Spotlight on:

“Even a blind Acorn finds a Monkey”

The Ninja's Pirate Ship of HigeMaru is a gargantuan, economically powerful nation, ruled by The Dojankiest Nogmanimal with an even hand, and renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 13.232 billion are either ruled by a sleek, efficient government or a conglomerate of multinational corporations; it's difficult to tell which.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded, pro-business individuals juggles the competing demands of Defence, Commerce, and Law & Order. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Arbentant Moltock. Income tax is unheard of. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Automobile Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Arms Manufacturing industries.

There are no minimum wage laws, Max Barry is this year's Miss HigeMaru, the government regularly hires contractors to construct high rise apartments, and politicians are losing their jobs in a plan to make the government 'leaner and fitter'. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is crippling. HigeMaru's national animal is the Spelunking Gopher, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, its national religion is a joke, and its currency is the Steve.

HigeMaru is ranked 2nd in the region and 80th in the world for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector.