Porco Rossa

He served in the Italian Air Force as a captain and fought in World War I. He possessed exceptional piloting skills and a strong character. According to one story, he once plunged into a stormy sea to save an enemy pilot.

During the war, he witnessed the deaths of many of his friends and opponents. This left him disgusted by the actions of the authorities, who always pursued their own agendas and disregarded human lives. After the spread of fascist ideology in Italy, he became so disillusioned with humanity that he cursed himself and turned into a pig. Later in the film, he utters the line, "I'd rather be a pig than a fascist."

He left the army and became a mercenary in the Adriatic Sea. He adopted the alias Porco Rosso, which means "Red Pig" in Italian. He often defends cargo and passenger ships from pirate attacks. Porco only shoots down their planes, never kills anyone.