Baoh the Visitor
Template:Book Baoh (バオー来訪者 Baō Raihōsha, lit. "Baoh: The Visitor") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. Originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1985, Baoh was later compiled into two tankōbon volumes. The series was adapted into a single-episode original video animation (OVA) by Studio Pierrot in 1989. The manga was licensed in English and released in monthly chapters by VIZ Media in 1990; sales were pitiful and it was not until 1995 that they released it in tankōbon format. The OVA was licensed for an English DVD release by AnimEigo in 2000, which was delayed but finally released in 2002.
Synopsis
Teenager Ikuro Hashizawa (橋沢 育朗, Hashizawa Ikurō) is kidnapped and turned into a Baoh, a bioweapon with super human strength and other abilities such as firing a corrosive substance, by the Judas Laboratory. He escapes with the help of Violet, a 10-year-old psychic girl who also was kept by the Judas group. Professor Hazyeye, head scientist at Judas, sends various assassins and monsters to try and kill Ikuro, in means of stopping the Baoh virus from spreading and infecting the world. One of the assassins, Dorudo, manages to kidnap Violet to lure Ikuro, but his unauthorized actions makes Judas have him executed by Walken, the giant psychic. In his attempt to save Violet, Ikuro destroys Walken's headgear, the only thing keeping his power under control, and the whole facility explodes, killing several scientists of Judas, Hazyeye and Walken. Ikuro is left dormant at the bottom of the sea, but Violet has a last vision: He's stil alive and will come back years later to meet her again.
Abilities of BAOH
Baoh Armed Phenomenon
When the host body is attacked (such as during Ikuro's near death at the hands of Number 22), it transforms by means of the Baoh Armed Phenomenon (バオー武装現象（アームド・フェノメノン）, Baō Āmudo Fenomenon), covering its body in a protective armor that granting the body superhuman strength and healing, which he can also use to heal others. As a Baoh, Ikuro displays other abilities.
Attacks
- Baoh Meltedin Palm Phenomenon (バオー・メルテッディン・パルム・フェノメノン, Baō Meruteddin Parumu Fenomenon): Allows him to secrete corrosive enzymes from his hands, melting through metal and human flesh.
- Baoh Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon (バオー・リスキニハーデン・セイバー・フェノメノン, Baō Risukinihāden Seibā Fenomenon): Produces two blades formed from hardened skin tissue coming out of his arms that can slice through nearly anything. Kars's blade was based on this attack. The blades can detatch from his arms and be used as projectiles by shouting Saber Off (セイバーオフ, Seibā Ofu).
- Baoh Shooting Bees-Stingers Phenomenon (バオー・シューティングビースス・スティンガー・フェノメノン, Baō Shūtingubīsusu Sutingā Fenomenon): It turns Baoh's hair into needle-like projectiles that burst into flames due to their altered chemical composition upon contact with the targets body heat.
- Baoh Break-Dark-Thunder Phenomenon (バオー・ブレイク・ダーク・サンダー・フェノメノン, Baō Bureiku Dāku Sandā Fenomenon): Baoh's most powerful ability. Where his body producers upwards of 60 thousand volts of electrical energy with the same method as an electric eel, powerful enough to power a laser cannon.
Video Games
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle (PS3)
Ikuro in his Baoh form appears as the final DLC character for this game accompanied by a Campaign set centered around him. He also appears in an extra battle in the Jojolion Story mode chapter.
Ikuro's moveset revolves all around Baoh's special abilities, and also has his own Style centered around Baoh's regenerative abilities.
His HHA has him wire a laser cannon to himself which he then fires at his enemy, the same way he defeated the psychic warrior Walken.
His GHA has him repeatedly assault the victim with Meltedin Palm and Reskinharden Saber Phenomenons before frying them with Break Dark Thunder Phenomenon.
gallery
Ikuro's GHA
Ikuro in PV7
- BAOH-Famitsu.jpg
Baoh's model on All-Star Battle
Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon
Shooting Bees-Stingers Phenomenon
- BBDSP.JPG
Break-Dark-Thunder Phenomenon
The special of RSP:Saber Off
Laser Beam
- Ikurodualidad.jpg
Duality between BAOH and Ikuro
- Asdf.jpg
BAOH in the animated OVA
- Baoh DVD.jpg
Baoh DVD
Trivia
- Baoh was Araki's first series to display his signature amount of over-the-top gore. The characters Dio and Neo Dio from the video game series World Heroes are based on Baoh, bearing not only a striking resemblance, but also have similar attacks in which they use in their various appearances in the World Heroes series, and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.
- In episode 10 of the Anime, Joseph is seen in a flashback reading Baoh (the same scene in the manga used Superman).
- It was unknown at the time of the trailer he was shown in if he was going to be a hidden character or will be DLC for the game as he was shown near the very end of the 7th PV without being told if he would be unlockable or downloadable. The final campaign shows he is set to be a DLC character for the game.
- All Star Battle will be the first game that Baoh has appeared in and he will be the only character Araki created to not be from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure as he comes from his own manga that predates JJBA.
- In All Star Battle, Ikuro only talks normally in his human form. As he fights mainly in his monstrous form where he cannot talk at all except for when he taunts and only says "Baru", and as he can not say the names of his attacks himself the game's narrator instead describes his attacks during the battle.
