View source for Ganbare Goemon

{{Short description|Video game series}}
{{More citations needed|date= August 2012}}
{{Infobox VG series
| title = Ganbare Goemon
| image = Ganbare Goemon.png
| developer = [[Konami]]
| publisher = Konami
| platforms = [[Arcade game|Arcade]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[MSX]]2, [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], [[Game Boy]], [[PlayStation (console)|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]]
| genre =
| spinoffs =
| first release version = ''[[Mr. Goemon]]''
| first release date = May 1986
| latest release version = ''[[Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro]] 2''
| latest release date = September 2011
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon – Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモンゆき姫救出絵巻
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = December 3, 1991 – August 4, 1992
| volumes         = 3
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Shin Ganbare Goemon: Jigoku-hen
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = 新がんばれゴエモン 地獄編
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = January 5, 1993
| volumes         = 3
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon 2 – Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuiness hen
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモン2 奇天烈将軍マッギネス編
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = December 27, 1993
| volumes         = 2
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon fever
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモンふぃ～ばあ
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = April 30, 1997
| volumes         = 1
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon 3 – Shishi Jūrokubē no Karakuri Manjigatame
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモン3 獅子重禄兵衛のからくり卍固め
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = February 3, 1995 – January 6, 1996
| volumes         = 3
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Dōchū
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモンきらきら道中
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = April 30, 1996 – December 4, 1996
| volumes         = 3
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon – Neo Momoyama Bakufu no Odori
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモンネオ桃山幕府のおどり
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = [[Kodansha]]
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = February 4, 1998 – October 2, 1998
| volumes         = 3
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Ganbare Goemon – Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki
| image           = 
| caption         = 
| ja_kanji        = がんばれゴエモンゆき姫救出絵巻
| ja_romaji       = 
| genre           = <!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with [[MOS:A&M]]. -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = Manga
| author          = Hiroshi Obi
| publisher       = KC Derakkusu
| demographic     = 
| magazine        = 
| published       = November 21, 2013
| volumes         = 1
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}
{{nihongo|'''''Ganbare Goemon'''''|がんばれゴエモン|4="''Go for it, Goemon!''"}}, known as '''''Goemon''''' and '''''Mystical Ninja''''' internationally, is a [[video game]] series created and produced by [[Konami]]. [[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 on [[Ishikawa Goemon]], the noble thief of Japanese [[folklore]]. 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, the [[kiseru]]. The games are set in a cartoonlike, mystical [[Feudal Japan]], with many references to Japanese folklore. Although the series has its roots in action-adventure, the ''Ganbare Goemon'' series has features from genres including [[role-playing video game|role-playing]], [[puzzle video game]]s and [[board game]]s. ''Ganbare Goemon'' is popular in Japan. The series consists of video games, with its success spawning a wide series of merchandise and an [[anime]] and [[manga]] series.

Konami has generally regarded the Goemon games as too specific to the Japanese market to be released worldwide,<ref>{{cite magazine|date=July 1996|title=Konami|url=https://archive.org/details/Next-Generation-1996-07/page/n71/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=19|page=70}}</ref> but five of them have been released overseas: ''[[The Legend of the Mystical Ninja]]'' for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], ''[[Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon]]'' and ''[[Goemon's Great Adventure]]'' for the [[Nintendo 64]] and two titles for the [[Game Boy]].

In 2002–03, a mobile phone was released for the titled ''Ganbare Goemon: Tsūkai Game Apli'' series.

The latest original game of the series was ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki]]'', released in Japan for the [[Nintendo DS]] in [[2005 in video gaming|2005]]. Since then, the series has been used primarily as themes for Konami's [[pachislot]] machines.

The series is represented in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' with a purchasable Goemon costume for [[Mii]] fighters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/undertales-sans-joins-smash-bros-as-a-mii-fighter-cost-1837885342|title=Undertale's Sans Joins Smash Bros. As A Mii Fighter Costume|last=Walker|first=Ian|website=Kotaku|date=4 September 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-06}}</ref>

== Related media ==
=== Anime ===
==== Original video animation ====
* A single-episode thirty-minute [[Original video animation|OVA]] was released in Japan in 1993 titled {{nihongo|'''''Ganbare Goemon: Jigen Jō no Akumu'''''|[[:ja:がんばれゴエモン 次元城の悪夢|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 (actor)|Daiki Nakamura]] as Goemon and [[Hideyuki Umezu]] as Ebisumaru and featured segments parodying ''[[Gradius]]'', ''[[Castlevania|Akumajō Dracula]]'' and ''[[TwinBee]]''.
* A second-episode thirty-minute [[Original video animation|OVA]] was released in Japan in 1998 titled {{nihongo|'''''Ganbare Goemon: Chikyū Kyūshutsu Sakusen'''''|がんばれゴエモン地球救出作戦||"Ganbare Goemon: Global Rescue Operation"}}.

==== Television series ====
{{Main|Anime Ganbare Goemon}}

=== Manga ===
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.<ref>[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-08-03/ganbare-goemon-manga-artist-hiroshi-obi-passes-away/.77240 Ganbare Goemon Manga Artist Hiroshi Obi Passes Away]</ref>

The manga was digitally re-released in Japan on February 8, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yarwood |first1=Jack |title=A Classic "Ganbare Goemon" Manga Series Is Getting Reissued Digitally in Japan |url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2024/01/a-classic-ganbare-goemon-manga-series-is-getting-reissued-digitally-in-japan |website=[[Time Extension]] |publisher=[[Hookshot Media]] |access-date=10 February 2024 |date=30 January 2024}}</ref>

== List of games ==
=== Video games (main series) ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Original title
! Localized title(s)
! Regions
! First <br /> release
! First <br /> platform
!Additional platform(s)
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Mr. Goemon]]''
| -
| JP
| 1986
| Arcade
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchū]]''<ref>[http://www.gamefaqs.com/msx/582386-ganbare-goemon/images/box-36529 ''Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuu'' Box Shot for MSX2] at [[GameFAQs]]</ref><ref>[http://www.mobygames.com/game/msx/ganbare-goemon-karakuri-dch/cover-art ''Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchū'' (1987) MSX cover art] at [[MobyGames]]</ref>
| -
| JP
| 1986
| Famicom<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_karakuri/ |title=''Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchuu'' official webpage|access-date=February 18, 2011 |work=Konami Japan |language=ja}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref>
|[[MSX2]], Mobile phones<ref name=":0" />
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon 2 (Family Computer)|Ganbare Goemon 2]]''
| -
| JP
| 1989
| Famicom
|i-revo, Wii VC, 3DS VC, Wii U VC
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ōgon Kiseru]]''
| -
| JP
| 1990
| Famicom<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=''Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ōgon Kiseru'' official webpage|url=http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_kieta/|access-date=February 18, 2011|work=Konami Japan|language=ja}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref>
|Wii VC, 3DS VC, Mobile phones<ref name=":1" />
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki]]''
| ''[[The Legend of the Mystical Ninja]]''
| JP, NA, EUR
| 1991
| [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]
|Wii VC, Wii U VC, Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Sarawareta Ebisumaru!]]''
| ''Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon <br /> (in "[[Konami GB Collection]] Vol.3")''
| JP, EUR
| 1991
| [[Game Boy]]
|3DS VC
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2: Tenka no Zaihō]]''
| -
| JP
| 1992
| Famicom
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shōgun McGuiness]]''
| -
| JP
| 1993
| Super Famicom
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon 3: Shishi Jūrokubē no Karakuri Manjigatame]]''<ref>おオススメ!! ソフト カタログ!!: がんばれゴエモン3. Weekly Famicom Tsūshin. No.335. Pg.114. 12–19 May 1995. Score: 32/40.</ref>
| -
| JP
| 1994
| Super Famicom
|Wii VC, Wii U VC
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon Kirakira Dōchū: Boku ga Dancer ni Natta Wake]]''
| -
| JP
| 1995
| Super Famicom
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Uchū Kaizoku Akogingu]]''
| -
| JP
| 1996
| PlayStation
|PlayStation Network
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon: Kurofune Tō no Nazo''
| ''[[Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (Game Boy)|Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon]]''
| JP, NA, EUR
| 1997
| Game Boy
|3DS VC
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon: Neo Momoyama Bakufu no Odori''
| ''[[Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon]]''
| JP, NA, EUR
| 1997
| [[Nintendo 64]]
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon: Derodero Dōchū Obake Tenkomori''
| ''[[Goemon's Great Adventure]] (NA) <br />Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon (EUR)''
| JP, NA, EUR
| 1998
| [[Nintendo 64]]
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Kuru Nara Koi! Ayashige Ikka no Kuroi Kage]]''
| -
| JP
| 1998
| PlayStation
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Tengu-tō no Gyakushū!]]''
| -
| JP
| 1999
| Game Boy Color
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Mononoke Dōchū Tobidase Nabe-Bugyō!]]''
| -
| JP
| 1999
| Game Boy Color
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Seikūshi Dynamites Arawaru!!]]''
| -
| JP
| 2000
| Game Boy Color
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Ōedo Daikaiten]]''
| -
| JP
| 2001
| PlayStation
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Mini Kyodai Robo Goemon Compact]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.konami.jp/products/mobile_ganbare-goemon/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219021305/http://www.konami.jp/products/mobile_ganbare-goemon/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 19, 2013 |title=''Mini Kyodai Robo Goemon Compact'' (''ミニ巨大ロボ ゴエモンコンパクト'') |work=Konami Japan |publisher=[[Konami]] |access-date=January 5, 2013}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref>
| -
| JP
| 2003<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.konami.net/vodafone/goemon/compact/index.html |title=''Mini Kyodai Robo Goemon Compact'' official webpage|access-date=February 18, 2011 |work=Konami |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041018071835/http://www.konami.net/vodafone/goemon/compact/index.html |archive-date=October 18, 2004}}</ref>
| Mobile Phone
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Kessakusen! Ganbare Goemon 1 & 2]]'' <br /> (port of the first two Super Famicom games with extra mini-games)
| -
| JP
| 2005
| Game Boy Advance
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon 3: Shishijūrokubē no Karakuri Manji Gatame|Ganbare Goemon: Shishijūrokubē no Karakuri Manji Gatame]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_chohen/ |title=''Ganbare Goemon: Shishijūrokubē no Karakuri Manji Gatame'' official webpage |access-date=February 18, 2011 |work=Konami Japan |language=ja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516023554/http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_chohen/ |archive-date=May 16, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref>
| -
| JP
| 2005
| Mobile Phone
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon: Tōkai Dōchū Ōedo Tengu ri Kaeshi no Maki]]''
| -
| JP
| 2005
| Nintendo DS
|
|}

=== Video games (spin-offs) ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Original title <br />
! Localized title(s) <br />
! Regions <br />
! First <br /> release <br />
! First <br /> platform <br />
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon: Ebisumaru Kiki Ippatsu''
| -
| JP
| 1990
| Handheld electronic game
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Soreyuke Ebisumaru! Karakuri Meiro – Kieta Goemon no Nazo!!'' <br /> (puzzle game starring Ebisumaru)
| -
| JP
| 1996
| Super Famicom
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Goemon Mononoke Sugoroku]]'' <br /> ([[Sugoroku]] game)
| -
| JP
| 1999
| Nintendo 64
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Bōken Jidai Katsugeki Goemon]]'' <br /> (a more serious spin-off of the series)
| ''Mystical Ninja Goemon Zero'' (Unreleased)
| JP
| 2000
| PlayStation 2
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Goemon: Shin Sedai Shūmei!]]'' <br /> (futuristic spin-off of the series)
| -
| JP
| 2001
| PlayStation
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Goemon: New Age Shutsudō!]]'' <br /> (futuristic spin-off of the series)
| -
| JP
| 2002
| Game Boy Advance
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon: Tsūkai Game Apli'' series<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_tsukai/ |title=''Ganbare Goemon: Tsūkai Game Apli'' official webpage |access-date=February 18, 2011 |work=Konami Japan |language=ja |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022133857/http://www.konami.jp/products/appli_goemon_tsukai/ |archive-date=October 22, 2012}} {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref> <br /> ''Dosukoi! Harite Ichiban''<br /> ''Hijutsu! Sansū Juku''<br /> ''Jetto GO! GO! GO!''<br /> ''Karakuri Kiteretsu Rēsu''<br /> ''Tentekomai-Mai Meikyū-Kan''
| -
| JP
| 2002–2003
| Mobile phones
|}

=== Other games ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Original title <br />
! Localized title(s) <br />
! Regions <br />
! First <br /> release <br />
! First <br /> platform <br />
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchū: Machi Hen''
| -
| JP
| 1986
| [[Board game]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''Ganbare Goemon'' (medal game)
| -
| JP
| 1997
| [[Medal game]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro]]''
| -
| JP
| 2009
| [[Pachislot]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align="left"| ''[[Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2]]''
| -
| JP
| 2011
| Pachislot
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/goegoe Official Konami of Japan ''Ganbare Goemon'' site] {{Dead link|date=August 2024}}
* {{moby game|id=-group/ganbare-goemon-series|name=''Ganbare Goemon'' series}}

{{Ganbare Goemon}}
{{Konami franchises}}

[[Category:Ganbare Goemon| ]]
[[Category:Konami franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1986]]
[[Category:Video games about ninja]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games adapted into television shows]]