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| Ganbare Goemon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Konami |
| Publisher | Konami |
| Platforms | Arcade,NES,MSX2,Super NES,Game Boy,PlayStation,Nintendo 64,Game Boy Color,Game Boy Advance,PlayStation 2,Nintendo DS,mobile phone,Wii,Nintendo 3DS,Wii U,Microsoft Windows,Xbox 360,PlayStation 4 |
| First release | Mr. Goemon May 1986 |
| Latest release | Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2 September 2011 |
| Ganbare Goemon – Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki | |
| がんばれゴエモンゆき姫救出絵巻 | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | December 3, 1991 – August 4, 1992 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Shin Ganbare Goemon: Jigoku-hen | |
| 新がんばれゴエモン 地獄編 | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | January 5, 1993 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Ganbare Goemon 2 – Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuiness hen | |
| がんばれゴエモン2 奇天烈将軍マッギネス編 | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | December 27, 1993 |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Ganbare Goemon fever | |
| がんばれゴエモンふぃ～ばあ | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | April 30, 1997 |
| Volumes | 1 |
| Ganbare Goemon 3 – Shishi Jūrokubē no Karakuri Manjigatame | |
| がんばれゴエモン3 獅子重禄兵衛のからくり卍固め | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | February 3, 1995 – January 6, 1996 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Dōchū | |
| がんばれゴエモンきらきら道中 | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | April 30, 1996 – December 4, 1996 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Ganbare Goemon – Neo Momoyama Bakufu no Odori | |
| がんばれゴエモンネオ桃山幕府のおどり | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| Published | February 4, 1998 – October 2, 1998 |
| Volumes | 3 |
| Ganbare Goemon – Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki | |
| がんばれゴエモンゆき姫救出絵巻 | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Hiroshi Obi |
| Published by | KC Derakkusu |
| Published | November 21, 2013 |
| Volumes | 1 |
Ganbare Goemon (がんばれゴエモン; "Go for it, Goemon!"), known asGoemon andMystical Ninja internationally, is avideo game series created and produced byKonami.Etsunobu Ebisu is the joint producer of the franchise.
These games revolve around the main character, Goemon and his exploits. The games are notable for their humorous tone and parodies of many aspects of pop culture, as well as of other video games. The main character is loosely based onIshikawa Goemon, the noble thief of Japanesefolklore. While the early games 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, thekiseru. The games are set in a cartoonlike, mysticalFeudal Japan, with many references to Japanese folklore. Although the series has its roots in action-adventure, theGanbare Goemon series has features from genres includingrole-playing,puzzle video games andboard games.Ganbare Goemon is popular in Japan. The series consists of video games, with its success spawning a wide series of merchandise and ananime andmanga series.
Konami has generally regarded the Goemon games as too specific to the Japanese market to be released worldwide,[1] but five of them have been released overseas:The Legend of the Mystical Ninja for theSuper NES,Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon andGoemon's Great Adventure for theNintendo 64 and two titles for theGame Boy.
In 2002–03, a mobile phone was released for the titledGanbare Goemon: Tsūkai Game Apli series.
The latest original game of the series wasGanbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki, released in Japan for theNintendo DS in2005. Since then, the series has been used primarily as themes for Konami'spachislot machines.
The series is represented inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate with a purchasable Goemon costume forMii fighters.[2]
Goemon is the protagonist of many manga based on the video game series. There are several series, each one based on a different game. Most of the manga were illustrated by artist Hiroshi Obi and were published between 1991 and 1998 to accompany the release of each new game.
Obi died from a brain stem hemorrhage on August 3, 2014, at the age of 54.[3]
The manga was digitally re-released in Japan on February 8, 2024.[4]
| Original title | Localized title(s) | Regions | First release | First platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganbare Goemon: Ebisumaru Kiki Ippatsu | - | JP | 1990 | Handheld electronic game |
| Soreyuke Ebisumaru! Karakuri Meiro – Kieta Goemon no Nazo!! (puzzle game starring Ebisumaru) | - | JP | 1996 | Super Famicom |
| Goemon Mononoke Sugoroku (Sugoroku game) | - | JP | 1999 | Nintendo 64 |
| Bōken Jidai Katsugeki Goemon (a more serious spin-off of the series) | Mystical Ninja Goemon Zero (unreleased) | JP | 2000 | PlayStation 2 |
| Goemon: Shin Sedai Shūmei! (futuristic spin-off of the series) | - | JP | 2001 | PlayStation |
| Goemon: New Age Shutsudō! (futuristic spin-off of the series) | - | JP | 2002 | Game Boy Advance |
| Ganbare Goemon: Tsūkai Game Apli series[13] Dosukoi! Harite Ichiban Hijutsu! Sansū Juku Jetto GO! GO! GO! Karakuri Kiteretsu Rēsu Tentekomai-Mai Meikyū-Kan | - | JP | 2002–2003 | Mobile phones |
| Original title | Localized title(s) | Regions | First release | First platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchū: Machi Hen | - | JP | 1986 | Board game |
| Ganbare Goemon (medal game) | - | JP | 1997 | Medal game |
| Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro | - | JP | 2009 | Pachislot |
| Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2 | - | JP | 2011 | Pachislot |