The future is never certain.
Before the worst could happen, Fubuki, Yamato, and those behind her arrived just in the nick of time. All the carriers have been saved, though their combined might still won’t allow them to win this fight. No matter how much they attack the Airfield Princess, she continues to regenerate. It was at this moment Yamato knew a strange force was at work. Fortunately, additional reinforcements from the Navel District arrived to help even out the odds. Nagato and the full force of the fleet was on scene, and with good news. They’ve deciphered the true meaning behind the Admiral’s plans. In order for this battle to end, they must eliminate an all too familiar Abyssal carrier. Still, that task is easier said than done. In what seemed like a miracle out of nowhere, the Admiral made his presence known to the world once more. An armored carrier from another Navel District, Taihou, soon joined Fubuki and the others. Together they shattered a destiny thought unbreakable.
In the aftermath of the combined fleets triumph, they’ve all returned to the Navel District in one piece. The Abyssal threat is still very much alive, but the fleet girls earned themselves a significant victory. The sea lanes are just a tad more safe to sail. Unfortunately, this is where our story comes to a close. With the Admiral back in his rightful place, the fleet girls eagerly await his next orders.
Story: 6/10
There are two major problems with the overall story told throughout this adaptation. First, Diomedea clearly could not make up their mind what they wanted this show to be about. We swap from comfy to serious business way too often. When the show is focused upon the slice of life elements, it’s at its best. However, when the drama picks up, the tension is resolved way too quickly for there to be any meaningful impact. Speaking of matters being resolved quickly, the finale was hard to watch at times. While some things were foreshadowed, the fleet girls were practically handed a win by god’s grace. The pieces fell together way too easily for my liking. Furthermore, the second major issue with this show is its characters. Unless you truly love Fubuki, well this program isn’t going to have a lot for you. Diomedea displayed they don’t know how to handle a large cast. Some characters were practically reduced to Pokémon tier. They said their cute line, then headed right back to the sidelines. At the very least, our self-insert lived. It’s not easy being an admiral of so many fine vessels.
Art/Animation : 7/10
When the fleet girls aren’t out to sea, everything appeared great. Problems arose when they started strapping on their rigging. The vast majority of the action scenes contained the girls swapping out their drawn appearance for their CG models. These CG models aren’t all bad, though. We got a lot of action and fan service we wouldn’t of gotten otherwise. Unfortunately, the models themselves aren’t all that great. Their joint movements were unnatural at times, and the hair on some models was unsettling to look at. The biggest sin of these models were how they broke immersion. You’ll immediately notice when they go from being drawn to CG in a heartbeat. Diomedea did this way too often, but their biggest offense was when both showed up in a frame. It was almost as if two different shows clashed together.
Enjoyment: 8/10
In all honesty, I absolutely loved Kantai Collection when it initially aired. You’ve got the raw power of navel ships plus a large cast of cute girls at your disposal. Sadly, taking a closer look at this show dimmed my love for it. It’s not all bad, but there are some glaring issues I can not ignore. It should be understood that the main attraction of KanColle is without a doubt the girls. So, having everything being just about Fubuki may of not been for the best. Fubuki as a main character isn’t much of a seller. She just doesn’t have a lot going on inside and out. There were definitely other fleet girls at the time that could have taken this show further. Even if Diomedea was set on keeping Fubuki as their lead, they needed to at least handle their cast better. There’s simply more to KanColle than just Fubuki.
Before I attempt to slice up this show any further, let’s start heading down to the media. I’ll be rewarding this show with a lukewarm 7. Lastly, Kantai Collection was green lit for a season two a few years back. Although they got the approval, there’s hardly been an update on it for quite some time. Your guess is as good as mine if it’s still happening. Anyhow, ready for an episode filled with action? Enjoy the non-stop reinforcements!
Videos:
Any word on that season two yet? We’ll continue to sail the sea lanes until next time.
