Goemon Ishikawa XIII

Age: Mid-20s - early 30s

Birthday: 16 August (The Castle of Cagliostro)

Height: 180 cm

Weight: 63 kg

The thirteenth generation of renegade samurai, beginning with the legendary figure Ishikawa Goemon (石川 五右衛門). He has a sword called Zantetsuken (斬鉄剣), meaning "iron-cutting sword", which can cut through almost anything. In one episode during the TV series Goemon admitted that his sword cannot cut konnyaku, which is a starch-based jelly made from yams, because the blade just gets stuck in it. The Zantetsuken is usually used to cut inanimate objects, which Goemon considers unworthy of his blade and often mutters his catchphrase "once again, I have cut a worthless object" after doing so. Objects cut by Zantetsuken will fall apart a couple of seconds after he sweeps through them with his blade. He is usually quiet and participates in Lupin's exploits less frequently than Jigen. He is also a skilled pilot.

A master of a number of classic Japanese martial arts, Goemon excels at Kenjutsu and Battōjutsu. Using his trademark Zantetsuken sword (carried in an unadorned shirasaya without a hand guard) he has the ability to cut through virtually any substance, even flying bullets, steel girders, automobiles, and multi-storied buildings. His training includes Jujutsu, Aikido and Karate, enabling barehanded vanquishing of several attackers at once with minimal effort. In spite of his invincible weapon and his martial arts expertise, Goemon prefers to incapacitate rather than kill opponents, usually by destroying their weapons and clothes with lightning fast sweeps of his sword. Since katanas traditionally must cut flesh before being returned to the scabbard, Goemon reacts to his non-lethal use of Zantetsuken by exclaiming "Mata tsumaranu mono o kitte shimatta" (in English dubs, "Once again, I have cut an unworthy [worthless] object").

Goemon has an extreme sense of pride in his abilities, and when he cannot accomplish a task, feels shame and remorse afterward. Breaking Zantetsuken, as he did in a battle with Flinch in The Mystery of Mamo, is a common cause of shame. He will also feel chagrin when he succumbs to his weaknesses, as when a woman ran off with his sword in Memories of the Flame: Tokyo Crisis. On many of these occasions, Goemon will leave to meditate or further train to rid himself of his weak points.

Goemon shows allegiance to Japanese culture as strictly as his traveling and unique lifestyle can allow. He dresses in a hakama and fundoshi, and prefers wearing his hair long and somewhat unevenly cut. He only eats Japanese cuisine, willing to fast rather than settle for any Western options. He is a firm believer in Buddhism and Shinto. Although he may toast with champagne, his drink of choice is sake. He occasionally has been seen smoking a kiseru and usually wears a Sugegasa style hat.