TV-Series
Description
Bob Poundmax is a major antagonist and a high-ranking member of the Millennion organization in the anime Gungrave. He serves as one of the "Big Four," the organization's top executives, where he holds the crucial positions of Chief of Intelligence and Head of Public Relations. In this capacity, he is responsible for Millennion's vast information network, capable of manipulating the stock market, influencing public opinion, and gathering intelligence on virtually anyone. His skills in this field are so unparalleled that after his death, the organization suffers a severe and irreparable loss in its ability to control and acquire information.
Physically, Bob Poundmax is an enormous and heavyset man, rarely seen without food in his hand, with a particular fondness for fried chicken. This gluttonous nature, however, is a significant part of his history. In his youth, he was notably thin, but over the course of a decade, his constant eating led to his large frame and eventually to severe health problems, including a blood clot in his brain. To save his life, his close friend Balladbird Lee arranged for him to undergo a secret process known as "Superiorization," which transformed him into a powerful biological weapon known as a Superior, an Orgman who retains human consciousness.
Despite his jovial and friendly demeanor, especially when interacting with his colleagues, Bob is a complex character. He is portrayed as a loyal and somewhat generous figure, but his transformation into a Superior has a dark side effect, making his personality more brutal and aggressive. He is fiercely dedicated to Millennion and its new leader, Harry MacDowell, viewing the organization as his family. This loyalty turns to disgust and anger when Brandon Heat, a former friend and comrade, returns from the dead as the silent assassin Beyond the Grave to destroy the organization. Bob sees this as a betrayal of everything Millennion gave to Brandon.
His role in the story is primarily as a formidable obstacle for the protagonist. Bob is one of the first of the Big Four to confront Beyond the Grave in a full-scale battle. In the anime, this fight takes place in a mansion, where Bob unleashes the grotesque and powerful abilities of his Superior form. These abilities are a horrifying extension of his size; he sprouts a helicopter-like rotor from his back that allows him to fly and ram his enemies. More disturbingly, he can tear chunks of fat from his own body and throw them like grenades, and launch skeletal, homing missiles from his body to bombard his target. He is a powerful and challenging opponent, able to use his unique powers to compensate for his lack of direct combat experience compared to other members of the Big Four.
The character's most significant relationship is with Balladbird Lee. They are described as very old friends, and Lee's desperation to save Bob from his illness is the direct catalyst for Bob becoming a Superior. Their bond is central to Bob's final moments. After a brutal fight, Beyond the Grave defeats Bob, who reverts to his human form. In a moment of vulnerability, he appeals to his past with Brandon, mentioning a debt of two million yul he once owed him. Grave recognizes his old friend and turns his back to leave. However, humiliated by his defeat and enraged at being spared so casually, Bob attacks one last time. Grave is forced to finish him with his coffin's weaponry, and Bob dies calling out his friend Lee's name. His death has a profound impact on the story, as it not only cripples Millennion's intelligence operations but also ignites a burning desire for revenge in Balladbird Lee, who becomes an even more dangerous foe.
Physically, Bob Poundmax is an enormous and heavyset man, rarely seen without food in his hand, with a particular fondness for fried chicken. This gluttonous nature, however, is a significant part of his history. In his youth, he was notably thin, but over the course of a decade, his constant eating led to his large frame and eventually to severe health problems, including a blood clot in his brain. To save his life, his close friend Balladbird Lee arranged for him to undergo a secret process known as "Superiorization," which transformed him into a powerful biological weapon known as a Superior, an Orgman who retains human consciousness.
Despite his jovial and friendly demeanor, especially when interacting with his colleagues, Bob is a complex character. He is portrayed as a loyal and somewhat generous figure, but his transformation into a Superior has a dark side effect, making his personality more brutal and aggressive. He is fiercely dedicated to Millennion and its new leader, Harry MacDowell, viewing the organization as his family. This loyalty turns to disgust and anger when Brandon Heat, a former friend and comrade, returns from the dead as the silent assassin Beyond the Grave to destroy the organization. Bob sees this as a betrayal of everything Millennion gave to Brandon.
His role in the story is primarily as a formidable obstacle for the protagonist. Bob is one of the first of the Big Four to confront Beyond the Grave in a full-scale battle. In the anime, this fight takes place in a mansion, where Bob unleashes the grotesque and powerful abilities of his Superior form. These abilities are a horrifying extension of his size; he sprouts a helicopter-like rotor from his back that allows him to fly and ram his enemies. More disturbingly, he can tear chunks of fat from his own body and throw them like grenades, and launch skeletal, homing missiles from his body to bombard his target. He is a powerful and challenging opponent, able to use his unique powers to compensate for his lack of direct combat experience compared to other members of the Big Four.
The character's most significant relationship is with Balladbird Lee. They are described as very old friends, and Lee's desperation to save Bob from his illness is the direct catalyst for Bob becoming a Superior. Their bond is central to Bob's final moments. After a brutal fight, Beyond the Grave defeats Bob, who reverts to his human form. In a moment of vulnerability, he appeals to his past with Brandon, mentioning a debt of two million yul he once owed him. Grave recognizes his old friend and turns his back to leave. However, humiliated by his defeat and enraged at being spared so casually, Bob attacks one last time. Grave is forced to finish him with his coffin's weaponry, and Bob dies calling out his friend Lee's name. His death has a profound impact on the story, as it not only cripples Millennion's intelligence operations but also ignites a burning desire for revenge in Balladbird Lee, who becomes an even more dangerous foe.