Ippei Baba (馬場 一平 Baba Ippei?) is Naoto's other friend. Cheerful, he also helps monitor the computer when Naoto/Gridman fights. Ippei is also a talented artist. When Junk was first brought online, he used the painting program to design a superhero that would eventually become Gridman's body. He later used his skills, and hunger, to create the Barrier Shield.