秋月 "Autumn Moon"

The personification of the Japanese destroyer [i]Akizuki[/i] in [[Kantai Collection]], lead/name ship of her class. 
Character design by [[Shizuma Yoshinori]], voiced by [[Ozawa Ari]].

h4. Appearance
[tn]See post #3228244.[/tn]

Akizuki appears somewhat older than most of the other destroyers, having a significantly larger displacement compared to the earlier models. Her [[serafuku]] includes an armored "[[corset]]" and neck-guard "designed to evoke the image of the ship's bow,":/posts/1852275 but is otherwise white-and-gray with a yellow [[neckerchief]]. She has mid-length [[black hair]] in a [[ponytail]] with a slight [[ahoge]] sticking up from her [[hachimaki]] (which has "61st Destroyer Division" written on it), and [[blue eyes]].  

Her [[machinery|combat gear]] includes a large torpedo launcher strapped to her back with a small "bridge" [[hair ornament]] on her head used to tie her hair into the ponytail, and a split bow (similar to how [[Nagato (kancolle)|Nagato]] carries her turrets) with two Rensouhou-like familiars, [[Chou-10cm-hou-chan]]. She also carries four spare 10cm barrels in a [[thigh strap]] holster on her right leg, referencing the 10cm Type 98 gun's short barrel life requiring frequent barrel replacement.

h4. Personality
Akizuki's hourly lines reflect how, owing to being a later-war destroyer, her crew typically had to suffer through having a shortage of rations, where meat was rarely served.  As a result, there are often jokes of her being in awe of being served even "ordinary food,":/posts/1945272 and having her "mind blown by something luxurious.":/posts/2054386 (pool #10990)

She has been nicknamed "ducky" due to alternate Kunrei-shiki (official) Japanese romanization rendering her name as [i]Akiduki[/i] instead of the Hepburn form (which Danbooru currently uses). Together, Akizuki and her sisters [[Teruzuki (kancolle)|Teruzuki]] and [[Hatsuzuki (kancolle)|Hatsuzuki]] are sometimes referred to as "the duckies".

h4. History
When she was launched in 1941 and commissioned in 1942, she was 15 years younger than the [i][[Fubuki (kancolle)|Fubuki]]-class[/i] that defined IJN destroyers that came after her, and had many improvements over earlier models. By a significant margin she was larger than all previous destroyers, not only in Japan but worldwide, and was the first destroyer with a primary anti-aircraft role. She was considered a well-designed ship, although one that unfortunately came too late to make much difference in the war by that time.
She saw action in Guadalcanal and the battle of the Philippine Sea before she was sunk in the battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944.

h4. Akizuki-class Destroyers
* [b][u]Original Batch[/u][/b]
** [b]Akizuki (Kancolle)[/b] (秋月)
** [[Teruzuki (Kancolle)]] (照月)
** [[Suzutsuki (Kancolle)]] (涼月)
** [[Hatsuzuki (Kancolle)]] (初月)
* [b][u]Fuyutsuki Subclass[/u][/b]
** [[Fuyutsuki (Kancolle)]]  (冬月)

h4.See Also:
* pool #10990 - Feeding the Ducks - depictions of Akizuki-class destroyers enjoying lavish meals
* [[Akizuki (JMSDF)]] (DD-115)
* [[Akizuki (destroyer)]]
* [i][[Azur Lane]][/i] versions of [i]Akizuki[/i]-class and subclasses:
** [b][u]Original Batch[/u][/b]
*** [[Suzutsuki (Azur Lane)]]
*** [[Niizuki (Azur Lane)]] (新月)
*** [[Wakatsuki (Azur Lane)]] (若月)
** [b][u]Fuyutsuki Subclass[/u][/b]
*** [[Harutsuki (Azur Lane)]] (春月)
*** [[Yoizuki (Azur Lane)]] (宵月)
** [b][u]Michitsuki Subclass[/u][/b]
*** [[Hanazuki (Azur Lane)]] (花月)

h4. External links
* "Wikipedia: IJN [i]Akizuki[/i]":[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_destroyer_Akizuki_(1941)]
秋月 秋月(艦隊これくしょん) 秋月(艦これ)