Continuing with our aircraft carrier theme, this week’s topic is the Japanese aircraft carrier Souryuu (or Sōryū as it’s generally spelled outside of Azur Lane.) The name means “Blue Dragon”, and she was the first purpose-built fleet carrier for the Japanese Navy. Commissioned in 1937, she would be the lead ship in the Second Carrier Division (SecCarDiv) and would participate in operations against China, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and operations in the Indian Ocean before ultimately being sunk at the Battle of Midway on June 4th 1942.
In Azur Lane, Souryuu and her sister Hiryuu (Hiryū) are depicted as bunny girls with very tall rabbit ears. Souryuu is a studious, diligent tactician, and a master of hanafuda card games. Second Carrier Division also has a long running battle for superiority (some might call it an inferiority complex) with First Carrier Division.
Interestingly enough, there is once again a Souryuu sailing the oceans. In 2009, SS-501, the first in a new class of ultra quiet diesel-electric submarines, was commissioned as the new Sōryū.
Apparently Souryuu isn’t a favorite cosplay subject, so it’s just art this time around. Maybe next week will be different.
