Kako

Overview

Kako is a shipgirl from Kantai Collection, representing the second heavy cruiser of the Furutaka class. Serving as a key member of the Sixth Cruiser Division and the Mikawa Fleet, she has been available since the game's initial launch. Reflecting her unique construction history, she is distinct among heavy cruisers for bearing a name derived from a river rather than a mountain. She is defined by her cheerful, boyish tone and a perpetual urge to sneak in a nap whenever possible.

Appearance

She features messy black hair bound in a ponytail with an ahoge, a silver hairpin on the right side of her bangs, and blue eyes. Her outfit is a modified sailor uniform consisting of a white midriff-baring top with a blue sailor collar, a red neckerchief, a blue pleated skirt, and rounded boot-like footwear. Her mechanical rigging incorporates a funnel, foremast, and radar on her back, three 20.3 cm twin gun mounts around her right arm, another twin mount over a shield on her left shoulder, and 61 cm quad torpedo tubes strapped to both thighs. In her seasonal rainy mode, her hair is let down into a waist-length straight style.

Personality

Kako is a bright, easygoing tomboy with a candid demeanor, but she harbors a deep lazy streak and will drop off to sleep at any opportunity. She frequently tries to pass off her secretarial responsibilities to her sister ship Furutaka and even attempts to skip strategic briefings. Beneath her sleepy exterior lies an incredible tolerance for alcohol; at the base counter bar, she is known to drink continuously from evening until dawn, mixing sake, wine, and whisky. In battle, she exhibits high energy by shouting moves like her Kako Special, treating skirmishes more like an exciting personal sport than a heavy duty.

Abilities

As a heavy cruiser, Kako provides surface firepower using 20.3 cm twin gun mounts and torpedo strikes with 61 cm quad torpedo tubes, unleashing her signature Kako Special during night battles. Possessing high speed, she operates with notably low fuel consumption compared to other heavy cruisers. Though initially limited by modest offensive statistics, receiving game rebalances and reaching her Kai Ni upgrade at level 65 drastically enhances her firepower and armor parameters. She can also equip searchlights and 25 mm twin autocannons.

Background

During World War II, the historical heavy cruiser served in the Sixth Cruiser Division, participating in early Pacific campaigns and achieving a major tactical victory at the Battle of Savo Island. However, while returning from the battle, she was torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine. In Kantai Collection, Kako has been available since the game's launch, featuring in Mikawa Fleet and Sixth Cruiser Division questlines. Though initially viewed as an underdog due to weak starting stats, her subsequent Kai Ni upgrade and visual redesign elevated her standing significantly among players.

Relationships

She shares a close, unique bond with her sister ship Furutaka, frequently relying on her or delegating tedious tasks to her. Due to their historical construction timeline—where Kako was laid down first but completed second—the two maintain a balanced connection without a rigid elder-sister dynamic. She also shares a subtle tie with the destroyer Uzuki, whose crew rescued Kako's survivors historically, leading Uzuki to wear a matching hairpin after her upgrade. Furthermore, she maintains strong camaraderie with her fleet mates Aoba and Kinugasa, as well as fellow heavy drinkers Pola and I-14.

Trivia

Unlike most heavy cruisers named after mountains, Kako is named after the Kako River because her construction was originally slated for a Sendai-class light cruiser before being reclassified due to naval treaty limits. Her extraordinary high alcohol tolerance depicted at the base bar is a historical reference to her final commanding officer, Captain Yuji Takahashi, who was famous for effortlessly out-drinking a group of junior officers who attempted to get him drunk.