Newtype (October 1989)
Baoh OVA Pamphlet (September 1989)
Interview Archive
BAOH (April 1990)
An interview with Hirohiko Araki published in the November 1989 issue of the magazine Newtype, released on October 9, 1989.[1]
Interview
Baoh's unyielding popularity has birthed an anime adaptation!
Weekly Shonen Jump, the world's largest comic magazine with 5 million copies in circulation, is finally embracing OVAs in earnest. The first work they have chosen for adaptation from many candidates is Baoh the Visitor. Hirohiko Araki, the original author, is currently serializing the highly-popular JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series in Shonen Jump, but everyone would agree that a prototype for the series was established in his previous work, Baoh the Visitor. The unique aesthetic sense that runs throughout his art style and stories have helped him carve a solid niche for himself in the Japanese comics scene. Then what is Baoh, exactly...?
Baoh is a biological weapon developed by Dr. Kasuminome, a member of the mysterious Dress Organization. When injected into an organism's bloodstream, Baoh larvae invade the body and become parasites within the arteries linked to the brain. Whenever an animal senses danger or is injured, it secretes adrenaline, causing its body to become tense. The Baoh parasite detects this adrenaline and, in order to protect the host, transforms its body to grant it unimaginable strength. This process is called the Baoh Armed Phenomenon. Ikuro Hashizawa, a young man whom Dress has infected with the Baoh parasite, escapes with a young girl named Sumire, who Dress also seeks to use for her precognitive abilities. Dress's assassins attack them, one after another. Dordo, whose body has been transformed into that of a cyborg, and Walken, a psychic warrior... Ikuro and Sumire's journey continues in spite of all the carnage.
This story overflowing with sorrow will be animated by a team of talented staff members, including supervisor Hisayuki Toriumi, scriptwriter Kenji Terada, and character designer and animation director "Masayuki Sana" (actually Masayuki Yamaguchi under a pen name).
"My primary influence is Mark Twain."
What follows is an interview with the original author, Hirohiko Araki.
"My grades in arts and crafts in elementary and junior high were five points out of five. I don't know a whole lot about the artists and illustrators who've influenced me, so I can't accuse anyone by name, but they include models and photographers for women's fashion magazines overseas. It's because they're sexy. If I hadn't become a manga artist, I might've become a fashion designer instead. My favorite color is marine blue."
Araki says the reason he wanted to become a manga artist was because of the joy he felt at being selected as a semi-finalist for Jump's Tezuka Award. In contrast to his aesthetic style, he seems like a very innocent person. For instance:
"The author who influenced me the most is Mark Twain, the author behind The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The place I'm most charmed by is Sendai, where I was born around 20 years ago. It's my hometown, after all."
As you can see, his words betray his personality. Speaking of which, many of Araki's protagonists are the type who wouldn't dare run away when a mystery or adventure appears before them. It can't be a coincidence that such a boyish quality lies within them.
"My favorite characters I've written are Devil Boy B.T., and Joseph Joestar (the second-generation JoJo). My favorite chapter is the story where B.T. confronts the creepy boy."
Finally, this is a question I've desperately wanted to ask. Where do your unique onomatopoeia and shouts (like Baoh's "baru baru baru," Dio's "uryyyy!!", and the "ora ora!!" of Star Platinum,[a] the third-generation JoJo's Stand) stem from?
"Not my own mouth. I think I was influenced by sound effects in movies, and by music like rock."
衰えぬバオー人気がこのアニメ化を生んだ
発行部数500万部を誇る世界最大のコミック誌「週刊少年ジャンプ」がいよいよ
謎の秘密結社ドレスの霞の目博士が開発した生体兵器。生物の体内に血管注射によって侵入する「バオー」の幼虫は、脳内に通しる動脈内に寄生する。動物は危険を感じたリケガをすると、アドレナリンという分泌液を出し体を緊張させる。このアドレナリン量をバオー虫が感知し、宿主である動物を守るために、動物の肉体を強力に変身させる。これをバオー
この哀感あふれる物語をアニメ化するのは、監修＝鳥海永行、脚本＝寺田憲史、キャラクターデザイン&作画監督＝沙那芭美智（山口正幸のペンネーム）の実力派スタッフだ。
一番影響を受けたのはマーク・トゥエイン
さて、原作の荒木さんにインタビユーだ。
「小・中学生時代の図画工作の成績は、5段階評価で5でした。影響を受けた画家、イラストレーターはあまりくわしくないので名前まではあげられないけれど、外国の女性ファッション誌で活躍している人たちや、カメラマンたち。理由はセクシーだから。マンガ家にならなければ、フアッションデザイナーになっていたかもしれません。好きな色はマリンブルー」
マンガ家になろうとしたきっかけは、ジャンプの手塚賞準入選を受賞して、すごくうれしかったから…と語る荒木さん。その耽美的な作風とはうらはらに、とっても純心な方のようだ。それは、
「一番影響を受けた作家は『トム・ソーヤの冒険』のマーク・トゥエイン。一番魅力を感じている場所は、自分が子供のころ…20年くらい前の仙台市。出身地ですから」
ということばにも表われている。そういえば荒木さんの主人公たちは、謎や冒険が目の前にあると、どうしても逃れられないタイプが多い。そこに少年性を見いだせるのは、偶然とはいえないだろう。
「自分の作品で一番好きなキャラクターは魔少年ビーティーとジョセフ・ジョースター（2代目
最後に、どうしても聞きたかったこの質問。ユニークな擬音やかけ声（バオーの「バルバルーッ」、ディオの「
「僕の口ぐせ、ではありません。映画の効果音とか、ロックとか音楽の影響たと思います」
Gallery
Notes
- ↑ Star Platinum was initially named Star Silver during the Weekly Shonen Jump serialization of Stardust Crusaders. The interview uses the later name, which would later appear in Volume 13 in December 1989; however, the incorrect kanji is used, with the more common kanji for "silver" (白銀) being substituted for "platinum" (白金).
