Goemon (series)

Goemon
Franchise logo
Developers	Konami
Publishers	Konami
Platforms	Arcade, NES, MSX2, Super NES, Game Boy, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, Mobile Phones, Handheld electronic game, Pachislot, Virtual Console (for Wii, 3DS and Wii U), PlayStation Network, Windows, Xbox Live Arcade
First release	Mr. Goemon May 1986
Latest release	Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2 September 2011
Official website	konami.jp/gs/game/goegoe

Ganbare Goemon (がんばれゴエモン, lit. "Go for it, Goemon!"), known as Goemon or Mystical Ninja in North America and the PAL region, is a long-running video game series produced by Konami. Ebisu Estunobu is the joint producer of this franchise.

These games revolve around the main character, Goemon, and his exploits. As the name suggests, his character is loosely based on Ishikawa Goemon, the noble thief of Japanese folklore. While the early games of this title emphasized Goemon as a noble thief, he eventually becomes more of a standard video game hero character. His trademarks are his blue bushy hair and weapon of choice, the kiseru. The games are set in a cartoon-like, mystical Feudal Japan. Within this world, every bit of folklore and legend about Japan is true. Although the series has its roots in action adventure, the Ganbare Goemon series has features from genres including RPG, puzzle games, and board games. Ganbare Goemon has proven to be widely popular in Japan with its many video games, with its success spawning a wide series of merchandise and an anime and manga series.

Only five of its games have been released overseas: The Legend of the Mystical Ninja for the Super Nintendo, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon and Goemon's Great Adventure for the Nintendo 64 and two titles for the Game Boy.

The last original game of the series was Ganbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki, released exclusively in Japan for the Nintendo DS in 2005. Since then, the series has been used primarily as themes for Konami's pachislot machines. The future of the series is uncertain.

Characters

• Goemon (ゴエモン)

The main protagonist and titular character of the series, he is a hot-blooded man of Edo. With a strong sense of justice and will, he will right whatever wrong there is in front of him, although he has a short temper. (Renamed "Kid Ying" in the North American release of "Legend of the Mystical Ninja" for the SNES. In the North American releases of Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon and Goemon's Great Adventure, his name is correctly translated to Goemon.) He primarily uses a variety of kiseru as his weapon of choice. Also in the future his son is referred to by the same name. His original voice actor was Shinichirō Ōta but this has since switched to Yasunori Matsumoto. He has his own Monster Card in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game and Yu-Gi-Oh OCG, known as Goe-Goe The Gallant Ninja.

• Ebisumaru (エビス丸)

Goemon's longest standing partner and best friend: a surprisingly pudgy ninja, with an equally puzzling eccentric personality. This character is based on Konami developer Etsunobu Ebisu. (Renamed "Dr. Yang" in the North American release of "Legend of the Mystical Ninja" for the SNES. In the North American releases of Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon and Goemon's Great Adventure, his name is correctly translated to Ebisumaru.) He uses a different weapon in almost every game. His weapons are quite unorthodox, being items such as fans, frying pans or mallets. Ebisumaru also has a daughter named Mao, according to the Mystical Website of Goemon (She also makes a brief appearance at the end of Goemon's Great Adventures). He also has a brother called Obisumaru who loathes him and a descendant from the future called Sister Bismaru (a nun). In the ending of the Famicom Ganbare Goemon 2, it is revealed that Ebisumaru is in fact a girl, but this is not canon with the rest of the games. He also has a Yu-Gi-Oh card, named Masked Ninja Ebisu.^[1] His voice actor is Kenichi Ogata in all voiced media.

• Omitsu (おみつ)

The local belle of Edo. She is basically Goemon's girlfriend, although he lacks the courage to approach her. She is also a constant target of foes. Omitsu also tends to get very jealous if Goemon is caught talking to another woman for any reason.

• Yae (ヤエ)

A kunoichi that works for the Secret Investigational Ninja, a secret organization of peace keepers. She often joins Goemon and Ebisumaru on their adventures under the same goal. In battle, Yae usually wields a katana, as well as her personal bazooka, and the ability to transform into a mermaid. Her voice actor is Rumi Kasahara. She is also has her very own Monster Card in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG, known as Lady Ninja Yae.

• Monoshiri Ojisan (物知りお爺さん, lit. "The Wise Old Man")

A brilliant genius of clockwork machines who lives deep in Iga. Although a good fellow, he is also a big pervert. This trait was bowdlerized for the American release of Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, however: instead of collecting hentai magazines, he collects car magazines (the "Mystical Ninja starring Goemon" anime series however still depicts Monoshiri as a flirtuous girl-crazy old man).

• Sasuke (サスケ)

A clockwork robot ninja. He was created by Monoshiri and often joins Goemon and Ebisumaru on their quest. A very naive and honest character. However, he also seems to have a switch that can make him from good to evil and vice-versa. Sasuke fights using all manner of weapons, including twin kunai, miniature explosives, and even his spiked topknot. He shows some signs of gender confusion, at one point in Mystical Ninja 2 asking why he cannot "make a good wife someday". He is based on the fictional ninja Sarutobi Sasuke. His voice actor is Junko Hori, and he speaks in very polite samurai speech, often punctuating his lines with "de gozaru". He is his very own Monster Card in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG, known as Sasuke Samurai. He also has three other series of Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Cards, Sasuke Samurai #2, Sasuke Samurai #3 and Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke.

• Ebisu

She's the best friend to the Goemon in the future. She wields the same weapons as Ebisumaru and possibly is his daughter.

• The Feudal Lord of Edo and Princess Yuki: The Rulers of Edo. Despite this, they do little that inspires leadership. More often than not, they too are preyed on by evil doers, as described in the manual for Mystical Ninja starring Goemon 2: They are born to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Yuki has a significant role in Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro, notably singing a song during gameplay.

• Goemon Impact (ゴエモンインパクト)

A giant clockwork robot made by Monoshiri Ojisan. With a frightful motif modeled after Goemon himself, it was built to help Goemon take on Giant foes, but more often than not, he acts as a famous movie star in various parts of the world, and even has a planet named after himself. He shares Goemon's strong sense of justice, and enjoys fighting for the team. He also has a love of dancing, particularly disco.

• Miss Impact (ミスインパクト)

A female counterpart to Goemon Impact. Was created by the Wise Man as a counterpart to Goemon Impact, and is modeled after Omitsu. Omitsu refuses to notice the similarities... Goemon Impact fell in love with her at first sight and planned to ask her out. However, since Miss Impact has not been seen since "Goemon's Great Adventure" it is unknown how their relationship worked out.

• Suzaku (スザク)

A female ghost who comes from the Underworld. She made her first appearance in "Goemon's Great Adventure" and provides the gang with information about their enemy, Bismaru.

• Shogun Magginessu (?)

The main antagonists in Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu and Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2.

• Bisumaru (?)

• Space Clown Akogingu (?)

The Main antagonist in Ganbare Goemon: Uchuu Kaizoku Akogingu.

• Kinemon (?)

• Admiral Peruri (?)

• Dochuki (?)

• Yui (ユイ)

• Jurokubei (?)

The main antagonists in Ganbare Goemon 3: Shichijuurokubei no Karakuri Manji Gatame.

• Baron (?)

• Seppukumaru (?)

The main antagonists in Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Douchuu: Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Wake.

• Yoshitsune (義経)

The one of the main antagonists in Goemon: Shin Sedai Shuumei! and its remake, Goemon: New Age Shutsudou!.

• Kiyohime (清姫)

The one of the main antagonists in Goemon: Shin Sedai Shuumei! and its remake, Goemon: New Age Shutsudou!.

Related media

Anime

Original Video Animation

• A single-episode thirty-minute OVA was released in Japan in 1991 titled Ganbare Goemon: Jigen Jō no Akumu (がんばれゴエモン 次元城の悪夢, "Ganbare Goemon: The Nightmare of the Dimensional Castle"). The OVA starred the voice of Daiki Nakamura as Goemon and Hideyuki Umezu as Ebisumaru and feature segments parodying Gradius, Akumajō Dracula and TwinBee.
• A second-episode thirty-minute OVA was released in Japan in 1998 titled Ganbare Goemon: Chikyuu Kyuushutsu Sakusen (がんばれゴエモン地球救出作戦, "Ganbare Goemon: Global Rescue Operation").

Television series

Manga

Goemon is the protagonist of many manga based on the videogame series. There are several series, each one based on a different game. Most of the manga are illustrated by artist Hiroshi Obi and were published between 1991 and 1998 to accompany the release of each new game.

List of games

Other appearances

• Goemon appears as a playable character in the Konami crossovers Wai Wai World and Wai Wai World 2 for the Famicom, in the original MSX Parodius, in the Super Famicom version of Gokujō Parodius! ～Kako no Eikō o Motomete～ and in Konami Krazy Racers for the Game Boy Advance, the latter being the latest game released in America in which a Ganbare Goemon character makes an appearance. It also makes appearance in Wai Wai Sokoban for the Mobile Phones.
• Goemon was a playable character in Ganbare Pennant Race.
• Ebisumaru is the second player in the Super Famicom version of Gokujō Parodius! ～Kako no Eikō o Motomete～ and is a secret character in Konami Krazy Racers.
• Impact makes an appearance as one of the bosses of Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius.
• Goemon from Legend of the Mystical Ninja makes self-referenced appearance in Jikkyō Power Pro Wrestling '96: Max Voltage.
• Goemon, Yae, Sasuke, and Ebisumaru appear as cards in Yu-Gi-Oh. Other robots made by Wise Old Man also appear as cards, all are named Sasuke Samurai and are numbered.
• Seppukumaru and his Egg-like Henchmen Tsujigiri from Ganbare Goemon 4 for the super Famicom make appearances as the main villains in the Ganbare Goemon Anime series.
• Goemon and Ebisumaru made short cameo appearances in the TwinBee OVA, Twinbee Paradise, as judges in a female beauty contest when Pastel accidentally eats some shrinking cookies.
• Goemon can be seen inside the bar before interviewing a dancer in Snatcher.
• A version of Goemon appears in Otomedius, remade to fit the style of the game. His character (or at least, his ship) is referred to as Emon-5.

References

External links

• Official Konami of Japan Ganbare Goemon site
• Ganbare Goemon series at MobyGames
• Mystical Ninja/Ganbare Goemon Hardcore Gaming 101's page for Ganbare Goemon series
• Goemon International