Baoba

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

Baoba (Japanese: バオバ Baoba) is a non-player character that first appeared in Pokémon Red and Blue. At that time, he was the owner and warden of the Kanto Safari Zone in Fuchsia City and was known simply as Safari Zone Warden. (Japanese: 園長 Park Head). He also used to be nicknamed Warden Slowpoke, due to his vacant look. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver it was revealed that the warden had built a new Safari Zone west of Cianwood City.

The warden has also appeared in the anime, where he was named Kaiser.

In the games

The warden plays the same role in each of Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. He is first encountered in his house east of Fuchsia City's Pokémon Center. When spoken with, 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).

To encourage interest in the Safari Zone, the Warden runs 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). This Hidden Machine is required to progress to Cinnabar Island.

File:SafariWarden.png

The Warden cannot speak clearly without his false teeth.

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. The warden is good friends with Koga, the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City. Koga will sometimes patrol the Safari Zone as security.

Three years after the initial defeat of Team Rocket, Baoba closes the Safari Zone and goes traveling. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal the Safari Zone simply cannot be accessed; however, in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver a Pal Park is in its place. It is stated by Baoba's grandchild that Baoba's son runs the Pal Park. On his travels, Baoba decides to open a new Safari Zone in Johto; the site he chooses is at the northern end of Route 48. As part of the games' plot, the player will meet with Baoba on Route 39, who promises to inform the player as soon as the Safari Zone is open for business. He will call, announcing the opening of the Safari Zone, once Amphy the Ampharos of Glitter Lighthouse has been healed.

Throughout the remainder of the game, Baoba will issue two challenges to the player: catch a Geodude in the Safari Zone and catch a Sandshrew in the Safari Zone. By completing these challenges, the Safari Zone will gradually become customizable, and the player will be able to arrange the six areas in any way he or she chooses. The amount and variety of Pokémon available will also change. Baoba will always call the player via the Pokégear to announce that these changes have been activated.

The signs outside his house remained the same throughout the first three generations, only changing significantly in Generation IV due to the replacement of the Safari Zone with Pal Park.

Generation I

SAFARI ZONE
WARDEN's HOME

Generation II

SAFARI ZONE
WARDEN'S HOME

Generation III

SAFARI ZONE
WARDEN'S HOME

Generation IV

Home of the Pal Park Warden

Sprites

		File:BaobaHGSS.png
Overworld sprite from Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow	Overworld sprite from Generation III	Overworld sprite from Generation IV

In the anime

Main article: Kaiser

The Safari Warden in the anime

The Safari Zone warden is known as Kaiser in the anime, because he had no official first name when his episode was made. He appeared in the thirty-fifth episode. He found a Dratini in the Safari Zone as a boy, but as a result of media hype surrounding the event the Dratini retreated into a lake and Kaiser resolved to protecting the Safari Zone and the Pokémon that live within it. Professor Oak states that he knows the warden well.

When Ash and friends visit the Safari Zone, Kaiser acts violently because he fears they may harm the Pokémon within. He aims a gun at Ash, which led the episode to be banned worldwide. It has not been aired in any country other than Japan (leading to confusion in other parts of the world in how Ash obtained all of his 30 Tauros, which he caught in this episode, because every time he threw a Safari Ball, a group of Tauros would run in front of him).

In the manga

The Safari Zone warden appears in the sixth chapter of Pokémon Zensho. His role in the manga follows the plot of Red and Blue: the warden loses his teeth in the Safari Zone and the protagonist, Satoshi, retrieves them. While he is searching for the teeth, Satoshi sees a Slowpoke, and is reminded of the warden.

Trivia

• It is possible that the missing dentures the player must find is inspired from the Ape Inc. RPG Mother, where the player must find the Healer's Dentures so people can understand him.

In other languages

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	バオバ Baoba	バオバブ Baobabu, Baobab (Adansonia).
English, French, German, Spanish	Baoba	Same as Japanese name.
Korean	바오바 Baoba	Same as Japanese name.

Non-player characters in the core series games

Kanto 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 • Lostelle • Teala • Selphy • Cal • Steven Stone • Maylene • Mina • Cameron • Mr. Game • Morimoto Team Rocket • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Professors' aides • Magikarp salesman • Name Rater • Day-Care Person • Mr. Hyper Johto 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 See also: Hoenn Professor Birch • Mom • May • Brendan • Wally • Wanda • Steven Stone • Wallace • Scott • Mr. Briney • Mr. Stone • Gabby and Ty • Lanette Brigette • Professor Cozmo • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Rydel • Winstrate family • Captain Stern • Trick Master • Treasure Hunter • Dock Apprentice • Pokémon Center Ladies • Old guys • Mr. Bonding • Teala • Aarune • Lisia • Zinnia • Looker • Inver • Chaz • Fossil Maniac • Kiri • Memory Girl Team Aqua • Team Magma • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Battle Chatelaines • Gym guide • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Stats judge Sinnoh Professor Rowan • Professor Oak • Johanna • Barry • Lucas • Dawn • Cynthia • Looker • Stat Trainers (Cheryl • Riley • Mira • Buck • Marley) Bebe • Teala • Felicity • Roxy and Oli • Roseanne • Rad Rickshaw • Eldritch • Wilma • Jasmine • Caitlin • Julia • Jordan • Dexter • Keira • Mr. Backlot • Morimoto Underground Man • Mr. Goods • Mr. Fuego • Pokétch Co. President • Dr. Footstep • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman • Helena • Ketch Appy Team Galactic • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Frontier Brains • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Professors' aides • Stats judge Unova Professor Juniper • Mom (BW) • Mom (B2W2) • Cheren • Bianca • Bianca's father • Hugh • Hugh's sister • Cedric Juniper • Fennel • Amanita Cilan • Chili • Cress • Lenora • Hawes • Loblolly • Charles • Iris • Drayden • Alder • Benga • Curtis • Yancy • Brycen • Sabrina • Pop Roxie Hilbert • Hilda • Nate • Rosa • Ingo • Emmet • Cynthia • Looker • N • Colress • Morimoto • Nishino • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman Cyrano • Briar • Carmine • Kieran • Koraidon • Miraidon • Geeta • Rika • Clavell • Perrin • Snacksworth • Synclaire Team Plasma • Clyde • Gym Leaders • Elite Four (Unova · BB) • PWT participants • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Judge • Magikarp salesman • Special Coaches • Guidance counselors Kalos Professor Sycamore • Grace • Calem • Serena • Shauna • Tierno • Trevor • Alexa • Cassius • Inver • Sina • Dexio • Gurkinn Bonnie • Diantha • AZ • Looker • Emma • Mr. Bonding • Phil the Photo Guy • Memory Girl • Pokémon Fan Club Chairman Team Flare • Gym guide • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Battle Chatelaines • Name Rater • Day-Care Couple • Judge Alola Professor Kukui • Mom • Lillie • Nebby • Hau • Rotom • Professor Burnet • Molayne • Samson Oak • Ryuki • Mohn Red • Blue • Wally • Cynthia • Grimsley • Colress • Sina • Dexio • Looker • Anabel • Necrozma • Morimoto • Iwao Team Skull • Aether Foundation • Ultra Recon Squad • Team Rainbow Rocket Trial Captains • Island kahunas • Elite Four • Name Rater • Judge • Mr. Hyper • Gester Galar Professor Magnolia • Mum • Hop • Bede • Marnie • Sonia • Leon Sordward • Shielbert • Mustard • Klara • Avery • Honey • Hyde • Peony • Peonia • Calyrex • Ball Guy Watt Traders • Ingredients Sellers • Digging Duo • Camping King Team Yell • Macro Cosmos • Dan • Gym Leaders • Morimoto • Cara Liss • Jack Hisui Cogita • Arceus • Choy • Anthe • Miss Fortunes (Charm • Clover • Coin) • Vessa Galaxy Team • Diamond Clan • Pearl Clan • Ginkgo Guild Paldea Professor Sada • Professor Turo • Mom • Nemona • Koraidon • Miraidon • Geeta • Arven • Penny • Heath Clavell • Jacq • Dendra • Miriam • Raifort • Saguaro • Salvatore • Tyme • Harrington Carmine • Kieran • Yukito and Hideko • Ogerpon • Pecharunt • Perrin • Cyrano • Briar • Terapagos • Billy and O'Nare Team Star • Gym Leaders • Elite Four • Pokémon League representatives

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.