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Ganbare Goemon (known as Legend of the Mystical Ninja in North America), is a prolific video game series produced by Konami. These games revolve around the main character Goemon, and his exploits. As the name suggests, his character was 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 appearance trademarks would be his bushy hair and weapon of choice, the Kiseru. The universe of these games is of a cartoony, mystical Feudal Japan, where every bit of folklore and legend about Japan are true. Although the series has its roots in action adventure, the Ganbare Goemon series features games from a diverse set of genres including RPG, puzzle game, and board game. Ganbare Goemon has proven to be widely popular in Japan, as along with its long video game series (which continue to this day), a wide series of merchandise, and several anime and manga series have been created based on it.

While the series have been popular in Japan, overseas is a much unknown franchise, with only four games released (all of them on Nintendo systems).

Principal Characters

  • Goemon (ゴエモン Goemon): The star protagonist of the series. A hot-blooded man of Edo, he has a strong sense of justice and will right whatever wrong there is in front of him. (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.)
  • Ebisumaru (エビス丸 Ebisumaru): Goemon's longest standing partner and best friend: a surprisingly pudgy Ninja, with an equally puzzling eccentric personality. According to the Mystical Website of Goemon, this character is derived from Nezumi Kozo. (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).
  • Omitsu(おみつ Omitsu): The local belle of Edo. She is basically Goemon's girlfriend, and likely target of foes.
  • Yae (ヤエ Yae): 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.
  • Monoshirii Ojisan (物知り爺さん Wise Oldman): A brilliant genius of clockwork machines who lives deep in Iga. Although a good fellow, he is also a big pervert.
  • Sasuke(サスケ Sasuke): 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.
  • 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.
  • Goemon Impact(ゴエモンインパクト Goemon Impact): A giant clockwork robot made by Monoshirii. With a frightful motif modeled after Goemon himself, it was built to help Goemon take on Giant foes.
  • Miss Impact(ミスインパクト Miss Impact): A female counterpart to Goemon Impact. Was created by the Wise Man as a counterpart to Goemon Impact, and is modeled after Omitsu.

Anime Television Series

List of games by platform

Arcade

NES

  • 1986: Ganbare Goemon: Karakuri Douchuu - (re-released on Game Boy Advance in 2004 under the Famicom Mini label)
  • 1989: Ganbare Goemon 2
  • 1990: Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ougon Kiseru
  • 1992: Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Tenka no Zaihou

MSX

SNES

  • 1991: Legend of the Mystical Ninja/Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyuushutsu Emaki
  • 1993: Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu
  • 1994: Ganbare Goemon 3: Shichijuurokubei no Karakuri Manji Katame
  • 1995: Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Douchuu: Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Wake
  • 1996: Soreyuke Ebisumaru! Karakuri Meiro - Kieta Goemon no Nazo!! (puzzle game starring Ebisumaru)

PlayStation

  • 1996: Ganbare Goemon: Uchukaizoku Akogingu
  • 1998: Ganbare Goemon: Kuru Nara Koi! Ayashige Ikka no Kuroi Kage
  • 2001: Ganbare Goemon: Oedo Daikaiten
  • 2001: Ganbare Goemon: Shin Sedai Shuumei (a futuristic spin-off the series)

Game Boy

Game Boy Color

  • 1999: Ganbare Goemon: Tengu-tou no Gyakushuu!
  • 1999: Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Douchuu Tobidase Nabe-Bugyou!
  • 2000: Ganbare Goemon: Hoshizorashi Dynamites Arawaru!!

Game Boy Advance

  • 2001: Goemon: New Age Shutsudou! (a futuristic spin-off the series)
  • 2005: Ganbare Goemon 1+2: Yuki-hime to Magginisu (port of the first two Super NES games with extra mini-games)

Nintendo 64

PlayStation 2

  • 2000: Goemon: Bouken Jidai Katsugeki (a more serious spin-off of the series; the now defunct Working Designs attempted to release this game in America as "Mystical Ninja Goemon", but Sony would not approve the title.)

Nintendo DS

  • 2005: Goemon: Toukai Douchuu

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 Super Famicom version of Gokujou Parodius! and in Konami Krazy Racers for the Game Boy Advance, being the latter the latest game released in America in which a Ganbare Goemon character makes an appearance. Ebisumaru is the second player in the Super Famicom version of Gokujou Parodius! and is a secret character in Konami Krazy Racers. Impact makes an appearance as one of the bosses of Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius. Yae and Sasuke appear as cards in Yu-Gi-Oh, with some variations.

External links

Ganbare Goemon | Konami games | Ganbare Goemon | Ganbare Goemon | がんばれゴエモン

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Ganbare Goemon".

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