5 Best Manga About Pirates, Ranked

Pirates have been a constant fixture in popular culture over the years, with their portrayal in many forms of fictional media having created a number of character archetypes and stereotypes which resurface in various forms. From the iconic Jolly Roger naval ensign, to tropes such as eye patches and missing limbs, among other features, stories about fictional pirates have a legacy that extends from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, to more recent offerings such as Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

When it comes to depictions of pirates in the mediums of Japanese anime and manga, the first name that comes to mind is naturally Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece. However, pirates were featured prominently in both these mediums long before Monkey D. Luffy first set out on his adventure to become the next Pirate King. Besides the traditional sea-based type of pirate, the mediums of anime and manga have even included space pirates, in series that tend towards the sci-fi western and space opera genres. On this note, here are some of the best manga about pirates that have been released so far.

5 Space Pirate Captain Harlock

Portrays Its Titular Protagonist As A Romantic Hero Fighting Oppression

As one of the most successful series in Leiji Matsumoto’s esteemed body of work, Space Pirate Captain Harlock was a major player in the advent of space opera and space western-themed manga in the 1970s. Set in the future, during the year 2977 AD, the series depicts humanity as a spacefaring civilization that has grown susceptible to ennui and despair, often due to being conquered by powerful alien invaders.

Within this context, Captain Harlock is presented as a rebellious figure: a space pirate that refuses to give up on his principles, which consist of an individualist world view, a noble sense of duty, and complete fearlessness in the face of death. Since his first outing in the original manga, Captain Harlock’s adventures have been adapted into an anime series, a number of anime films, as well as a live-action film.

4 Cobra

Follows The Adventures Of A Space Pirate Evading His Old Foes

Having exerted a huge influence even beyond the realm of anime and manga, Cobra is a seminal work in the space western genre, and achieved an incredible degree of domestic and international success for its time. The series even inspired the humor and settings of Shinichiro Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop and Space Dandy, as well as the tone and style of Tsukasa Hojo’s City Hunter.

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Additionally, one aspect of the titular protagonist’s design had a hand in shaping the appearance of Guts from Kentaro Miura’s highly acclaimed dark fantasy manga Berserk. Initially, Cobrafollows a former space pirate with the same name, armed with a mind-controlled energy cannon embedded within his left arm. Covering his adventures in escaping his old nemeses, the series strikes a clever balance between action and comedy, with striking character designs that have exerted an enduring impact on other franchises.

3 Outlaw Star

Covers Gene Starwind And His Crew’s Search For The Galactic Leyline

Taking place in a fictional period in human history known as the “Toward Stars Era,” where faster-than-light travel is possible, Outlaw Star follows a rag-tag group of space pirates aboard a starship of the same name, led by a bounty hunter known as Gene Starwind. In essence, the story sees the crew embark on a voyage to find a mythical treasure trove in space known as the Galactic Leyline.

As the first installment of the franchise to be released, the manga ran for a total of 21 chapters, during which time, its anime adaptation by Sunrise premiered and concluded. While the pacing and plot of the series have come under scrutiny, its tone, premise, and distinct art style have won over many critics, especially in terms of how well it navigates tonal shifts between the lighter and darker sides of the spectrum.

2 Black Lagoon

A Bullet-Riddled Tale Of The Lagoon Company’s Illicit Dealings

One of the more adult-oriented series on this list, Black Lagoon is a grim, violent story about a group of pirate mercenaries known as the Lagoon Company, operating out of the fictional Southeast Asian city of Roanapur in Thailand. A slick thriller filled with shady deals, betrayals, and plenty of explosive shootouts, this series is not for the faint of heart.

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At the core of Black Lagoon’s narrative is the complex relationship between Revy, the group’s main gunfighter, and Rock, a former salaryman who was originally kidnapped by the crew, but later went on to join them as their negotiator and professional face. On their many assignments, the group often find themselves in conflicts of varying scales, which force them to deal with their inner demons and troubled pasts.

1 One Piece

Encompasses Luffy And The Straw Hat Pirates’ Quest To Conquer The Grand Line

The quintessential pirate manga that all others have tried to emulate since its debut, One Piece is a giant within the anime and manga industries, having achieved the distinction of being the highest-selling manga series in history. With over 1100 published chapters and a run that has lasted more than a quarter-century, Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus has redefined shonen manga over several decades.

Revered for its intricate lore, world building, over-the-top action, absurd humor, and nuanced character development, One Piece follows the journey of Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate who ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi Devil Fruit which gave him the power to turn his body into rubber. Covering Luffy’s endeavor to find the legendary treasure known as the One Piece and achieve his dream of becoming the next pirate king, the series sees him assemble a crew of trusted allies while trying to reach the final island of the Grand Line — which is the world’s most dangerous sea.

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