Goemon Ishikawa

Goemon Ishikawa 1st appeared in Samurai Warriors.

Samurai Warriors
Goemon is the self proclaimed King of Thieves who usually spends his days pillaging the country's castles for land's greatest treasure, the Plover Urn. On his off days, he defends "his turf" from any local rough-housing. During such an occasion, Keiji and the local thugs are brawling. Their fight is briefly interrupted by Okuni, whom Goemon instantly became infatuated with. In his lower path ending, he follows the priestess as her bodyguard. After they are separated from one another at Ise, Goemon hears a rumor that she was held captive at Azuchi Castle and goes to rescue her. When he reaches the top floor, he finds Keiji and her together and beats the ruffian for taking her away from him. He continues to follow Okuni in his ending. In his upper path scenario, he will travel back to his homeland, Iga, to claim the reward for a bounty placed on Ieyasu's head. As he corners the general, Ieyasu pleads to spare his life and tells Goemon the Plover Urn's location. Learning the treasure was kept by the land's strongest ruler, Hideyoshi, Goemon infiltrates Osaka Castle to claim it. Waiting for him there is Hanzo who threatens to silence him. If Goemon quietly defeats him, the thief can claim his prize without waking Hideyoshi. Since the famed urn failed to live up to its rumored expectation to sing, Goemon loses interest in it and says he'll just make it his goal to find more loot. Should Goemon use his cannon while fighting the ninja, Hideyoshi will awaken and Goemon will be apprehended. He is ordered to be executed by being boiled alive at Kyoto. During his execution, however, the thief bursts through the hot iron pot and defies Hideyoshi. He plunders the conqueror's treasures while gaining Keiji and Okuni's support. Once he defeats his executioner, Goemon prides himself as the man who stole the entire land. He isn't playable in Samurai Warriors 2 but he appears in the mini game Sugoroku. He randomly swipes someone's gold and gives it to the person with the lowest amount. Goemon also appears in Samurai Warriors Katana as a sub-enemy on the map. He is usually trying to flee with treasure and the player is given the mission to stop him.

Kessen
Goemon appears as a recruitable unit in the third Kessen 3. He needs to be defeated on the battlefield before he agrees to join Nobunaga's forces. He is one of the earliest ninja units in the game. He does not work well when he's paired with Hideyoshi.

Voice Actors

 * Bob Papenbrook - Samurai Warriors (English)
 * Hisao Egawa - Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Kentarō Itō - Kessen III (Japanese)

History
Ishikawa Goemon was a bandit during the Warring States period. Little is known about Goemon's origins and he is meagerly mentioned in historical writings. He is generally believed to have been born in Iga, Kawachi Province. Other stories say that he came from Tango or Kawachi Province and wasn't one of the fabled nukenin (or runaway) Iga ninja. According to legend, his reputation as a bandit began when he successfully stole three swords from Ishikawa Akashi when he was 16. He then sold the swords for profit.

Various theories and stories surround Goemon's life. One tale depicts that his possible childhood name was Gorokizu (五郎吉) and he lost his parents when he was in his mid teens. From there, he was briefly taught by an Iga ninja before he ran away with the wife of a servant. Another says that he is related to Momochi Tamba who taught him Iga ninjutsu. After Goemon committed adultery with the wives of three political heads, he fled for his life after he killed one of their concubines. During his flight, he gained several companions who despised Hideyoshi and was heralded as a hero. Kimura Shigekore stated that Goemon was trying to sneak into Hideyoshi's chambers but was apprehended when the sensors in the room were triggered. Goemon was apparently requested to assassinate Hideyoshi and one of his subordinates revealed his other crimes when he was being interrogated. When he was being broiled, he also brought a child in with him though some stories suggest that it was a human shaped flotation device.

Goemon's mention in historical records, however, is limited to his execution. Even so, each one says a different circumstance and location regarding his death.

Avila Giron wrote that fifteen bandit leaders who were living along Sanjo River were captured and boiled alive in a cauldron in Kyoto. Petro Morejon wrote "Ixicava goyemon" was put into a boiling pot of oil during the summer of 1594 and was executed when ten or twenty other people were crucified. Yamashina Tokitsune, an aristocrat at the time, wrote a slightly different account. He stated that the thief, ten pickpockets, and one other person were boiled alive. Nineteen people facing a similar crime were crucified. The execution took place between Kawahara and Sanjo bridges on October 8, 1594. Hayashi Razan wrote that Goemon was labeled a burglar, criminal, and villain of the country after he was caught by Maeda Gen'i. His twenty accomplices -one of which is said to be Goemon's mother- named their leader and they suffered the same punishment near the Maeda household in Kyoto.

Due to the room of error between these accounts, some speculation regarding his possible survival exists.