Baoh the Visitor
Baoh the Visitor (バオー来訪者, Baō Raihōsha) is a single-episode OVA adaptation of the manga series Baoh the Visitor by Hirohiko Araki. It was produced by Studio Pierrot and distributed by Toho and Shōnen Jump Video. The OVA premiered in select theaters on September 16, 1989 and was eventually released to VHS on November 1, 1989. A LaserDisc version was distributed on December 21, 1989.[1]
An English localization of the VHS and LaserDisc were released by AnimEigo on May 24, 1995 and June 6, 1995 respectively. The company followed with a DVD version on February 26, 2002. A Japanese DVD release by Toshiba Digital Frontiers was eventually distributed on April 2, 2003. The OVA also released in Italy, France, and Germany. Italy and France dubbed it in their respective languages, whereas the German release kept the Japanese voices.
Release Dates
| Format |  Release Date |
 Release Date |
 Release Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatrical | September 16, 1989[2] | N/A | N/A |
| VHS | November 1, 1989[3] | May 24, 1995 | 1999 |
| LaserDisc | December 21, 1989[4] | June 6, 1995 | N/A |
| DVD | April 2, 2003 | February 26, 2002 | 2003 |
Summary
The story begins on a running armored train of the Secret Dress Organization. A little girl named Sumire has escaped her cell and is pursued by Sophine, one of Dress's agents. Sumire is a psychic and uses her power to break into a fortified wagon where the containment of Baoh is overseen by Dr. Kasuminome. Sumire then turns a valve, causing a failure of the containment system which reveals a young boy with extraordinary strength and resilience. Sumire and the boy then escape from the train in the ensuing chaos.
Hours later, Sumire and the boy take a rest. The boy named Ikuro reveals that he's amnesiac while Sumire explains her past as an orphan. Suddenly, an assassin from the Dress organization stabs Ikuro from behind. Ikuro and Sumire then flee on a motorbike with the assassin pursuing them. The assassin eventually ambushes Ikuro and inflicts mortal wounds with his combat knife, but Ikuro partially turns into Baoh, heals his wounds and kills the assassin. Meanwhile, Kasuminome demonstrates the potential of Baoh to the sponsors of the Dress organization. Dordo, an elite enforcer of the organization, also shows that bullets to the head and fire can kill the Baoh. Dordo is then deployed with a death squad to hunt down Ikuro.
Ikuro and Sumire take refuge in an abandoned building. Ikuro remembers a car crash and the subsequent experimentations Kasuminome has performed on him. Sumire senses the death squad coming and a battle ensues. Sumire is knocked out in the struggle but Ikuro fully turns into Baoh and decimates the squad. When Dordo takes Sumire hostage, Baoh uses his stinger hairs to melt Dordo's skin, only to reveal that Dordo is a cyborg whose loss of skin is a minor inconvenience. Fleeing with Sumire, Dordo goads Ikuro to come to Dress's main laboratory to take her back.
Back at the lab, Kasuminome tortures Sumire to lure Ikuro, who can sense her suffering. Ikuro scales a cliff leading to the lab and is ambushed by Dordo on a helicopter who tries to shoot him with an explosive bullet. However, Baoh manifests a new ability and projects an energy field returning to bullet to Dordo, destroying the helicopter and killing the agent. Baoh enters the lab but a psychic on Dress's orders confronts him. Walken is a powerful psychic but Baoh eventually throws a sharp arm-blade into his skull, taking him out. Desperate, Kasuminome engages the self-destruction of the building.
Ikuro breaks into Sumire's cell, disables the laser defense set up in the room and revives her. Meanwhile, Walken has regained consciousness; the arm-blade destroyed Walken's bandana which was a psychic limiter, driving him berserk. Walken confronts Ikuro and opens a hole on the ground, making everyone fall into a cavern including Kasuminome and Sophine who were in an escape pod. Ikuro silently points out to an escape route and Sumire leaves him after a tearful goodbye. In the ensuing battle against Walken, Baoh prevails by using a laser to his advantage. Walken, Kasuminome and Sophine die, and the cavern collapses.
Years later, Sumire is still free and is shown waiting by the beach. She sees a vision that Ikuro is still alive, slumbering in the depths of the pond below the lab.
Cast
Protagonist
Ally Actress:Noriko Hidaka
Actress:Kem Helms
Actress:Marjolaine Poulain
Actress:Dania Cericola
Villain
Villain
Villain
Villain Actor:Yusaku Yara
Actor:Chuck Denson
Actor:John Berrebi
Actor:Eligio Irato
Villain Actor:Ikuya Sawaki
Actor:Sean P. O'Connell
Actor:???
Actor:???
Villains Actors:Shinya Otaki
Masaharu Sato
Ikuya Sawaki
Actors:Marc Matney
Mark Franklin
Paul Johnson
Actors:???
Actors:???
Villain Actor:Kozo Shioya
Actor:Patrick Humphrey
Actor:???
Actor:???
Villains Actor:Michitaka Kobayashi
Actor:Jim Clark
Kevin Greenway
Nick Manatee
Actor:???
Actor:Cesare Rasini
???
Neutral Actor:Tomoko Maruo
Actor:Sandy Clubb
Actor:???
Actor:???
Home Video Releases
Baoh
(バオー来訪者)
November 1, 1989 (VHS) December 21, 1989 (LD)
Features: Information Card (LD)
Baoh the Visitor
(バオー来訪者)
April 2, 2003
Features: Information Booklet
Baoh
May 24, 1995 (VHS) June 6, 1995 (LD)
Features: Japanese and English Audio, English Subtitles
Baoh
February 28, 2002
Features: Japanese and English Audio, English Subtitles
Baoh
September 25, 1995 (VHS)
Features: French Audio
Baoh
May 2, 1991 (VHS)
Features: Italian Audio
Baoh
June 9, 2003 (DVD)
Features: Japanese and Italian Audio, Italian Subtitles
Baoh
September 22, 2000 (VHS)
Features: Japanese Audio, German Subtitles
Yoma: Curse of the Undead + Baoh Double Feature
July 7, 2001 (DVD)
Features: Japanese Audio, German Subtitles
Soundtracks
Credits
Hiroki Takagi
Shoichi Masuo
高木弘樹
増尾昭一
Tomohiro Hirata
Takahiro Omori
Akiyuki Shinbo
Takahiro Kishida
Masaya Onishi
Toshiyuki Kubooka
Takuya Saito
Ken Ueno
Shuichi Chidao
Ryuichi Makino
Hidekazu Ohara
Shigeki Kuhara
Kia Asamiya
Suzuki Shunji
Ozeki Noriko
Yoshimitsu Ohashi
Hiroshi Yoneda
Hiroki Takagi
Susumu Nishizawa
Shoichi Masuo
平田智浩
大森貴弘
新房昭之
岸田隆宏
大西雅也
窪岡俊之
斉藤卓也
上野 賢
千田尾秀一
牧野竜一
小原秀一
工原茂樹
菊池通隆
鈴木俊二
大関紀子
大橋誉志光
米田 宏
高木弘樹
西澤 晋
増尾昭一
Hidehara Nakahara
Masao Ichitani
Kosugi Mitsuyoshi
Momonori Taniguchi
Hitoshi Nagao
中原英統
市谷正夫
小杉光芳
谷口百範
長尾 仁
Manga/OVA Differences
- Narration throughout the story is omitted.
- Sumire's initial escape from her room is not shown. The woman chasing her is named Sophine, and is accompanied by two guards while chasing her.
- Sophine is not held responsible and disposed of after Ikuro and Sumire's escape. Rather, she acts as Dr. Kasuminome's personal assistant, and accompanies him throughout the film.
- At the bus stop, Sophine and Ikuro discuss the aftermath of the train incident, Dress Organization, and Sumire's past. Their discussion of their ages is moved to the demolished building later on.
- Ikuro suffers from amnesia and cannot remember anything besides his name, unlike the original story.
- Rather than making fun of him, the owner of the motorcycle Ikuro asks to borrow after being stabbed falls off his bike in fear.
- The Dress Organization's base in the Kitakami mountains is removed and replaced with their cliffside headquarters. As such, the Buddha statue retinal scanner is omitted.
- Kasuminome is shown consulting Dordo about 22nd Man's capacity to fulfill his mission.
- The first part of the sequence with the dog Baoh plays out before 22nd Man attacks Ikuro. The tiger's death is shown after Baoh pulls the knife out, and the dog and parasite's are shown after 22nd Man is defeated.
- Sophine is shown opening the tiger's hatch.
- Dordo is the one to shoot the dog in the head. It does not attempt to attack the glass until it is set on fire.
- The Baoh parasite's imago stage is not mentioned by Kasuminome.
- Ikuro's knife wound is shown fully healed after he and Sumire stop at the gas station, rather than while driving.
- 22nd Man does not explain how he knew Ikuro would stop at the gas station.
- Kasuminome and Sophine consult Walken as to Ikuro's whereabouts while deploying Dordo.
- The headpiece used to suppress Walken's psychic power is a bandana rather than a pair of headphones.
- Ikuro and Sumire betting on a horse race is omitted.
- Ikuro's past is shown as a part of it comes back to him before the battle in the demolished building.
- Ikuro's dialogue with his parents is omitted.
- Ikuro's parents die in the traffic accident instead of being killed by Dress.
- Ikuro's flashback to sinking in an icy lake is omitted, as he cannot remember it.
- Baoh attacks the Dress soldiers on the same floor he and Sumire fell from.
- Baoh flinging stones to kill one of the soldiers is omitted.
- Baoh is not weak to fire. One soldier fires his flamethrower at him point-blank, but Baoh is unaffected by the flames and turns the nozzle back toward its wielder.
- A scene is added of Ikuro contemplating his Baoh form in a mirror.
- Martin and his master are entirely removed. Instead, Dordo's confrontation with Baoh and kidnapping of Sumire occurs at the demolished building.
- Dordo's Aroma Bats are omitted; instead, Baoh uses his Shooting-Bees Stinger Phenomenon against Dordo when he puts a gun to Sumire's head.
- Dordo's internal monologue about the bond between Ikuro and Sumire is omitted.
- Dordo's delivery of the girl to Dress's headquarters is omitted.
- Rokusuke and his wife are entirely removed.
- Dordo being mocked by Kasuminome for only kidnapping Sumire is omitted, as is his resulting humiliation during his second encounter with Baoh.
- Ikuro saving a girl from a train without transforming into Baoh is omitted, as is Sumire's failed interrogation.
- The scientist that asks Kasuminome whether to continue with Sumire's cacophonic torture despite her condition is replaced by Sophine. After Ikuro is spotted, she is ordered to call Walken.
- Baoh's internal monologues during his assault on Dress are removed.
- Dordo's second encounter with Baoh and death are changed dramatically. As Ikuro climbs toward Dress's headquarters, Dordo fires at him from a helicopter, but is killed when Baoh deflects his explosive bullet back at him.
- Cain and Bloody do not introduce themselves to Baoh before attacking him.
- Baoh uses the elevator in Dress's headquarters, rather than jumping down the shaft.
- Kasuminome's attempt to kill Baoh via Nepenthes fluid and Sap Spiders is omitted.
- The name of Walken's tribe is changed from Skookum to Skurm.
- Kasuminome orders the destruction of the lab after Walken's defeat. Sophine is shown activating the self-destruct switch.
- The laser cannons in Sumire's torture chamber activate automatically and target Baoh rather than Sumire.
- Kasuminome's escape pod holds two people rather than one, allowing both him and Sophine to enter. The scientists Kasuminome leaves outside the pod are omitted.
- Sophine is fatally pierced by a falling stalactite at the same time as Kasuminome.
- Kasuminome's farewell to Baoh is omitted.
- The aftermath of Dress's destruction is narrated by Sumire.
- Sumire is shown at an older age during the epilogue. Rather than Rokusuke's house, she is seen at the coast near the ruins of Dress's headquarters, looking toward the sea where Ikuro rests.
Gallery
Baoh Original Video Animation Promotional Poster
Baoh Laserdisc/Soundtrack Promotional Poster
Promotional and Cover Artwork for the Baoh OVA
LaserDisc Cover Artwork
CD Soundtrack Jacket, Raw Cover
Cover Artwork for the 2003 DVD Re-release
VHS Tape Cover (JP)
DVD Cover (JP)
LaserDisc Cover (JP)
LaserDisc Back Cover (JP)
CD Soundtrack Jacket Cover
VHS Tape Cover (English Subbed) (US)
VHS Tape Cover (English Dub) (US)
DVD Cover (US)
LaserDisc Cover (US)
Cover art of the Hong Kong release of Baoh: The Visitor on LaserDisc
Cover art of the French release of Baoh: The Visitor on VHS
Cover art of the Italian release of Baoh: The Visitor on DVD
Cover art of the German release of Baoh: The Visitor on VHS
Baoh and Ikuro
Ikuro breaks through the wall to save Sumire
Chapter 136 Advertisement
Newtype 10/1989 Advertisement
Newtype 12/1989 Advertisement
Anime V 10/1989 Article
Anime V 10/1989 Article #2
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Cover
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Back Cover
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Summary
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Characters
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-DIGTEST STORY #1
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-DIGTEST STORY #2
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-DIGEST STORY #3
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Sumire
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Ability
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Interview
"Toho Cinemas" Pamphlet-Release Advertisement
Trivia
- The OVA premiered at select Toho Cinemas on September 16, 1989 with a VHS release date set for November 1, 1989. However, customers were allowed to rent the video at video rental shops beforehand starting from October 13, 1989.[5]
- In later re-releases of the OVA, an original English ending track is added after the Japanese credits, played alongside a set of English credits for the English dubbing and production. The song is left unnamed, as well as uncredited, and has not been released outside of playing during the end credits.
- Hirohiko Araki thought the OVA was really well made, especially considering the limitations on its production. However, he felt that it was a bit of a waste that it adapts both manga volumes into a single VHS. He would have liked to see the two volumes of the manga adapted separately.[6]
References
- ↑ https://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/122003557
- ↑ Weekly Shonen Jump 1989 Issue #38 - Title Page
- ↑ Toho Video AD - Baoh OVA - Newtype 1989 Issue #10
- ↑ Toho Video AD - Five Star Stories, BAOH OVA and Utsunomiko - Newtype 1989 Issue #12
- ↑ https://www.suruga-ya.jp/kaitori_detail/928048848
- ↑ JOJO A-GO!GO!: ARAKI HIROHIKO
