Part 1: Baki the Grappler



Part 1 of the Baki series, subtitled Baki the Grappler, is the first part of the Baki the Grappler franchise and is succeeded by Baki. Baki Hanma is the protagonist and the main antagonist is Yujiro Hanma. The villainous faction is the Maximum Tournament fighters.

It introduces the Hanma family and their lifelong fight to become the strongest men alive, and Baki's struggle against his father, the unbeatable king.

Also known as Grappler Baki, the series was serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion from 1991 to 1999, collected into 42 volumes. From 2007-2008 it was collected into 24 deluxe edition volumes.

In 1994 a 45-minute OVA was released adapting the first volume of the part, omitting any reference to Yujiro and ending at Baki's fight with Shinogi Kosho.

In 2000, a 2D fighting videogame adaptation of the Maximum Tournament arc titled Grappler Baki: Baki's Strongest Fighter was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It was released in the UK in English under the title Fighting Fury in 2003.

A 24-episode anime aired on TV Tokyo between January 8 and June 25, 2001 titled Baki the Grappler that was quickly followed by a second 24-episode season titled Maximum Tournament, from July 22 to December 24, 2001.

This series was licensed for a North American release by Gutsoon! Entertainment, who published the first 46 chapters in their English-language manga anthology magazine Raijin Comics in 2002. Four volumes were planned but the series went incomplete.

In 2019, the first chapter of the series was remade and redrawn by Keisuke Ikatagi released in two parts in Weekly Shonen Champion.

Description
''The mysterious, young, martial artist aspires to follow in his sinister father's footsteps as the world's strongest creature. The story follows the young fighter as he matures in a world full of some of the strongest opponents and how he overcomes all obstacles in order to face his father one day in the fighting ring. From the jungles to and underground martial arts tournament, Baki Hanma is put to the test from fighters all over the world.''

Summary
Beneath the legendary Tokyo Dome lies an underground fighting arena known as Korakun. Here, warriors display their prowess in all manner of martial art disciplines, from the quiet control of kenpo to the heavy hits of boxing. There are only two real rules in this arena: no weapons allowed, and no rewards will be obtained. Fighters here live and die for only their honor and the chance to make their name live on forever.

Teenage grappler Baki Hanma strives to earn a place among Koraken's fiercest combatants, utilizing a unique fighting style created through years of harsh training and suffering. Baki is the only known son of the infamous terror Yujirou Hanma, a violent man known and feared worldwide as the "Ogre." Yujirou's brutal parenting and savage international crimes have filled Baki with trauma and hatred, fueling him to become as powerful as possible.

In a quest for revenge against his father, Baki battles the most fearsome men the world has ever birthed. Through bloody victory and crushing loss, will Baki ever be strong enough to stand his ground against Yujirou?

Grappler Baki Gaiden: Antonio Igari Vs. Mount Toba (1999)
Side story of the Baki the Grappler series, written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion in 1999, taking place immediately after the Maximum Tournament Saga's events. It had nine chapters and one volume. The spin-off tells about a pro wrestling match between Mount Toba and Kanji Igari. They started to fight immediately after the Maximum Tournament Saga. After the match, it is implied that Toba dies. The gaiden taking place immediately after the saga of the Maximum Tournament and before the Most Evil Death Row Convicts Saga from the second manga series. The story was never shown in the anime seasons.

Baki the Grappler: Fighting (2001)
Spin-off manga series that was serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion Extra in 2001 written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki and published by Akita Shoten in Weekly Shonen Champion Extra. It's genre is action, martial arts, mature, and shonen, and was released in a total of one volume.

Typing Grappler Baki (2014)
Typing Grappler Baki is a browser game on Niconico Appli (ニコニコアプリ). The game was a PC bowser game published by Creek & River on June 12, 2014. You can collect cards from Baki the Grappler and other series, doing quests and level up your character. You can play up to one player and also battle with other players. The game is only avaliable in Japanese language on Niconico Appli site.

Grappler Baki: Ultimate Championship (2017)
A mobile fighting game based on Baki the Grappler anime and manga series. Baki the Grappler celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017 with Grappler Baki: Ultimate Championship mobile game. Players are able to fight with characters from the Baki the Grappler series and use their iconic killer moves. The game offers both standard story mode and real time competitive mode. The story mode is based off scenes from the original manga. All characters and scenarios will come out separately in different phases.

Trivia

 * Hanma Yujiro is considered the World's Strongest Man, as well as Baki's Father.
 * Baki's first fight with Shinogi is taken almost move for move from the Grappler Baki OVA released 5 years earlier, except with the character designs of the TV show. However, Suedo, who also appeared in the OVA, does not appear at all during the season.
 * The first arc of the anime series actually takes place later in the manga. In the beginning of the manga, Baki is already grown up.
 * Chapter 25 of The Dangers in My Heart features an unseen, draft of Baki during a work-study group trip at Akita Shoten. Episode 5 of the anime adaptation presents the draft as Baki's fight with Musashi. Later in Chapter 76, Ichikawa's sister Kana uses Yujiro's "Become a woman he can't consume" blessing (While apparently doing Yujiro's iconic stance).
 * Considering that Keisuke Itagaki has been practicing martial arts since he was a teenager, it only makes sense that his greatest work is based all around martial arts.

Gallery
"To be continued in Part 2: Baki"