is that command is launching a major offensive with the remaining assets that were available to them in a bid to wipe out the Abyssals. However, from the dialogue and overall mood in Itsuka Ano Umi de, things aren’t going well for the Kan-musume, standing in stark contrast with the cautious optimism that was seen at the film’s end. Because the film had portrayed the events of the Guadalcanal campaign in 1943, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf took place in 1944, it stands to reason that following the movie’s events, the Kan-musume continued to sustain losses even with the newfound hope gained from Fubuki’s experiences.

• Because the Pacific War ended with Imperial Japan’s defeat, if Itsuka Ano Umi de were to maintain a historically accurate portrayal of things, it would ultimately end with every Kan-musume in the First Strike Force’s Third Section except for Shigure being sunk. Because Shigure had already been shown as having seen the loss of her fellow Kan-musume earlier, taking the historically accurate route would mean that Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s outcomes would be quite grim, leaving viewers to contemplate on the futility of war.

• Such a theme would stand contrary to the messages the film left behind, and also suggest that the browser game itself is ultimately meaningless: if the fleets players have painstakingly worked to build and maintain are to be offered up as sacrifices, it would demotivate players from continuing to invest time and effort into the game. Assuming that this isn’t the case, Itsuka Ano Umi de needs to have things turn out differently for the the First Strike Force’s Third Section, and it wouldn’t be the first time Kantai Collection altered the outcome of a historical battle to better fit the story.

• The first season of Kantai Collection had Fubuki and her friends come out on top at the Battle of Midway, whereas in reality, Japan suffered the loss of key assets that irrevocably altered the course of the Pacific War and tipped it in the Allies’ favour. I have heard that some folks consider Kantai Collection to be “revisionist” for this reason, but because Kantai Collection is simply a conflict involving the spirits of World War Two era vessels against a manifestation of their darker selves, the story can, and should be allowed to progress in a way that ensures the themes can be consistent.

• This is why Jonathan Gad’s VICE article decrying the presence of miltary moé anime is invalid: Gad claims that series like Kantai Collection and Strike Witches are increasingly painting military forces as “cute” and harmless in an attempt to bury what’s happened historically. In the same article, Gad is also suggesting that the Japanese government is encouraging the production of such anime and games in an attempt to push this narrative. However, this conclusion is only reached if one hasn’t made an attempt to understand a given work. Kantai Collection‘s original run had strove to do two things: portray Fubuki’s journey to improve as a Kan-musume, and suggest that people have the agency to do good even in the face of overwhelming odds.

• From a numbers perspective, one anime, about one online game, is not an attempt at whitewashing history, and together with the themes that were present in Kantai Collection, I can say with confidence that criticisms about Kantai Collection‘s first season being a weaker series because it couldn’t pin down its intended direction are more valid than suggestions that things like military moé is inherently harmful. Itsuka Ano Umi de appears to have stepped away from its predecessor’s approach entirely; insofar, the series has been a lot more focused and compelling.

• In previous Kantai Collection posts, I tended to steer clear of night battle shots simply because they’re hard to take screenshots for. Night battles are excellent for conveying a sense of urgency because most operations in the Kantai Collection anime usually begin by day, and having conflict stretch into the night shows the Kan-musume‘s determination. Similarly, the darkness night confers corresponds to decreased visibility, and this increases the danger that Kan-musume face. As the Third Section’s battle wears on, Fusō sustains damage as the Abyssals relentlessly hammer them.

• There’s the faintest hint of resignation in Fusō’s character here in Itsuka Ano Umi de: although she’s kinder than Yamashiro and does her best to reassure everyone, the way she sounds in speech suggests that she’s aware of her impending demise and is at peace with things. Mogami and the Asashio-class destroyers act more similarly to military moé characters, and this creates a bit of a contrast, even during battle.

• As the night wears on, the Abyssals begin sending heavier forces: the patrol boats that Shigure have been fending off are soon replaced by destroyers and cruisers. Having already been pushed to their limits, and with Fusō damaged, the Third Section appears to be completely overwhelmed, especially when what appears to be the Abyssal versions of Fusō and Yamashiro appear. The spider lilies make a return, blooming at the feet of the Kan-musume‘s foe, but they take on an unearthly blue hue. In reality, blue spider lilies do not appear with such a deep shade of blue. The Lycoris sprengeri (Electric Blue Spider Lily) is the closest equivalent, but it has more of a lilac colour, and their flowers have a different shape.

• The timely arrival of other vessels allow the Third Section to live to fight another day: they provide covering fire thin out the number of guns firing at Fusō and Yamashiro. Because of the sheer number of characters in Kantai Collection, I have no objections to admitting that I’m not going to be able to recognise most of the vessels in the series beyond my personal favourites and central characters. As new vessels show up to pick up the slack, the Abyssal flagship, controlled by the doppelgänger Fusō and Yamashiro, increase the ferocity of their assault in turn.

• I rarely provide any screenshots of the Abyssals because of their grotesque appearance, and because for the most part, their appearance on screen is usually limited to them exploding after being fired upon. I believe that the Abyssal specters of Fusō and Yamashiro here would be what’s known as event bosses, which are uncommonly tough and require careful preparation and special tactics to beat. I remember a time when the English-speaking Kantai Collection community griped about how difficult these events could be, requiring a combination of luck and time investment to overcome, but in the present, I’m not sure if large numbers of English-speakers still play Kantai Collection.

• The game and franchise remain popular in Japan: the main reason why Kantai Collection never gained widespread popularity was simply because Kadokawa only intended for the game to be played by a domestic audience. However, this approach does mean that there is little incentive to adopt improved technologies: Kantai Collection didn’t make the jump over to HTML5 from Flash until 2018, and by then, longtime overseas players had grown bored of the fact that beyond the events, Kantai Collection hadn’t been offering them with anything new.

• Kongō and Haruna subsequently appear, and I am immediately reminded of Kiniro Mosaic‘s Karen Kujō whenever Kongō speaks: both are voiced by Nao Tōyama, a renowned voice actress that I know best as Yuru Camp△‘s very own Shimarin. Unlike Rin, Karen and Kongō are energetic, spirited and lively – I’ve heard that Tōyama’s personality is more similar to Karen and Kongō’s than she is Rin, while Yumuri Hanamori, who voices Nadeshiko, is actually more similar to Rin. It was nice to see familiar faces returning in Itsuka Ano Umi de, and I welcome hearing Kongō returning to the party.

• Another old friend, Yamato, returns: the presence of the IJN’s most powerful battleship here suggests to me that the original operation must’ve been successful, since everyone’s now being redirected to save the Third Section from certain death. While writing for this post, I learnt that Yamato is voiced by none other than Ayana Taketatsu, another star voice actress known for her roles as K-On!‘s Azu-nyan, Fū Sawatari of Tamayrua, OreImo‘s very own Kirino Kōsaka, The Quintessential Quintuplets‘ Nino Nakano and even Sword Art Online‘s Suguha Kirigaya.

• Encouraged by the show of support from her fellow Kan-musume, Yamashiro prepares for one final attack on the Abyssal’s flagship, firing on its weak spot in a show of acrobatics as Shigure provides covering fire. In the ensuing explosion, Yamashiro’s fate is not shown, but the resulting shot does take out the flagship moments before sunrise. Here, I will remark that the music in Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s soundtrack and opening song are both excellent, but I’ve not found anything on either. By this point in the season, most anime will have already released the opening song.

• When I reached this point in Itsuka Ano Umi de four weeks earlier, I had been hoping that viewers would have the chance to see the aftermath, but instead, the Kantai Collection anime’s official Twitter announced that owing to production issues, the anime would take a four-week hiatus before continuing. While it is true that Itsuka Ano Umi de is a cut above its predecessor, especially with respect to its character development and world-building, the fact that there’s only eight episodes meant that at least in theory, production would be a little more manageable than that of a twelve episode series.

• Admittedly, the delay has allowed me to write about other things, and in this way, I was able to finish a more difficult post on Top Gun: Maverick before November drew to a close. Back in Itsuka Ano Umi de, Fusō and Yamashiro prepare to take their final leave: although they’d survived the battle, they’re no longer combat-worthy. They bid Shigure and the admiral farewell. The admiral had remained a nameless and faceless in the original Kantai Collection, so bringing him to the party as a character with speaking roles serves to remove the game-like nature the first season had.

• The slower pacing throughout Itsuka Ano Umi de is to the series’ advantage, forcing viewers to consider the costs of warfare and its all-consuming nature. Rather than driving home this point with the subtlety of a thrown brick, Itsuka Ano Umi de has instead opted for a more open-ended approach: a melancholy permeates every aspect of this series, even during more light-hearted moments, and this stands in stark contrast to how the first season had presented things. The melancholy throughout Itsuka Ano Umi de also is, inadvertently, a reflection of how Kantai Collection is no longer as big as it’d been seven years earlier.

• Seven years ago, one could hardly go anywhere online without encountering people discussing how to get into Kantai Collection‘s browser game if they were overseas, and those who did figure it out played obsessively, sometimes to the detriment of their careers and real-world obligations. I do remember one player expressing the belief that a GTX 980 Ti was needed to get optimal frame rates in this browser game at Reddit, and in today’s terms, it’d be equivalent to stating as fact that, if one didn’t have an RTX 4090, they wouldn’t be able to play Kantai Collection.

• In reality, if a browser game was so demanding that one needed an i9 13900k and RTX 4090 to run, then Kadokawa’s developers are clearly sub-par: at its core, Kantai Collection is merely a random number generator that pulls information from a hash table and rendering the results as 2D graphics. With this in mind, I have heard that Kantai Collection is poorly optimised and can cause memory leaks can slow down any machine with less than 32 GB of RAM, and given that Kadokawa thought acquiring Anime News Network was a good idea, I wouldn’t be surprised if their Kantai Collection team consisted of third-rate developers who can’t tell the difference between a method override and a method overload.

• Outside of her combat roles, Shigure dresses in a more conservative outfit that is styled after women’s clothing from the Shōwa era. The intersection of the fantastical elements of Kantai Collection intersect with a more authentic portrayal of Japan here in Itsuka Ano Umi de, and it was seeing Shigure’s journey from the naval base in Sasebo (incidentally, where Brave Witches‘ Hikari and Takami were from) to the rural ryokan that helped provide an answer to why Itsuka Ano Umi de has proven to be more compelling than its predecessor.

• The reason is simple enough: by showing the world as being inhabited, and that the war against the Abyssals does have material consequences should the Kan-musume lose, it gives viewers a better idea of why the Kan-musume are fighting to begin with. The original Kantai Collection had been lacking this, placing the Kan-musume in a vacuum and omitting their battle’s significance. This made it difficult to root for the characters and their struggles: beyond sinking, it felt that their fight was inconsequential, being set in a remote part of the South Pacific.

• One aspect of Itsuka Ano Umi de that really drives home the gravity of this situation was how, even though Shigure is allowed a chance to unwind and recuperate following her contributions to the latest operation, these scenes have a more muted tone to them. The cost of the ongoing war with the Abyssals is constantly weighing on her mind, and now, with both Fusō and Yamashiro retired, it does feel as though Shigure is continuing to lose the people around her. As such, whereas Kantai Collection would have originally taken this chance to show Shigure off a little, Itsuka Ano Umi de dispenses with this entirely.

• I imagine that the dramatic shift in tone was probably in response to both the precedence that Kantai Collection: The Movie had set, as well as how Azur Lane came to prominence in the years afterward. Azur Lane had also tried to mix the introspective and melancholy elements with slice-of-life comedy moments and similarly struggled to deliver a cohesive story, so when they released the Slow Ahead! spin-off and found that there was much that could be done to lighten things up, it seemed natural that Itsuka Ano Umi de would need to go in the opposite direction to differentiate itself from its competitor.

• Halfway through Itsuka Ano Umi de, it should be clear that this approach is working, and insofar, has succeeded in giving viewers a reason to watch Shigure’s journey. For anime like Kantai Collection, I imagine the aim was originally to drive interest in the game, but considering how long it’s been, I cannot help but get the feeling that Itsuka Ano Umi de was produced so Kadokawa could fulfil their original promise of delivering a second Kantai Collection season (albeit seven years later). Had something like Itsuka Ano Umi de been made back in 2015, it may have succeeded in promoting the game, but in the present, this second season, as enjoyable as it’s been, feels more like a Hail Mary.

• In any other anime, moments like Shigure and Yukikaze spending time to know one another, before swapping ghost stories and clutching one another when the lights flicker, would be portrayed in greater detail to show viewers the bonding. The decision to truncate it is deliberate, meant to mirror how this is a war, and during wartime, the things that are normally taken for granted become scarcer. While these moments are short, however, they do much to show how even despite the losses she’s experienced already, Shigure still makes an effort to open up to those around her.

• As a result, although the third section is no more, the Second Torpedo Squadron, Shigure’s new teammates, will almost certainly have a much bigger role to play, both in repelling the Abyssal attempts at an invasion, and in helping Shigure to accept the losses in her past and make the most of the present. After she returns to base with Yukikaze, viewers have a chance to see the newly-formed Second Torpedo Squadron, and here, I will note that Hamakaze is visible. It is good to see her with the potential of getting more screen time, along with Hibiki, a familiar face returning from the first season. I suppose that hoping Fubuki would return in some form was too much to ask for here in Itsuka Ano Umi de, but beyond this, the series has held my attention in a way the original Kantai Collection did not.

• Having now reached the second season’s halfway point, I am hoping that the release schedule for Itsuka Ano Umi de will be a little more consistent from here on out; there’s only four episodes left, and I do plan on returning at the three-quarters mark to offer some thoughts on where things have headed. In the meantime, my work year has come to a close. Owing to the fact I had thirteen-and-a-half vacation days unused, I determined it would be a good idea to use this time and catch up on some rest of my own as the winter holidays draw near. This rest can come later: later tonight, I’ve got a Christmas party with the office, and we’re set to return to the Italian restaurant we went to last year. Their food’s amazing, and this year, I now know to pace myself and not become full before the entrée shows up.

Itsuka Ano Umi de is what Kantai Collection‘s 2015 run should have been: rather than attempting to treat the animated adaptation as a video game, complete with mechanics and no apparent objective to mimic the game’s endless gameplay, Itsuka Ano Umi de instead gives the antagonists’ actions and intentions significantly more weight, which in turn provides a stronger, more tangible motivation for Shigure and the other Kan-musume. Moreover, each battle is presented as being a matter of life and death; even the small Abyssal Patrol boats are presented as threats that must be taken seriously, and every successful sortie comes with a cost, even if no one is outright sunk. Similarly, every single Kan-musume that comes home from battle is celebrated. The overall presentation of warfare in Itsuka Ano Umi de is vastly more mature than that of its predecessor, and presents a story that better represents the Kantai Collection universe in animated format. Itsuka Ano Umi de does not hold the viewer’s hand or explain its mechanics, and instead, chooses to focus purely on its story. While assuming that viewers are somewhat familiar with Kantai Collection and how things work in game means leaving out some aspects, Itsuka Ano Umi de is able to trade exposition for telling a more compelling story about Shigure and the other Kan-musume that are still around to fight the Abyssals. Despite what is likely to be an extremely difficult journey up ahead, the halfway point shows that despite the odds remaining firmly against the Kan-musume, everyone is willing to stand up and fight to protect the most precious things in their world. Following a three-week delay, one hopes that Itsuka Ano Umi de will continue maintaining a smarter pacing: there are only four episodes left, and the setup in Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s first half creates a compelling reason to watch the second half to see what outcomes result, as well as what learnings can be derived from Shigure’s experiences.

Sortie Day – KanColle: Itsuka Ano Umi de First Episode Review and Reflections

“A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with tangerines. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a tangerine. So, we went looking for the tangerines. But in six months, we never met anybody who traded with him. One day, I saw a child playing with a tangerine the size of a tangerine. The tangerine had been the tangerine.” –Michael Caine, The Tangerine Knight

While Shigure contemplates the loss of her allies in recent battles and recalls old memories with her sister ship, especially Kawakaze, Hamakaze appears and asks her to go take a look at the new assignments following a fleet reorganisation. As it turns out, Shigure’s been assigned to the First Strike Force, Section Three (1YB3H) ahead of a massive operation. This reorganisation speaks to how poorly the war’s been going for the Kan-musume: the fleet here is the remainder of all allied forces. She meets the heavy cruiser, Mogami, and the pair set off to meet her fellow compatriots, Shigure is surprised when Yamashiro immediately berates her for being late. While it appears that Yamashiro has crossed the line with her insults, the Asashio-class destroyers, Michishio, Asagumo and Yamagumo show up, demanding to know what beef Yamashiro has with destroyers. Shigure decides to bring out her tangerines and share them. Fusō thanks Shigure for having defused the tension, and mentions that their current assignment will be their only one: they’re to act as the diversionary force in a massive operation. However, despite the prospect of being sent out on a suicide mission, the destroyers begin singing, and everyone resolves to make it out of their assignment together. On the day of the operation, Shigure’s group prepare to sortie. Yamashiro passes some scout aircraft to Mogami, believing that she could make use of them, and Fusō asks Shigure to look after Yamashiro. She gives Shigure a special hairpin, and the group await orders to set sail. When the order is given, Shigure and the others take off, with Shigure remarking to herself that no rainfall lasts forever. Seven years after Kantai Collection‘s second season was announced, Itsuka Ano Umi de has finally aired, and right out of the gates, it is plain that this series is going to be a serious one. A feeling of melancholy and grim determination permeates every scene; even though the Asashio-class destroyers bring a bit of light-hearted humour into things, the overall assignment and atmospherics surrounding Itsuka Ano Umi de is unlike anything that Kantai Collection‘s first season had conveyed.

While such a setup prima facie sets the stage for tragedy and loss, Itsuka Ano Umi de also suggests that history will not repeat itself. Having lost Kawakaze in an earlier engagement, Shigure continues to eat her tangerine oranges. These tangerines are smaller than oranges, easier to peel and have a sweeter taste than oranges. They are high in vitamin C and anti-oxidants, which improves the immune system, heart health and even provides some resilience against cancer. In Japan, tangerines are known as mikan and are a common fruit seen during the winter, as quintessential as the venerable kotatsu. As in Chinese culture, where tangerine are eaten during the Lunar New Year, tangerine are a symbol of prosperity and happiness. In a series that opens the gate with a very muted colour palette, and a subdued tenour, the presence of tangerine in Itsuka Ano Umi de is significant. These fruits are juxtaposed sharply with the aesthetic in Itsuka Ano Umi de, being a splash of vibrant colour in an otherwise grey, washed-out environment. In conjunction with the fact that flashbacks suggest that Kawakaze was fond of tangerines, and shared them often with Shigure, Shigure sees tangerines as a source of comfort and camaraderie. Despite being insulted by Yamashiro, Shigure still shares her tangerines with her new battle group to break the water, feeling it to be an appropriate gesture of friendship. In this way, while Itsuka Ano Umi de lacks the same light-heartedness as its predecessor, tangerines have been utilised to show that even when the war has reached dire straits for the Kan-musume, there remains some hope yet. In the context of Itsuka Ano Umi de, tangerines come to represent fortitude and hope: traditionally, tangerines come in very large boxes in Japan, and are therefore eaten over time. To share tangerines with companions, then, is to symbolise that everyone will have the opportunity to continue spending time together as they fight hard to protect one another, and the values they stand for.

Screenshots and Commentary

• Shigure is voiced by Yumi Tanibe, who is better known for her role as Yūdachi. Unlike Kantai Collection, however, Itsuka Ano Umi de is all business. Yūdachi and her trademark ~poi is completely absent here, and the overall aesthetic is more similar to Kantai Collection: The Movie, being more focused on the warfare elements than the slice-of-life piece. As far as characters go, Shigure and her background are more suited for a war drama type story; mirroring her real-world counterpart, which emerged from numerous battles as the sole survivor.

• Right out of the gates, it’s clear that in seven years, animation techniques have improved greatly, and the Kan-musume now have access to anti-air guns in addition to their primary armaments. Battle scenes are rendered in greater detail, and the animation is crisper than before. Overall, the visuals in Itsuka Ano Umi de are significant improvement over Kantai Collection‘s, and even Kantai Collection: The Movie, which had improved artwork and animation over the 2015 anime, feels dated in comparison. Both story and artwork come together to give Itsuka Ano Umi de merit.

• However, one aspect of Itsuka Ano Umi de that weighs on my mind is the fact that it comes seven years too late; a second season to Kantai Collection was announced as early as March 2015, and while excitement surrounding what a potential continuation would entail was high when Kantai Collection was still fresh on viewer’s minds, excitement tapered off after the series ended, and no new news of a second season materialised. In fact, after Kantai Collection: The Movie, it wasn’t until January 2021 where news of a continuation appeared, and even then, it was only a vague comment that Itsuka Ano Umi de was being worked on.

• By 2021, even viewers who’d found Kantai Collection somewhat enjoyable were skeptical that a second season would happen at all. In the past five years, despite losing almost all interest amongst the international community, Kantai Collection retains a healthy, if slowly declining, player base amongst people in Japan. The dōjin scene is still strong, and fanart of Kantai Collection is still being produced at a regular rate. Kantai Collection was always intended to be produced for a domestic market, and in this area, the franchise has done very well.

• Kantai Collection was never intended to be played outside of Japan: anyone overseas attempting to register will not be successful unless they use a VPN. Back in the day, some folks determined that there was a way of using Kantai Collection‘s API to bypass the web client’s registration limitations and were able to play the game. These early adopters also popularised the term “API link” in the process, using the term in their guides. Back in the day, I never understood what these guides was referring to, but as it turns out, an “API link” refers to the endpoints that Kantai Collection‘s developers had exposed for their web clients to consume.

• In computing, an API is an “Abstract Programming Interface”, which exposes parts of a system for other applications to use or consume. For instance, if I were writing a server for hosting and viewing images, my API would include method calls for retrieving and storing images. These method calls would be accessed by providing a URL that points to a RESTful request, and these are known as the endpoints. Quite simply, it was possible to forge a registration for a Kantai Collection account by making use of API endpoints that were not otherwise exposed to users in the web client’s UI and pass in the requisite parameters. In this way, players were able to get into the game; although I now understand what the guides refer to, I nonetheless contend that the phrase “API link” is nonsensical.

• At present, I’m still deciding whether or not I’d like to blog about Itsuka Ano Umi de episodically, since Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s direction has proven quite promising so far. While Kantai Collection‘s second season required a seven year wait and English-speaking fans of the series lost interest in it, I imagine that in Japan, folks who enjoyed the anime wouldn’t find this series’ arrival in 2022 to be unexpected in any way, being merely a long-awaited continuation to the series.

• I have a fondness for Shigure already – unlike the stock military moé character, Shigure’s significantly more reserved and is haunted by her past losses. Further to this, Shigure feels like a competent Kan-musume, having more combat experience than Fubuki had. This allows the story to advance more quickly than Kantai Collection‘s did; there’s no need for Shigure to familiarise herself with Kan-musume or how things work, and moreover, Shigure’s losses means that she has a concrete reason to fight.

• I am surprised that in the aftermath of the first episode’s airing, discussions haven’t turned towards the tangerines. Folks have been wondering why they featured so prominently in the trailers, and while they don’t have any specific meaning on their own, Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s first episode does hint at the fact that they’re a representation of camaraderie. I personally see tangerines as a symbol of consistency; when I was a student, my parents would buy them and ask that I eat one every day to keep my fruit intake up. This practise has persisted after I graduated (I used to eat them during my mid-morning break, and this moved into the afternoon after I began working from home), and in the present, I buy tangerines every time I go grocery shopping.

• Although starting a new posting would be exciting in any other anime, Itsuka Ano Umi de establishes immediately that things here are going to be more grim in nature: after getting an earful from Yamashiro, Shigure only just manages to maintain her composure, and ends up learning that their group is to act as a diversionary force for what feels like a desperate, all-out attack on the Abyssals. I did find this to be a little strange, since Kantai Collection: The Movie‘s outcome had implied the Kan-musume gained the upper hand following Fubuki’s discovery that Kan-musume and Abyssals were two sides of the same coin.

• A quick glance at the remaining roster in Itsuka Ano Umi de suggests that even Fubuki has been sunk, and the carriers are noticeably absent. It is possible that they’re being kept in reserve, but the overall atmosphere in Itsuka Ano Umi de is gloomier than it’d been, even in the film. This does eliminate any hopes I had about Itsuka Ano Umi de presenting a slice-of-life story as Azur Lane: Slow Ahead! did, but on the flipside, a more focused story here in Itsuka Ano Umi de would demonstrate that the genre is indeed capable of making the more serious aesthetic work.

• Besides Itsuka Ano Umi de, this season’s other military moé offering is Arknights, an animated adaptation of the Chinese free-to-play game. I ended up giving the first episode a go, but the story drops viewers right into things without any context, leaving me totally lost. Consequently, I have no plans to actively watch, or write about Arknights; it seems more prudent for me to wait for a few more episodes to come out before giving this series a go. Of course, folks who’ve played the game find the series to be more enjoyable.

• I find that anime adaptations of games need to make an effort to ensure that the game world can fit neatly into a standalone story if the anime is to succeed. Uma Musume Pretty Derby is probably the best example of a game whose animated adaptation does this well: even though I’ve never played the game before, the anime was fantastic and actually gave me a desire to play the game. Back in Itsuka Ano Ume de, once Shigure helps their team to settle down, everyone resolves to carry out their assignment successfully and come back to one another.

• The visuals in Itsuka Ano Umi de are of such a high standard that this series feels more like a film. The Kan-musume‘s forward operating base is located in the South Pacific’s Melanesia region, and while the Kan-musume live in simple huts constructed from reeds, the base facilities appear quite sophisticated. The war may be turning against the Kan-musume, but it appears that from a resource standpoint, they’ve not completely been depleted yet, so there’s still a glimmer of hope left. Subtle cues like these can be used to estimate where a story is.

• So far, I’ve not seen any faces from the original Kantai Collection returning to Itsuka Ano Umi de, but despite the (presumably) significant losses the Kan-musume have faced, Kantai Collection‘s second season still offers plenty of ships to portray. I’ve taken a liking to Hamakaze, and Akebono is still on the active roster, so I’m hoping she’ll have speaking lines in Itsuka Ano Umi de. The preparation scenes in Itsuka Ano Umi de are more detailed than those of their predecessor, and together with the improved combat sequences, I am rather excited to see how naval battles unfold here.

• Ahead of the operation, Yamashiro hands support aircraft to Mogami, who accepts them with joy. Her real-world counterpart was originally classified as light cruiser that conformed with the London Naval Treaty, but were designed to accept 8-inch guns. Despite suffering from construction problems, the Mogami-class would become some of the best cruisers Japan had available to them in World War Two. Originally capable of carrying three Aichi E13A seaplanes, the upgraded Mogami would have a capacity for eleven, allowing them to carry out reconnaissance, as well.

• Prior to leaving port, Shigure receives her trademark hair ornament from Fusō. For now, the significance of this hair ornament is not mentioned, but fielding an educated guess (and my guesses tend to be reasonably accurate most of the time), I’d suggest that the ornament is a physical reminder of the promise she’s making to Fusō about looking after Yamashiro: it’s the case that despite her blunt manner and tough-talking attitude, Yamashiro is perhaps the most vulnerable of the Kan-musume in this group. In history, the Yamashiro were sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf trying to cover for the Shigure.

• Knowing what’s happened in history, and the fact that Isuka Ano Umi de seems to be focusing on this particular battle, gives the anime a strong sense of melancholy: if Isuka Ano Umi de is going to be true to historical events, the themes here would be decidedly more pessimistic. In reality, the destruction of the IJN marked a major turning point in World War Two and provided the Allied forces with open seas, setting the stage for the final campaigns that brought the Pacific War to a close. However, the Abyssals in Kantai Collection aren’t analogs of the Allied forces and instead, represent the Kan-musume‘s own inner darkness, so if the Abyssals are allowed to triumph, Kantai Collection‘s anime would imply that Nihilism and pessimism prevails over optimism and effort (something I vehemently disagree with).

• Assuming that themes from Kantai Collection: The Movie are still relevant here in Itsuka Ano Umi de, there is a possibility that Shigure will have to find another way to make peace with what she’s experienced. At this point in time, however, no one knows how Itsuka Ano Umi de will unfold, and as such, a part of my curiosity in Kantai Collection‘s second season lies in seeing what lies ahead for viewers. In this way, Itsuka Ano Umi de represents a chance for Kantai Collection‘s anime adaptation to show viewers that the series is capable of telling an impactful story about the nature of warfare in a mature, measured manner.

• We are now into November, and with Itsuka Ano Umi de finally starting, it means that all of the anime I’m intending to follow are now airing. I’ve hit my stride for this season: Yama no Susume: Next Summit, Bocchi The Rock, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out and Kancolle: Itsuka Ano Ume de are the shows I’m going to be actively watching. The year is beginning to entire its final months, and today, I decided to step out and grab a burger for lunch. Since it’d snowed this week, things were a bit slippery outside, but the burger was quite hearty (I’m always game for a burger with Applewood smoked bacon and onion rings). Looking ahead, I’ll be focused on writing about Next Summit and Itsuka Ano Ume de this month, although I’ll also have a few special topics posts here and there; the Yuru Camp△ movie is now out on Amazon Prime Japan, and I’m making fair progress through Modern Warfare II.

With the first episode of Itsuka Ano Umi de now in the books, it is clear that writers have decided to take Kantai Collection in a different direction than Azur Lane had. When Azur Lane‘s original run was plagued by an inconsistent tone that compromised the story’s coherence and left viewers with mixed feelings, Azur Lane ended up pivoting to a slice-of-life setup with Slow Ahead!. This comedy proved to be well-received, conveying Azur Lane‘s themes as effectively as the original series did, but without adding in elements that would detract from the ordinary, everyday antics their ship-girls experienced. Kantai Collection‘s 2015 run suffered from the same flaws, and while 2016’s Kantai Collection: The Movie, attempted to rectify this, viewers remain quite dissatisfied with things. In response to the reception, Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s writers have taken things in the opposite direction, stripping out the comedic aspects of being a Kan-musume entirely in favour of showing a story of loss, acceptance and using these experiences as a source of strength. Shigure has suffered loss in her past and as a result, is more taciturn than the other Kan-musume. However, she’s still resolute and determined, and where the moment is appropriate, shows a happier side to her, as well. As such, Itsuka Ano Umi de‘s direction is clear: as a result of her experiences with Mogami, Yamashiro, Fusō, Michishio, Asagumo and Yamagumo, Shigure will contribute towards giving the Kan-musume newfound hope in their seemingly unending battle against the Abyssal, and in time, will come to find that her closest friends will continue sharing tangerines with her. If Itsuka Ano Umi de can stick the course and portray Shigure’s journey in a convincing manner, focusing on her growth over light-hearted slice-of-life antics, Kantai Collection‘s second season will demonstrate that anime of this sort can indeed be written to tell a meaningful story.