International treaties limited new built displacement to a good bit less than hers; shortly after her commissioning. Making her a one off oddity.
She was the longtime flagship of a maritime based empire; likely with a good bit of unreasonable propaganda.
A decent movie, and a horrible song.
Aaaah, yes John-san. The famous IJN Jenga class. 
Yamato is, fittingly, the most aggressive-looking, but IMO not attractive. She looks like a sports car that ate 3 VW Beetles. Kongō is much prettier, more svelte. The pagoda is the only flaw, and that was rectified: her sister Hiei was later given the prototype for Yamato’s superstructure.
I’ve loved the Kongō since I built a plastic model of her as a kid.
Ah! I had one of Hiei.