Taiyou

Overview

Taiyou is a character in Kantai Collection, representing the lead vessel of the Taiyou-class escort aircraft carriers, who initially appears as the converted ocean liner Kasuga Maru. Classified in-game as a specialized escort carrier rather than a standard light carrier, she plays a vital role in Anti-Submarine Warfare and can be assigned directly to transport combined fleets. Retaining her gentle hospitality from her commercial liner days, she approaches her duties with a polite, humble, and diligent attitude, striving earnestly to support the admiral and her fleet members in every operation.

Appearance

Taiyou has long dark brown hair styled with swept bangs and a folded ponytail bound by a blue ribbon, along with brown tareme-style eyes. Her attire consists of a white dougi top, a red short hakama skirt, and black socks. Upon changing from Kasuga Maru to Taiyou, her inner shirt lines become solid white, her falconry glove changes color, and her rigging attachment switches to shoulder straps. She wears a falconry glove on her left hand holding a Type 97 Torpedo Bomber. Her rigging includes a flight deck on her right arm, steel cases on her torso, and steel platform boots. In her Kai form, her top becomes olive green and her hakama green. In Kai Ni, she gains a grey scarf, headphones equipped with a radar, and a green camouflage-patterned flight deck while showing a gentle smile.

Personality

Taiyou possesses an earnest, modest, and dedicated personality, always eager to contribute to the fleet's operations. Owing to her past as the ocean liner Kasuga Maru, she displays an attentive hospitality toward the admiral and her comrades. She feels deep affection for her carrier-based aircraft, viewing the planes resting on her falconry glove as cute and trusty companions. While she initially appears somewhat tense and reserved, her confidence steadily grows through successive remodels, eventually manifesting as a serene and reassuring presence.

Abilities

Categorized as an escort carrier, Taiyou can be incorporated into Transport Combined Fleets. In her base Taiyou form, she unlocks a third equipment slot and can equip carrier torpedo bombers; equipping specific units like the Type 97 Torpedo Bomber (931 Air Group) or Tenzan (931 Air Group) allows her to perform anti-submarine attacks, and reaching an anti-submarine stat of 65 enables preemptive anti-submarine strikes. In her Kai form, a fourth slot opens, allowing equipment such as small sonars, depth charges, Type 3 Command Liaison Aircraft, large radars, and Fleet Command Facilities, while enabling preemptive anti-submarine attacks with any carrier torpedo bomber. Her Kai Ni remodel requires a Remodeling Blueprint and a Prototype Flight Deck Catapult.

Background

Originally constructed as the luxury ocean liner Kasuga Maru for Nippon Yusen, she was requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy and converted into an auxiliary aircraft carrier. She was later officially transferred to naval registry under the name Taiyou. Within Kantai Collection, she begins as Kasuga Maru and can undergo progressive remodels: first transforming into Taiyou at level 30, advancing to Taiyou Kai at level 60, and ultimately reaching her Taiyou Kai Ni form at level 85.

Relationships

Taiyou shares structural and historical bonds with fellow escort carriers, including her sister ships and characters like Shinyou who were also converted from ocean liners. At the Naval Base Counter Bar, she is notably recognized alongside the heavy cruiser Pola as a full-time 24-hour bar attendant, providing constant hospitality to the admiral.

Trivia

At the Naval Base Counter Bar, Taiyou is the second character after Pola to remain present 24 hours a day. Unlike Pola's drinking habits, her around-the-clock presence is attributed to her dedicated hospitality background as a former passenger liner. Her name originates from the goshawk ("ootaka"). The name has been passed down through the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force across a minesweeper, a submarine chaser, and currently the Hayabusa-class missile boat Ootaka (PG-826), making the current vessel effectively the fourth generation to bear the name.