>>2754757Based on that I'd recommend Z1 (Leberecht Maass), Mogami, or Satsuki, in that order. I have an idea that might be easier though. Tell me a few anime characters you like.
>>2754760Atago is a flirty cruiser that giggles all the time. Has enormous breasts, especially for a Japanese ship. Known for her cute "pan-paka-pan!" catchphrase.
Bismarck is a proud battleship who takes her job seriously. Rarely breaks character. Has large breasts as do most foreign ships.
Prinz Eugen is Bismarck's foil. An energetic girly girl cruiser who greatly looks up to her 'older sister' Bismarck.
Kumano is an ojou-sama cruiser that speaks formally and generally acts like a very genteel lady except for the bizarre dolphin noise she sometimes makes. Her carefree sister Suzuya is her foil.
How old the ships act is usually determined by what their real age was in WW2. It's a lot easier to memorize ship classes than build dates though. In general, the more powerful the class, the older they'll be (big ships take a long time to build), but there are exceptions. It goes something like:
Battleships = aircraft carriers > auxiliary ships > heavy cruisers > cruisers > light aircraft carriers > subs > destroyers
