Goemon (series)/Characters

As Ganbare Goemon is a series with Loads and Loads of Characters across different media, this list will be limited to those who appear most often.

Main Characters

Goemon

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuu (FC, 1986)

Our hero, a bred-in-the-bone Edoite who fights evil with his family's kiseru. His hot temper often gets him into hot water.

• Big Ol' Eyebrows
• Cat Smile: His default expression, though he was a Perpetual Frowner in early games.
• Even the Guys Want Him: As much as he is loath to admit it...
• Facial Markings: The distinctive red marks around his eyes and mouth are reminiscent of kumadori, the stage makeup worn by kabuki actors.
• Gender Bender: Happens in the Jigoku-Hen manga - Naturally, Goemon turns out to be a hottie.
• Grappling Hook Pistol: The Chain Kiseru, which somehow attaches to blocks using the bowl end.
• Improbable Weapon User: His kiseru and throwing koban.
• Just Like Robin Hood: Naturally because he's based on Ishikawa Goemon.
• Multicolored Hair: Blue and black, sometimes shown as either completely blue (which would be a case of Curtains Match the Window) or black.
• Passing the Torch: Goemon hands down his name and legacy to the main character of the two New Age games after suffering an arm injury.
• Verbal Tic: "Teyandei," among other words traditionally associated with Edokko.

Ebisumaru

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon 2 (FC, 1989)

Goemon's eccentric best friend who'd rather eat and loaf about than do battle. He likes to call himself "The Ninja of Justice."

• Ambiguously Gay: He loves the ladies, but his admiration for Goemon is rather questionable at times. He's definitely not so ambiguous in the manga, though...
• Big Eater: He's said to hold a record for eating 200 plates of dango at his favorite teahouse. In the pachisuro game, it's possible for him to devour up to 100 kan of dango, equivalent to 826.7 lbs (or 375 kg in metric).
• Eyes Always Shut
• Expy: of Nezumi Kozō (the "Rat Brat"), the Player 2 character who appears in the MSX version of the first Ganbare Goemon.
• Fartillery: The "Poison Mist" attack in Goemon's Great Adventure.
• Fire-Breathing Diner: In the anime.
• Identical Grandson: Sister Bismaru. No one actually seems to realize the obvious connection.
• The Idiot From Osaka: In fact, his Kansai Regional Accent is one of his defining characteristics.
• Improbable Weapon User: He has an entire arsenal of these that changes with nearly every title.
• Kavorka Man: Ebisumaru is surprisingly popular with the ladies.
• Meaningful Name: Ebisumaru may have been named after (former) Konami director Etsunobu Ebisu.
• Pig Man: Ebisumaru is temporarily transformed into one during the Jigoku-Hen manga.
• Strong Family Resemblance: His daughter Mao.
• Verbal Tic: "Honii" - it's actually the word formed when he uses the Solid Megaphone in Goemon's Great Adventure.

Yae

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon Gaiden: Kieta Ougon Kiseru (FC, 1990)

A member of a group of secret ninja agents who investigate strange happenings. She's like a big sister to Goemon and the others.

• Action Girl: The series' original.
• Ascended Extra: Was originally a supporting NPC in the original SNES game, before later being promoted to one of the four main recurring characters.
• BFG: Her Bazooka can be seen as this. It's as big as her head due to the graphics!
• Curtains Match the Window: Green on green.
• Hotter and Sexier: Yae's wardrobe has become more revealing in recent times, trading her practical shinobi shouzoku for a skirt short enough to flash her panties at certain angles.
• Implausible Fencing Powers: When you upgrade her sword for the first time in Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, it can deflect bullets!
• Ms. Fanservice: She's the series' main provider of Fan Service, though Omitsu and Princess Yuki have had their fleeting moments. Her fans in Japan even have a mantra of "Yae is in charge of the eroticism."
• Rapunzel Hair: Knee-length in the games and anime, waist-length in the manga.
• Tsurime Eyes

Sasuke

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Yuki-hime Kyuushutsu Emaki (SFC, 1991)

Wise Man's creation, a steadfast mechanical ninja with a "useless" good/evil switch. He's fond of hot baths and green tea.

• Enjo Kosai: Played for laughs in the Fever manga. Goemon and Ebisumaru get the idea to remodel Sasuke into becoming a kogal, whereupon he quickly adopts the stereotypical mannerisms.
• Mr. Fanservice: To sum things up, he's the fangirls' equivalent of Yae.
• Robot Buddy
• Verbal Tic: "De gozaru," in line with his archaic manner of speaking.

Supporting Cast

Goemon Impact

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shougun Magginesu (SFC, 1993)

A giant robot with an affable personality and dreams of stardom. Originally thought to be made by Wiseman, he is actually an alien.

• Distaff Counterpart: Miss Impact, who is also meant to be his mate.

Omitsu

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuu (FC, 1986)

Goemon's neighbor and sweetheart, a teahouse waitress with a reputation as a beauty idol. She provides support from the sidelines whenever she isn't getting kidnapped.

• Attention Whore: She became one in the manga as a means of poking fun at her lack of popularity. As a result, she would never be able to shake off the negative portrayal even after the manga ended.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Her manga counterpart, so very much. Her Kawaiiko facade was already starting to slip during Legend of the Mystical Ninja, but by Ganbare Goemon 3 it had completely shattered. Her anti-fans believe that she's like this in every 'verse to facilitate Goemon pairing off with someone more "deserving."
• Blush Sticker
• Clingy Jealous Girl: In the TV anime and manga, though she's much more violent about it in the latter. Ironically, Omitsu lacks this behavior in the games - considering the way Goemon acts in the ending of Ganbare Goemon 3 and the entirety of Kuru Nara Koi, HE'S the overprotective one.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: In Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, she shows up at the Kyuushu Bridge just as Goemon and 'co are heading there on a dumpling delivery service. Not only is this impressive as the trek from Oedo to Kyuushu is nearly the width of Japan, but it also means Omitsu fought off dangerous enemies while carrying food upright by herself! It even gets lampshaded by the gang, who notes she must be tougher than she looks.
• Curtains Match the Window: Brown on brown.
• Demoted to Extra: To the point where she's considered unnecessary (there's Yae after all), but can't be completely erased from canon due to the Grandfather Clause.
• Damsel in Distress: She gets kidnapped more than anyone else combined.
• Fan Girl: Omitsu is crazy for Bishonen, leading Japanese Fan Dumb to label her as a "slut" because they assume that her squeeing means she couldn't possibly be faithful to Goemon.
• Waif Fu: Omitsu seems tougher than she looks, but for some reason never has the idea to rescue herself. It's a full-on running gag in the manga, with the explanation that using her strength undermines the "innocent maiden" image she tries (and fails) to cultivate.

Wise Man

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Yuki-hime Kyuushutsu Emaki (SFC, 1991)

A brilliant inventor from Iga and a close ally of the Goemon gang. Unfortunately, his perversions tend to cloud his judgement.

• Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": He does have an actual name, but no one ever calls him by it.
• Eyes Always Shut
• Robotic Spouse: Invoked as a throwaway gag during the opening of Ganbare Goemon 4, in which he tries to pass a cross-dressing Sasuke off as his wife. In the manga he was given a (young) human wife instead.

Kurobei

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Yuki-hime Kyuushutsu Emaki (SFC, 1991)

A ninja cat who is both Princess Yuki's pet and bodyguard. He has the ability to turn into a plate-spinning ghost woman, for whatever reason.

• Verbal Tic: He says "nya," but never did it until recently.

The Feudal Lord

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Yuki-hime Kyuushutsu Emaki (SFC, 1991)

Edo Castle's happy-go-lucky ruler, who doesn't seem to do much ruling. Nevertheless, he cares deeply about his people.

• Dude in Distress
• Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
• Eyes Always Shut

Princess Yuki

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Douchuu (FC, 1986)

The beloved princess of Edo Castle. She has a calm and quiet demeanor, but don't rub her the wrong way...

• Ascended Extra: Her expanded role in the pachisuro game saved her from becoming Demoted to Extra.
• Blush Sticker
• Curtains Match the Window: Blue on blue.
• Damsel in Distress: At times she is essentially a substitute Omitsu, without the romantic ties to Goemon.
• Shy Blue-Haired Girl

The Others

Kabuki

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Yuki-hime Kyuushutsu Emaki (SFC, 1991)

A recurring villain notable for his habit of coming back from the dead. His burning desire for revenge is what motivates him.

Plasma

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Neo Momoyama Bakufu no Odori (N64, 1997)

A hooded, barely-clothed fortune teller with an obvious Verbal Tic. Come to his place for the hints, stay for the atmosphere.

• Catch Phrase: "PURASUMAAAA!!!!"

Thaisamba

First Appearance: Ganbare Goemon: Neo Momoyama Bakufu no Odori (N64, 1997)

An aquatic robot known as "The Charming Mermaid." He takes on a handful of different forms (a few of them gigantic), and speaks his own incomprehensible language.