Baoh is Araki's first series to display his signature amount of over-the-top gore.[2]
Plot
17-year-old Ikuro Hashizawa is kidnapped and turned into a Baoh, a bioweapon with superhuman strength and other abilities, by the organization Doress. He escapes with the help of Sumire, a 9-year-old psychic girl. Dr. Kasuminome, head scientist at Doress, sends various assassins and monsters to try and kill Ikuro, desperate to stop the Baoh virus from spreading and infecting the world.[1]
The 17-year-old Ikuro initially knows very little of his past, waking up in the clutches of Doress and accompanying and protecting Sumire. He soon discovers that he has been transformed into a Baoh (standing for Biological Armament On Help), the result of Doress's evolution experimentations to produce a parasitic worm that buries itself into its host brain, slowly transforming them into a nigh-unstoppable killing machine. He later discovers that he was the victim of a traffic accident, with his survival beneficial to Doress's experimentations.
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 grants the body superhuman strength and healing, which he can also use to heal others. As a Baoh, Ikuro displays other abilities. 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 coming out of his arms that can slice through nearly anything. 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) turns Baoh's hair into needle-like projectiles that burst into flames upon contact. His most powerful ability is the 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), where his body produces up to 60,000 volts of electrical energy, powerful enough to power a laser cannon. The only way to kill a Baoh is to kill the worm, by removing it from the brain by force and then burning it alive. A Baoh will also die after 111 days of the worm living in its brain, after which its larvae leave and kill the host, seeking out hosts of their own. A Baoh can also be put into dormancy by submerging the host in salt water.
A 9-year-old girl possessing psychic abilities, including automatic writing, table-turning, and precognition. She is also a captive of Doress, as they wish to exploit her psychic abilities. She keeps another of Doress's experiments, a brand new marsupial-like lifeform she has named Sonny-Steffan Nottsuo (サニー・ステフェン・ノッツォ, Sanī Sutefen Nottso) as a pet.
Doress
The Secret Organization Doress (秘密組織ドレス, Himitsu Soshiki Doresu) created Baoh and seeks to kill Ikuro before the virus can spread.
Dr. Kasuminome (霞の目博士, Kasuminome-hakase)
Voiced by: Ichirō Nagai (Japanese); Michael S. Way (English)
Doress's main scientist who is responsible for the creation of the Baoh parasite. Perhaps the ultimate irony, which Professor Kasuminome himself voices near the end of the OVA, is that he succeeded far too well. His intent was to create the ultimate soldier, a weapon of such power no one could possibly defeat it, but in doing so he created Baoh—a weapon no one, including Doress or Kasuminome himself, could ever possibly control or contain. Hirohiko Araki named him after the Kasuminome (霞目) neighborhood of Wakabayashi-ku, Sendai.
Sophine (女工作員（ソフィーヌ）, Sofīnu)
Voiced by: Yō Inoue (Japanese); Sara Seidman-Vance (English)
Kasuminome's assistant. She is first seen chasing Sumire when she escapes in the first chapter.
Number 22 (第22の男, Dai Nijū-ni no Otoko)
Voiced by: Ikuya Sawaki (Japanese); Sean P. O'Connell (English)
One of Doress's assassins sent to kill Ikuro Hashizawa and recapture Sumire. He unwittingly sparks Ikuro's Baoh Armed Phenomenon transformation and is killed.
Colonel Dordo (ドルド中佐, Dorudo-chūsa)
Voiced by: Shūichi Ikeda (Japanese); Dave Underwood (English)
Doress's top assassin, said to be able to blow someone's brains out with a single sniper shot. During the fight with Ikuro, it is revealed that Dordo is actually a cyborg.
Walken (ウォーケン, Wōken)
Voiced by: Yusaku Yara (Japanese); Chuck Denson Jr. (English)
A psychic assassin under Doress's pay, the last of a tribe of Native Americans known as the Skookum (スクークム族, Sukūkumu-zoku). He is the world's most powerful psychic, capable of melting objects with his psychokinesis using the Molecular Air Motion Wave (分子空動波, Bunshi Kūdō Ha) and warp the ground with the Molecular Seismic Wave (分子地動波, Bunshi Chidō Ha). He sees Baoh as a worthy opponent and carves a sigil into his chest, claiming that he will kill Baoh. Baoh, however, gains the upper hand by flinging his sabers off at him, removing his power dampening bandana, only for Walken to seek vengeance. Hirohiko Araki named Walken after American actor Christopher Walken.
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 graphic novel format.[5][1] The OVA was licensed for an English DVD release by AnimEigo in 2000[6] and was released in 2001.[7]
Other appearances
The series' main protagonist, Ikuro Hashizawa, was released on 14 November 2013 as a downloadable playable character in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle in his Baoh form.[8][9] In the 2022 remaster JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R he is included in the initial roster.
Reception
Hiroyuki Takei, author of the manga Shaman King, said it was one of his favorite series along with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in his youth.[10]
^『ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 オールスターバトル』追加DLCキャラクター『バオー来訪者』の橋沢育朗が配信開始 [JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle additional DLC character "Baoh the Visitor" of Ikuro Hashizawa is now available]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 14 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
