Ikuro Hashizawa
Ikuro Hashizawa (橋沢 育朗, Hashizawa Ikurō), aussi surnommé Baoh (バオー, Baō), est le protagoniste de Baoh le Visiteur.
Ikuro est un jeune garçon qui a été kidnappé par l'Organisation Dress pour servir de cobaye. Injecté avec un parasite spécial, il devient l'arme biologique "Baoh", doué d'une force prodigieuse, de sens surhumains et autres superpouvoirs. Il va alors combattre les assassins que Dress envoie à ses trousse.
Apparence
Ikuro est un jeune homme japonais de 17 ans, de taille moyenne et de carrure plutôt athlétique. Il a des traits délicats, malgré ses sourcils épais, et a des cheveux en bataille de longueur moyenne qui pointent vers l'arrière en une touffe pointue.
Ikuro pour une chemise et un pantalon assortis, qui semblent être rembourrés et sont de couleur claire. Sa chemise a un col épais. Au dessus de sa chemise il porte un gilet sans manches et de couleur sombre avec des ourlets aux épaules. Il porte aussi une ceinture.
Ikuro peut se transformer en Baoh, l'arme biologique. Sa peau et ses cheveux prennent une teinte bleue. Il devient plus musclée jusqu'à déchirer ses vêtements par endroits. La peau sur son visage se craquelle, révélant une couche sous-cutanée noir alors que ses yeux brillent, et qu'un lambeau de peau se maintient devant son oeil gauche. Ses cheveux poussent jusqu'à devenir une large crinière soyeuse mais en fait faite de chair. Ikuro gagne aussi une sorte de gemme ovale sur son front entourée de peau noire.
Palettes
(Baoh)
(Baoh)
Personality
Due to his amnesia, Ikuro knows very little about his past.
He is a rather friendly individual, but he is willing to do illegal things to keep himself alive, such as stealing a person's bike. He has a strong bond with Sumire and was willing to risk his life to save her.
As a Baoh, he is extremely violent and amoral, willing to kill whoever or whatever threatens him.
Abilities
Baoh Armed Phenomenon
When Ikuro's body is attacked (such as during his near death at the hands of Number 22), it transforms by means of the Baoh Armed Phenomenon (バオー
Attacks
Allows Ikuro to secrete a special corrosive fluid (synthesized from Baoh's own bodily fluids[1]) from his skin, dissolving anything from human flesh, glass, or even metal. This has been shown capable of melting objects together (such as a handgun with a human hand), rendering both inoperable in the process.
By manipulating the hardened skin tissue at both of his wrists, Ikuro is capable of producing two blades that can cleanly slice through nearly any material. Ikuro is also capable of using a ranged variation, known as Saber Off (セイバーオフ, Seibā Ofu), wherein he is able to launch the blades towards opponents at a distance.
By linking his nerves and muscle cells together in a similar fashion to an electric eel, Ikuro is capable of producing and emitting a high-voltage electric current of 60 thousand volts from his body - enough to power a laser cannon which had been severed from its power supply.
History
Background
Ikuro Hashizawa lived an ordinary kid's life until his involvement with Dress. At the age of seven, Ikuro nearly drowned in a frozen pond. Ikuro and his parents were heavily injured during a car accident and taken to the hospital six months before the events of Baoh. Unfortunately, the doctor was linked to Dress, an evil organization of weapons developers looking for guinea pigs at the time. Dr. Kasuminome callously killed Ikuro's parents under his eyes and took him away to inject the Baoh parasite inside of him.
Baoh
After being injected with the Baoh parasite, Ikuro is contained in a tank and transported on a train. However, a young psychic named Sumire escapes her room and in trying to escape, opens Ikuro's tank. A guard tries to capture him but Ikuro crushes his arm and leaps out of the train. He grabs the power lines but also survives the shock. Later, Ikuro and Sumire try to bond with each other, but a knife wielding assassin named 22nd Man stabs the former, forcing the duo to steal a motorbike and flee. They attempt to refuel at a gas station but 22nd Man appears again, slicing Ikuro's throat. But, it only awakens Baoh, who dissolves 22nd Man with his touch before turning back into a human. Later, a death squad is already searching for Ikuro and Sumire, who are busy betting on horse races to acquire money. The two settle inside an abandoned building, but Ikuro senses that something inside of him is changing. The death squad attacks the duo, but Ikuro transforms again into Baoh, decimating the squad. Unbeknownst to him, he is observed by another assassin. Baoh senses the assassin, who reveals himself as a beastmaster commanding a heavily modfied giant mandrill named Martin. Due to its strength and many weapons hidden inside his body, Martin is more than a match for Baoh. Sumire, having sensed that Ikuro's humanity is still intact inside of Baoh, tries to stop the assassin from controlling Martin, only to be hurt. Enraged, Baoh finally overpowers Martin and kills both the beast and his master, healing and turning back into Ikuro.
Walking through the mountains, Ikuro and Sumire meet an old couple living in the area. They give him shelter and food. But during a moment the old man is isolated, another cyborg assassin emerges, hypnotizing the old man into waiting for midnight and shoot Ikuro in the head with his hunting rifle. At midnight, the old man wakes up and tries to shoot Ikuro, who transforms into Baoh but senses that the old man is not his true enemy. Jumping through the roof, Baoh confronts the cyborg named Dordo who disables all of his sensory organs through chemicals released by a swarm of bats. Thankfully, the old man, who has come to his senses and guided by Sumire, shoots down the bats while taking a bullet. Baoh confronts Dordo, who is heavily wounded, but reveals his heavily modified body. He kidnaps Sumire to use her as bait and escapes with a hang glider to one of the Dress headquarters near Sanriku. Ikuro is determined to free Sumire, but risks unleashing the beast inside of him for good.
Going away on a motorcycle given by the couple, Ikuro deems it necessary to learn to control his power first to have a chance to save Sumire. Meanwhile, Kasuminome chastises Dordo for his perceived failure and the danger of letting Baoh time to grow stronger. Meanwhile, Ikuro is forced to save a trapped girl from a speeding train and is pushed into managing to activate his acid touch without fully transforming. Humiliated by his hierarchy, Dordo goes out to snipe Ikuro, but his attempt is foiled thanks to Ikuro activating his super senses and strength to evade the bullets. To lure Baoh, Kasuminome purposefully tortures Sumire whose distress is detected by the weapon. Ikuro is already scaling the seaside cliff leading to a vulnerable side of the facility and, turning into Baoh, rampages through the security staff as well as survives death traps to reach Sumire's room. He is stopped by Walken, whose ability to destroy anything with a thought makes him invincible and his every attacks deadly. Nonetheless, Baoh manages to stab inside Walken's brain by launching one of his arm blades and he finally reaches Sumire.
He is welcomed by a flurry of laser beams, and the attack does not faze Baoh but wounds Sumire. Seeing that Baoh is cornered, Kasuminome prepares to blow up the facility. Meanwhile, Baoh heals the girl with his blood. Walken has woken up, still alive despite his injury, and seeks Baoh for revenge. As the headgear restricting his psychic powers was destroyed by Baoh's attack, the full strength of Walken's abilities causes an earthquake inside the facility. As Sumire awakens, Walken finds them and destroys the floor. All of them, as well as Kasuminome who tried to escape in a pod, find themselves in a cavern. Telling Sumire to flee, Baoh uses one of the lasers to kill Walken for good, unintentionally fatally wounding Kasuminome in the process. The facility then self-destructs, causing the cavern to collapse.
Some time later, Sumire walks by the sea. She has been taken in by the old couple and lives a happy life while the incident at the research facility is covered up by the press. Looking at the water, she senses that Ikuro is dormant but alive at the bottom of the sea and predicts that he will return when she is seventeen and reunite with her.
Chapitres/Episodes
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 1: Baoh, the Ultimate Weapon (1ère apparition)
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 2: The Extermination Order!
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 3: Baoh, the Invincible Body
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 4: Evil Beast Martin
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 5: Grandpa Rokusuke
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 6: Aroma Bat
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 7: Come Out, Baoh
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 8: Cyborg Lieutenant Colonel Dordo
- Baoh the Visitor Chapter 9: Demon Walken
Quotes
- “Ugh... this rash keeps getting worse... I-It scares me...”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 3: Baoh, the Invincible Body
- “Sumire, stay away from me! [...] You fool! Don't come near me! You'll be shot!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 3: Baoh, the Invincible Body
- “D-Don't be afraid...! ...I'm not a suspicious person!”
- “Don't do it! If you point your killing intent towards me... it's possible that I'll kill you instead!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 6: Aroma Bat
- “Wrong! This isn't that smell! [...] This living being is not my enemy! Another place! From the outside! From above! Over there! Enemy is lurking! On the roof!”—Baoh, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 6: Aroma Bat
- “Now that I think about it, there was no way we could always escape from them. Besides, it seems that my body has some great, mysterious power lurking inside... With my power... I'll fight... with Dress... at least just until Sumire can be free.”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 6: Aroma Bat
- “There is a mysterious power lurking inside my body. A monstrous power. An evil power. That was the case until now... But I'm going to use this power to my advantage! At least until Sumire can be free! [...] If only I could control that power with my own will!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 7: Come Out, Baoh
- “I might be able to do it! No, I must do it! All right! Power within me! Danger is coming! Aren't you going to help me?! Show yourself, you monstrous power! Get out! Are you only there just to murder people?! Come out already! Come out! Monster!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 7: Come Out, Baoh
- “My ability manifested while I was still conscious... T-This is my mysterious power, huh...”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 7: Come Out, Baoh
- “I feel it throughout my whole body! Sumire's scent! She's close to death! Whose fault is it?! It's my fault! Sumire is dying because of me! I must save Sumire!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 9: Demon Walken
- “Dress! I'll eliminate your stench once and for all!”—Baoh, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 9: Demon Walken
- “I purposely missed your vitals! I won't finish you off! For this reason!”—Baoh, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 9: Demon Walken
- “Who did I make a vow to? I swore to myself that I would save this girl! I'm not giving up hope! I'm a creature that has the ultimate life force!”—Ikuro Hashizawa, Baoh the Visitor Chapter 9: Demon Walken
Video Games
All Star Battle (PS3)
Ikuro appears as Baoh as the final DLC character released for this game; accompanied by a Campaign set centered around him. He also appears in an extra battle in the JoJolion Story Mode chapter.In the overseas release of the game, he was released in the first public DLC pack on May 14, 2014 along with Lisa Lisa and Part 3 Joseph Joestar, earlier than his Japanese release date.
As Ikuro is unable to speak in his Baoh form (only capable of repeated battle cries of "BARU!" as well as general 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.
As a guest fighter, Ikuro is the only playable All Star Battle character to not return in the next game, Eyes of Heaven.
Moveset
Ikuro's moveset revolves around Baoh's special abilities. While he has much lower-than-average health, exclusive to Ikuro is the "Baoh Armed Phenomenon" Style. Ikuro has 850 HP.
Consuming 1/8th of the Heart Heat Gauge, Ikuro gains super armor during his next ability at the press of the Style button.
Ikuro bounds high into the air. This skill can be used to evade attacks or set up attacks from the air.
Grants him health regeneration starting at 75% health, its effect boosted every 25% he loses thereafter.
This skill goes into effect when Ikuro's opponent activates certain enhancing effects and powered-up states (Rumble Mode, the Pillar Men's Modes, Giorno Giovanna's Gold Experience in Requiem Mode, etc). The time frame at the beginning of Ikuro's guard where a Stylish Dodge may trigger is extended.
Ikuro seizes the opponent by the collar and slams them into the ground.
Ikuro lunges forward and reaches out. If he hits the opponent, he'll lift them up by the face and unleash Baoh Meltedin Palm Phenomenon, before slamming them into the ground.
Ikuro uses Baoh Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon, with the resulting attack changed depending on the attack button inputted.
- Light: Ikuro lunges forward, blade out, to slice through the opponent. (Comboable through Puttsun Cancel)
- Medium: Ikuro leaps forward a considerable distance and performs a slash while flipping, leaving the opponent stunned. If spaced properly, using this can cause Ikuro to pass over his opponent. Against human players, this version can bypass blocking due to him having changed to their other side right before the attack is released (a "cross-up"). A middle attack that can only be blocked if the opponent is not crouching. (Comboable)
- Heavy: Ikuro unleashes a rapid flurry of blade attacks, sending the opponent flying on the last hit. (Comboable through Puttsun Cancel)
Ikuro jumps into the air with a blade out in an uppercut, before spinning and using Saber Off to launch it as a downward projectile. This move doubles as an anti-air.
Ikuro uses Baoh Shooting-Bees Stinger Phenomenon as a projectile attack, launching needle-like hair at his opponent to ignite them. (Comboable through Puttsun Cancel)
Ikuro unleashes a potent blast of electricity surrounding him, shocking the opponent and knocking them into the air. (Comboable through Puttsun Cancel)
Ikuro wires a large laser cannon to himself as his feet leave the ground, before firing a narrow red beam capable of hitting at all ranges instantly. The HHA mirrors the way Ikuro defeated the psychic warrior Walken.
Ikuro roars as he charges at the opponent. If he hits, Ikuro picks the opponent up by the face and uses Meltedin Palm Phenomenon, before repeatedly assaulting them with a merciless extended Reskinharden Saber Phenomenon combo attack. Ikuro then finishes by grabbing the opponent by the neck and throwing them overhead, slamming them into the ground hard enough for them to bounce, before frying them with a super charged Break Dark Thunder Phenomenon from his hands. 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.
Trivia
- 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 because he cannot say the names of his attacks himself, the game's narrator instead describes his attacks during the battle.
- The characters Dio and Neo Dio from the video game series World Heroes bear a striking resemblance to Baoh, also having similar attacks which they use in their various appearances in the World Heroes series and NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.
- In Stardust Crusaders, DIO heals Vanilla Ice with his blood, similar to how Ikuro uses his blood to heal Sumire.