Origins
Goemon is unique to the series as he was the only character not there from the beginning. Monkey Punch, in an interview featured on the American Dead or Alive DVD release, mentioned he added Goemon later as he felt the manga needed a more Japanese character. There are three different versions of the meeting and joining. Prior to his first appearance in the manga, a character named Koroshi appeared in the first volume. Koroshi strongly resembled Goemon in appearance, but preferred using firearms and was killed at the end of the chapter he was introduced in. Goemon very closely resembles actor Seiji Miyaguchi's character, stern master swordsman Kyūzō, in the universally acclaimed film Seven Samurai, down to even Miyaguchi's famous elongated face.
In the original manga, Goemon is targeted by Lupin to steal the secrets of how to make his sword, or in the American release, how to make gold. In later issues, Goemon is sent by his masters to kill Lupin, but after failing many times, he decides Lupin can teach him more and joins his side.
In episode five of the first anime series, Goemon is tricked into going against Lupin by Old Man Momochi, who wants them both out of the way so he can claim the title of world's greatest assassin. The two both outwit him and survive. Two episodes later, Lupin attempts to steal the sword formula; after being outsmarted, Goemon gets revenge by slicing Lupin's car in half. After both break down into homeric laughter over the situation, Goemon decides to join the gang. The two episodes pull in several elements from the manga stories.
In the 2002 TV special "Episode 0: First Contact", Goemon met Lupin when he was searching for the Zantetsuken, the only sword he felt worthy of his abilities. Lupin, Jigen, and Fujiko all served as adversaries until being forced to work together to survive. There are hints that parts of the story may be made up at the end of the special, however, so not everything can be taken as definite.
Read more about this topic: Goemon Ishikawa XIII
Famous quotes containing the word origins:
“Grown onto every inch of plate, except
Where the hinges let it move, were living things,
Barnacles, mussels, water weeds—and one
Blue bit of polished glass, glued there by time:
The origins of art.”
—Howard Moss (b. 1922)
“The origins of clothing are not practical. They are mystical and erotic. The primitive man in the wolf-pelt was not keeping dry; he was saying: “Look what I killed. Aren’t I the best?””
—Katharine Hamnett (b. 1948)
“Lucretius
Sings his great theory of natural origins and of wise conduct; Plato
smiling carves dreams, bright cells
Of incorruptible wax to hive the Greek honey.”
—Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962)