How can we describe the uniqueness of the player culture in *Azur Lane*?

Last Saturday (the 8th), the first concert celebrating the third anniversary of the Chinese server of *Blue Archive* took place. Held at a well-known live house in Shanghai, the intense atmosphere created by the packed venue was every bit as electrifying as that of a large-scale concert.

The lights went out, and immediately afterward, the melodic strains of "Deep into DNA" began to play. "Constant Moderato," the tune from the *Azur Lane* login screen, instantly sparked cheers and excitement among the players.

This isn’t my first time attending an anime and game music concert. However, the atmosphere at the *Azur Lane* “Secret Tracks” concert felt just like being at an electronic music festival.

01

It all starts with DJing and clubbing in BW.

When you play the *Azure Archives* OST, what reaches your ears is a very bright sound, with a bouncy drumbeat and faint hints of candy-colored synths in the background. It blends a futuristic electronic vibe with a distinctly cute and charming feel.

Listening to the music from *Azur Lane*, I naturally think of those adorable schoolgirls against a bright sky-blue backdrop.

This energetic, sweet, and electrifying musical style has a specific name: Kawaii Future Bass.

In the mobile gaming world, *Azur Lane* is probably the first title to make the “Kawaii Future Bass” genre its signature sound. From the moment you launch the game—through the lobby, into battle, and from the story to the event interface—this distinctive style is everywhere, making it highly recognizable.

Sakula Xiaowu (voice actress for Alona & Prana), who has performed several theme songs for *Azur Lane*, told me that when singing"Blue Sky Magic" and "Together Every Day"—she had to set aside the habits she normally uses when singing other styles, such as vibrato and glissando, and avoid singing too forcefully.

“The top priority is to convey the feeling of the song itself!” she concluded.

Of course, this distinctiveness is no accident.

Within the *Azur Lane* development team, there is a deep-rooted passion for electronic music. The game’s first music director, Mitsukiyo, hails from a renowned South Korean electronic music label and specializes in the Future Bass genre; lead composer Nor is a professional DJ, and another key composer, KARUT, is also a well-known DJ…

A game soundtrack created by a group of electronic music artists—no wonder it gets more and more addictive the more you listen to it.

A deep-rooted electronic music heritage and a cohesive “Kawaii Future Bass” style have shaped a unique form of interaction with players at *Azure Archives* offline events. The sight of DJs on stage mixing remixes of the game’s OST while the “teachers” in the audience dance along has become an essential part of *Azure Archives* culture that you simply must experience.

Kim Yong-ha (PD Kim), the game’s executive producer, once said, “The ‘2D world’ is a lifestyle where you’re accompanied by beautiful girls.” Now, the live music performances in *Azur Lane* are the most vibrant expression of this lifestyle.

At the 2023 BW *Azure Archives* stage event, Hun Yuan Suona collaborated with DJ Liu Ye Xingyin (shizuon) to perform “Unwelcome School,” a track from *Bank Trouble*. The entire audience wildly waved glow sticks and chanted along, bringing the energy to a fever pitch.

"Things Are Looking Bad at the Bank," Performed by the Hun Yuan Suona Ensemble

Since then, DJ performances and ravers dancing at the BW stage have become an annual tradition.

At last year’s BW event, Kim Yong-ha and executive producer Ahn Kyung-seop made a special appearance and interacted with the “Bungee Squad.” Their slightly awkward dance moves on stage created yet another widely shared classic moment.

Nowadays, whether at official events or player-organized “Only” gatherings, dancing to the DJ’s beats has become a rite of passage for players. A group of people move to the same beat, chant the same slogan, and affirm their shared identity in that very moment.

The all-new 3D Live production of "Let's Go!"

02

A meme created by players was officially incorporated into the canon.

"Clubbing" is just one aspect of the player culture in *Azur Lane*. What truly sustains the community's long-term vitality is, without a doubt, the creativity behind fan-made content.

The thriving fan creation ecosystem surrounding *Azur Lane* is evident from the number of submissions on the fan art website Pixiv. Last year, *Azur Lane* saw a total of 233,000 submissions, second only to the undisputed leader in fan art, *Touhou Project*, and far outpacing other game IPs.

Offline events have been just as popular. At Comic Market, Japan’s largest doujin convention, the number of booths for *Azur Lane* has consistently ranked first among game IPs for several consecutive editions.At C108 last winter, *Azur Lane* had as many as 1,748 booths—nearly double the number of the runner-up.

Behind the numbers lies a vast and vibrant community of creators. Artists love to draw, and players love to watch even more. *Azur Lane* has become a surefire hit in the fan community.

So much so that there’s a widely circulated “shortcut to success” among new artists: “Start your career by drawing BA to build a following, then draw the IPs you really want to draw once you’ve made a name for yourself.”

A Message from the Production Team

Fan-created works can also reach the original creators. Sakula Xiaowu, the voice actress for Alona and Prana, often searches for fan-created works featuring the two characters she voices, and she’s particularly impressed by the “Blue Devil & Black Angel” series of fan works.

An Xueli, the voice actress for the adorable mascot character “Bai Zi,” has had a similar experience. She is always delighted when she sees players discussing Bai Zi and creating content for her.

“The Bai Zi that everyone sees and the Bai Zi I know have gradually come together to form a more complete picture of Bai Zi.” This is because An Xueli has always treated Bai Zi as a real person, and when portraying her, she strives to understand Bai Zi’s personality, thoughts, and emotions.

Performed by voice actors Sakula Xiaowu and An Xueli

While the artistic skills of the artists on Pixiv are, of course, far beyond the reach of most “teachers,” this doesn’t prevent teachers from using all kinds of convenient tools to create their own BA stories.

Open Bilibili, and you’ll see a vast amount of fan-created content for *Azure Archives*. Players use in-game assets to piece together original storylines. This type of fan creation has an extremely low barrier to entry—almost anyone can get started—making it a true “mass-participation” fan creation phenomenon.

These range from comedic skits that deconstruct the various BA academies, to parody videos that repurpose internet memes, to full-length story-driven animations—the list goes on. AA fan creations vividly embody the phrase “powered by love.”

An Xueli is also a fan creator for *Azur Lane*, and she occasionally posts her own covers of the game’s theme songs. She told me that she actually really likes the songs from *Azur Lane* and “would love to cover them all if possible.”

Although the cover version was created entirely from a personal perspective, deep down, *Azure Archives* holds a closer and more special place in An Xueli’s heart.

What’s even more heartening is that new memes created by the player community are quietly adopted by the developers and incorporated into the “canon.”

The most classic example is undoubtedly “Chunsaike.” A Bilibili content creator first used “Xiajiang Xiaochun” holding a sign to cover exposed body parts in one of their original, catchy videos.Later, during the “Rabbit Pursuer on the Ship” event in the Chinese server, the developers also used Xiaochun holding a sign to cover a character’s chest instead of the standard pixelation. The fame of “Chunsaike” has even spread overseas, and even PD Kim is now aware of it.

Chun Saike to Be Adapted into a Physical Figure

When the development team notices memes created by players, they may one day actually become part of the game. Players are also co-creators of the game’s content ecosystem. I believe this tangible sense of participation is more effective than any creative incentive.

03

A Unique Teacher Culture

Sometimes I wonder: the characters in *Azur Lane* aren’t exactly curvy. Where does that deep passion and creative enthusiasm from the players come from?

I think it probably comes down to my sense of identity as a “teacher.”

In the *Azur Lane* player community, you rarely hear people say “I”; they’re more accustomed to addressing each other as “Teacher.” When a player’s Total Power drops below the combat threshold, they’ll joke, “Congratulations, Teacher—you’ve become Alice’s partner,” or “Teacher’s power dropped again today.”Online, they always proudly refer to themselves as “renowned teachers of Shale.”

This strong sense of identification stems from the character design of the “Teacher.” With no face and no voice, the character’s personality is entirely up to the player to define—it is, inside and out, a blank vessel.

Alona's Hand-Drawn Illustration of the Teacher (Main Character)

Some might ask: Aren’t many protagonists in mobile games just blank slates with no voice acting or lines? So why has the “Teacher” from *Azur Lane* become such a cultural phenomenon among players?

In most indie games, the protagonist is merely a blank slate used as a narrative tool—with a clearly defined character, a fixed identity, and even a predetermined name. After going through the story, you’ll know “this is what he looks like, this is his name, and this is what he’s here to do.” What players step into is the role of a character with only a vague outline.

But the teachers in *Azur Lane* are a bit different. They always appear from behind, as silhouettes, or simply as dialogue boxes. The more blank space there is, the more room there is for the player to imagine. In *Azur Lane*, the player takes on the role of themselves.

The nature of these identities also varies. “Teacher” is a relational identity, and the most important task is interacting with students on a daily basis. At the core of this identity is a sense of companionship.

For most protagonists in visual novels, their sense of purpose comes from the idea that “I must save the world”; for teachers, it comes from the idea that “they need me.” When students run into trouble, their first instinct is always to “go to a teacher.” Because the player is always standing right behind them, the feeling of being needed feels incredibly real.

*Azur Lane* doesn’t rely on life-and-death situations to create tension; instead, within its bright and cheerful storyline, it weaves in numerous ordinary, everyday moments, allowing players to feel as though “the students are just people right here in my life.”In the final chapter, the development team pulls a “feint,” suddenly making players realize that the companionship they’ve taken for granted is, in itself, incredibly precious. Just as the Chinese server’s slogan says, “Your everyday life is a miracle.”

The identity of the teacher provides the emotional core for players, while fan creations give that emotion a tangible form. The third-anniversary concert was the moment when all of this came together in a burst of emotion.

Epilogue

“On these railroad tracks, let’s charge ahead! Youth is the freest sky of all!”

As the final notes of the third-anniversary theme song, “Full Speed Toward the Light,” faded away, pieces of cardstock covered with well-wishes for the players burst forth, swirling through the air like snowflakes in a dreamlike, ethereal scene.

Colorful confetti swirled through the air, filled with messages of gratitude for the teacher.

Excited fans chanted, “See you next year!” as they reluctantly bid farewell to the concert venue. The crowd streaming out poured into the summer night in Shanghai.

In the eyes of players, *Azure Archives* may represent a deep connection to student life; but to Sakula Xiaowu, *Azure Archives* embodies the essence of youth itself, regardless of age—whether in concept or culture, it concretely embodies “youth”;To An Xueli, *Azur Lane* is the simple yet passionate feeling of people coming together because of their shared love for it…

The pulsating notes are filled with fervor and passion. The deep-seated sense of belonging and pride among fellow fans has brought back memories of the times I fought alongside the Captain in *Azur Lane*!