Captain Harlock, a stoic and individualist space pirate, hails from a lineage of explorers and warriors. His ancestors include Phantom F. Harlock I, an early 20th-century aerial pioneer who braved New Guinea’s Owen Stanley Mountains, and Phantom F. Harlock II, a German WWII fighter pilot. The latter allied with Japanese engineer Toshiro Oyama, whose collaboration birthed the starship Arcadia as an enduring symbol of friendship and shared vision. In the late 30th century, Harlock resurfaces on an Earth subjugated by the Illumidus Empire, leading a resistance against alien rule. His defiance blends a personal honor code with rejection of oppression, rooted in internal duty rather than external allegiance. This ethos drives his refusal to collaborate with Earth’s puppet government, choosing exile to uphold his principles. His visage bears a Heidelberg dueling scar, an eyepatch from an Illumidus battle costing his eye, and a black uniform marked by a skull-and-crossbones. The number 42, recurring on his attire, nods to Japanese cultural symbolism of mortality. His bond with pirate queen Emeraldas—marked by mutual respect and parallel defiance—cements his mythos as a romanticized rebel. Her facial scar mirrors his own, reflecting shared battles against tyranny. Adaptations reshape his backstory: in *Arcadia of My Youth*, he transitions from Solar Federation officer to pirate after Earth’s occupation, while other tales cast him as a lifelong outlaw. The 2013 CGI film modernizes his narrative, retaining core elements like the Arcadia’s significance. Spin-offs such as *Gun Frontier* and *Harlock Saga* explore alternate settings, yet his stoicism, defiance, and honor remain constant. Moral complexity emerges through ancestral flashbacks, portraying WWII-era duty to a flawed regime as tragically noble. This duality underscores themes of individualism amid systemic corruption, complicating allegiance to compromised powers. As a mentor to youths like Tadashi Daiba and Tetsuro Hoshino, he bridges generations, sustaining hope and resistance. The Arcadia evolves across media: blue in 1978, green in later works like *Arcadia of My Youth*, symbolizing ancestral legacy and rebellion. Its shifting design mirrors Harlock’s dual identity—a relic of fading ideals and a beacon for insurrection.