Gonzaemon Kato was the former captain of the Bentenmaru before his death and is the father of Marika Kato. In the anime, he is revealed to have faked his death and become an imperial pirate, going by the name Ironbeard.  Gonzaemon's family has a long history of service, both in the imperial navy and as pirates. Before becoming captain of the Bentenmaru, he was a naval officer.  At some point, he met and married Ririka. Sometime later, Ririka left Gonzaemon to raise their daughter, Marika.  Shortly before the start of the series, Gonzaemon reportedly passed away due to food poisoning, setting off the events that led to Marika becoming captain of the Bentenmaru.  (Source: Mouretsu Pirates Wikia)

When Marika Katou learns that her late father was the captain of a pirate ship, it’s the second biggest surprise of her life. The biggest? Learning that his crew needs her to take over her father’s old job due to the terms of their Privateer’s contract! It looks like joining her school’s yacht club is certainly about to pay off for Marika, because who wants to go into space piracy without a bunch of friends their own age to keep it fun? Toss in some outer space rivals, princesses in peril, and a pirate crew pulling double duty as high school teachers, and the next voyage of the good ship Benten Maru is going to be one of the wildest adventures ever!<br>
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(Source: Sentai Filmworks)

__Height:__ 173 cm (5'8'')  
__Non-anime roles:__
-Taiga Saejima - Yakuza


Gonzaemon Katou