Washington

Overview

Washington is a ship girl from Kantai Collection representing the second ship of the United States Navy's North Carolina-class battleships. Possessing a refined and mature demeanor, she serves as a dependable heavy combatant within the fleet. Unusually for an American battleship in the game, she was introduced prior to her class's lead ship. She is well known for her intense rivalry with South Dakota and her starstruck admiration for Yamato.

Appearance

She has long silver hair featuring a prominent ahoge, matched with silver eyes and a downturned, slightly smug expression. She possesses a tall, voluptuous build. Her standard outfit consists of a sleeveless white shirt with a blue necktie under a navy blue officer jacket worn off-shoulder to expose her chest and shoulders, paired with a dark navy skirt, pantyhose, and boots equipped with propellers at the heels. Headgear resembling Yamato's protrudes from the sides of her head. Her rigging carries three 16-inch triple gun mounts Mk.6—one on her left and two on her right—and five 5-inch twin gun mounts arranged across a two-tiered deck (three upper, two lower), while she holds binoculars. After her Kai upgrade, her rigging changes to naval camouflage, her skirt turns white, the collar displays hull number "56", and her expression softens. Seasonal looks include a girly spring outfit and a blue-and-white separate swimsuit with a front zipper exposing her chest and underboob, accompanied by a straw hat, sandals, and a pareo.

Personality

Normally composed and well-mannered, Washington speaks politely to her seniors. However, her composure vanishes around South Dakota, whom she refuses to address by name, frequently complaining about her while scoffing at her nickname. She is deeply baffled by South Dakota's friendly relationship with Kirishima, questioning fleetmates about the mystery. When in the presence of Yamato, she loses her cool entirely and acts like an excited fan. She has a hearty appetite, enjoying steak with massive salads for lunch and homemade crab cakes with vegetable smoothies for dinner. Proud of her battle record, she is intensely sensitive about past collision incidents. Over time and through marriage, she grows exceptionally affectionate toward the Admiral.

Abilities

Compared to South Dakota, Washington features higher durability, superior max luck, and significantly better fuel efficiency, though her base firepower and armor are slightly lower. She reaches her Kai form at level 47. Equipping weapons from the 16-inch triple gun mount Mk.6 series grants her powerful equipment stats, with advanced variants such as the Mk.6 mod.2 offering firepower bonuses comparable to heavy main armament alongside high accuracy.

Background

Washington debuted in the Autumn 2020 Event, Protect! Fleet Transport Operation (European Campaign), as a completion reward for the third area. Her implementation marked the first instance of a second-ship American battleship appearing before the lead ship of her class in the game. Her arrival was previously hinted at through South Dakota's voicelines and equipment fairy artwork.

Relationships

She maintains a heated rivalry with South Dakota, calling her derogatory terms, though they share identical fanatical behavior around Yamato. She shows proper respect to her senior Colorado. She is perplexed by the friendly rapport between South Dakota and Kirishima, seeking explanation from Atlanta and Helena. She enjoys a warm relationship with Hornet, often greeting her and confiding in her regarding South Dakota. She holds intense admiration for Yamato.

Trivia

Her name derives from the U.S. state of Washington rather than the capital, Washington, D.C. The name was later borne by the 14th Virginia-class nuclear submarine, sharing a ship class with modern vessels named Colorado and South Dakota. Design details like her propeller boots pay homage to the canceled Colorado-class battleship of the same name.