What is the real name of the protagonist in 'Porco Rosso'?

The real name of the protagonist in Porco Rosso is Marco Pagot. He is an Italian former World War I fighter pilot who lives as a freelance bounty hunter after being transformed into a pig-like figure and adopting the nickname Porco Rosso.

Set around the Adriatic Sea during the interwar period, Hayao Miyazaki’s 1992 film follows Marco as he battles air pirates and faces the American pilot Donald Curtis. The film leaves the exact cause of Marco’s transformation deliberately mysterious, connecting his appearance to guilt, disillusionment, and his rejection of the nationalism surrounding him.

“Porco Rosso” means “Red Pig” in Italian and refers both to Marco’s appearance and his bright red seaplane. Piccolo is the surname of the aircraft designer and Fio’s family, while Curtis is Marco’s rival; neither is the protagonist’s birth name. Marco Pagot is also a tribute to Italian animator Marco Pagot, whose family collaborated with Miyazaki on Sherlock Hound.