Character Profile: Goemon Ishikawa

Goemon Ishikawa is the thirteenth in a line of samurai. The name Goemon comes from his original ancestor, a legendary troublemaker from the 1600's who picked up a reputation slightly akin to England's Robin Hood (until he was caught and summarily boiled alive). He wields a sword called Zantetsu-ken ("Sword that Cuts Iron"), made supposedly from the metal of a meteorite. Whatever its composition, its edge never dulls, even as he cuts it through almost anything you can think of. Combined with his years of dedicated training, Goemon becomes a fearsome foe to face: drawing his sword, making his cuts, and then sheathing it again (all typically within the span of a second).

His life is that of the samurai: calm, austere, and with a deep sense of honor. Originally trained to be an assassin, he had been ordered to kill Lupin originally. However, his master, Momochi, had planned to turn on him, and Lupin eventually killed Momochi. Now Goemon travels with the gang, offering his skills to help in their capers.