Kawakaze
Kawakaze is a shipgirl in Kantai Collection, representing the ninth destroyer of the Shiratsuyu class (specifically classified under the Kai-Shiratsuyu subclass). Introduced as an event reward in the Solomon Sea operations, she stands out with her informal, tomboyish tone and outgoing demeanor, taking on a cheerful yet headstrong role among her fleet mates.
Overview
Kawakaze is a shipgirl in Kantai Collection, representing the ninth destroyer of the Shiratsuyu class (specifically classified under the Kai-Shiratsuyu subclass). Introduced as an event reward in the Solomon Sea operations, she stands out with her informal, tomboyish tone and outgoing demeanor, taking on a cheerful yet headstrong role among her fleet mates.
Appearance
She features remarkably long, vibrant reddish hair secured with a hairband and bound into low braids with red ribbons, alongside sea-green eyes and distinctly pointed elf-like ears. Her outfit modifies the standard class uniform by wearing the top unbuttoned to reveal her midriff and navel. She equips long fingerless gloves, and her rigging holds torpedo launchers mounted on its shields. Her seasonal wear includes an autumn yukata paired with a fox mask and festival accessories, as well as a Christmas ensemble featuring a Santa-style outfit with a reindeer antler headband.
Personality
Strong-willed, fiery, and direct, she possesses a tomboyish nature and approaches others with an informal attitude. Despite her tough and combative front, she reveals a childlike side by asking for snacks in the afternoon. She interacts with the Admiral as an equal companion or comrade rather than a subordinate, occasionally teasing with a provocative tone. A signature speech pattern of hers involves emphasizing the letter sound "n" in a stylized manner.
Abilities
She functions as an agile destroyer, coming equipped early on with specialized light artillery such as the 12.7cm Twin Mount Type-B Kai 2 alongside surface radar. Upon receiving her second upgrade (Kai Ni), her torpedo capabilities increase substantially, granting her night-battle firepower that ranks among the highest of her ship class.
Background
Designed as part of the modified late-production batch of the Shiratsuyu class, her character background stems from historical naval operations in the Pacific theater. She first became obtainable during the Summer 2015 event operational map E-2, later being added to standard sea area drops. Reflecting her historical combat record, her dialogue and fleet roles heavily emphasize night battle sorties.
Relationships
She shares a close bond with her sister ship Umikaze, who frequently watches over her and manages daily chores like cooking, earning Kawakaze's deep trust. She holds high admiration for the light cruiser Sendai, often acting like a devoted pupil and sortieing alongside her in night engagements. In contrast, she playfully teases her eldest sister Shiratsuyu regarding her signature prideful claims.
Trivia
Her distinctive handwriting is featured directly on an in-game wall scroll furniture item. A famous fandom running gag involves one of her damaged voice lines being humorously misheard by players as the word "Maroon". She notably gained attention in the community when prominent manga creator Kazuo Koike publicly played the game to obtain her.
