STORY
In a time when the main source of energy was still coal, there was a man who saw the future in oil. Young Tetsuzo Kunioka who hails from Moji, Kitakyushu, rides out into the oil business, but is faced with numerous challenges and competitors who stand in his way, including domestic suppliers and major western oil companies, or the "oil majors". But Tetsuzo never gave up, however despairing the situation was. He always found a way and paved a new road with his unconventional ideas, eccentric actions, and most of all, his caring heart toward his own men. That style of Tetsuzo's was not something that would ever change, even when the tides were against him in a war-lost Japan. And finally, the "incident" that would come to shake the country which was devastated from the defeat of war, occurs. With the western "majors" getting hostile with Tetsuzo, all oil transportation routes were sealed off with besiegement on an overwhelming scale. Tetsuzo makes an "insane move" to ship his only large-scale oil tanker, the "Nissho Maru", to Iran in secret. Importing oil directly from Iran would mean becoming absolute enemies with England, who at the time had complete control over Iran's oil. However, seeing Iran suffer poor conditions under England's pressure, Tetsuzo feels a similarity with his own situation, and engages in his biggest fight against the "oil majors", despite his men's objections. Can "Nissho Maru" stay under the English fleet's radar, and safely make it back to Japan? And why was Tetsuzo Kunioka called a "pirate"? The answers to these questions unravel.

以煤炭为主要燃料的时代，国冈铁造（冈田准一）就预测到石油在未来的发展性，随即于北九州展开石油生意。面对国内业者与欧美石油巨头的强硬阻挠，他毫不气馁，更以有打破常规的想法和高度行动力，以及珍惜下属的心，拓展出了全新事业版图；即使日本战败，铁造坚毅的身姿也从未改变。不过，给日本人更大冲击的那起「事件」终究发生！

在遭遇石油巨头的敌视、输油路线遭到封锁，根本无油可卖之时，铁造做出一个疯狂决定──将最后一艘巨大油船「日承丸」偷偷派遣至伊朗，想从伊朗直接输入石油，而这个行动无异与支配伊朗的英国为敌。铁造不顾下属反对，面对石油巨头，开启了艰难战役。究竟日承丸能否躲开英国舰队的眼目，顺利返回日本？而铁造又何以被人们称之为「海贼」呢？