Note how the reflections on the water look like dripping blood - these signify which ships sank during the Battle of Cape Engaño, when Ozawa's Mobile Force successfully baited Halsey's entire Third Fleet northward, away from the Leyte Gulf landing operations targeted by Kurita and Nishimura (First Striking Force).

Maki, Sugi, Kuwa, and Kiri were Matsu-class destroyers.

The bait fleet...

SFace001 said:

The bait fleet...

This one event here is why Zuikaku is my absolute favourite ship. She's the last veteran carrier, dragging her comrades through inevitable defeats one after another. Once in a while she'd go 'carry mode' (pun not intended) and pull her fleet to gain some rare victories (perhaps punching Enterprise in the face in the process).

I always picture Zui as one of the most traumatised ships in KanColle, and her rivalry with Kaga is merely her hiding her power level in 'let her have her glory' sort of way.

Kaga will always be remembered as the ship that brought Japan victories, while Zuikaku is the ship that brought defeats. She's definitely a better ship than Kaga, at least design wise, but was never given the chance to live up to her potential (mostly because Kaga and her friends roasted most of the good Japanese naval aviators at Midway).

She's very tragic, and I find that very interesting.