Momotaro

Momotaro is one of the best-known hero stories of ancient Japan, so it should come as little surprise that Momotaro himself would make a cameo in Namco's quirky roll-'em-up game, Katamari Damacy. Juliet Piggott recalls the beginning of the story as such: "He came into being in a peach. A childless couple found the peach floating down a mountain stream and when they took it home and opened it, there was a perfectly formed minute human boy. They named him Momotaro, which means peach child" (89). Momotaro goes on to become a hero by defeating a clan of demons on a remote island in the sea. Katamari, however, doesn't go into such detail.

(Katamari Damacy, np)

Though the game doesn't recall the whole story, it makes reference to certain aspects of it. For one, in Katamari Momotaro is found coming out of a peach, which is just like in the old tale. Also, in the game he's located near the Quail River, which, again, is like the myth, as the old childless couple first discovered Momotaro's peach floating down a river or stream.