曙 ("Daybreak")

The personification of the Japanese destroyer [i]Akebono[/i] in [i][[Kantai Collection]][/i]. 
Character design by [[Drew (drew213g)|]], voiced by [[Hayasaka Kozue]]. 

h4. Appearance
Akebono has [[purple eyes]] and [[very long hair|very long]] [[purple hair]] in a [[side ponytail]]. She wears a [[hair flower]] and [[hair bell|hair]] [[jingle bell|bell]] at the place where it is tied. She wear a [[serafuku]], consisting of a [[short_sleeves|short-sleeved]] shirt and [[blue_skirt|blue]] [[pleated_skirt]]. She also typically wears [[black socks|black]] [[kneehighs]] and [[loafers]] outside of her combat gear.

Her [[machinery|combat gear]] includes a backpack-like smokestack and tripod mast, with a boxy, twin-[[cannon]] [[turret]] held with both hands, and carried over a shoulder strap.  Her shoes are armored, and she wears dual torpedo turrets on her thighs, like many in the [i]Fubuki-class[/i].

She gained a new kai remodel CG for Christmas 2016, taking full advantage of [[drew_(drew213g)|drew]]'s refinement of his art style. She's the least changed of the 7th Destroyer Division, with the only significant changes being her new [[black thighhighs]] and her new long 10cm twin turret (with a bunny sticker on it).

She obtained her [[Akebono Kai Ni (Kancolle)|second remodel]] on the Hinamatsuri 2021 update (March 1, 2021). See the page for more details.

h4. Personality
Her most salient trait is her tendency to refer to the admiral/player as a "[[shitty_admiral_(phrase)|Shitty Admiral]]," and is seemingly always angry about something.  In some fanworks, calling the admiral "shitty" is so ingrained in her, she even calls the admiral "shitty admiral" when "she's in love,":/posts/1788730 like other girls might say "darling". She's typically portrayed as a [[tsundere]] with almost no dere, at least "not verbally,":/posts/1953700 or a "bitter-tongued tsukkomi.":/posts/2149155 Oftentimes, she's seen playing a big sister role to Ushio, who is often portrayed as the most childish and clumsy of the 7th Des Div.

Along with the rest of the 7th DesDiv, Akebono has been one of the most frequent targets of limited-time special event artwork. She has a special portrait for New Years, giving her a basic [[Wa Maid]] uniform consisting of a [[short kimono]] with a [[floral print]], [[tasuki]], a small [[apron]] as well as a [[broom]] and a [[dustpan]]. This one was updated for 2016 with the addition of another broom and Oboro's crab. She also has Valentine's Day art, wearing a [[cardigan]] over her normal outfit and handing the viewer a [[heart-shaped box]] while [[blush|blushing]]. During Summer 2015, she wore a [[pink bikini]] under her skirt and a magenta [[wrist scrunchie]]. This one is updated with a platter of [[yakitori]] for 2016.  Autumn 2015 brought out a fishing outfit for the saury-fishing event.  She wears a fishing [[vest]], [[rubber boots]] and [[pantyhose]], carries a [[fishing rod]] and a [[book]] on fishing. For Rainy Season 2016, she is holding an umbrella while carrying an extra with her. For Autumn 2016, for a promotion with [[Nakau]], she wears a [[yukata]] with a [[leaf_print|leaf pattern]] along with a serving of Nakau's [[udon]].

h4. History
h5. Or "why is Akebono the [[tsundere]] she is (in)famously known for?"

In real life, [i]Akebono[/i] was part of the 7th Destroyer Division, along with her sister-ships [[Oboro (kancolle)|]], [[Sazanami (kancolle)|]] and [[Ushio (kancolle)|]].

Like [[Kasumi (kancolle)|]], her sharp tongue is based upon her historical namesake being the victim of unfair treatment by the real-life admiral in charge.  The captain of Akebono was unjustly scapegoated by the admiral for letting Shoukaku become damaged during the Battle of Coral Sea, even though there was little a destroyer could do about multiple waves of aircraft. She was reassigned to the rear after that, and never again had a prestigious post. Furthermore, on her next escort mission [i][[Albacore (Azur Lane)|USS Albacore]][/i] sank her sister-ship Sazanami. When Akebono went searching for USS Albacore, it delayed her so much the transports she was escorting were also destroyed.

In the battle of Leyte Gulf/Surigao Strait, she was assigned to protect Mogami after a collision with Nachi caused by the admiral's hasty retreat. Mogami was then sunk by air attacks which Akebono was powerless to stop. Akebono was afterward tasked with protecting Nachi from further air attacks in Manila, which resulted in Nachi being destroyed by aircraft and Akebono being severely damaged. Akebono was towed to dock by Ushio, but further air raids destroyed Akebono in Manila Bay alongside [[Akishimo (Kancolle)|]]. Ultimately, Ushio was not only a survivor of the war, but her better war record got her improved anti-air defenses to protect against air raids, while Akebono languished.

h4. [i]Ayanami[/i]-class destroyers
* [[Ayanami (Kancolle)|]]
* [[Shikinami (Kancolle)|]]
* [[Amagiri (Kancolle)|]]
* [[Sagiri (Kancolle)|]]
* [[Oboro (Kancolle)|]]
* [b]Akebono[/b]
* [[Sazanami (Kancolle)|]]
* [[Ushio (Kancolle)|]]

h4. See also
* "Wikipedia: IJN [i]Akebono[/i]":[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_destroyer_Akebono_(1930)]
曙 曙(艦隊これくしょん) 曙(艦これ)