Part 2: Baki

*“If one is born as a male, as least once in his life, he'll dream of becoming the strongest man alive.”*

— Baki

## *Baki*

* Season 1
* Season 2
* Manga
* OAD

### Serialized from

 1999 - 2005
 2018 - 2019

## Magazine Cover

Baki first featured on the cover of Weekly Shonen Champion Issue 2, 1999

**Part 2** of the *Baki* series, titled simply ***Baki***, is preceded by *Baki the Grappler* and succeeded by *Son of Ogre.* Baki Hanma is the main protagonist, and the main antagonist is Kaiou Kaku. The villainous factions are the five death row convicts and the Chinese Coalition fighters.

It continues 17-year-old Baki's story as he takes down the 5 death row convicts, fights in the great Centennial Tournament, and strengthens his bond with his friends and his loved ones. All of these are a means to get stronger so that he may one day face his father, Yujiro Hanma.

Also known as **New Grappler Baki** or **New Grappler Baki: In Search of Our Strongest Hero**, it is the second manga series, written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki. It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion from 1999 to November 24, 2005.

To celebrate the series' 25th anniversary, a special 15 minute Special Anime was released in 2016 adapting part of the *Most Evil Death Row Convicts Arc*.

In 2018, *Baki* received a 26-episode ONA anime series that was later followed by a second season in 2020. This served as a continuation of the previous anime series from 2001 and was more faithful to the source material.

The manga series is licensed for English release by Media Do International, who began releasing it digitally from August 2018 to 2019.

## Official Description

### Netflix Description

*While martial arts champion Baki Hanma trains hard to surpass his father his legendary father, five violent death row inmates descend upon Tokyo to take him on.*

## Summary

Baki Hanma is a generally happy student with a rather odd hobby - he likes fighting. Specifically, he likes fighting in a secret martial arts arena that gathers the greatest fighters of the world and pits them against each other in really nasty combat. New Grappler Baki takes off where the original series leaves off. As the new Tournament champion, he's generally taken it easy until he recieves the news of five deadly, murderous, martial artist who have escaped their prisons and are now headed to Japan. Baki and his friends must deal with them before they are killed themselves. New Grappler Baki introduces new characters, new techniques, and begins to resolve the conflict between Baki and his father.

## Cast

Baki Hanma
Troy BakerDoppo Orocchi
Steve BlumKaoru Hanayama
Greg ChunGouki Shibukawa
Vic MignognaKatsumi Orocchi
Ray ChaseKaiou Retsu
Keiji TangBiscuit Oliva
James Matthis III
## Music

### Original Soundtrack

Season 1 Original SoundtrackSeason 2 Original Soundtrack
### Opening Songs

BeastfulThe Gong of KnockoutJounetsu wa Oboete Iru
## Media

### Key Visuals

Key Visual #1Key Visual #2Key Visual #3Key Visual #4Key Visual #5
### International Media

 Japanese EnglishNGB Spain.jpg Spanish (Unreleased) FrenchNGB Italian.jpg Italian (Unreleased)NGB Poland.jpg Polish (Unreleased)NGB Indonesia.jpg Indonesian (Unreleased) Chinese Thai Korean Taiwanese Hong Kong

### Spin-Offs

#### *Baki Special Edition: Saga* (2002)

The side story that develops at the same time as volume 15 of Baki manga series, written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, serialized in Young Champion Comics in 2002. The side story is often called the romantic contact chapter. It is about Baki Hanma having his first sexual experience with Kozue Matsumoto. The manga is characterized by a very anatomical and philosophical approach to human physicality. The story taking place during the Most Evil Death Row Convicts Saga of the Baki manga series. This spin-off was adapted into the 2018 season of the anime adaptation. It released for six chapters in one volume.

#### *Baki Ultimate Book: Grappler Side* (2004)

Baki Ultimate Book: Grappler Side (Byakko no Sho) is a compendium of the characters and events in the world of Baki The Grappler, covers until volume 23 of *New Grappler Baki* serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion in 2004. It was written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki and published by Akita Shonen in Weekly Shonen Champion magazine. Its genres are action, martial arts, mature, and shonen, and released in one volume.

#### *Baki Ultimate Book: Fighting Side* (2004)

Baki Ultimate Book: Fighting Side (Seiryuu no Sho) (バキアルティメットブック FIGHTHINGSIDE(青龍之書), *Baki Arutimetto Bukku FIGHTHINGSIDE (Seiryū no Sho)*; literally: *"Baki Ultimate Book: Fighting Side (Blue Dragon's Book)"*) is a compendium of every battle fought and its results in the world of Grappler Baki, also covers until volume 23 of the second saga, serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion in 2004.

#### *Baki Gaiden: Scarface* (2007 - 2009)

full title possibly should be written as Baki Gaiden: Kizumen - Scarface, also known as Scarface, The Legend of the Invincible Fist, is a spinoff series, written by Keisuke Itagaki and illustrated Yukinao Yamauchi, depicting Kaoru Hanayama's yakuza adventures. The gaiden was serialized from March 2005 to December 2007 in Champion Red, then in July 2009 in Weekly Shounen Champion. It has currently released 8 volumes. The gaiden is another side story in the Baki world. This series follows Kaoru Hanayama's adventures about his life, mostly his struggles in a violent crime world. The side story features the new characters, such as Ryuuji Tokura, a giant man suffering from a terrible disease, and Natto L. Nerinho, a cruel and powerful crime boss who wants to destroy Kaoru Hanayama.

#### *Baki: Revenge Tokyo* (2018)

*Baki: Revenge Tokyo* is a special set of extra chapters from the *Baki* series. The spin-off consists of five chapters that have been added to the Baki's New Edition in 2018. It was later adapted into the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of the anime. Each chapter is about one of the death row prisoners from the *Baki* manga series. It turns out that they all survived, and the short series shows their later fate. The anime adaptation shows a brief glimpse into what they have been up to all this time but does not adapt all five chapters. The thirteenth episode of the season acts as the finale to the entire *Baki* series on Netflix before the *Baki Hanma* series. It is technically a continuation of the *Most Evil Death Row Convicts* arc but is placed right after the end of the *God Like Battle of the Kids Arc*.

#### *Baki: King of Souls* (2022)

A mobile game developed by GrandSoft-inc. The game is adapted from the popular manga series Baki the Grappler in celebration of its 30th anniversary. The game is available on both iOS and Android. In this game, players can collect the popular characters in the Baki series, which includes the protagonist Baki Hanma, "the Strongest Creature on Earth" Yuujirou Hanma, veteran fighters from the underground arena, and the brutal prisoners from the Baki series. Iconic scenes from the anime are recreated with the professional voice-acting performance by the voice actors from the original anime. It was released to coincide with the third season of the Netflix anime series, *Baki*.

## Trivia

* "New Grappler Baki" serves as a direct sequel to the original "Baki the Grappler" series, continuing the story of Baki Hanma and his martial arts journey.
* The art style in "New Grappler Baki" evolves from the original series, with more detailed and dynamic illustrations that enhance the impact of the intense martial arts battles.
* "New Grappler Baki" has influenced martial arts enthusiasts and has become a significant part of pop culture related to martial arts, particularly due to its intense and stylized portrayal of combat.
* The spin-off manga *Baki Special Edition: Saga* was adapted into the anime adaptation of New Grappler Baki in 2018.

## Continuity

* Kanji Igari returns after last appearing in the manga series *Grappler Baki Gaiden* where he and Mount Toba had a fierce fight that was not adapted into the anime series. Toba is absent as he faked his death to retire and do what he loves, which is painting.
* This series makes many references to the past one, especially in the first anime season to catch everyone up. The five death row convicts journey to Tokyo to take on Baki due to him being the champion of the Maximum Tournament.
* Baki reveals that he wanted to ask Kozue out on a date since he met her.
* Jack Hanma returns in this part after last having been defeated by Baki and all his muscle mass depleting. In the months since his last appearance, he got bone elongating surgery through Kureha Shogi, making him eight inches taller than he was before, and regaining his muscle mass.
* Gaia also returns, this time to fight with Sokorski in the Underground Arena. Tokugawa mentions that he was defeated by Baki, but he is not someone to take lightly. He makes use of his environment in his fight with Sokorski.
* Baki returns to Reichi Ando's cabin in the woods that he spent time in during the Childhood Arc from Part 1. He also visits the cave of the large apes that he visited back then as well, and meats Yasha-Zaru Jr. again for the first time in four years.
* Yujiro mentions in "*God and the Devil*" that he has children from all over the world who he wants to aid his cause, confirming that Baki and Jack are not his only sons.
* During the Centennial Tournament, Yujiro asks Baki how long it's been since they last fought ("*After Having a Dream*,") to which he replies that it has been exactly 4 years and 10 months.
* After Kaiou Retsu's fight with Kaiou Jaku, Mohammad Ali Junior says you would have a hard time finding anyone in the world who can defeat Retsu - Baki previously defeated Retsu in the Maximum Tournament in the episode, "*The Successor*."
* In "*The Title of the Strongest*," Baki returns to the giant great tree that he visited many times when he was a child, the tree that has been watching over him since he began his journey.
* In "*The Master vs. The Boxer*," Doppo kisses a punch given by Mohammad Alai Junior the same way Baki once did to him in the first chapter of the series.

## Gallery

"New Grappler Baki" announcement in Weekly Shonen Champion"New Grappler Baki" debut color page"BAKI" CompleteNew Grappler Baki spine-art mural"Baki" anime announcement KVBaki title card"Baki" THE END"Baki" blu-ray box set Vol. 1
> The story of the father against the son will be concluded in the final series!
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