Day one of AnimeJapan 2022 has brought a plethora of announcements, including a new RWBY project and a summer release date for the Dr. Stone: Ryuusui special. On the AJ Red Stage, Kantai Collection fans finally got a November 2022 date for the KanColle Season 2 anime.

While Diomedéa (the animators behind The Squid Girl in Fall 2010) produced the first season, season 2 of KanColle will be produced by ENGI and director Kazuya Miura, who are best known for their latest works Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang. Out! and full dive.

The projects website contains a cast list, but unfortunately the respective characters are not listed. Assuming votes each actor has done for past KanColle projects, here’s an approximate cast list:

• Saki Fujita as Fusou, Yamashiro, Suzutsuki and Yukikaze
• Yumi Tanibe as Shigure
• Aya Suzaki as Mogami
• Yui Horie as Yamagumo and Asagumo
• Wakana Miyagawa as Michishio and Kasumi
• Mana Komatsu as Hamakaze
• Yuki Yamada as Yahagi
• Nao Touyama as Shikinami and Haruna

Several voice actors have been announced whose corresponding characters have not appeared in promotional materials for the second season. Included are Iori Nomizu (who voiced Shoukaku in the KanColle movie), Yui Ogura (the voice of Amatsukaze and Taigei), Risa Taneda (who voices many characters, including Akashi), Kozue Hayasaka (who voices Sazanami and Akebono, among others), and Ayana Taketatsu (Yamato’s voice and more).

What is the KanColle Season 2 plot about?

Like other mecha musume series like the World Witches series and Azur Lane, Kantai Collection is about World War II warships personified as cute girls. Many ships are based on real fleets, such as the fleet of Japanese Admiral Shoji Nishimura.

It is speculated that KanColle Season 2 may refer to Operation Sho-Go, as many of the characters shown in the promotional material are ships that are part of the real-life Southern Force that fought against the US Navy in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. C2 Staff has tweeted images with the date 1944 – the same year the battle took place – making it more likely.

Either way, fans don’t need to brush up on World War II history to enjoy the plot. Although the cast is based on naval ships, they all have their own personalities and cute designs. Based on the first season, much of the show focuses on the girls’ interaction and flashy action sequences rather than historical trivia.

How do I play the KanColle browser game?

Unfortunately, the Kantai Collection browser game is only available in Japan. To be possible to play the game in other regions, but keep in mind that it requires some knowledge about IP addresses and VPNs. There is also no official translation, so non-Japanese readers will have to rely on browser extensions.

The KanColle Wiki provides guides and tips on how to bypass the game’s region lock. By default, all non-Japanese IP addresses are blocked. To undermine this, potential players must download extensions that override the region flag or use a VPN with a Japanese IP address.

To create a new account, it is required to have a DMM account† Once an account is created, potential players must use a VPN with a Japanese IP address to register a new account on KanColle’s website. A VPN is not required once the account is active, instead a browser extension that overrides the regional flag can be used to access the site.

Maybe wishful thinking, but if KanColle’s Season 2 proves successful, Kadokawa Games may consider lifting the regional blockade and allowing international players access to the game without having to jump through additional hoops.