Isonami

Overview

Isonami is a ship girl in Kantai Collection based on the ninth vessel of the Special-type (Fubuki-class) destroyers. Available since the game's launch as a common-rarity destroyer, she is defined by her shy and soft-spoken personality. Due to her silhouette closely resembling her eldest sister Fubuki, alongside various implementation factors, she was long viewed as having a low presence among the fleet. As a member of the 19th Destroyer Division, she eventually received her Kai Ni upgrade.

Appearance

Isonami has black semi-long hair styled into twin braids with sidelocks and hair between her eyes, paired with slanted eyebrows and drooping eyes that form a worried facial expression. Her default uniform consists of a white shirt with a blue sailor collar, a blue neckerchief, a blue pleated skirt, black socks, and grey rudder footwear. Her rigging includes a chimney unit on her back, a shoulder-strapped twin gun mount in her right hand, and triple torpedo tubes on her legs. Her photographer outfit features a white T-shirt printed with iso5800, a navy skirt, a shoulder bag, and a camera. Her Kai Ni form shares the styling of Fubuki Kai Ni.

Personality

Quiet, timid, and withdrawn, Isonami finds it difficult to assert herself and often stutters or speaks hesitantly. During battles, her lines consist primarily of frightened screams. She suffers from a severe phobia of submarines, fleeing in terror at the mere sight of Maruyu. Despite her weak-willed nature, she is a diligent worker who encourages herself to do her best, showing modest happiness whenever she receives MVP honors. Over time, she also develops a passionate interest in photography and light rail transport.

Abilities

In combat, Isonami operates a hand-held twin gun mount and leg-mounted triple torpedo tubes for surface warfare. Rather than front-line assault engagements, her operational strengths lie in secondary duties such as maritime escort, patrol operations, and supply transport missions. Her Kai Ni remodeling equips her with uniforms and military gear matching Fubuki Kai Ni standards, boosting her overall fleet performance.

Background

Introduced at launch as a common destroyer, Isonami's real-world ship was completed earlier than the class namesake, Fubuki. She initially suffered from low recognition and unfortunate timing in her implementation compared to her sister ships. However, her limited photographer graphic sparked popular interest, establishing her unique camera enthusiast identity under the nickname ISO-nami. Following major tie-ins with the Yokohama Seaside Line and Lawson, she and her 19th Destroyer Division mates received their long-awaited Kai Ni updates in May 2022.

Relationships

Isonami shares a similar silhouette with the first Fubuki-class ship, Fubuki, which led to a famous promotional banner mix-up where she was placed in the center instead of Fubuki. She is warmly regarded by her younger division sister Uranami, appearing alongside her on magazine covers and in special graphics. She also operates within the 19th Destroyer Division alongside Ayanami and Shikinami. Other ties include her roommate Murakumo, Hatsuyuki who once knocked her out with a wake-up prank, Miyuki who was built at the same shipyard, and Asashio and Den from transport missions.

Trivia

She gained sympathy among players due to tragic mix-ups where players accidentally scrapped her after confusing her name with the rare destroyer Isokaze. During a Tokyo Game Show promotion, banner designers mistook her for Fubuki and placed her in the center, an event later joked about by her artist Shibafu. Fans affectionately call her camera persona ISO-nami in reference to ISO sensitivity ratings, and she historically acquired the unusual fan title of the Fubuki class's erotic representative.