Konpeki no Kantai
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese alternate-history original video animation
series produced by J.C.Staff
. The series focuses on a technologically advanced Imperial Japanese Navy
and a radically different World War II that was brought about by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
's revival in the past due to unexplained circumstances. The series is also notable for using the Imperial Japanese
calendar instead of the Roman calendar in denoting the years where the events of the series take place. It also spawned a 1997 OVA side story
called , one manga
sequel, and two turn-based strategy games for the PC-FX
and the SNES
.
Konpeki no Kantai is largely based on the novel written by Yoshio Aramaki. The first volume of this series, Konpeki no Kantai (Deep Blue Fleet) was published in December 1990. The novel's popularity reportedly rose dramatically due to the start of the Gulf War
the following month. Aramaki later wrote a different series called Asahi no Kantai (The Fleet of the Rising Sun), elements of which were used in the OVA sequel. The two series, totaling some 25 volumes, eventually sold more than five million copies.
The title is a reference to the series' depiction of an advanced submarine force.
, Yamamoto blacks out, before awakening in a ship quarters. Unclear about what has just happened, Yamamoto speaks with a crewman, and discovers that he is aboard the Japanese cruiser Nisshin
. He is then informed that the date is May 28, 1905 and that Battle of Tsushima
has just ended. Yamamoto realizes that he has somehow been transported back in time (or to a parallel world).
After Yamamoto decides to revert to his old name of Isoroku Takano, he vows to use his advance-knowledge of the next 38 years to ensure that Japan does not make the same mistakes as before.
Yamamoto's first priority is to spearhead a massive naval construction program. It involves building a large fleet of advanced battleships and supercarriers, nuclear submarines based on the design of the real-life I-400 Sen Toku submarine
, and advanced combat aircraft that were in prototype or concept form during the late stages of the actual Pacific War.
His plan for success begins with a coup d'état against the hardline government of Army
General Hideki Tōjō
in late 1941, on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack, and installing an ally, Lt Gen
Yasaburo Otaka as prime minister. Otaka, who has also been transported back in time, agrees to work with Yamamoto to change history and ensure that the Japanese Empire
emerges victorious against the United States in the Second World War.
as its main north Pacific base. In subsequent episodes, the Japanese military easily defeats Allied forces in Southeast Asia and grants independence to all of the territories formerly under European and American colonial rule. In subsequent battles in the Tasman Sea
and the Torres Strait
, the IJN further cripples American naval power and advances across the Pacific Ocean to strike at the West Coast of North America. An IJN submarine-carrier
flotilla destroys the Panama Canal
's Gatun locks
to hinder American efforts to transfer ships from the Atlantic Ocean. The United States suffers more crushing setbacks, including a second Panama Canal attack and a Japanese surgical airstrike on the Manhattan Project
's Los Alamos
facilities. They prove too much for US President Henry Roosevelt, who dies of a stroke after learning of Los Alamos' destruction. His successor, Bill Truman
, realizing that the United States cannot continue the war, sues for peace and accepts the surrender terms offered by Japan.
Although the Japanese are initially allied with Nazi Germany
, German dictator Heinrich von Hitler
becomes concerned about their string of victories and the rapid growth of Japan's technological and military power (partly boosted with the expertise of Albert Einstein
). Hitler declares war on Japan, whose first thrust against Germany comes in the form of a precision attack by three intercontinental flying-boat bombers on the Nazis' atomic weapons research facility.
German forces start the invasion of India and England. On the Indian front, the Wehrmacht conducts an airborne assault on Kolkata
and sends troops south to Cochin to meet other German forces coming down the western coast. Japan comes to the rescue by deploying armored forces with surviving British units. Another IJN carrier fleet is also deployed to the Indian Ocean. The Americans lend their support by bombing German convoys. The submarine-carrier flotilla that attacked the Panama Canal (which now exists as a long tunnel to prevent future air attack) is later redeployed to the Bab el-Mandeb to ambush a Kriegsmarine
force being sent to the Indian Ocean. Germany, meanwhile, defeats the Soviet Union
as Stalin's forces surrender in the Ural mountains. US forces invade Brittany
to ease the pressure off the German invasion of Britain, but the Wehrmacht holds their ground and drives the US forces into the sea, with the last troops forced to leave from their redoubt in Brest. Germany eventually conquers the southern half of England.
They are driven to a stalemate in India after Japanese bombers destroy the invasion headquarters in New Delhi and antisubmarine warfare ravages the Kriegsmarines U-boat force in the Indian Ocean. Despite the attack on New Delhi, the conquest of India prompts Hitler to establish the Great European Empire. Nationalist Chinese forces stop the German advance in Xinjiang province while Japan sends military forces to bolster the People's Republic of East Siberia (a new state created in the Siberian region after the fall of the Soviet regime) as part of a new Asian Defense Force. At the same time, a change in government in Washington helps Japan return Hawaii to the US.
While the Germans are stopped in Mongolia, Britain and Japan team up for further action in the Atlantic. British troops and Japan's air and sea forces hold down the German invasion of Britain. At the same time, Japanese commandos infiltrate Hitler's main command center and destroys it with explosives, but Hitler survives. Japan fights off the Kriegsmarines attacks in the South Atlantic while the British/Japanese forces in England muster enough combat power to push the Germans back and liberate London. The turn of events forces peace talks between Germany, Japan, Britain, and the US. The war ends by late 1950.
capabilities to reach the Atlantic Ocean
. It further details the presence of the IJN Atlantic fleet revealed in the latter half of Konpeki no Kantai, as well as expound on events only given passing mention in the series.
After Germany declares war on Japan, the Japanese navy begins challenging the Kriegsmarine
in the North Atlantic. In a climactic battle in the second episode, the IJN Atlantic force's flagship, the super-battleship
Yamato Takeru (lit. The Brave of Yamato) engages and destroys Germany's own super-battleship, the Bismarck II. The IJN later attacks German naval facilities in Kiel
, the government quarter in Berlin, and a French-based battery of Heracles railway guns threatening London, earning them the Victoria Cross
, which is bestowed on fleet commander Admiral Oshii. The move paves the way for trans-polar travel between Japan and Britain.
Having defeated the Soviet Union, Germany turns its focus to the West, destroying the White House
in a surgical strike
. It finally drives the US to rejoin the war - this time as Japan's ally - in the fight against Nazi Germany, which launched a modified Operation Sea Lion against Britain on August 15, 1947. Southern England falls to the Nazis, with the British government evacuating to Inverness
. However, the Japanese fleet arrives in time to destroy the German beachhead and stop the invasion forces, many of which are found in Kingston-upon-Hull and Grimsby
.
and Happinet Pictures, only a few days before the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The first set in particular contains an art booklet and the 1997 special episode Secret Launch of the Sorai, a story of two Japanese engineers who develop the Sorai (the series' counterpart of the J7W Shinden fighter) and deploy it against a Tokyo-bound force of US B-30
long-range bombers launched from Alaska. The interception itself is featured in Episode 3. Pre-order rewards include a Zippo lighter replica from 1941 and a scale model
of the I-601 submarine carrier. The second DVD box set was released on September 23, 2005. The last compilation was released on November 25, 2005. A Blu-Ray release of the entire series is also in the works, with the first set scheduled for release on August 3, 2011. The second and third sets are scheduled to be released on November 25, 2011 and February 24, 2012.
The series is available for purchase over the Internet from a number of sites but is only sold in DVD Region 2 format
, which is not compatible with most DVD players available in the United States
and Canada
(which are Region 1
) - although some newer DVD players are (or can be modified to be) region-free. However, all releases, including those available over the Internet, do not include dubs
or non-Japanese subtitles. Neither series has been (or is planned to be) translated for release outside of Japan because of their Japan-centric content, such as the Allied powers
being depicted as villains while Japan's conduct during the war is depicted as being noble.
turn-based strategy game. The SNES
version of the game, which was published by Angel Studios (now Rockstar San Diego
) and developed by Access Co.
, followed suit in November of the same year.
The game follows all combat operations depicted in the series, with battles fought on an isometric
map. The player also has the capability to develop new weapons. However, where the anime series ends with Japan declaring victory with the US and Britain over Nazi Germany, Japan's survival in the war is uncertain when Otaka's government is deposed in another coup, Yamamoto dies in jail, and the Deep Blue Fleet's secrets are exposed.
published in 20 bound volumes
between April 1992 and September 1996. The entire series, which is set three years after the events of Konpeki no Kantai, was eventually re-released in three bunkobon
volumes. The first volume was released on April 25, 2003. The second volume was released on March 25, 2004 and the last on July 25, 2005.
published a ten-novel Konpeki no Kantai series between December 4, 2004 and August 4, 2005. The issues were later compiled into four volumes, with the first book released on December 8, 2006 and the last one on March 2, 2007.
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
series produced by J.C.Staff
J.C.STAFF
, is a Japanese animation studio founded in January 1986. Their first release was the three episode OVA Sengoku Kidan Yōtōden, in 1987. They have produced several well-known anime series, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Excel Saga, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, Shakugan no Shana, Toaru Majutsu no...
. The series focuses on a technologically advanced Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
and a radically different World War II that was brought about by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
's revival in the past due to unexplained circumstances. The series is also notable for using the Imperial Japanese
Japanese era name
The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era...
calendar instead of the Roman calendar in denoting the years where the events of the series take place. It also spawned a 1997 OVA side story
Side story
A side story is a story that occurs alongside established stories set within a fictional universe. As opposed to a prequel, sequel, or interquel, a side story takes place within the same time frame as an existing work....
called , one manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
sequel, and two turn-based strategy games for the PC-FX
PC-FX
The is a video game console released in Japan on December 23, 1994 by NEC Corporation. It is the 32-bit successor to NEC's PC Engine ....
and the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
.
Konpeki no Kantai is largely based on the novel written by Yoshio Aramaki. The first volume of this series, Konpeki no Kantai (Deep Blue Fleet) was published in December 1990. The novel's popularity reportedly rose dramatically due to the start of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
the following month. Aramaki later wrote a different series called Asahi no Kantai (The Fleet of the Rising Sun), elements of which were used in the OVA sequel. The two series, totaling some 25 volumes, eventually sold more than five million copies.
The title is a reference to the series' depiction of an advanced submarine force.
Point of Departure
In Konpeki no Kantais first episode, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's death on April 18, 1943, still proceeds exactly as in the real event. Just before his damaged plane crashes into Bougainville IslandBougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
, Yamamoto blacks out, before awakening in a ship quarters. Unclear about what has just happened, Yamamoto speaks with a crewman, and discovers that he is aboard the Japanese cruiser Nisshin
Japanese cruiser Nisshin
, also transliterated as Nissin, was a armored cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy designed and built by Ansaldo in Genoa Italy, where the type was known as the . Designed as a cross between a battleship and a cruiser, but with a very small displacement, it had the ability to stand in the line...
. He is then informed that the date is May 28, 1905 and that Battle of Tsushima
Battle of Tsushima
The Battle of Tsushima , commonly known as the “Sea of Japan Naval Battle” in Japan and the “Battle of Tsushima Strait”, was the major naval battle fought between Russia and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War...
has just ended. Yamamoto realizes that he has somehow been transported back in time (or to a parallel world).
After Yamamoto decides to revert to his old name of Isoroku Takano, he vows to use his advance-knowledge of the next 38 years to ensure that Japan does not make the same mistakes as before.
Yamamoto's first priority is to spearhead a massive naval construction program. It involves building a large fleet of advanced battleships and supercarriers, nuclear submarines based on the design of the real-life I-400 Sen Toku submarine
I-400 class submarine
The Imperial Japanese Navy submarines were the largest submarines of World War II and remained the largest ever built until the construction of nuclear ballistic missile submarines in the 1960s. They were submarine aircraft carriers able to carry three Aichi M6A Seiran aircraft underwater to their...
, and advanced combat aircraft that were in prototype or concept form during the late stages of the actual Pacific War.
His plan for success begins with a coup d'état against the hardline government of Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
General Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army , the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944...
in late 1941, on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack, and installing an ally, Lt Gen
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Yasaburo Otaka as prime minister. Otaka, who has also been transported back in time, agrees to work with Yamamoto to change history and ensure that the Japanese Empire
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
emerges victorious against the United States in the Second World War.
Alternate Events of the Pearl Harbor Attack
The first episode of the series depicts the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In this alternate history, Yamamoto uses his advance knowledge of the future, combined with now superior technology of the Japanese navy, to ensure that the strategy and outcome of the attack are considerably different from the actual events which occurred:| Alternate Depiction | Actual Events |
|---|---|
| Japan's declaration of war Declaration of war A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies... against the United States is delivered before the attack begins. |
Due to the slow decoding and translation of diplomatic cables from Tokyo, the Japanese embassy in Washington did not deliver a written statement that peace talks were at an end until after the attack had begun. The actual declaration of war was not made until the following evening. |
| The attack is launched before daybreak since Japan has perfected nighttime aircraft carrier Aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations... operations. |
The technological limitations of the time made the landing of planes on carrier decks in the dark extremely hazardous, which was why the attack did not begin until morning. |
| The raid begins with Japanese pathfinders dropping flares. | No flares were used during the attack by either side, since the attack took place at daytime. |
| The entire military base at Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet... is destroyed. |
Most of Pearl Harbor's infrastructure, such as the power station, fuel depot, shipyards, submarine pens, armories, and the military headquarters sustained no damage during the attack. (Yamamoto later stated that sparing these facilities was a critical error.) |
| Following the initial attack, the Japanese fleet regroups and annihilates the remainder of the US Pacific Fleet United States Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M... , including its three aircraft carriers, as they return to Pearl Harbor to join the battle. |
The Kido Butai Battle Group turned back immediately without any further engagements with American forces. The huge distance the fleet had to travel between Japan and Hawaii (as well as the return trip) meant that the fleet's fuel capacity only permitted it to operate near Hawaii for a limited period of time. In addition, many of these ships were needed immediately to support Japanese military offensives in the Western Pacific. |
| The episode ends with Japanese troops invading Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... . |
The Japanese military briefly considered trying to seize the Hawaiian Islands but decided that it was impractical, since Japan's ground forces, logistics and resources were already fully committed, not only to the Second Sino-Japanese War Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States... but also for military offensives in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific that were planned to occur almost simultaneously with the Pearl Harbor attack. |
After Pearl Harbor
Following the successful invasion, Japan uses HawaiiTerritory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
as its main north Pacific base. In subsequent episodes, the Japanese military easily defeats Allied forces in Southeast Asia and grants independence to all of the territories formerly under European and American colonial rule. In subsequent battles in the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
and the Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
, the IJN further cripples American naval power and advances across the Pacific Ocean to strike at the West Coast of North America. An IJN submarine-carrier
Submarine aircraft carrier
Submarine aircraft carriers are submarines equipped with fixed wing aircraft for observation or attack missions. These submarines saw their most extensive use during World War II, although their operational significance remained rather small...
flotilla destroys the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
's Gatun locks
Panama Canal Locks
The Panama Canal Locks, which lift ships up 25.9 m to the main elevation of the Panama Canal, were one of the greatest engineering works ever to be undertaken at the time, eclipsed only by other parts of the canal project. No other concrete construction of comparable size was undertaken...
to hinder American efforts to transfer ships from the Atlantic Ocean. The United States suffers more crushing setbacks, including a second Panama Canal attack and a Japanese surgical airstrike on the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
's Los Alamos
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
facilities. They prove too much for US President Henry Roosevelt, who dies of a stroke after learning of Los Alamos' destruction. His successor, Bill Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, realizing that the United States cannot continue the war, sues for peace and accepts the surrender terms offered by Japan.
Although the Japanese are initially allied with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, German dictator Heinrich von Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
becomes concerned about their string of victories and the rapid growth of Japan's technological and military power (partly boosted with the expertise of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
). Hitler declares war on Japan, whose first thrust against Germany comes in the form of a precision attack by three intercontinental flying-boat bombers on the Nazis' atomic weapons research facility.
German forces start the invasion of India and England. On the Indian front, the Wehrmacht conducts an airborne assault on Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
and sends troops south to Cochin to meet other German forces coming down the western coast. Japan comes to the rescue by deploying armored forces with surviving British units. Another IJN carrier fleet is also deployed to the Indian Ocean. The Americans lend their support by bombing German convoys. The submarine-carrier flotilla that attacked the Panama Canal (which now exists as a long tunnel to prevent future air attack) is later redeployed to the Bab el-Mandeb to ambush a Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
force being sent to the Indian Ocean. Germany, meanwhile, defeats the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as Stalin's forces surrender in the Ural mountains. US forces invade Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
to ease the pressure off the German invasion of Britain, but the Wehrmacht holds their ground and drives the US forces into the sea, with the last troops forced to leave from their redoubt in Brest. Germany eventually conquers the southern half of England.
They are driven to a stalemate in India after Japanese bombers destroy the invasion headquarters in New Delhi and antisubmarine warfare ravages the Kriegsmarines U-boat force in the Indian Ocean. Despite the attack on New Delhi, the conquest of India prompts Hitler to establish the Great European Empire. Nationalist Chinese forces stop the German advance in Xinjiang province while Japan sends military forces to bolster the People's Republic of East Siberia (a new state created in the Siberian region after the fall of the Soviet regime) as part of a new Asian Defense Force. At the same time, a change in government in Washington helps Japan return Hawaii to the US.
While the Germans are stopped in Mongolia, Britain and Japan team up for further action in the Atlantic. British troops and Japan's air and sea forces hold down the German invasion of Britain. At the same time, Japanese commandos infiltrate Hitler's main command center and destroys it with explosives, but Hitler survives. Japan fights off the Kriegsmarines attacks in the South Atlantic while the British/Japanese forces in England muster enough combat power to push the Germans back and liberate London. The turn of events forces peace talks between Germany, Japan, Britain, and the US. The war ends by late 1950.
Kyokujitsu no Kantai
In the 1997 sidestory Kyokujitsu no Kantai (Fleet of the Rising Sun), Japan builds up on its success in the earlier series by expanding its blue-waterBlue-water navy
The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a maritime force capable of operating across the deep waters of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges...
capabilities to reach the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It further details the presence of the IJN Atlantic fleet revealed in the latter half of Konpeki no Kantai, as well as expound on events only given passing mention in the series.
After Germany declares war on Japan, the Japanese navy begins challenging the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
in the North Atlantic. In a climactic battle in the second episode, the IJN Atlantic force's flagship, the super-battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Yamato Takeru (lit. The Brave of Yamato) engages and destroys Germany's own super-battleship, the Bismarck II. The IJN later attacks German naval facilities in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, the government quarter in Berlin, and a French-based battery of Heracles railway guns threatening London, earning them the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, which is bestowed on fleet commander Admiral Oshii. The move paves the way for trans-polar travel between Japan and Britain.
Having defeated the Soviet Union, Germany turns its focus to the West, destroying the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in a surgical strike
Surgical strike
A surgical strike is a military attack which results in, was intended to result in, or is claimed to have resulted in only damage to the intended legitimate military target, and no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, vehicles, buildings, etc....
. It finally drives the US to rejoin the war - this time as Japan's ally - in the fight against Nazi Germany, which launched a modified Operation Sea Lion against Britain on August 15, 1947. Southern England falls to the Nazis, with the British government evacuating to Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. However, the Japanese fleet arrives in time to destroy the German beachhead and stop the invasion forces, many of which are found in Kingston-upon-Hull and Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
.
Characters
To keep in line with the World War II theme, Konpeki no Kantai/Kyokujitsu no Kantai also features some characters who closely resemble actual historical figures from the 1940s. Only their first names were changed.Japan
- Yasaburo OtakaJisaburo Ozawawas an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the last Commander-in-Chief of Combined Fleet. Many military historians regard Ozawa as one of the most capable Japanese flag officers.-Biography:...
- Prime MinisterPrime Minister of JapanThe is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
(voiced by: Yuzuru Fujimoto) - Isoroku TakanoIsoroku Yamamotowas a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
- War Minister (voiced by: Yūsaku YaraYusaku Yarais a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is currently affiliated with Vi-Vo. His real name is ', and his former stage name was .He is best known for his roles in Chibi Maruko-chan as Hiroshi Sakura, Kiteretsu Daihyakka as Kiteretsu's Papa, the 1989 version of Sally, the Witch as Sally's...
) - Saigo Nanshu - Deputy Prime Minister (voiced by: Kōzō ShioyaKozo ShioyaKōzō Shioya is a veteran seiyū born in Kagoshima Prefecture. He is currently represented by Aoni Production...
) - Takayoshi Kido - Foreign Minister (voiced by: Nobuo TobitaNobuo Tobitais a Japanese seiyū from Mito. He is represented by Arts Vision.He is most known for the roles of Kamille Bidan , Albert Heinrich/004 , and Sueo Maruo...
) - Kazuyuki Maebara (Issei Maebara) - Admiral, I-601 Fugaku skipper and Deep Blue Fleet commander (voiced by: Hideyuki TanakaHideyuki Tanakais a Japanese voice actor. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in Dokaben , Kinnikuman , Captain Tsubasa , Touch , Saint Seiya , Metal Gear Solid and Slam Dunk .-TV Anime:*Akagi...
) - Heihachiro Togo - Admiral (voiced by: Daisuke Gouri)
- Imperial Duke KokonoeFumimaro KonoePrince was a politician in the Empire of Japan who served as the 34th, 38th and 39th Prime Minister of Japan and founder/leader of the Taisei Yokusankai.- Early life :...
(voiced by: Junichi SugawaraJunichi Sugawarais a Japanese voice actor and actor.-Anime roles:*After War Gundam X as secretary*Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin as Cake Store Person ; Ninja ; Thief B...
) - Yoshiko Kawashu - Japanese Secret Agent (voiced by: Ai OrikasaAi Orikasais a popular Japanese voice actress and singer from Tokyo. She works for Production Baobab. Orikasa is also the Japanese dub voice for Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Her debut work was Shoukoushi Cedie in 1988...
) - Eisaku Takasugi - Admiral (voiced by: Banjō GingaBanjo Ginga, sometimes credited as his real name , is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Kofu, Yamanashi. Ginga is currently affiliated with Aoni Production...
) - Otowa Kuki - Vice-Admiral and SNLF commander (voiced by: Katsuhisa Hōki)
- Yajirou Shinagawa - Commander (voiced by: Shinya ŌtakiShinya Otaki, previously known as , is a Japanese voice actor.-TV:*Combat Mecha Xabungle *Crayon Shin-chan *Dancougar - Super Beast Machine God *Detective Academy Q...
(1st voice) / Masaharu SatōMasaharu Satois a Japanese voice actor currently working for Aoni Production.Along with the late Kōji Totani, he is considered the No. 1 supporting actor of the Japanese voice acting world....
(2nd voice))
United States
- Henry Roosevelt - PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
(voiced by: Kan Tokumaru) - Lewis MacArthurDouglas MacArthurGeneral of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
- General of the Army (voiced by: Jun'ichi Sugawara) - Harriet Eisenhower - General of the Army (voiced by: Tomomichi NishimuraTomomichi Nishimurais a Japanese voice actor who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the narrator of YuYu Hakusho, Anzai-sensei , Shibaraku Tsurugibe , and Jamitov Hymem...
) - Bill Truman - President (succeeds Roosevelt after dying of stroke) (voiced by: Hirohiko KakegawaHirohiko Kakegawais a Japanese actor. He has starred in a number of anime series, such as Transformers and Turn A Gundam. He enjoys softball, ice-skating and tennis.-Appearances:*Saint Seiya *Transformers: The Headmasters...
) - Arnold FletcherFrank Jack FletcherFrank Jack Fletcher was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. Fletcher was the operational commander at the pivotal Battles of Coral Sea and of Midway. He was the nephew of Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher.-Early life and early Navy career:Fletcher was born in Marshalltown, Iowa...
- Admiral, US Pacific Fleet (voiced by: Isshin ChibaIsshin Chibais a Japanese voice actor who currently works for Arts Vision. He is best known for doing the voice of Jin Kazama from the Tekken series.-Anime:*Aoki Densetsu Shoot *.hack//SIGN *Bleach *Chobits...
) - (Admiral) KimmelHusband E. KimmelHusband Edward Kimmel was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy. He served as Commander-in-chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Because of the attack, he was removed from office and was reduced to his permanent two-star rank of rear admiral...
- Admiral, US Pacific Fleet (voiced by: Ikuya SawakiIkuya Sawaki, better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk *Cyborg 009 , better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk (Boscogne)*Cyborg 009 (2001) , better know by his stage...
)
Nazi Germany/Great European Empire
- Heinrich von HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
- Führer (voiced by: Ikuya SawakiIkuya Sawaki, better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk *Cyborg 009 , better know by his stage name , is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Arts Vision.-TV Anime:*Berserk (Boscogne)*Cyborg 009 (2001) , better know by his stage...
) - Erhardt Goering - LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
chief (voiced by: Shinya ŌtakiShinya Otaki, previously known as , is a Japanese voice actor.-TV:*Combat Mecha Xabungle *Crayon Shin-chan *Dancougar - Super Beast Machine God *Detective Academy Q...
) - Alfred HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
- SSSchutzstaffelThe Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
head (voiced by: Jun'ichi Sugawara) - Peter Joachim Goebbels - Propaganda MinisterMinistry of Public Enlightenment and PropagandaThe Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda was Nazi Germany's ministry that enforced Nazi Party ideology in Germany and regulated its culture and society. Founded on March 13, 1933, by Adolf Hitler's new National Socialist government, the Ministry was headed by Dr...
- Wilhelm JodlAlfred JodlAlfred Josef Ferdinand Jodl was a German military commander, attaining the position of Chief of the Operations Staff of the Armed Forces High Command during World War II, acting as deputy to Wilhelm Keitel...
- KriegsmarineKriegsmarineThe Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
admiral - Konrad von RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
- Commander, German forces in India - Walter ManteuffelHasso von ManteuffelHasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
- Hitler aide (voiced by: Hideyuki HoriHideyuki Horiis a Japanese voice actor and younger brother of fellow voice actor Yukitoshi Hori and works at Aoni Production. He is most known for his roles in Saint Seiya , Sakigake!! Otokojuku , Kinnikuman , Mobile Fighter G Gundam , and the Dead or Alive series and Ninja Gaiden .-Career:Along...
)
Others
- Leon TrokkiLeon TrotskyLeon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
- Leader, People's Republic of East Siberia (voiced by: Kazunobu Chiba) - Keiston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
- British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
(voiced by: Shoji SatoShoji Satois a male badminton player from Japan.Shoji Sato is regarded as one of the fastest on foot players in the world. -Career:He won four Japanese National Championships in a row between 2003 and 2006....
) - Suavi Gandhi - Indian independence advocate
- Nerovitch K StalinJoseph StalinJoseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
- Leader, USSR (voiced by: Masaki AizawaMasaki Aizawais a Japanese male voice actor. He currently works for Production Baobab.- Television :* The Red Baron , Norman* Wedding Peach , Middle-aged man * Slayers , Man A...
)
Home video
Konpeki no Kantai was released from 1994 to 2003 on LaserDisc and DVD, with the DVDs containing two episodes each. JC Staff eventually compiled it and Kyokujitsu no Kantai into three large DVD boxed sets. The first was released on July 29, 2005 by Tokuma ShotenTokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
and Happinet Pictures, only a few days before the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The first set in particular contains an art booklet and the 1997 special episode Secret Launch of the Sorai, a story of two Japanese engineers who develop the Sorai (the series' counterpart of the J7W Shinden fighter) and deploy it against a Tokyo-bound force of US B-30
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
long-range bombers launched from Alaska. The interception itself is featured in Episode 3. Pre-order rewards include a Zippo lighter replica from 1941 and a scale model
Scale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
of the I-601 submarine carrier. The second DVD box set was released on September 23, 2005. The last compilation was released on November 25, 2005. A Blu-Ray release of the entire series is also in the works, with the first set scheduled for release on August 3, 2011. The second and third sets are scheduled to be released on November 25, 2011 and February 24, 2012.
The series is available for purchase over the Internet from a number of sites but is only sold in DVD Region 2 format
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
, which is not compatible with most DVD players available in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(which are Region 1
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
) - although some newer DVD players are (or can be modified to be) region-free. However, all releases, including those available over the Internet, do not include dubs
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
or non-Japanese subtitles. Neither series has been (or is planned to be) translated for release outside of Japan because of their Japan-centric content, such as the Allied powers
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
being depicted as villains while Japan's conduct during the war is depicted as being noble.
Games
In March 1995, NEC Interchannel and MicroCabin released a Konpeki no Kantai PC-FXPC-FX
The is a video game console released in Japan on December 23, 1994 by NEC Corporation. It is the 32-bit successor to NEC's PC Engine ....
turn-based strategy game. The SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
version of the game, which was published by Angel Studios (now Rockstar San Diego
Rockstar San Diego
Rockstar San Diego is one of the development studios under the Rockstar Games umbrella. The studio pioneered open world racing games with the Midtown Madness and the award-winning Midnight Club series. It is also responsible for the "Red Dead" series of western games...
) and developed by Access Co.
Access Co.
, founded in April 1979 and incorporated in February 1984 in Tokyo, Japan, by Arakawa Toru and Kamada Tomihisa, is a company providing a variety of software for connected and mobile devices, such as mobile phones, PDAs, video game consoles and set top boxes....
, followed suit in November of the same year.
The game follows all combat operations depicted in the series, with battles fought on an isometric
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
map. The player also has the capability to develop new weapons. However, where the anime series ends with Japan declaring victory with the US and Britain over Nazi Germany, Japan's survival in the war is uncertain when Otaka's government is deposed in another coup, Yamamoto dies in jail, and the Deep Blue Fleet's secrets are exposed.
Manga
Tokuma ShotenTokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
published in 20 bound volumes
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
between April 1992 and September 1996. The entire series, which is set three years after the events of Konpeki no Kantai, was eventually re-released in three bunkobon
Bunkobon
In Japan, bunkobon are small-format paperback books, designed to be affordable and portable.The great majority of bunkobon are A6 in size...
volumes. The first volume was released on April 25, 2003. The second volume was released on March 25, 2004 and the last on July 25, 2005.
Novel
Tokuma ShotenTokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
published a ten-novel Konpeki no Kantai series between December 4, 2004 and August 4, 2005. The issues were later compiled into four volumes, with the first book released on December 8, 2006 and the last one on March 2, 2007.
| Title | |ISBN |
|---|
External links
- Konpeki no Kantai at JC Staff website
- Kyokujitsu no Kantai at JC Staff website
- Official Bandai Channel Konpeki no Kantai website
- Official Bandai Channel Kyokujitsu no Kantai website
- Interview with Mitsutaka Oide
- Japanese Re-fight the War, And Win, in Pulp Fiction
- Rising Sun, Iron Cross - Military Germany in Japanese Popular Culture by Matthew Penney. See pages 181-183 (17-19) for review of the "Konpeki no kantai" series.