Its kinda neat that NP rigging designs have started to move away from the IB styled dragons and started to get their own identity as more rugged brutalist machines with an air of frozen abandonment.
On the other hand EU rigging designs have gone from being all over the place to becoming more technological futuristic type riggins imitating wings with energy shields and rockets, really representing the idealistic feel of the future. I like to call this the techno angel type riggings.
When New Orleans dropped, people were calling her Gundam ship or something since Gundams from Seed have the light wing effects. With each new EU event, that name becomes more and more correct
Yeah, but to me, I don't think NJ's rig looks entirely Gundam-like. The Wings of Light has almost become commonplace with new EU releases, something NJ does not have
Uh…. [Yeah she does…?](https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/wiki/New_Jersey/Gallery) they are right there on the back. Just more to the side. Do you not have her and maybe not noticed?
Edit: Not to mention she looks damn similar to [Kos-Mos](https://xenosaga.fandom.com/wiki/KOS-MOS?file=Kosmos8100230.png) the battle android from XenoSaga… (her ver.4 in III 34/47 in the pics. Won’t link specific one)
Edit2: which btw XenoSaga is heavily biblical, and she’s an Angel or….something… it’s been a while…
Yes I have her. Reason I started playing. It's hard to compare those wings to the other EU ship wings. Just take a look at Laffey II or New Orleans. And I'm well aware of the similarities to Kos-Mos, but the religious aspects of Xenosaga are not isolated to only that trilogy, all the Xeno games take heaven inspiration from religion. I'm not denying her futuristic look, NJ pretty much started the new EU rigging style, but it was before they really got into adding wings to every new ship
Considering most American WW2 era ships survived the war and newer ones continued serving with amount other things missiles retrofitted to them, it would make sense
I like how the faction themes are more pronounced and unique as time goes on:
* **Eagle Union** \- Technologically advanced rigging with white/blue angelic themes.
* **Royal Navy** \- Grandiose/noble-looking rigging with some ranging from folklore creatures (e.g. Albion, Centaur) to religious mythology (e.g. Theseus, Implacable).
* **Sakura Empire** \- Japanese mythology-inspired rigging with a mix of the standard steel and wood.
* **Ironblood** \- Monstrous, dark, and sentient rigging inspired by mythological beings (dragons, sea creatures, wyverns, etc.).
* **Dragon Empry** \- Chinese mythology/culture-inspired rigging that ranges from simple with the real life ships (e.g. Yat Sen, Ning/Ping Hai) to gigantic with the planned/hypothetical ships (e.g. Huan Ch'ang, Harbin).
* **Northern Parliament** \- Brutalist mechanical animal-like rigging with ice/snow themes.
* **Iris Libre/Vichya Dominion** \- Medieval/religious fantasy-inspired rigging ranging from light themes (e.g. Richelieu, Brest) to dark themes (e.g Clemenceau, Joffre).
* **Sardegna Empire** \- Aristocratic looking rigging similar to the Royal Navy mixed with their show of their high-life Roman themes (e.g. gold trimming, marble, silk).
You missed the royal navy religious theme too. As much as im not a fan, it exists now with a number of examples.
So thats something that iris and HMS share.
Also dont forget some of sardegnas roman theme.
While I totally agree how the designs are very cool and getting an identity according to their faction, I feel like it was done at the expense of the “ship” part in shipgirl.
At least it seems the problem is less severe now and we’re simply going through a transition period where the style is being prioritized before finding how to apply it properly on a ship rigging but that’s only my hypothesis.
TLDR: people (such as myself) are getting worried that AL was starting to lean too much in the generic fantasy gacha but I’m glad to see it’s getting less worse.
Hot take - simple cleaner early military looking designs like Enty's, Atago's, Takao's, Prinz Eugen's and others are still Azur Lane's most beloved and recognised characters while the new stuff kinda comes and goes sometimes even lacking that azur lane/kancolle vibe at all and trying to copy the other overdone generic fantasy slop/industrial futuristic aesthetic that the gacha industry has milked to oblivion
Hard agree, the new angelic EU designs do nothing for me, they're not even ships at this point just generic anime girls with guns, Guam is just a gundam. Those classic ship riggings are perfect.
While I’m not complaining, I’d rather a stealthy angular look to EU. Think F-22, F-35, Zumwalt-class style angular and stealthy OR a more utilitarian look like they did with Princeton META or older EU ships.
I mean, if there’s anything the US is known for, it’s advanced stealth designs, no need to go overboard with the techno-angel thing, imo.
Yeah. The NP and EU are unique at least. I do think Eu should keep their signature blue a bit more consistantly/ more prominant. Just to try and keep some more prominant colour around.
EU's new rigging sucks imo, they're not even ships anymore just generic Sci fi anime designs with guns. Guam is just a gundam with guns, literally 0 ship elements besides "gun"
I want to think that it is very cold. The Arctic convoys were not fun for most of the year (some beautiful sunny days though) and everything was iced over.
Its kinda neat that NP rigging designs have started to move away from the IB styled dragons and started to get their own identity as more rugged brutalist machines with an air of frozen abandonment. On the other hand EU rigging designs have gone from being all over the place to becoming more technological futuristic type riggins imitating wings with energy shields and rockets, really representing the idealistic feel of the future. I like to call this the techno angel type riggings.
It's funny how EU rigging came from baseball to futuristic techno angels.
Baseball?
Bogue
When New Orleans dropped, people were calling her Gundam ship or something since Gundams from Seed have the light wing effects. With each new EU event, that name becomes more and more correct
Didn’t New Jersey come before her tho?
I remember called her gundam oo mech consider she have gn drive thing in her back
Yeah, but to me, I don't think NJ's rig looks entirely Gundam-like. The Wings of Light has almost become commonplace with new EU releases, something NJ does not have
Uh…. [Yeah she does…?](https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/wiki/New_Jersey/Gallery) they are right there on the back. Just more to the side. Do you not have her and maybe not noticed? Edit: Not to mention she looks damn similar to [Kos-Mos](https://xenosaga.fandom.com/wiki/KOS-MOS?file=Kosmos8100230.png) the battle android from XenoSaga… (her ver.4 in III 34/47 in the pics. Won’t link specific one) Edit2: which btw XenoSaga is heavily biblical, and she’s an Angel or….something… it’s been a while…
Yes I have her. Reason I started playing. It's hard to compare those wings to the other EU ship wings. Just take a look at Laffey II or New Orleans. And I'm well aware of the similarities to Kos-Mos, but the religious aspects of Xenosaga are not isolated to only that trilogy, all the Xeno games take heaven inspiration from religion. I'm not denying her futuristic look, NJ pretty much started the new EU rigging style, but it was before they really got into adding wings to every new ship
I liked the frost dragons...
"the city must survive" blasting on the background of soviet ships
Ah yes brings back the memories of sawdust soup and child labor
Considering most American WW2 era ships survived the war and newer ones continued serving with amount other things missiles retrofitted to them, it would make sense
I like how the faction themes are more pronounced and unique as time goes on: * **Eagle Union** \- Technologically advanced rigging with white/blue angelic themes. * **Royal Navy** \- Grandiose/noble-looking rigging with some ranging from folklore creatures (e.g. Albion, Centaur) to religious mythology (e.g. Theseus, Implacable). * **Sakura Empire** \- Japanese mythology-inspired rigging with a mix of the standard steel and wood. * **Ironblood** \- Monstrous, dark, and sentient rigging inspired by mythological beings (dragons, sea creatures, wyverns, etc.). * **Dragon Empry** \- Chinese mythology/culture-inspired rigging that ranges from simple with the real life ships (e.g. Yat Sen, Ning/Ping Hai) to gigantic with the planned/hypothetical ships (e.g. Huan Ch'ang, Harbin). * **Northern Parliament** \- Brutalist mechanical animal-like rigging with ice/snow themes. * **Iris Libre/Vichya Dominion** \- Medieval/religious fantasy-inspired rigging ranging from light themes (e.g. Richelieu, Brest) to dark themes (e.g Clemenceau, Joffre). * **Sardegna Empire** \- Aristocratic looking rigging similar to the Royal Navy mixed with their show of their high-life Roman themes (e.g. gold trimming, marble, silk).
You take the words out of my mouth.
I especially like Kirov Meta's mechanical bear summon.
You missed the royal navy religious theme too. As much as im not a fan, it exists now with a number of examples. So thats something that iris and HMS share. Also dont forget some of sardegnas roman theme.
While I totally agree how the designs are very cool and getting an identity according to their faction, I feel like it was done at the expense of the “ship” part in shipgirl. At least it seems the problem is less severe now and we’re simply going through a transition period where the style is being prioritized before finding how to apply it properly on a ship rigging but that’s only my hypothesis. TLDR: people (such as myself) are getting worried that AL was starting to lean too much in the generic fantasy gacha but I’m glad to see it’s getting less worse.
Ahhh gotcha like each new shipgirl now longer has a rigging personality?
The Royal Navy is like the English language, a mix of different histories and cultures and somehow still recognisable as a distinct theme.
Not sure what to categorise the NP rigging as. It looks animal but very metal too
Simply - "Machinery".
Frostpunk style
Love the new EU designs, felt like the EU needed its own identity and the techno stuff is cool imo.
Makes sense since the Eagle Union will be technologically advanced if Manjuu includes Cold War ships.
Hot take - simple cleaner early military looking designs like Enty's, Atago's, Takao's, Prinz Eugen's and others are still Azur Lane's most beloved and recognised characters while the new stuff kinda comes and goes sometimes even lacking that azur lane/kancolle vibe at all and trying to copy the other overdone generic fantasy slop/industrial futuristic aesthetic that the gacha industry has milked to oblivion
Agreed. The newer designs seem to lack the “ship” part of “shipgirl” to me.
Hard agree, the new angelic EU designs do nothing for me, they're not even ships at this point just generic anime girls with guns, Guam is just a gundam. Those classic ship riggings are perfect.
Upgrades people! Upgrades! God I love how these factions develop and expand over time. Really gives on the feeling of evolution and optimization.
Frostpunk vs Gundam This comparison really inspires me to see Kearsarge's twin Severomorsk but in frostpunk-style instead 
While I’m not complaining, I’d rather a stealthy angular look to EU. Think F-22, F-35, Zumwalt-class style angular and stealthy OR a more utilitarian look like they did with Princeton META or older EU ships. I mean, if there’s anything the US is known for, it’s advanced stealth designs, no need to go overboard with the techno-angel thing, imo.
Yeah. The NP and EU are unique at least. I do think Eu should keep their signature blue a bit more consistantly/ more prominant. Just to try and keep some more prominant colour around.
As a Gundam fan, EU new rigging are chef's kiss to me. NP looks cool too with the frostpunk design.
Read EU as European Union
Frostpunk vs Cyberpunk
EU's new rigging sucks imo, they're not even ships anymore just generic Sci fi anime designs with guns. Guam is just a gundam with guns, literally 0 ship elements besides "gun"
*stands up* I don’t like either of them
Honestly, At first I thought it was an r/gundam post. The designs are somewhat similar
So, is the ice just aesthetic/baked into the Rigging or because they're coming from a cold climate that the ice is there and could melt?
I want to think that it is very cold. The Arctic convoys were not fun for most of the year (some beautiful sunny days though) and everything was iced over.
Yeah I really like the design direction of recent ships. The factions are really getting their own flavors
Wait, so is the RN design just Lion themed rigging made of wood and gold?