Ikuro Hashizawa (橋沢 育朗, Hashizawa Ikurō) was confirmed for All-Star Battle R during the game's Part 4, 6, & 8 Reveal Trailer.[1]
As Koki Uchiyama voiced Ikuro in All-Star Battle, he reprises his role as Ikuro's voice actor in this game too. His moves are narrated by Toru Okawa. As with a majority of the game's roster, voicelines for Ikuro were either added or re-recorded.
As Ikuro is unable to speak in his Baoh form (only capable of repeated battle cries of "BARU!" as well as general grunts and roars), he is accompanied by the game's narrator calling out the names of his attacks along with descriptive phrases. However, Ikuro will call out the game's name on the title screen in his human voice, and briefly speaks lines, also in his human voice, during his special mirror match intro and during match victories.
Ikuro has 850 health and uses the Baoh Armed Phenomenon (バオー武装現象, Baō Āmudo Fenomenon) Battle Style. Ikuro represents the "Glass Cannon" sub-archetype of combatant, and firmly 'rushdown'. Despite his low health, he also sports the highest dash speed of any character in the game, making it easier for him to close the distance on his opponent or maneuver into favorable positions more frequently. Several projectiles, a super jump, and a forward-moving attack also serve in covering his approach. His skills all execute with great speed, as well as offer methods to repeatedly switch sides and force his foe into guessing what direction to guard in. When combined with his great damage output and Style action that allows him to shrug off incoming attacks, Ikuro is an oppressive offensive fighter. At the same time, his innate health regeneration forces the opponent to continuously engage him during battle so as to not allow him to recover any significant amount of lost health. In this manner, Ikuro also holds the advantage in prolonged rounds.
True to his role, however, Ikuro is fragile and his defense is poor. His Saber Phenomenon, his main combo starters, can easily be punished if he whiffs or gets blocked. Baoh also doesn't have any way to escape pressure other than using his Saber Off reversal, which leaves him extremely vulnerable if it is blocked or whiffed. He can also evade attacks using the Stylish Guard, but using this mechanic is also extremely risky. His "This is Baoh!" Style may activate fast and give him invulnerability to force his way through enemy attacks, but in the face of an aggressive opponent, Baoh won't get the chance to activate it without getting hit in response.
As a whole, Ikuro is a fickle and difficult combatant to wield. He rapidly overwhelms and defeats anyone who is unfamiliar with his powers, but may easily become the one being overwhelmed in turn. Nonetheless, with good execution and strong momentum in his favor, Ikuro can very quickly capture victory before his opponent has a chance to regain control over the battle and retaliate.
Baoh strikes with an elbow. This attack has below average range and small forward movement. It's mainly used as a combo extender and to allow combos to scale better due to its better damage compared to Light Attacks.
Baoh swipes his arm to attack. It's not used often due to it being slower than the Crouching Light Attack and doesn't offer the combo extending capabilities of the Crouching Heavy Attack.
Baoh performs a huge swiping attack with his arm. When used in combination with "Astonishing Leap", it becomes an excellent combo extender as it can catch the opponent after they've been thrown into the air by "Baoh Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon".
Baoh performs a powerful diving kick. When used in combination with "Astonishing Leap", it becomes an excellent combo extender as it can catch the opponent after they've been thrown into the air by "Baoh Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon".
Adds Super Armor to the start of the next skill used. This means Baoh cannot be interrupted by any attack while performing a skill (except HHA/GHAs) until it finishes its startup. The armor lasts from startup all the way to the first active frame. Baoh still takes damage while tanking attacks though, albeit halved, so it is advised to not use it recklessly.
Baoh leaps high into the air. The neutral jump takes Baoh significantly higher than the standard jump, while his horizontal jumps make him fly forward and cover significant distance. Excellent for blockstrings and combos.
Baoh slowly passively regenerates his health if it falls too low, with the regeneration speed depending on how low Baoh's health is. Level 1: Activates at 75% HP
Level 2: Activates at 50% HP
Level 3: Activates at 25% HP
Scent of Murder
(Automatically activates upon an opponent's install)
A hitgrab. Ikuro lunges forward a good distance with his hand extended. If he strikes the opponent, he'll lift them up by the face and unleash Baoh Meltedin Palm Phenomenon, burning their face with acid, before slamming them into the ground. Damage is the same across all versions, with the difference being the heavier the version, the further Baoh will travel with his lunge, but the slower the startup will be. This skill is an excellent combo ender as well.
Baoh uses his arm blades to attack the opponent. The attack button inputted changes the attack significantly.
Light (): Baoh dashes forward, slashing the opponent. It causes crumple on hit and can leave Baoh on the other side of the opponent if done close enough.
Medium (): Baoh leaps into the air and performs a circular slash. It causes a crumple on hit and can cross-up the opponent if done close enough. This version can also be used as a combo-extender.
Heavy (): Baoh unleashes a flurry of quick slashes with his blades, with the final hit uppercutting the opponent into the air. The final hit will not come out on whiff or block. This is Baoh's primary combo-starter, letting Baoh launch the opponent into the air and continue the combo after Flash Canceling.
Ikuro jumps into the air with a blade extended in an uppercutting attack, before spinning and using Saber Off to launch it as a spinning projectile downward. The attack button inputted determines how the move behaves.
Light (): Baoh rises a small amount. It has no invincibility, no hard knockdown on the second hit, and does not throw the blade as a projectile.
Medium (): Baoh rises slightly higher. It is an invulnerable anti-air, and the projectile thrown will curve and move forwards, enabling it to act as a second projectile along with "Baoh Shooting Bees Stinger Phenomenon!". The projectile can also hit downed opponents.
Heavy (): Baoh rises the highest. It is the version with the most invincibility and recovery. The saber this version throws is hurled downwards at a 30 degree angle, able to hit downed opponents easier.
Baoh fires the needle-like hairs from his head as a projectile. This attack also burns the opponent for a brief moment. The heavier versions of the attack will increase the damage and number of projectiles in the attack but at the cost of more startup and recovery. Baoh whipping his hair deals one of the hits, so using it at point-blank does slightly more damage. It is an excellent projectile which can be used for zoning, combo extensions, and even pressure if Baoh performs a Flash Cancel and runs behind it.
After charging up for a moment, Ikuro discharges a potent blast of electricity outward from his body, shocking the opponent and sending them flying back. The electricity can also remove enemy projectiles. This skill has an extremely long startup even for its fastest version, making it only usable when catching the opponent off-guard with it. The heavier the attack, the further Baoh will move forward and the more hits will be dealt, but the startup time will also significantly increase. It notably does a great amount of guard gauge damage if blocked. There is a pull effect on the initial hit to catch sidestepping opponents.
Ikuro wires a large laser cannon to himself as his feet leave the ground, before firing a narrow red beam that travels across the screen instantly. The HHA mirrors the way Ikuro defeated the psychic warrior Walken. This HHA can be used as a powerful anti-air and for catching people off-guard from anywhere across the screen. It can also be used in combos for quick and easy damage.
Ikuro roars as he charges at the opponent. If he makes contact, Ikuro will pick them up by the face and use Meltedin Palm Phenomenon, before repeatedly assaulting them with a relentless extended Reskinharden Saber Phenomenon combo attack. Ikuro then grabs the opponent by the neck and throws them overhead, slamming them into the ground hard enough for them to bounce. Finally, he unleashes a super-charged Break Dark Thunder Phenomenon from his hands to electrocute them. During the GHA, the narrator describes how Baoh identifies his opponent's scent as that of an enemy and that he must be rid of it. During the narrator's final announcement of "Break Dark Thunder Phenomenon!", an echo effect is implemented as well for dramatic effect. This GHA can easily hit from a combo due to its quick forward movement and large hitbox. However, it is a weak wakeup option, as it's easily blockable and jumpable.
Attack type: High Damage: 372 / 446 / 558 (depending on HH gauge)
Assist System (アシストシステム)
Assault Assist (アサルトアシスト, Asaruto Ashisuto)
ON GROUND
A two-stock assist. Baoh lands in and after charging up for a moment, flies forward and discharges a potent blast of electricity outward from his body, shocking the opponent and sending them flying back. He then poses before jumping back off-screen.
Attack type: High Damage: 80
Reversal Assist (リバーサルアシスト, Ribāsaru Ashisuto)
ON GROUND
A one-stock assist. Baoh flips in, delivering powerful diving kick and knocking the opponent away. He then poses before jumping back off-screen.
Baoh infamously originally had increased amounts of block stun on hit. This made blocking attacks as Baoh extremely punishing as not only were you essentially stunned for a short period of time, the opponent could keep attacking you while you were blockstunned, trapping Baoh until his guard gauge ran out. Blocking attacks like a jumping Heavy would pretty much guarantee a throw. This feature has been removed in ASBR.
The animation speed of this move was tremendously sped up in patch 1.4.1. It can now be activated safely during combat with much less risk of the opponent catching Baoh in its animation. In patch 1.6.0, the invincibility during the active and recovery animation given to specials was removed in order to compensate for this massive speed increase.
Baoh's super jump was given a massive horizontal movement increase in patch 1.4.1. His forwards and backwards jump now propels him forwards and backwards massively compared to its original incarnation.
The input for this move has been changed. It used to be able to be charged using 46X, with the strength of the attack depending on the duration of the 4. Now, the Light, Medium, and Heavy versions have been given their own separate inputs.
The direction of the Heavy saber projectile has been altered. It used to be thrown directly forwards of Baoh, acting as an anti-air projectile. Now, it is thrown downwards, making it more viable as an offensive option and giving it the ability to hit downed opponents.
The Light and Medium versions have been slowed down. The Light version of this attack has had its forward motion increased in patch 1.4.1, meaning that Baoh now travels slightly further during the move. The Heavy version was reworked in the same patch so that the final hit sending the opponent upwards will not trigger on block or whiff. The recovery of the final hit has also been slowed down tremendously, making it much less usable as an anti-air. There is also now a noticeable gap in the animation between the final hit and the rest of the attack, but it does not affect gameplay. The invincibility frames on the Heavy version were also removed.
The startup speed of this attack has been greatly lengthened, making it much slower and extremely hard to use in combos. The knockback of this move has also been greatly increased, launching the opponent across the screen instead of just popping the opponent into the air like the previous version. This also completely revokes this move of any combo starting capabilities besides using the HHA to catch the opponent as they're being flung. Overall this special move has been greatly weakened in usability and is only now used during neutral to catch the opponent off-guard and to burn away their guard gauge.
The player's Heart Heat Gauge does not fill while their Stand is active.
Secret Missions
1. Win without losing a single round: 1000 G 2. Land a counterattack: Ikuro Reference Sketch 3. Set off a Stage Hazard: Ikuro's Theme 4. Win with a Dramatic Finish: Ikuro Special Outfit A
Entrance Dialogue
Ikuro: Barubarubarubaru! Josuke 8: What the hell is this?! He transformed right in front of me!
Victory Dialogue
Josuke 8: Something's different about this guy. It's like he's from another world...
Ikuro's theme is Baoh, The Final Weapon (最終兵器バオー, Saishū Heiki Baō), and can be unlocked in-game by triggering a Stage Gimmick in All-Star Battle Mode's Josuke Higashikata (JoJolion) vs Ikuro Boss Battle.
The main protagonist of Baoh the Visitor, who appears as a guest character in this game. He has a serious and quiet personality. After his family is involved in a car accident, he is kidnapped by the Dress Organization, who implanted the Baoh Parasite within him. He later escapes with the help of Sumire, a girl with paranormal abilities.
The main character of Baoh: The Visitor. After a car accident, he was kidnapped by Doress, who implanted the Baoh Parasite within him. He later escaped with the help of Sumire, a girl with paranormal abilities.
A living weapon created by the Dress Organization. It is a parasite around 40 millimetres (1.6 in) long that can transform its host when it senses danger, granting immense strength and special metamorphosis abilities to its host. It is also known as the Baoh Armed Phenomenon.
A living weapon created by the Doress research group. A parasite about 40mm long, it can transform its host when it is in danger, granting immense strength and special skills in a metamorphosis known as the Baoh Armed Phenomenon.
A top secret research institute specializing in weapons research and development. Created under the pressure of the US Army during the Vietnam War, its roots can be traced back to Japan's bio-weapons team in World War II. This group is responsible for the Baoh Parasite.
A top secret weapons R&D organization. Created under the pressure of the US Army during the Vietnam War, its roots can be traced back to Japan's bio-weapons team from WWII. This same group created the Baoh Parasite.
Special Costume A
Win with a Dramatic Finish
Taunt Lines
Baoh, The Final Weapon (最終兵器バオー, Saishū Heiki Baō), and can be unlocked in-game by triggering a Stage Gimmick in All-Star Battle Mode's Josuke Higashikata (JoJolion) vs Ikuro Boss Battle.
Reference Sketch
Buffs
Nerfs
Neutral
variant of "Baoh Hardened Saber" to the 
variant.
