<s>
,	O
abbreviated	O
as	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
Japanese	O
free-to-play	O
web	B-Protocol
browser	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
developed	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
DMM.com	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
central	O
theme	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
representation	O
of	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
warships	B-Application
personified	O
as	O
teenage	O
girls	O
and	O
young	O
adult	O
women	O
with	O
personality	O
characteristics	O
reflecting	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
each	O
ship	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Android	B-Application
client	I-Application
of	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2016	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
anime	O
television	O
series	O
aired	O
its	O
first	O
season	O
from	O
January	O
to	O
March	O
2015	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
animated	O
film	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
2016	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
second	O
season	O
that	O
will	O
premiere	O
in	O
November	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
are	O
moe	O
anthropomorphisms	O
of	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
naval	O
warships	B-Application
which	O
are	O
depicted	O
as	O
cute	O
girls	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
personified	O
warships	B-Application
are	O
based	O
on	O
real-life	O
vessels	O
which	O
are	O
explained	O
in	O
detail	O
within	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
the	O
physical	O
characteristics	O
,	O
appearances	O
and	O
personalities	O
of	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
girls	O
correlate	O
in	O
some	O
way	O
to	O
the	O
real-life	O
vessel	O
(	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
ships	O
with	O
a	O
larger	O
displacement	O
tonnage	O
such	O
as	O
cruisers	O
,	O
battleships	O
and	O
aircraft	O
carriers	O
are	O
usually	O
depicted	O
as	O
young	O
women	O
,	O
while	O
smaller	O
ships	O
such	O
as	O
destroyers	O
and	O
coastal	O
defense	O
ships	O
look	O
and	O
behave	O
like	O
pubescent	O
girls	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
few	O
exceptions	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
vast	O
majority	O
of	O
these	O
fleet	O
girls	O
were	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
ships	O
of	O
Imperial	O
Japanese	O
Navy	O
along	O
with	O
few	O
that	O
were	O
based	O
on	O
other	O
navies	O
 '	O
warships	B-Application
instead	O
,	O
including	O
three	O
from	O
Imperial	O
Japanese	O
Army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
progresses	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
by	O
advancing	O
through	O
maps	O
,	O
gaining	O
experience	O
points	O
through	O
grinding	B-Application
,	O
obtaining	O
new	O
fleet	O
girls	O
whilst	O
repairing	O
and	O
resupplying	O
existing	O
ones	O
,	O
and	O
fulfilling	O
quests	O
to	O
obtain	O
resources	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ships	O
can	O
be	O
customised	O
through	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
various	O
equipment	O
within	O
their	O
empty	O
slots	O
,	O
which	O
add	O
attribute	O
bonuses	O
and	O
even	O
provide	O
special	O
effects	O
in	O
some	O
cases	O
;	O
such	O
equipment	O
include	O
naval	O
guns	O
,	O
anti-aircraft	O
guns	O
,	O
torpedoes	O
,	O
torpedo	O
bombers	O
,	O
dive	B-Application
bombers	I-Application
,	O
fighter	O
aircraft	O
,	O
seaplanes	O
,	O
recon	O
planes	O
,	O
radars	B-Application
,	O
steam	O
turbines	O
,	O
special	O
artillery	O
shells	O
,	O
depth	B-Device
charges	I-Device
,	O
sonars	B-Application
,	O
drum	O
canisters	O
,	O
searchlights	O
and	O
anti-torpedo	O
bulges	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
present	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
cannot	O
be	O
played	O
outside	O
Japan	O
without	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
a	O
VPN	B-Application
;	O
utilisation	O
of	O
such	O
methods	O
to	O
circumvent	O
country	O
IP	B-Protocol
restrictions	O
and	O
access	O
the	O
game	O
breach	O
the	O
DMM.com	O
online	B-Application
game	O
terms	O
of	O
use	O
,	O
however	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
fully	O
non-Axis	O
ship	O
,	O
the	O
American	O
USS	O
Iowa	O
(	O
BB-61	O
)	O
,	O
was	O
introduced	O
with	O
KanColle	B-Application
Kai	I-Application
on	O
February	O
18	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
later	O
becoming	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
browser	B-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
's	O
2016	O
Spring	O
event	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fumikane	O
Shimada	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
previously	O
the	O
lead	O
character	O
designer	O
for	O
Strike	O
Witches	O
and	O
Girls	B-Application
und	I-Application
Panzer	I-Application
,	O
created	O
the	O
designs	O
and	O
illustrations	O
for	O
Japanese	O
armored	O
aircraft	O
carrier	O
Taihō	O
and	O
the	O
five	O
German	O
vessels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
,	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
games	O
published	O
by	O
DMM.com	O
were	O
R-18	O
+	O
adult	O
online	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
attract	O
customers	O
from	O
a	O
wider	O
audience	O
,	O
DMM.com	O
experimented	O
with	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
in	O
partnership	O
with	O
Kadokawa	O
Games	O
;	O
by	O
November	O
2013	O
,	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
accounted	O
for	O
30-40	O
%	O
of	O
com	O
's	O
total	O
online	B-Application
game	O
business	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
other	O
online	B-Application
games	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
was	O
designed	O
with	O
the	O
intention	O
of	O
not	O
forcing	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
spend	O
money	O
or	O
participate	O
in	O
"	O
gacha	O
"	O
lotteries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kensuke	O
Tanaka	O
,	O
who	O
prior	O
to	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
was	O
involved	O
in	O
the	O
production	O
and	O
public	O
relations	O
for	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
X	O
,	O
XI	B-Protocol
and	O
XIII	B-Application
,	O
wished	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
which	O
involves	O
historical	O
elements	O
while	O
still	O
appealing	O
to	O
the	O
regular	O
fans	O
of	O
DMM.com,	O
namely	O
fans	O
of	O
anime	O
and	O
manga	O
culture	O
,	O
and	O
this	O
led	O
him	O
to	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
developing	O
a	O
game	O
centered	O
on	O
anthropomorphisms	O
of	O
warships	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
bi-monthly	O
online	B-Application
web	O
manga	O
by	O
Ryōta	O
Momoi	O
began	O
serialization	O
from	O
April	O
23	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
Famitsu	O
Comic	O
Clear	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Famitsu	O
website	O
also	O
hosts	O
a	O
webcomic	O
titled	O
by	O
Tadashi	O
Mizumoto	O
which	O
focuses	O
on	O
gameplay	O
aspects	O
of	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kadokawa	O
website	O
also	O
hosts	O
a	O
webcomic	O
titled	O
by	O
Sau	O
Nitō	O
and	O
illustrated	O
by	O
Sōta	O
Wakui	O
which	O
focuses	O
on	O
gameplay	O
aspects	O
of	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kadokawa	O
has	O
also	O
announced	O
a	O
manga	O
series	O
titled	O
,	O
created	O
by	O
Ōto	O
Taguchi	O
who	O
was	O
previously	O
responsible	O
for	O
the	O
Mobile	B-Application
Suit	I-Application
Gundam	I-Application
00	I-Application
manga	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
single-player	O
turn-based	O
strategy	O
game	O
titled	O
was	O
announced	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
during	O
Kadokawa	O
Games	O
 '	O
2013	O
Autumn	O
media	O
briefing	O
,	O
and	O
following	O
two	O
launch	O
delays	O
,	O
was	O
finally	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
18	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
second	O
title	O
independently	O
created	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
Game	O
Studio	O
,	O
after	O
Natural	B-Application
Doctrine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
KanColle	B-Application
Kai	I-Application
introduces	O
various	O
strategy	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
hexagonal	O
world	O
maps	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
resource	O
transfer	O
system	O
involving	O
the	O
escorting	O
of	O
supply	O
ships	O
over	O
each	O
game	O
turn	O
,	O
player-selected	O
difficulty	O
settings	O
,	O
enemy	O
counterattacks	O
against	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
bases	O
,	O
control	O
of	O
over	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
fleets	O
on	O
the	O
world	O
map	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
simultaneously	O
operate	O
two	O
separate	O
fleets	O
within	O
some	O
sortie	O
maps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Existing	O
functions	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
web	B-Protocol
browser	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
are	O
also	O
present	O
,	O
with	O
major	O
user	O
interface	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Menu	O
screens	O
feature	O
Live2D	B-Operating_System
character	O
animations	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
encounter	O
a	O
"	O
game	O
over	O
"	O
state	O
if	O
all	O
of	O
their	O
territories	O
are	O
destroyed	O
by	O
the	O
enemy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Vita	O
game	O
contained	O
the	O
original	O
debut	O
of	O
USS	O
Iowa	O
(	O
BB-61	O
)	O
as	O
a	O
playable	O
ship	O
,	O
prior	O
to	O
her	O
seasonal	O
event	O
implementation	O
within	O
the	O
browser	B-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2014	O
,	O
financial	O
analyst	O
Fukuda	O
Sōichirō	O
of	O
Citigroup	O
Global	O
Markets	O
Japan	O
made	O
the	O
prediction	O
in	O
a	O
stock	O
investor	O
report	O
that	O
the	O
PS	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
game	O
would	O
ship	O
500,000	O
copies	O
,	O
and	O
expects	O
that	O
a	O
profit	O
of	O
1	O
billion	O
yen	O
be	O
made	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
cites	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
charge	O
players	O
for	O
in-game	O
premium	O
items	O
on	O
the	O
PS	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
platform	O
as	O
an	O
upside	O
for	O
Kadokawa	O
Corporation	O
business-wise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
sold	O
140,757	O
physical	O
retail	O
copies	O
within	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
placing	O
first	O
within	O
the	O
Japanese	O
software	O
sales	O
rankings	O
for	O
that	O
particular	O
week	O
;	O
Dengeki	O
Online	B-Application
and	O
Famitsu	O
both	O
report	O
that	O
between	O
80-100	O
%	O
of	O
the	O
initial	O
retail	O
batch	O
stock	O
was	O
sold	O
out	O
within	O
the	O
first	O
week	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
charges	O
players	O
with	O
a	O
GP	O
system	O
akin	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Border	B-Application
Break	I-Application
,	O
where	O
money	O
is	O
converted	O
into	O
GP	O
at	O
a	O
specific	O
rate	O
,	O
with	O
these	O
points	O
consumed	O
for	O
each	O
second	O
of	O
play	O
or	O
converted	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
various	O
other	O
game	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
official	O
KanColle	B-Application
tabletop	O
RPG	O
has	O
been	O
developed	O
;	O
the	O
introductory	O
rulebook	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
and	O
Fujimi	O
Shobo	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
on	O
18	O
March	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
does	O
not	O
strictly	O
define	O
anything	O
relating	O
to	O
its	O
setting	O
,	O
allowing	O
for	O
a	O
greater	O
diversity	O
of	O
secondary	O
literary	O
adaptation	O
works	O
which	O
cater	O
to	O
different	O
audiences	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
artistic	O
freedom	O
among	O
secondary	O
works	O
which	O
can	O
approach	O
the	O
setting	O
of	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
differently	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
instance	O
,	O
some	O
manga	O
anthology	O
depictions	O
show	O
the	O
ship	O
girls	O
as	O
ship-sized	O
giants	B-Application
,	O
while	O
other	O
serialized	O
manga	O
show	O
them	O
as	O
human-sized	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
television	O
animation	O
explains	O
the	O
ship	O
girls	O
as	O
humans	O
born	O
with	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
possess	O
the	O
spirits	O
of	O
World	O
War	O
II	O
warships	B-Application
,	O
while	O
within	O
the	O
Bonds	O
of	O
the	O
Wings	O
of	O
Cranes	O
light	O
novel	O
,	O
the	O
girls	O
refer	O
to	O
themselves	O
as	O
actual	O
warships	B-Application
,	O
and	O
that	O
their	O
origin	O
is	O
unknown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hundreds	O
of	O
warships	B-Application
were	O
destroyed	O
by	O
abyssal	O
forces	O
which	O
spontaneously	O
emerge	O
from	O
anywhere	O
under	O
the	O
sea	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
ship	O
girls	O
are	O
employed	O
to	O
counter	O
the	O
threat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merchandise	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
have	O
been	O
launched	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
online	B-Application
game	O
,	O
proliferation	O
of	O
derivative	O
works	O
,	O
and	O
strong	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
expansion	O
for	O
a	O
trading	O
card	O
game	O
Weiß	O
Schwarz	O
based	O
on	O
Kancolle	B-Application
theme	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
28	O
,	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
reportedly	O
sold	O
1.7	O
million	O
packets	O
within	O
its	O
first	O
shipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2013	O
,	O
a	O
collaborative	O
project	O
between	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
and	O
the	O
Arpeggio	O
of	O
Blue	O
Steel	O
anime	O
was	O
announced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Illustrators	O
for	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
are	O
responsible	O
for	O
drawing	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
anime	O
end	O
cards	O
for	O
Arpeggio	O
of	O
Blue	O
Steel	O
,	O
which	O
feature	O
crossovers	O
with	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Arpeggio	O
of	O
Blue	O
Steel	O
in-game	O
special	O
event	O
for	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
also	O
took	O
place	O
from	O
December	O
24	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
to	O
January	O
8	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
commonly	O
cited	O
explanation	O
behind	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
that	O
players	O
are	O
n't	O
forced	O
to	O
spend	O
money	O
to	O
play	O
,	O
unlike	O
other	O
popular	O
Japanese	O
online	B-Application
games	O
;	O
the	O
free-to-play	O
nature	O
of	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
makes	O
in-game	O
purchases	O
optional	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
a	O
necessity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
estimated	O
that	O
on	O
average	O
,	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
players	O
spend	O
less	O
money	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
popular	O
Japanese	O
games	O
Puzzle	B-Application
&	I-Application
Dragons	I-Application
,	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
Cinderella	I-Application
Girls	I-Application
and	O
Love	O
Live	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
Interest	O
in	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
has	O
significantly	O
risen	O
over	O
the	O
months	O
following	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
point	O
where	O
it	O
has	O
often	O
been	O
compared	O
with	O
the	O
fandom	O
of	O
Touhou	B-Application
Project	I-Application
as	O
an	O
emerging	O
viral	O
fandom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
has	O
been	O
a	O
large	O
increase	O
in	O
online	B-Application
activity	O
and	O
fan-created	O
material	O
relating	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
fan-made	O
artworks	O
,	O
doujinshi	O
and	O
other	O
derivative	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
of	O
April	O
2015	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
over	O
345,000	O
different	O
artworks	O
on	O
Pixiv	B-Application
tagged	O
with	O
"	O
KanColle	B-Application
"	O
created	O
by	O
67,000	O
individual	O
artists	O
,	O
and	O
KanColle-related	O
videos	O
on	O
Niconico	O
were	O
watched	O
460	O
million	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
Comiket	O
85	O
,	O
there	O
were	O
1,136	O
dōjin	O
circles	O
producing	O
works	O
for	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
,	O
placing	O
third	O
behind	O
Touhou	B-Application
Project	I-Application
(	O
2,272	O
circles	O
)	O
and	O
Kuroko	O
's	O
Basketball	O
(	O
1,462	O
circles	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
ahead	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
and	O
Vocaloid	B-Application
;	O
this	O
is	O
a	O
significant	O
increase	O
over	O
the	O
previous	O
Comiket	O
84	O
event	O
,	O
which	O
only	O
had	O
just	O
over	O
100	O
circles	O
with	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
works	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dōjin	O
material	O
relating	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
have	O
also	O
gained	O
traction	O
overseas	O
;	O
KanColle-exclusive	O
dōjin	O
events	O
have	O
been	O
held	O
in	O
Shanghai	B-Device
on	O
22	O
February	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
Taipei	B-Application
on	O
29	O
March	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
12	O
December	O
2013	O
,	O
Twitter	B-Application
officially	O
released	O
the	O
top	O
hashtags	O
of	O
2013	O
;	O
#艦これ	O
was	O
the	O
most	O
used	O
hashtag	O
among	O
Japanese	O
Twitter	B-Application
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
30	O
December	O
2013	O
,	O
GameSpark	O
named	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
as	O
the	O
online	B-Application
game	O
category	O
title	O
for	O
its	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
awards	O
of	O
2013	O
,	O
ahead	O
of	O
runners-up	O
League	B-Application
of	I-Application
Legends	I-Application
,	O
World	B-Application
of	I-Application
Tanks	I-Application
and	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
A	I-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
survey	O
of	O
151	O
different	O
prominent	O
Japanese	O
game	O
developers	O
conducted	O
by	O
4gamer	O
asked	O
what	O
each	O
developer	O
considered	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
best	O
game	O
of	O
2013	O
;	O
nine	O
of	O
these	O
developers	O
selected	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
these	O
developers	O
,	O
Naoki	O
Yoshida	O
of	O
Square	O
Enix	O
,	O
who	O
produced	O
and	O
directed	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XIV	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
A	I-Protocol
Realm	I-Protocol
Reborn	I-Protocol
,	O
stated	O
that	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
is	O
Japan	O
's	O
answer	O
to	O
World	B-Application
of	I-Application
Tanks	I-Application
,	O
and	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
impressed	O
by	O
the	O
business	O
model	O
;	O
meanwhile	O
,	O
Hatsune	B-Application
Miku	I-Application
:	I-Application
Project	I-Application
DIVA	I-Application
director	O
Seiji	O
Hayashi	O
of	O
Sega	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
innovative	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
was	O
named	O
"	O
Rookie	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
during	O
the	O
WebMoney	O
2013	O
Awards	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
entrant	O
to	O
the	O
games	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Speaking	O
at	O
a	O
symposium	O
held	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
ASCII	O
Research	O
Institute	O
on	O
27	O
September	O
2013	O
,	O
the	O
chairman	O
of	O
the	O
board	O
of	O
directors	O
of	O
Kadokawa	O
Group	O
Holdings	O
,	O
Tsuguhiko	O
Kadokawa	O
,	O
stated	O
that	O
despite	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
popularity	O
,	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
is	O
nearly	O
unprofitable	O
for	O
the	O
company	O
,	O
in	O
part	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
being	O
funded	O
by	O
various	O
company	O
partnerships	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
profit-sharing	O
agreement	O
made	O
between	O
Kadokawa	O
Group	O
and	O
DMM	O
Group	O
,	O
given	O
that	O
none	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
fees	O
were	O
paid	O
for	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Toshihiko	O
Tsukiji	O
's	O
light	O
novel	O
Kantai	B-Application
Collection	I-Application
:	O
Kagerō	O
,	O
Setting	O
Sail	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
KanColle	B-Application
White	O
Paper	O
official	O
book	O
published	O
by	O
Kadokawa	O
placed	O
third	O
overall	O
within	O
the	O
Oricon	O
book	O
charts	O
during	O
its	O
debut	O
week	O
in	O
October	O
2013	O
,	O
selling	O
46,039	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2015	O
,	O
allegations	O
arose	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
Beijing	O
Longzhu	O
Digital	O
Technology	O
(	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
runs	O
an	O
unofficial	O
pirated	O
KanColle	B-Application
server	O
in	O
Mainland	O
China	O
,	O
spent	O
(	O
)	O
in	O
purchasing	O
various	O
Chinese-language	O
KanColle	B-Application
internet	O
forums	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
KanColle	B-Application
subforum	O
on	O
Baidu	B-Language
Tieba	I-Language
;	O
online	B-Application
discussion	O
boards	O
intended	O
for	O
discussing	O
the	O
original	O
Japanese	O
game	O
were	O
closed	O
down	O
or	O
placed	O
under	O
new	O
management	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
forums	O
of	O
the	O
pirated	O
bootleg	O
Chinese	O
KanColle	B-Application
remained	O
online	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
led	O
to	O
widespread	O
unrest	O
amongst	O
Chinese	O
players	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
large-scale	O
internet	O
raids	O
on	O
forums	O
and	O
social	O
media	O
,	O
distributed	O
denial-of-service	O
attacks	O
,	O
and	O
website	O
defacing	O
via	O
SQL	B-Language
injection	I-Language
by	O
hackers	O
against	O
those	O
running	O
the	O
bootleg	O
server	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
article	O
published	O
by	O
China	O
Central	O
Television	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
incident	O
as	O
the	O
largest	O
online	B-Application
mass	O
boycott	O
and	O
protest	O
against	O
intellectual	O
property	O
infringement	O
in	O
China	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
wake-up	O
call	O
for	O
the	O
Chinese	O
gaming	O
industry	O
as	O
a	O
whole	O
to	O
strive	O
for	O
integrity	O
and	O
refrain	O
from	O
creating	O
copycat	O
works	O
.	O
</s>
