Which carrier is better depends on doctrine

The preferred carrier depends on the navy and theater expected to use it. Essex suits the American advance across the Pacific, while Implacable's protection suits British operations in the Mediterranean and South China Sea. Shokaku fits Japan's planned rapid movements, although having so few first-rate carriers strengthens the case for more protection. A British-style design might have improved Japanese survivability, but Implacable's lower speed would have conflicted with those operations. This is a judgment about competing requirements, rather than a universal ranking of the three ships.