Gilder with Willy
Bio & Storyline
Captain Gilder is a darkly handsome man of 32 years, who wears a red duster, like other gunslinger anime heroes (for instance, Vash the Stampede and Final Fantasy VII's Vincent Valentine). He wears a pair of slim-framed pince-nez which he doesn't actually appear to need for anything but looks. Gilder is a freewheeling, free-love type of pirate with a woman in every port. He lives to have fun, and flying about the skies, shooting up Valuans and liberating their treasure is a lot of fun. In the Japanese version, he also enjoys the occasional cigarette or two, usually lighting up after a battle.
Gilder has had many flings, but no true love. He treats Vyse as a younger brother, and vocally envies the younger pirate's ability to travel Arcadia with two of its most beautiful women. Clara is crazy in love with him, but he avoids her, saying that "in some ways, she's scarier than the Armada." Gilder's philosophy on love is described by his motto, "Women are like sunsets... they're beautiful, but there will be a different one tomorrow." After the Battle of Soltis, Gilder goes back to his sky-sailing, hedonistic ways. His true love is the Claudia, his agile airship.
Gilder appears first on Empress Teodora's "Most Wanted" list for most of the game, but is eventually overtaken by Vyse, King of Rogues, Mighty Cannon Vigoro or Lord Zivilian Bane. Gilder fights both at close and long range with his pistols. His S-moves also involve his guns. In the Japanese language sound bites, Gilder is played by Norio Wakamoto. In the English version Gilder is played by Jay Styne. Gilder is actually a mistransliteration of Guilder.
In spite of his laidback appearance, Gilder has the experience of a career pirate which Vyse lacks, and is responsible for advising Vyse to build a base of operations on Crescent Isle - the place from which Gilder originally rescued Vyse following shipwreck.