Baoba

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Baoba バオバ Baoba
Baoba and Lyra
Gender	Male
Hometown	Unknown, possibly Fuschia City
Region	Kanto, Johto
Generation	I, III, and IV
Games	Red, Blue, and Yellow, FireRed and LeafGreen, HeartGold and SoulSilver

Baoba (Japanese: バオバ) is a character in the Kanto-based games as well as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. He is the owner and warden of the Safari Zones in both Kanto and, three years later, Johto, in Fuschia City and west of Cianwood City, respectively.

In the games

In Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed and LeafGreen, he can be found in his house east of the Pokémon Center, and south of Fuchsia City's Pokémon Zoo. The first time the player tries to speak with him, he can only mumble: the false teeth he wears have been lost deep in the Safari Zone. If they are returned to him, he will reward the finder with HM04 (Strength). In these games, he is only referred to as the Safari Zone Warden (Japanese: 園長 Park Head).

The locals of Fuchsia City nicknamed him Warden "Slowpoke" because of his vacant look similar to that of a Slowpoke. Despite this, he's actually very knowledgeable about Pokémon. He takes care of all the Pokémon in the Safari Zone and Zoo, and has a large collection of Pokémon Fossils as well.

To encourage interest in the Safari Zone, the Warden ran a special promotion. Pokémon Trainers who are able to locate the Secret House at the far end of the Zone within the allotted step limit were given HM03 (Surf). In order to move on to the next Gym after Fuchsia's Leader Koga is defeated, the HM must be obtained. The Template:Type2 Leader was a good friend of the Warden's; he patrolled the grounds of the Safari Zone to ensure the safety of the Pokémon inside.

In the events of the original Pokémon Gold and Silver, this area is closed to the player as Baoba is away traveling; in Generation IV, Kanto's Pal Park is located there instead. Because he is such a fan of the Safari Game played within the Zone, Baoba decides to build a new one in the Johto region. This is explained to the player the first time he or she meets him, on Route 39. They will also receive Baoba's phone number.

The entrance to Baoba's Safari Zone is located at the north end of Route 48. It will not be able to be reached, however, until after Amphy the Ampharos in the Glitter Lighthouse has been healed with the SecretPotion. Baoba will call the player on their Pokégear to let them know that the area is open for business.

While the Safari Zone is by no means a compulsory part of the game, it is useful for obtaining rare and valuable Pokémon, especially Generation II Pokémon that were only found in Kanto during Generation II. Baoba will periodically issue challenges to those who wish to play a Safari Game. The first challenge is to capture a Geodude in the Safari Zone and then show it to him. This task is quite easy as Geodude is found in the first area of the Safari Zone. When the player has shown the Geodude to Baoba he will say something about calling him/her when the changes have been done. After approximately 12 to 24 hours he will call the player and say that the changes are done. When the player arrives inside the gatehouse he will explain to him/her that he/she can now customize the Safari Zone with the machine next to the counter. This is quite useful because the player can now place the various areas based on how much the player uses them. After the first challenge the player also unlocks some additional areas that he/she can add to the Safari Zone with the customization machine.

The second challenge is to catch a Sandshrew in the Safari Zone. This can be a little tricky as the player has to add the Desert Area to the Safari Zone with the customization machine before he/she starts. After the player has done the challenge and shown the Sandshrew to Baoba, he will say that he will call the player later. When the player arrives at the Safari Zone after Baoba calls him/her, he will explain to the player that he/she can now add decorations to the Safari Zone to lure out Pokémon that are a higher level, and maybe not native to the Kanto or Johto region.

In the anime

The Safari Zone Warden appeared in the anime in one episode, which was later banned. Named Kaiser in the original Japanese language version, his violent actions towards Ash and his friends meant that the episode in question has not been released in any other country.

Trivia

In other languages

Professor Oak • Mom (Kanto) • Mom (LGPE) • Red • Blue • Green • Trace • Daisy • Old man • Bill • Celio • Mr. Fuji • Safari Zone Warden • Copycat • Primo • Koichi
Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Erik and Sara • Teala • Mina • Cal • Steven Stone • Maylene • Cameron • Mr. Game • Morimoto
Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Professors' aides • Magikarp salesman • Name Rater • Day-Care Person • Mr. Hyper
Professor Elm • Professor Oak • Mom • Ethan • Lyra • Silver • Mr. Pokémon • Eusine • Lance • Red • Kiyo • Baoba • Magnus • Earl • Kurt • Carrie • Dude
Mary • Buena • Radio Director • Haircut brothers • Webster • Master • Li • Wilma • Primo • Maximo • Jet • Caitlin • Cynthia • Cameron • Mr. Game • Felicity • Teala
Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Frontier Brains • Kimono Girls • Week Siblings • Name Rater • Poké Seer • Day-Care Couple • Professors' aides

This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.