Ririka Katō, mother of Marika Katō and widow of former pirate captain Gonzaemon Katō, navigates dual identities shaped by a storied past. Born in space, she once commanded respect as "Blaster Ririka," a skilled leader aboard the pirate ship Bentenmaru, her violet eyes and long purple hair—parted at the front-right—framed by a bicorne hat and a sword at her hip. Her pirate attire, a black coat with gold accents and red frilled sleeves, contrasts her civilian role as a New Okuhama Airport air traffic controller, where she dons professional grey garments, retreating to loose shirts and trousers in leisure.

Exuberant yet pragmatic, Ririka balances warmth with tactical precision, forged through years of piracy. She fosters Marika’s independence through casual rapport while shielding her from the truth of Gonzaemon’s legacy, intending to unveil their lineage after Marika’s high school graduation. This timeline shifts when allies Misa Grandwood and Kane McDougal reveal Gonzaemon’s death, compelling Ririka to mentor Marika through their inherited piratical duties.

Her lessons at a military junkyard—imparting firearm expertise and the gravity of wielding power—underscore her belief in resolve over force, demonstrated by her mastery of a large-caliber beam gun. Connections to pirate and military networks surface as she secures training grounds via Brigadier General Joshua Quadron, later rejoining Bentenmaru’s crew during the Golden Ghost Ship Arc to strategize with seasoned familiarity.

Ririka’s pride in Marika’s public heroism for Princess Gruier Serenity mirrors her own transition from spacefaring outlaw to grounded guardian. Her narrative weaves legacy with reinvention, her past as a corsair threading through maternal guidance. By deferring revelations and nurturing Marika’s leadership, she bridges her daughter’s mundane present and piratical future, embodying resilience through quiet sacrifice and tempered adventure.