Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is a Japanese comedymanga series written and illustrated by Yoshio Sawai. It was published by ShueishaWeekly Shōnen Jump magazine from March 2001 to November 2005. It was followed by a sequel titled Shinsetsu Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, serialized from December 2005 to July 2007. A 76-episode anime television series adaptation produced by Toei Animation was broadcast from November 2003 to October 2005. In North America, Viz Media published some volumes of the manga. The anime series aired on Cartoon Network from 2005 to 2007.
Plot
In the year 300X, the entire world is under the tyrannical rule of the Maruhage Empire and their ruler Tsuru Tsurulina IV. His Hair Hunt troop captures innocent bystanders' hair, leaving the people victims of the Hair Hunt troop's head shaving and their villages in ruins. Standing against this evil regime is the heroic, but bizarre, rebel Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo who fights the Hair Hunt Troop with his powerful Hanage Shinken. His team consists of the normal teen girl Beauty, the smelly teen warrior Heppokomaru and the Hajike leader Don Patch. Bo-bobo is on an exciting, gag-filled quest in which he uses his hair as a weapon in many locales to fight the forces of the Maruhage Empire as he gains other allies along the way.
Media
Manga
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is written and illustrated by Yoshio Sawai. It was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from March 5, 2001 to November 14, 2005. Shueisha compiled its individual volumes into twenty-one tankōbon volumes released from July 4, 2001 to May 2, 2006. A sequel manga titled Shinsetsu Bobobō-bo Bō-bobo was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 19, 2005 to July 2, 2007. Shueisha compiled the individual volumes into seven tankōbon volumes released from July 4, 2006 to January 1, 2008. In North America, the manga has been licensed by Viz Media and was published in a one-shot graphic novel form on October 5, 2005, including content from the 9th and 10th volumes of the Japanese release. It was later published monthly in Shonen Jump from July 2007 to June 2009. At Anime Expo 2008, when asked about why the previous volumes were never published, Viz said it was due to the "content". Viz re-started the manga release in 2008. The first volume was published on August 5, 2008. A total of five volumes of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo were published as of October 5, 2010, before Viz Media ceased the series' publication.
Anime
The anime adaptation of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is directed by Hiroki Shibata, produced by Toei Animation and ran for 76 episodes from November 8, 2003, to October 29, 2005, on TV Asahi. The first opening theme for episodes 1 to 32 is "Wild Challenger" by Jindou and the second opening theme for episode 33 onwards is "Baka Survivor" by Ulfuls. The first ending theme for episodes 1 to 19 is "Shiawase" by Mani Laba, the second ending theme for episodes 20 to 32 is "Kirai Tune" by FREENOTE and the third ending theme for episode 33 onwards is "H.P.S.J." by mihimaru GT. In North America, the anime was licensed by the Joy Tashjian Marketing Group, a licensing representative named by Toei Animation. The series first aired as a sneak peek on Cartoon Network's "Summer 2005 Kick-Off Special" in May 2005, and then premiered on September 30 and aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block Saturdays at 10/9c, starting on October 1. New episodes premiered on February 17, 2007. The series was seen on Cartoon Network's broadband service Toonami Jetstream from November 5, 2007 until its closure in January 2009. In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on Jetix on April 16, 2007. The series was originally licensed for home video release in North America by Illumitoon Entertainment in 2006, who released only 2 volumes on bilingual DVD in 2007, before their distribution deal with Westlake Entertainment fell through, and all further volumes were canceled. S'more Entertainment later announced on January 16, 2012, that they would release Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo with English subtitles and dubbing on DVD on April 10. This release, however, was criticized by fans for lacking an English subtitle track, despite a fully translated script being present on a PDF file on disc 4 and indication on the box and pre-release information that there would be a subtitle track on the release. S'more Entertainment released a statement claiming the packaging was wrong, and there never was an intention to subtitle the release, due to costs. In August 2018, Discotek Media announced the licensee of the series and was released on January 28, 2020 as a SD Blu-ray Disc set with all the 76 episodes.
Video games
There are seven Japan-exclusive video games based on Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo developed by Hudson Soft. Four video games were launched for the Game Boy Advance, two video games for the PlayStation 2 and one for the GameCube. Characters from the series have appeard along with characters from other Weekly Shōnen Jump's series in the crossover fighting gamesJump Superstars and Jump Ultimate Stars for the Nintendo DS, and J-Stars Victory VS for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
