OVA
Description
Ebisumaru is a character from the Ganbare Goemon franchise who features prominently in the OVA Ganbare Goemon: Jigen-Jō no Akumu. He serves as the longest-standing partner and best friend of the protagonist, Goemon. His character design is that of a surprisingly pudgy ninja who typically wears a blue ninja gi and a bandana tied beneath his nose, which gives him the appearance of having a mustache. His face is almost always depicted with his eyes closed and wearing a cheerful, smiling expression.
The character's background is rooted in a mix of folklore and internal company humor. He is a self-proclaimed Ninja of Justice who originally roamed the country doing good deeds under the alias Nezumi Kozo. He joined Goemon after learning of the hero's righteous path and now lives with him in Edo. The character was redesigned from the more serious Nezumi Kozo for the video game Ganbare Goemon 2, with his name and appearance being a cartoonish depiction of Etsunobu Ebisu, a producer of the series at Konami.
Ebisumaru's personality is defined by extreme eccentricity and a carefree, whimsical nature. He operates entirely on his own terms, often described as following the beat of his own drum. He is the comic foil, exhibiting absurd behavior such as sleeping, jumping, or dancing regardless of the situation, even in the middle of a dangerous battle. His primary hobbies are eating and sleeping, with a legendary appetite that holds the record for consuming two hundred plates of dango in one sitting. A recurring gag is his delusional self-perception as an exceptionally attractive man; he claims to be a descendant of American actor James Dean and is inexplicably popular with women. He also displays effeminate mannerisms and is known to occasionally dress as a classical dancer for no apparent reason. An early, non-canonical twist revealed him as a woman under a curse, but this was abandoned as a joke in subsequent material.
His motivation is typically tied to his loyalty and friendship with Goemon. While he may seem irresponsible and obnoxious, he is a formidable partner who provides great help in battle. In the OVA Jigen-Jō no Akumu, the story involves a dimensional castle appearing near Edo. Ebisumaru accompanies Goemon to investigate, and his primary role is to navigate the bizarre challenges presented by the castle's floors, which are parodies of other Konami franchises. On each floor, he is transformed into a character from that world, such as a serious pilot in a Gradius-themed level or a character in a white suit in a Castlevania-themed level, though his core personality remains unchanged.
Key relationships are centered on his bond with Goemon. He refers to Goemon with the Kansai dialect honorific Goemon-han, indicating closeness. He is also a father to a daughter named Mao, though the mother is not specified. His abilities are as eccentric as his personality. Rather than traditional ninja weapons, he wields a bizarre arsenal of everyday or gymnastic items as weapons, including paper fans, mallets, yo-yos, hula hoops, frying pans, plungers, and extendable boxing gloves. He is also highly versatile in combat through his ninjutsu magical abilities. These techniques include Chibi Ebi, which shrinks his size to access small areas; Kobun Cow, which summons a cow as an ally; the Japanese Dance, which eliminates on-screen enemies; Flapping, which uses fans to fly; various elemental attacks like fire and thunder; and healing spells such as Rifuru to restore health to himself or his allies.
The character's background is rooted in a mix of folklore and internal company humor. He is a self-proclaimed Ninja of Justice who originally roamed the country doing good deeds under the alias Nezumi Kozo. He joined Goemon after learning of the hero's righteous path and now lives with him in Edo. The character was redesigned from the more serious Nezumi Kozo for the video game Ganbare Goemon 2, with his name and appearance being a cartoonish depiction of Etsunobu Ebisu, a producer of the series at Konami.
Ebisumaru's personality is defined by extreme eccentricity and a carefree, whimsical nature. He operates entirely on his own terms, often described as following the beat of his own drum. He is the comic foil, exhibiting absurd behavior such as sleeping, jumping, or dancing regardless of the situation, even in the middle of a dangerous battle. His primary hobbies are eating and sleeping, with a legendary appetite that holds the record for consuming two hundred plates of dango in one sitting. A recurring gag is his delusional self-perception as an exceptionally attractive man; he claims to be a descendant of American actor James Dean and is inexplicably popular with women. He also displays effeminate mannerisms and is known to occasionally dress as a classical dancer for no apparent reason. An early, non-canonical twist revealed him as a woman under a curse, but this was abandoned as a joke in subsequent material.
His motivation is typically tied to his loyalty and friendship with Goemon. While he may seem irresponsible and obnoxious, he is a formidable partner who provides great help in battle. In the OVA Jigen-Jō no Akumu, the story involves a dimensional castle appearing near Edo. Ebisumaru accompanies Goemon to investigate, and his primary role is to navigate the bizarre challenges presented by the castle's floors, which are parodies of other Konami franchises. On each floor, he is transformed into a character from that world, such as a serious pilot in a Gradius-themed level or a character in a white suit in a Castlevania-themed level, though his core personality remains unchanged.
Key relationships are centered on his bond with Goemon. He refers to Goemon with the Kansai dialect honorific Goemon-han, indicating closeness. He is also a father to a daughter named Mao, though the mother is not specified. His abilities are as eccentric as his personality. Rather than traditional ninja weapons, he wields a bizarre arsenal of everyday or gymnastic items as weapons, including paper fans, mallets, yo-yos, hula hoops, frying pans, plungers, and extendable boxing gloves. He is also highly versatile in combat through his ninjutsu magical abilities. These techniques include Chibi Ebi, which shrinks his size to access small areas; Kobun Cow, which summons a cow as an ally; the Japanese Dance, which eliminates on-screen enemies; Flapping, which uses fans to fly; various elemental attacks like fire and thunder; and healing spells such as Rifuru to restore health to himself or his allies.