In Azur Lane’s video game and anime series, fans will discover multiple distinct characters, however, it is important to note that many characters do not appear in both.
Overview
Azur Lane is a popular simulation, side-scrolling and role-playing video game, which is set in an alternate timeline of World War II.
The game invites players to collect female moe anthropomorphic characters, based on warships, from the war’s major participants. Players can collect characters from the French Navy, United States Navy, Republic of China Navy and the Royal Navy.
Additionally, players can obtain ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Soviet Navy among others. They can also organise them into fleets of six and confront artificial intelligence (AI)-controlled enemies.
That being said, players can also participate in battle against other players. Other gameplay elements, such as customising in-game dormitories and characters, are also present.
When players first start to play the game, they can choose a starter ship. Personifications of the American destroyer USS Laffey, British destroyer HMS Javelin, German destroyer Z23 and Japanese destroyer Ayanami are available.
Battle
As mentioned above, players can participate in battle, either against computer-controlled ships or against other players.
When they prepare for the main gameplay mode, they can build two fleets consisting of a front and back row. It is important to note that there are three slots available in each row.
Destroyers, light cruisers and heavy cruisers can be placed in the front row. While the back row is reserved for aircraft carriers, repair ships, monitors and aircraft cruisers. Additionally, players can allocate battlecruisers and battleships to the back row.
Players should remember that different combinations of ships are required to achieve victory in different battle situations. After creating fleets, players can select and enter a map.
When entering a battle against computer-controlled bots, the player’s fleet is placed on a grid-like map similar to that in the game battleship.
The map contains a variety of nodes. Players can come across non-combat nodes, which provide ammunition, and combat nodes, which are enemy fleets.
It is important that players navigate optimally and assemble their fleets tactically to clear obstructing enemies. The goal is to reach the map’s boss.
It is also important to note that when players move their fleet across the map, they can be ambushed in random encounters, which forces them to use fuel and ammo.
Fuel is one of the two in-game resources, while ammo points are assigned to player fleets at each map, one ammo point will be deducted at each battle.
Additionally, players can participate in a player-versus-player (PvP) game mode. They can prepare a defence fleet and build an offence fleet to challenge opposing players’ defence fleets. Once players defeat an enemy, they can earn tokens.
Exclusive characters and items can be obtained by using the tokens. Players’ ranks will also rise if they defeat the enemy’s fleet. However, the ranking system is refreshed every 15 days.
It is important to remember that players will receive no penalty if they lose a challenge, or if their defence fleet is defeated by other players. Players should also note that certain ships or characters are stronger than others in battle
Anime
An anime television series adaption of Azur Lane was announced in 2018. The official description reveals that the seas were taken over by a mysterious enemy known only as sirens.
Humans created humanoid female embodiments of real-life warships in order to combat the enemies and take back ownership of the seas.
However, various human-like emotions were passed on to these warships, and a split occurred between the former allies. The warships separated into two groups: Azur Lane and the Red Axis. The two groups now fight each other. The Red Axis has joined the evil sirens in their fight, while Azur Lane still fights for the good of humanity.
Azur Lane characters
Top 50 characters in Azur Lane
It is important to note that there are a lot of distinct ships in the game and in the anime. Therefore, players should be aware that not all of the ships in the game or anime, appear in the other. This means that a ship can appear in the anime but does not feature in the game.
However, the following table indicates the top 50 ships:
| Rank number | Ship or character name | Rank number | Ship or character name | |
| 50 | USS Yorktown | 25 | USS Lexington | |
| 49 | USS Saratoga | 24 | IJN Akagi | |
| 48 | USS San Diego | 23 | IJN Zuikaku | |
| 47 | IJN Kaga | 22 | KMS Graf Zeppelin | |
| 46 | KMS Deutschland | 21 | HMS Queen Elizabeth | |
| 45 | KMS Admiral Gra Spee | 20 | KMS Tirpitz | |
| 44 | HMS Belfast | 19 | HMS Illustrious | |
| 43 | MNF Dunkerque | 18 | HMS Formidable | |
| 42 | HMS Prince of Wales | 17 | JN Mutsu | |
| 41 | IJN Atago | 16 | HMS Belfast | |
| 40 | JN Kongou | 15 | HMS King George V | |
| 39 | MNF Jean Bart | 14 | JN Nagato | |
| 38 | USS Massachusetts | 13 | HMS Warspite | |
| 37 | KMS Prince Euzen | 12 | IJN Mikasa | |
| 36 | KMS Admiral Hipper | 11 | Friedrich de Grobe | |
| 35 | HMS Glorious | 10 | KMS Bismarck | |
| 34 | HMS Hood | 9 | USS Enterprise | |
| 33 | RN Littorio | 8 | Shikikan | |
| 32 | KMS Gneissenau | 7 | Ember | |
| 31 | KMS Scharnhorst | 6 | Code G | |
| 30 | Duke of York | 5 | Tester Beta | |
| 29 | IJN Shoukaku | 4 | Purifier | |
| 28 | HMS Ark Royal | 3 | Observer Alpha | |
| 27 | IJN Amagi | 2 | Omitta | |
| 26 | USS Washington | 1 | Dreamweaver |
Bismarck
She is a battleship of Iron Blood and first appeared on episode 12. It is believed that Bismarck is a super rare ship to obtain. It can thus take players some time to add her to their fleet.
Enterprise
Players may have a difficult time obtaining her, as she is a super rare ship that forms part of the Eagle Union faction. Enterprise is classified as an Aircraft Carrier and her class is Yorktown.
Tester Beta
She is one of Siren’s battleship units. Tester Beta’s first appearance in the anime is in episode eight.
Observer Alpha
Similar to Tester Beta, Observer Alpha is one of Siren’s unit. She is also the main antagonist in the Azur Lane games and animations. Observer first appeared in episode four of the anime.
Queen Elizabeth
She is a battleship of the Royal Navy. Since Queen Elizabeth is an elite ship, players might have a difficult time obtaining her.
Belfast
She is a super rare ship that forms part of the Royal Navy. Belfast first appeared in episode two of the anime, however, she was only formally introduced in episode three.
San Diego
San Diego is a light cruiser of the Eagle Union. She first appeared in the first episode of the anime, but she was formally introduced in the second episode.
Other characters or ships
In addition to the above-mentioned ships or characters, players can also come across the following standard, collab, PR, meta and retrofitted ships:
| Standard ships | Collab ships | PR ships | Meta ships | Retrofitted ships |
| Universal Bulin | Marie Rose | Neptune | Ark Royal Meta | Cassin |
| Dewey | Honoka | Monarch | Hiryuu Meta | Downes |
| Downes | Kasumi | Ibuki | Helena Meta | Laffey |
| Charles Ausburne | Misaki | Izumo | Souryuu Meta | Sims |
| Omaha | Nagisa | Saint Louis | Fusou Meta | Hammann |
| Brooklyn | Nyotengu | Roon | Gneisenau Meta | Helena |
| Cleveland | Haruka Amami | Georgia | Portland | |
| Salt Lake City | Iori Minase | Friedrich der Grobe | San Diego | |
| West Virginia | Azusa Miura | Drake | Nevada | |
| North Carolina | Mami Futami | Odin | Oklahoma | |
| South Dakota | Black Heart | Chesire | Bogue | |
| Long Island | Vert | Mainz | Long Island | |
| Prince of Wales | Nekone | Champagne | Langley | |
| Ark Royal | Tokino Sora | Anchorage | Saratoga |
It is important to note that the above table is not complete. This means that the Azur Lane anime and game features a lot more playable characters and ships.
Conclusion
Azur Lane is a well-known side-scrolling simulation video game. However, an anime series based on the video game was later announced. The game takes place in an alternate timeline of World War II.
Players can obtain female moe anthropomorphic characters, based on warships from the war’s major participants. Players use their characters to build a fleet, which is made up of a front and back row.
The front row features heavy cruisers, destroyers and light cruisers, while the back row consists of aircraft carriers, repair ships, aircraft cruisers and monitors. However, players can also place battleships and battlecruisers in the back row.
It is important to note that the game and the anime features multiple, distinct characters. Players should also remember that some of the characters can be stronger than others in battle, while some can be more difficult to obtain than others.
Additionally, players should be aware that not all of the characters will feature in both the anime and video game. This means that they may discover a character in the video game that does not feature in the anime series.
