Baoh

Original Title: バオー来訪者
Romanized: Baou Raihousha
Literal: Baoh The Visitor

Plot Synopsis

An innocent young man, Ikuroo, has a parasite known as Baoh implanted in his brain by an evil organization, Doress. The parasite makes him nearly immortal and gives him the ability to transform into a really powerful beastie when he's in trouble. Doress intends to use him in some sort of ploy for financial success, world domination, or something along those lines, but while they're moving him around a young psychic girl, Sumire (who's also being held by the organization), sets him free and the two escape together. Of course, Dr. Kasuminome is the mad scientist behind the whole thing, and he isn't about to let his test subject get away... and he has everything from superpowered lackeys to a small army at his disposal.

Quick Review

Rating: 3 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2005-01-23

Baoh is basically a traditional splatterfest "kid imbued with incredible powers by the secret organization that now wants to kill him" story that manages to slightly distinguish itself though a combination of reasonably likable characters (both the standard hero-boy Ikuroo and psychic girl Sumire) and wanton cheese (announcing each super-ability with its long meaningless name for example) for a few bonus chuckles. The story is a rushed and unsatisfying comic adaptation and its over before it really gets anywhere, but the gory action looks good enough and there's plenty of it, which is Baoh's main draw, anyway.

Worth at least a look if you enjoy gory action flicks, but if you prefer more cerebral parasite-in-the-brain stories (pun intended), this isn't going to do it for you.

US DVD Review

AnimEigo's hybrid DVD throws in a cel art gallery as a bonus.

Content Guide

Nothing objectionable but very graphic violence, but that's enough to put it in the 16-up category.

Violence: 4 - Gratuitous violence.

Nudity: 0 - Zip.

Sex/Mature Themes: 0 - None.

Language: 1 - Nothing noteworthy.

Notes and Trivia

Based on a comic book by Araki Hirohiko, which after seeing the animated version, I had a passing desire to read. As always, Animeigo's extensive liner notes can be found at their website.

Availability

Available on hybrid DVD, as well as now long out of print subtitled and dubbed VHS and even bilingual LD.

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