Ahoy! I’ve been tagged by Crow of Crow’s World of Anime (thank you for the tag!) to share my ideal anime pirate crew. While I’m always up for something fun, as we all know these sorts of prompts often turn into a serious thought experiment for me. I always want to come up with the best possible answer that I can (and maybe give a shout-out to some of my favorites in the process).
Below are the rules for this particular blogging challenge:
- Display the My Pirate Crew logo and add ‘My Pirate Crew’ as a tag.
- Thank the blogger who nominated you and post a link to their blog
- Link back to the original post here (so I can compare your crews to mine).
- Select seven anime characters and give them a position on the crew. These are the positions you can to fill. Warrior, sniper, chef, doctor, scientist, navigator, strategist, mechanic, entertainer.
- Nominate 5-10 bloggers.
- Set sail and rule the seas!
I don’t know that I’ll be able to fulfill rule #5, since from what I can see most of the bloggers that I follow have already done the challenge. But if you’re reading and want to take it on unprompted, by all means please do! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Warrior – Hyakkimaru from Dororo
Hyakkimaru had a rough start. Sacrificed by his father in exchange for prosperity, he barely survived infancy. Now, as he seeks the parts of his body stolen from him, he utilizes special extra-sensory perception to identify malevolent enemies and dispatch them using the swords he hides within his prosthetic limbs.
There were a lot of good options for this position, but having just wrapped up Dororo, I feel like Hyakkimaru is a good match. Not only is he a skilled swordsman (using multiple blades), his senses straddle the human and demon worlds. While his drive for revenge might be frightening at times, in his heart he walks the path of humanity.
Sniper – Ogata Hyakunosuke from Golden Kamuy
Ogata is a man with skills and accuracy honed during the Russo Japanese war. While his loyalties are often in question and he may switch factions at any time, if you can keep him on your team you’ll have a definite advantage.
I somehow became a big Golden Kamuy fujoshi over the past few months, and I just had to slip in one of the characters here.
Chef – Furio from Ristorante Paradiso
I’m a big fan of food-based anime and manga, and while Ristorante Paradiso is a drama first and foremost, there’s still plenty of opportunities for food porn. As Casetta dell’Orso’s resident culinary expert, Furio puts food on the table with elegance and grace. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he, like all the other restaurant employees, are easy on the eyes, too.
Doctor – The Medicine Seller from Mononoke
I’m all about multi-tasking, and the Medicine Seller really embodies that ideal. While his cabinet full of herbs and tonics can help to cure physical ailments, he also has the skills and know-how to defend-against and exorcise supernatural threats as well. He also has a history of defending ships against seafaring demons – very helpful!
Scientist – Professor from Nichijou
The professor might seem like any other little kid, but having created a sentient robot and a way for animals to speak, it’s clear that she’s a genius beyond her years. I think I can count on her to invent and discover all sorts of interesting things, while also getting into loads of zany situations. Her professed love of sharks is a bonus out on the high seas.
Navigator – Luca from Bodacious Space Pirates
I was going to try to get through this challenge without obtaining the services of a legitimate pirate, but I just couldn’t resist drawing from a series that I really enjoy, Bodacious Space Pirates. Luca’s personality and her perception are somewhat offbeat, but I think that’s a plus. Having a psychic on my crew will give me an advantage if I have to outrun any interlopers.
Strategist – Togame from Katanagatari
Togame is a self-proclaimed strategist, and while her clumsiness and emotionality may call that into question at times, she’s goal-oriented to a fault. At the very least, having her on my team would definitely ensure that things stay lively.
Mechanic – Mogura from Redline
If anime has taught me anything, it’s that crusty, curmudgeonly old dudes tend to make the best mechanics. Mogura managed to tune a hot rod so that even a lowly human had a chance to win an interstellar death race, so I image that he’d be able to keep my ship in tip-top condition at the very least.
Entertainer – Aijo Karen from Revue Starlight
Revue Starlight is full to the brim with character who are ready to entertain their audience, but Karen is the one who ultimately takes her performances (and her fate) into her own hands. Not only that, she’s an incredibly loyal friend and ally – always a plus when you’re engaging in pirate-like activities.
As I said, I’m faltering on who to tag, but if you feel like putting together your own crew, link back here and let me know!