Heartwarming / Azur Lane

Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.

Here, U-556 fulfilled her promise... at last.

Moments related to the game

• Developing affection towards ships and eventually making a promise to them (the game's equivalent of marrying them) is heartwarming with all ships, but particularly so for ships like Arizona and Yorktown who are at the point of despair when you first meet them, as the Commander is able to bring peace into their lives after all the suffering they've gone through.
  Yorktown: When I fell into darkness, you stretched out your saving hand and brought me back to the light. That is why this time… I will dedicate to you the freedom and peace that the name Yorktown represents…
  • Another special mention goes to Gascogne, the prototype battleship that was never built (and is thus in season 2 of the Research mechanic). She begins as a completely emotionless Robot Girl (since she has absolutely no basis for her existence other than combat and has no life experience), and all throughout her affection levels, the Commander slowly helps her understand her emotions and experiences, helping her be less robotic. When you finally oath her, even her vocal tone is different, because she finally understands her feelings and how to express them, and has something she wants to say to you that will probably melt even the stoniest heart:
    Gascogne: I finally understand this feeling called 'love' - it's the flutter of your heart when you and another give and receive of each other with no expectation of reward, and share your desires, your passions... your light. This ring is the greatest treasure Gascogne could ever hope to receive. Maître... I love you, so very much!^note And yes, she specifically says "愛しています", "ai shi-te imasu", rather than the less powerful "daisuki".
  • As you develop Juneau's affection, she realizes that the ghosts of the Sullivan brothers that haunt her dreams only wish for her happiness.
    Juneau: Now when I dream about those five brothers... I can see their faces clearly, and they bless me with their smiles... But somehow it was so sad it almost made me cry... *Tearful sobbing*... Can I really live happily together with you, Commander? It's not just a dream, right...?
• Akagi's quest is worth mentioning. Early on, she acted like her usual self by being a girl obsessed with her commander (the player) and would like very much to keep others away from interfering. However, towards the end of her story, she had a huge realization about how much her Commander reciprocated her feeling and cared about her, finally led her to accept it is fine that as long as the Commander held her dearly in his heart.
• Helena is usually a demure and silent girl, due to her terrible past, but it is nice to see her become much more cheerful in her new skins, becoming able to overcome her traumatic past.
• Swearing an oath with your favorite shipgirl is always a moment of heartwarming and happiness.
  • Mainz, in her oath scene, will shed tears. Alas, a cry of happiness, and tears of joy.
• The story behind Saratoga's Kizuna AI based "Virtual Idol" skin is that Ai made it for her.
• The collab event with SSSS.DYNɅZENON gives Mujina a happier conclusion to her character arc compared to her source material. Her Pledge line has her admit that back in her home world she had no idea what she'd do if kaijus disappeared.^{SSSS.DYNAZENON spoilers}This is a reference to her Redemption Rejection in the final episode of the anime, which leads to her death. Her scene with Chise and the Sengoku Shredders (Urakaze and Isokaze) shows her taking an interest in playing a musical instrument, even playing music with them for hours on end. One of her post-Oath secretary lines is her noticing the Commander's overworked state and offering a hand since she had nothing better to do at the moment, a far cry from her slothful Straw Nihilist self in the anime.
• Rondo At Rainbow's End:
  • Friedrich der Grosse resurrecting a whole group of sunken Ironblood vessels, including Emden, Thüringen, Lutzow and Seydlitz, giving them a new life and welcoming them back into the fold in no time at all.
  • The standoff between the Azur Lane, Ironblood and Sakura Empire fleets is broken up by a radio transmission from none other than Bismarck, who orders that the Crimson Axis is being dissolved and the Ironblood will be re-joining Azur Lane effective immediately, with the two groups immediately joining forces to take on Compiler.
  • Compiler attempts to break the combined fleets' will by showing them their would-be fates had the Sirens not intervened (IE: their IRL counterparts' fates of being destroyed in battle, used in Nuclear testing and so on). It only works for a moment before the shipgirls shrug it all off, re-affirming that they'll all keep on fighting for each other and humanity's sake.
• The Parallel Superimposition event has a few:
  • In terms of reintroducing ships and giving them a second life (Yorktown II, Hornet II, Northampton II, Hammann II, Langley II) that were sunk but didn't really have much significance in game lore or skins (barring Yorktown and Hornet). Additionally, Laffey II is shown and Lexington is strongly implied to come back through this as well.
  • The simulant Yorktown II and the Commander quickly develop a friendly rapport throughout the event, to the point Yorktown II buys a gift for him and, as the world finally collapses around them thanks to The Tower Arbiter, Yorktown II stays behind to ensure the Commander escapes the Reality Lens simulation safely, even though she'll be erased by The Tower. Even better, this relationship and associated memories carries over to the rebuilt Yorktown II in the real world thanks to a Doppelmerger, meaning she's now much happier and more idealistic than her depressed original self.
  • When the two finally meet face-to-face, Yorktown META apologises to Yorktown II for asking for her Heroic Sacrifice, while Yorktown II goes into it gladly and asks only that Yorktown META give the Commander the gift she got for him, which Yorktown META agrees to do.
• The Fool's Scales has the Iris Libre and Vichya Dominion finally reuniting as the reformed Iris Orthodoxy, with Richelieu personally pardoning and welcoming the latter back into the fold. When she's crowned as the new pontiff of the Orthodoxy, Jean Bart is right there holding her cape for her, genuinely happy to be able to fight at her sister's side again instead of against one another.
• For the Senran Kagura collab event, players who played through Asuka's, Yumi's, and Murasaki's true endings in Reflexions (which involved them tearfully leaving the player and reluctantly returning to their shinobi world) got to reunite with them in a world where they can properly relax this time.

Moments related to the anime

• The shot in the opening with Laffey, Javelin and Ayanami at the shore in the opening. What makes this really heartwarming is that the shells are surrounded by a heart. Can feel like a Tear Jerker at the moment, as Laffey/Javelin and Ayanami spend the first 8 episodes as enemies, but do begin to connect after the former two save the latter's life and she accepts their friendship.
• It's really sweet how Laffey, Javelin and Unicorn become fast friends. They end up trying to find Unicorn's U-Chan and they all tend to get along with each other. It's just sad that Ayanami can't really befriend them due to being sided with the Sakura Empire.
  • Unicorn defending her team from Akagi and Kaga by telling her not to bully her friends.
  • And later the girls helping Unicorn get over her D-Cup Distress. Later in the same episode, it is shown that they are roommates.
• The fact all of the Eagle Union and Royal Navy forces tend to get really along with each other, as opposed to just being military allies. We get moments such as Cleveland and the Prince of Wales socializing with each other and even a small background moment of Juno and Juneau chatting with each other.
• Laffey saying bye to Ayanami after Prinz Eugen retreats. Even though they're from opposing nations, Laffey still feels like she could still be a friend, despite being on opposite sides.
• Seeing certain ships alive in the anime instead of dead can definitely qualify as this and make it less Darker and Edgier than the game it's based on. So far, the only worst casualty is Yorktown, who is heavily implied to have lost her legs following a battle.
• Prince of Wales and Illustrious showing concern about Enterprise to the point where they address is to Queen Elizabeth is definitely something worth mentioning, as she initially writes it off as an issue that Eagle Union should deal with themselves, but allows Belfast to keep an eye on Enterprise.
  • This evolves into one of the main treads of the series, as Belfast works to teach Enterprise to embrace her humanity.
• Even though it was blocked off, Saratoga transforming and saving San Diego from a shark is definitely this, as it shows she's quite a hero in her own way (although not really appearing much in the anime as of Episode 8). She's also shown to get quite along with Cygnet, Laffey, and Javelin.
• Unicorn thanking Enterprise, fanservice aside. It's really sweet for her to express her gratitude for the Eagle Union carrier ship saving her life when she could have been dead from the first episode.
• Ayanami is really treated as a big sister by a couple of Destroyers, and they all admire her.
• In the fourth episode, Akashi is the first to rejoin Azur Lane, due to He Knows Too Much.
  • Also Sheffield, one of the most serious ships in the Royal Navy, exposed her identity in her espionage job without a second thought to save a single girl.
  • And once they return to Azur Lane territory, Akashi is immediately embraced by the girls of Azur Lane, even setting up a successful shop.
• After the conflict between Laffey/Javelin and Ayanami, the eighth episode shows Ayanami intercepting a plane sent by Ash that was meant to hit (and possibly kill) Zuikaku and Shoukaku. Ayanami almost falls down to a void (since the area is full of Siren activity) and Javelin and Laffey rush to save her desperately. Ayanami herself thanks them for saving her. (Javelin and Laffey get punished for it the following episode, but it's more of a slap on the wrist than anything because said punishment is to watch Ayanami ...)
  • This continues into Episode 9, which revolves around Javelin & Laffey trying to help Ayanami feel at home at the Azur Lane base. While she is officially still a Prisoner Of War, everyone knows what's really going on. She begins to realize that the two sides are not so different after all. The episode ends with a nice Call-Back to how the three and Unicorn first met, only this time she accepts their friendship. Kudos too to Ark Royal, who watches everything from a distance (and keeps it professional until the very end) just to be sure she's settling in okay.
  • The reaction of Ayanami's fellow destroyers back in Sakura Empire is somewhat both comedy and tearjerker. Yukikaze cried like a child that gets seperated from her friend, Yuudachi worried about Ayanami's well-being and how she is treated as POW, and Shigure tried to calm the situation with no avail (Zuikaku crying about her powerlessness didn't help).
• Episode 9 has a minor one - when Javelin, Ayanami, Laffey, and Unicorn play around - we get a shot of Laffey juggling with Bailey and Benson - keep in mind, those are her sisters. Her relationship with her sisters isn't as highlighted as much compared to others (for instance, Cleveland's sisters minus Birmingham are almost always together, Enterprise is really close to both of her sisters, the Beavers/Fletcher sisters are almost always together - and that's just a small fraction of them). It's nice to see her playing like that.
• Episode 10 has Sakura Empire finally realizing the folly of continuing war against Azur Lane and decides to open negotiations with them in hopes to get Ayanami and Akashi back.
  • The same episode also has Zuikaku undergoing a massive change for the better. After being so inspired by Javelin and Laffey's heroism, she decides to be more open for peace. Even Fiery Red Head can have a soft spot.
• The ending credit sequence updated to add Ayanami and Z23 and they're eating right next to Laffey and Javelin. Very much Heartwarming in Hindsight.
  • The one after Episode 7 adds San Diego, Takao, and Shoukaku, completing Saratoga (idol buddies), Atago and Zuikaku (sisters) respectively.
• Episode 12
  • Zuikaku jumps in and protects Ayanami from Kaga's attacks. And let's just say that she is not happy what her senior tried to do.
  • When Enterprise returns, everyone rejoices in seeing her.
    • Hornet cries in happiness after believing that her sister died.
  • Azur Lane and Crimson Axis finally putting aside their differences and fight the Sirens together like they did in the past. Most prominent with Enterprise and Zuikaku with the latter asking for help and Enterprise easily obliges.
  • Akagi being snapped out of Siren control by a memory of Amagi, the real one, bringing peace between her and Kaga.
  • With the new alliance formed against the the Sirens, the two forces come to share a single base.
    • Hornet and Hammond bring a meal to Yorktown, only to find the bed empty. They find her outside in the sunlight, standing on her own two feet.
    • A number of scenes showing members of Azur Lane and the Red Axis together, enjoying each other’s company.
    • Enterprise, now leader of the alliance, talking to her alternate self. When Ash points out that war never changes, Enterprise agrees, and proposes that it is they that should change instead.
    • Z23 being welcomed with open arms by the Starter Squad (plus Unicorn), completing them.