Who do you see as best of friends among the Pilots of the Tigers Claw? Maniac and Hunter seem to fit that bill to me. Maniac was a cocky and arrogant young pilot while Hunter was the self assured vet who had the kill record to back it up. I think they connected on a level where they felt they were superior pilots compared to a lot of the other crew. I especially see that during the conversation ( I forget what system it was in ) where they call out Knight for being a pacifist and cat lover LOL.

He became later one of the best pricks that you can have on your wing, because at least he could carry his own weight, unlike many other wing mans.