| Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo | |
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Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (真説ボボボーボ・ボーボボ) | |
| Genre: | Action, Parody, Surreal Comedy |
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Manga | |
| Author: | Yoshio Sawai |
| Publisher: | Shueisha |
| English Publisher: | Viz Media |
| Demographic: | Shōnen |
| Magazine: | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
| English magazine: | |
| Original run: | January 2006 – July 2, 2007 |
| Volumes: | 7 (List of volumes) |
Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (真説ボボボーボボーボボ Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, translated as True Theory Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo) is the continuation of the manga series Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo under a new title, starting in January, 2006 in Weekly Shonen Jump, Shueisha's main shonen magazine. Like its predecessor, the series was created by Yoshio Sawai and contains many of the same humor styles and zaniness as the original saga. The final chapter was published in the July 2, 2007 issue of Jump, bringing an end to the Bo-bobo saga.
Plot
In the era of 300X, the dark shadow of the Maruhage Empire had cast itself over the world, with soldiers and generals forcing people to become bald. However, thanks to the heroism of the golden-afro warrior Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo and his band of Hajikelist misfits, the evil empire had been overthrown and the world had finally become safe for people and hair alike, until a new threat arises. Tsuru Tsurulina III, a former emperor of the Maruhage Empire one hundred years ago and an enemy defeated by Bo-bobo, has acquired the ultimate power and seized control of his former empire! Reclaiming the throne, he has declared the land as now the Neo Maruhage Empire and the beginning of a "Hair-Men Hunt", which is just the same as a Hair Hunt, with the exception that people get a bowl of ramen after they've been shaved.
But while the threat has changed, the great hero Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo remains! Now on a new journey, equipped with his "Shinsetsu - Hanage Shinken" (True Theory - Fist of the Nosehair) and complete with allies and Hajikelists old and new, he heads out to save the world...if he doesn't drive it crazy again!
Recently, the series ended in Japan with the defeat of Tsuru Tsurulina III and Tsuru Tsurulina V (Namero). The series ends cyclically: although Bo-bobo finally brought an end to the Hair Hunts, the pepper from the "vegetable gang" he occasionally travels with is preparing for a revolt and he decides to ride off and stop it (with a new female sidekick in tow). Heppokomaru and Beauty finally separate from Bo-bobo as the old female sidekick finally comes to terms with why she journeyed with him. Meanwhile, Tokoro Tennosuke faces the wrath of the Four Heavenly Kings and Giga at a reunion of the original Maruhage Empire. And finally, Don Patch is there making sure everyone is alright as life goes on and the series comes to conclusion.
Summary
After the end of the initial Bo-bobo series, the series rebooted into a second part known as Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (真説ボボボーボ・ボーボボ) in December, 2005. Picking up one year after the end of the first part, the Maruhage Empire is reformed by former emperor Tsuru Tsurulina III into the Neo-Maruhage Empire, where the Hair Hunts resume and a new generation of powerful Hair Hunt generals are created. Bo-bobo, powering the abilities of his "Fist of the Nosehair" into its Shinsetsu (True Theory) form, rejoins Beauty and the Hajike allies to take on the renewed Maruhage threat. Many of the rebels from the original series, including Don Patch, Tokoro Tennosuke, Hatenko, Softon and even Hanpen return to assist in the new rebellion. Yet in the midst of this, one of their former allies joins the Neo Maruhage forces, forced to turn to the dark side for his own personal reasons. Yet even with one of their own gone bad, Bo-bobo's team is now joined or assisted by several new allies in their battle to save (or drive crazy) the world:
Even the world of Shinsetsu is no longer the same as prior: while Bo-bobo's team continues to fight in strange landscapes and amusement parks, the bizarre barren wastelands of the former series is replaced by a bizarre rendition of Japan, from the castles of Nagoya to a school on Mount Fuji to fighting in and around the wards of Tokyo!
Unfortunately, although the series remained as bizarre and unpredictable as ever, Shinsetsu never caught on with the Japanese Jump fans, having moved on to other series and showing Bo-bobo was past its prime, as well as complaining in the move to a more plot-oriented story as opposed to a gag-oriented one. While comedy was still a major factor in Bo-bobo, the series relied less on gags and more on parodies of other series, Jump or otherwise. After a year and a half of publication, the series ended with its final chapter in July 2007, bringing the series back to its roots and bringing an end to the Bo-bobo story.
Returning Characters
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
Main Article: Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
After spending the last year as a water spout (so he claims), Bo-bobo has returned to take on the force of the Neo-Maruhage Empire. Armed with the abilities of "Shinsetsu - Hanage Shinken" (True Theory - Super Fist of the Nosehair), he continues to fight both to face down the "Hair-Men Hunters" and to drive as many people as crazy as possible. With his old and new friends, Bobobo is on the fast track to defeating the new threat of Tsuru Tsurulina III.
Beauty
Main Article: Beauty
The young girl and only sane person in the new group (aside of Heppokomaru) so far and Bo-bobo's right-hand woman, Beauty returns to help the gang beat the new threat. Although all she does is consistently yell out at the weirdness Bo-bobo and the others go through, she may be a target for Tsuru Tsurulina III merely for being part of the team that stopped him over a year ago.
Don Patch
Main Article: Don Patch
In the one year absence, Don Patch has died, seemingly mauled by a bear. In actuality, Don Patch was still alive and all that died was his fighting spirit from harsh mental meditation. But when Bo-bobo needs his help to take on the new threat of the "Kegari-men", he comes back as powerful and insane as ever to take on this new threat.
Heppokomaru
Main Article: Heppokomaru
Formerly an ally of Bo-bobo, the sane boy is now a Hair Hunt commander of Neo A-Block. He now carries new physical strength, many new abilities and his Fist of Back Wind has evolved, but is he still on Bo-bobo's side or against it?
Tokoro Tennosuke
Main Article: Tokoro Tennosuke
The former A-Block commander and fifth major character returns as Bo-bobo's team heads to Nagoya to save a personal relation of Heppokomaru's. Still as wobbly and "Nu Hankey" obsessed as ever, he may have some new tricks up his sleeves...if he's still not an easily bashed target for allies and enemies alike.
Torpedo Girl
Main Article: Torpedo Girl
Another former enemy and ally of Bo-bobo; she ended up being key in awakening a more powerful ability for Bo-bobo. Although a target for Tsuru Tsurulina's revenge plan, she chooses to remain in her teacher model in this series, assisting Bo-bobo and his allies in powering them up for their final showdown with the emperor.
Dengakuman
Main Article: Dengakuman
The cute white mascot character. While all of his friends and allies have teamed up to take down Tsuru Tsurulina III, the "puppy" has been captured by the Neo Maruhage Leader. Although with Gaoh now on Bo-bobo's team (replacing him as their "cute mascot"), he may not be in a good mood if Bo-bobo and the others do save him.
Hatenko
Main Article: Hatenko
Although we don't know what exactly happened to him in space, the key warrior returns as a target for Tsuru Tsurulina III and to train and assist Bo-bobo against the returned threat. However, his obsession with "boss" Don Patch remains.
Softon
Main Article: Softon
The warrior of Babylon and brother of Beauty has finally returned, both to confuse people with his choice of headgear as well as to throw his enemies into the judgment of his holy goddess.
Other Characters
- Despair-kun: A recurring character who once helped Bobobo defeat the Reverse Chromedome empire. Though he has since left Bobobo's group, he was recently crushed alongside the remainder of Cyber City by the Neo Maruhage forces.
- Pickle: Another recurring character. A huge admirer of Bobobo, who almost never gets to actually help his idol. He still follows Bobobo's group, but he almost always ends up accidentally stepping in the path of an attack.
- Serviceman: A recurring character. Service man hasn't changed a bit since the first part, but this time he has a rival, Service Woman.
- Hanpen: A former enemy and ally of Bo-bobo, this fishcake-headed warrior has rejoined Bo-bobo's team due to his former boss (Tsuru Tsurulina III) targeting his friends and allies from the Former Maruhage Empire.
New Characters
Gaoh
Main Article: Gaoh
(ガ王 Gaō): A small koala who first meets with Beauty and Bo-bobo at the beginning of their new journey, he is in actuality Czar Baldy Bald the 3rd's pet, having won the distinction in a tournament against the rest of the animal kingdom. His main ability is a bone-breaking style of martial arts, with any of his victories recorded on a small table that he carries around his body (gained from his final opponent in the pet tournament). He also appears to use Wiggin' abilities like Bo-bobo and Don Patch and has an obsession with cute girls. But like real koalas, he is sometimes attracted to clinging to any nearby trees.
Yononaka Namerō
Main Article: Yononaka Namero
(世の中ナメ郎 Yononaka Namerō): A mysterious boy who's true power and destiny may affect the fate of the empire. Originally encountered by Bo-bobo at Ramen High School, he was able to bring him to his side by beating some sense into him. Initially, his main ability is the mastery of Lerolero Shinken (Fist of the Wobbly Tongue), which allows him to manipulate his tongue to lick his opponents to their defeat. But the further his journeys with Bo-bobo take him, the closer Namero discovers his true and horrible power, forcing him into a decision that could affect everything...
Pokomi
Main Article: Pokomi
(ポコミ): Unknown to anyone until now, Heppokomaru has a little sister that he cares dearly about even during his own travels with Bo-bobo. Yet unlike her big brother, Pokomi is not initially on Bo-bobo's side: having been trained as a top student the Maruhage Elite Academy and pumped with various drugs by the Neo Maruhage Forces, this little girl earned a high ranking position as Neo F-Block commander of the empire. But after a battle with Bo-bobo and a realization regarding her brother, Pokomi finally comes around in joining in the rebellion against her former employers. Her specialty is mastery of Lovely Magical Shinken (Fist of Lovely Magical), which gives her the powers of a magical girl bundled in a cute, powerful package. Yet Pokomi's greatest asset may be her relation and feelings for the enigmatic Namerō...
