When anime fans think about the greatest pirate adventure stories, the first thing that comes to mind is One Piece, a legendary epic of Monkey D. Luffy, and the Straw Hats’ exploration of the Grand Line. Being one of the most popular anime franchises of all time, One Piece became synonymous with pirate media over the years, encapsulating everything attractive and alluring about freebooters and their carefree lifestyle.
And as a self-proclaimed future Pirate King, Luffy perfectly represents the pirate’s ideals, such as the spirit of wonderment, awe of exploration, and belief in freedom. While it’s easy to forget about other pirate media in anime, Luffy and his comrades aren’t the only lawless sailors out there. Furthermore, some of them might even be better at what they do than the Capitan of the Straw Hat Pirates himself.
10 Marika Katou Compensates For Her Lack Of Experience With Intellectual Brilliance (Bodacious Space Pirates)
After inheriting her deceased father’s space pirate crew alongside his infamous ship Bentenmaru, the simplistic and cheerful high school girl Marika Katou from Bodacious Space Pirates must choose between her ordinary life and the challenges of leading a dangerous pirate gang.
Despite never dreaming of becoming a captain of the Bentenmaru crew, Marika doesn’t let her inexperience hinder her. As a space pirate, the girl proves herself as an excellent leader, intelligent strategist, and stoic thinker whose primary goal is always to ensure the safety and success of her team.
9 Cobra Started The Pirate Craze In The Anime Space Opera Genre (Space Adventure Cobra)
There are hardly any anime space pirates as iconic as the titular protagonist of the Space Adventure Cobra franchise. In over 40 years that the series has been around, Cobra established himself as a trend-setter for the genre of anime space operas, combining classic sci-fi tropes, samurai stories, and Western adventures into a bizarre yet captivating mix of entertainment.
Just like Luffy, Cobra is a diehard adventurer with a passion for exploration who hates useless murder and values friendship. However, his personality is far more outgoing and flirtatious than his modern counterpart’s.
8 Emeraldas Is Always Strict To Herself And Deadly To The Cruel (Queen Emeraldas)
The Pirate Queen Emeraldas is infamous across the entire known galaxy as a ruthless warrior and a merciless assassin. However, this fearless privateer is only willing to take the lives of the unjust and wicked.
Emeraldas’ strict moral code and inner strength come from years of loneliness, loss, and grief, as life was anything but fair to the Pirate Queen. Nevertheless, the years of suffering have only made her stronger. Even alone, she’s determined to bring justice and hope to kindhearted dreamers she meets along her endless space journey.
7 Harlock Is A Charismatic Leader That Fights For Only What He Views As Right (Space Pirate Captain Harlock)
Similar to his friend Queen Emeraldas, Space Pirate Captain Harlock is a free-spirited man with a strong ethical code. Despite his rebellious personality and unlawful occupation, he is a man of honor.
Drawing from his personal experiences, Harlock goes against the flow and chooses to lead his life by his own rules. While most might know Harlock for his charm and charisma, he is a prolific and skillful warrior, an excellent swordsman, and a qualified gunslinger, which makes him a terrifying opponent for any wrongdoer.
6 Lightning Manipulation Boosts Jinpachi Nezu’s Influence In His Sailings (Brave 10)
Jinpachi Nezu, a boisterous leader of a pirate gang from Brave 10, is a by-the-book definition of an outlaw that no one should mess with. He’s a free spirit whose values align with any self-respecting pirate, including his ship, his crew, women, and booze.
Jinpachi’s almost caricature characteristics shouldn’t make anyone underestimate him, as he is also an exceedingly powerful warrior. His unique ability allows him to control and manipulate lightning, a powerful gift that made Jinpachi win countless quarrels.
5 Revy’s Immaculate Gunslinger Skills Cannot Be Overlooked (Black Lagoon)
The Lagoon Company’s might relies heavily on the combat prowess of its main fighter Revy, a deadly gunfighter capable of taking down an entire platoon by herself. The protagonist of the Black Lagoon series can always be seen armed with a pair of Beretta 92F guns, and she knows how to utilize her firearms as effectively as possible.
Revy’s durability, agility, and strength are almost superhuman, and it’s rare a character in the show can give Revy a run for her money. While she’s not the most intelligent member of the Lagoon Company, Revy is the military trump card of the entire organization.
4 The Tendo King Mastered The Exhausting Art Of Tao Magic (Outlaw Star)
Set in an adventurous Towards Stars Era of space exploration, the Outlaw Star universe is rich with various mighty pirate gangs and guilds. Even in the diversity of outer space, the infamous Kei Pirate Guild is recognized as the most authoritative group of outlaws in the series.
Much of the group’s sinister reputation can be attributed to their leader, The Tendo King. As the most skilled Tao Magic user in the universe, Leader of the Kei is even more forceful than Hazanko, the leader of the 108 Stars and the show’s main antagonist.
3 Kamui’s Entire Alien Race Consists Of Proficient Killers (Gintama)
The infamous antagonist of some of Gintama’s most tense arcs, and Kagura’s older brother, Kamui belongs to a supreme alien race, the Yato Tribe. Feared for their incredible fighting skills and killing instincts, Yato seek ways to challenge the most powerful opponents in the universe and reach supremacy.
The desire for superiority makes Kamui cross paths with the Harusame, the largest Amanto crime syndicate in the universe, and become the leader of their 7th Division, the most powerful fighting unit within the organization. Even among other Harusame pirates, Kamui is considered the most dangerous and ruthless.
2 Ryoko Hakubi Was Blessed With Godlike Powers By Her Ancestors (Tenchi Muyo!)
Space pirate Ryoko Hakubi from Tenchi Muyo! franchise is one of the strongest beings in the series’ known universe, rivaled only by her direct ancestors. As the daughter of one of the three super-dimensional deities known as Choushin, Ryoko possesses almost infinite power, especially with the three magical gems created by Washu.
The gems give Ryoko all the necessary power to go without food, water, or air. On top of that, they grant her impressive abilities to summon and control spirits, boost her strength and endurance, and make her practically invincible in battle.
1 There’s A Reason Why Everyone Wants Atomsk’s Power For Themselves (FLCL)
Unlike Luffy, who is still fighting to become the Pirate King, Atomsk from FLCL is known by that title across multiple galaxies. The show doesn’t reveal much about this enigmatic figure except Atomsk’s status as the most vigorous space pirate in the universe, capable of manifesting whole star clusters with his N.O. power alone.
Atomsk’s incredible abilities make him a target for the Galactic Fraternity and the mysterious Medical Mechanica. However, the one who earns to take the pirate’s power for herself the most is Haruko, the Fraternity’s eccentric, unreliable investigator.