So in context why I'm asking this, in a game I play named Azur Lane, her design is of a little girl with HUGE riggings, showing off her four 410mm cannons, and the pagoda superstructure.
Now, the company, Manjuu, that designs the characters is rather more or less faithful to references of all ships. From what they'll look like, the riggings, to small details. For example, USS Enterprise's Anniversary skin have lots of references, including Vulcan salutation from Star Trek. One more example: an equipment named "Unfulfilled Promise" references to U-556's promise to protect KMS Bismarck no matter where they are. (tearjerking cutscene, too)
Now, why I am asking? Because out of all the Big Seven battleships (USS Colorado, West Virginia, and Maryland; HMS Nelson, and Rodney) IJN Nagato and Mutsu are little girls compare to the other five who are mature-bodied women.
Few comments long ago said it's because they were fundraised by children, thus that's the reference of them being little girls, but it's kinda unbelievable to me even today. So I'm asking this sub how true is it?
Public subscriptions and donation programs are far from unheard of when it comes to funding for warships. It can serve several purposes too! It can take many forms from something like a war-bond, to more relevant for children, akin to the UNICEF Penny Drive we are more familiar with today or the March of Dimes.
Serves as a way of stocking national spirit, pride, or spotlighting the navy for any number of motivations.
Can motivate young people towards some national service, and in the context of 1920's and 30's Japan was just another tool to ensure the militaristic spirit was installed early and often.
Politically it can tie an area that might not really care about funding a large navy to the service. Suddenly when youve got a ship named after your town or province, you are more willing potentially, or will pressure your elected representatives.
Japan also is far from the only nation to use the stratagey.
An important instance was in the lead up to WW1, the cash poor Ottoman Empire raised public donations to help pay for modern battleships built in Britain. In August 1914 these ships were then confiscated by the Royal Navy for use in the war, which was not taken well by the Ottomans, easing the slide towards joining the Central Powers, especially a few days later when the German battlecruiser GOEBEN arrived off the Dardanelles and wanted passage to Istanbul. And later some song and dance was organized to transfer the ship on paper to the Ottoman Navy.
While for Japan, another major source of anger came in the aftermath of the Washington Naval Treaty. As the 8-8 Plan had been a much trumpeted national policy to ensure a strong and powerful IJN, having to back off of that wasnt popular. Doubly so when some of your money was spent on it.
Thus the use of the partially constructed TOSA as a target hulk, and scrapping of AMAGI after the 1923 Kanto Earthquake were seen as a slap in the face, only slightly offset by conversion of AKAGI and KAGA (as the replacement to AMAGI) as aircraft carriers.