Part 3: Baki Hanma



Part 3 of the Baki series, subtitled Baki Hanma, is preceded by Baki and succeeded by Baki-Dou. Baki Hanma is the main protagonist and the main antagonist is Yujiro Hanma. The villainous faction is Baki's challengers.

This part continues the story of Baki where a now 18-year-old Baki Hanma trains harder than ever before to defeat his father once and for all by facing off against the likes of Biscuit Oliva the Unchanged, a caveman previously frozen in ice, and a manifestation of a 200-pound praying mantis he formed from his mind.

Also known as Hanma Baki: Son of Ogre or Hanma Baki: The Boy Fascinating the Fighting God, is a third manga series written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion, began on December 1, 2005, and ended on August 16, 2012.

Baki Hanma was adapted into the fifth and sixth seasons of the anime adaptation by TMS Entertainment on Netflix in 2021 and 2023.

As of now Baki Hanma has yet to receive an official English translation.

Netflix Description
Baki Hanma trains with an intense focus to become strong enough to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma, the strongest fighter in the world!

Summary
Baki: Son of Ogre is the sequel to the Baki series. Baki trains for the the final showdown between him and his father. The story begins with Baki developing a new form of image training where he can physically create an opponent to spar against. The second saga takes place in prison where Baki intentionally commits a crime just so he can battle against Biscuit Oliva. The next saga is about Pickle, a caveman from the Jurassic Period who's been revived into modern society. Several Baki characters battle against Pickle as centuries ago Pickle managed to not only fight dinosaurs but eat them occasionally. The fourth saga is about Kaiou Retsu who becomes a boxer after losing a leg in his fight with Pickle. The last saga of Son of Ogre is the long awaited fight of Baki vs Yuujirou.

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 Hanma 10.5 Gaiden: Pickle (2008)
Hanma Baki 10.5 Gaiden: Pickle (範馬刃牙10.5 外伝 ピクル, Hanma Baki 10.5 Gaiden Pikuru) is the gaiden of Hanma Baki, written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, serialized in Weekly Shounen Champion by Akita Shoten, taking place after volume 10. The gaiden's story is an introduction about Pickle (a caveman from the Jurassic Period) and it tells how he back to live again. It's genres are action, mature, and shounen, and ran from 2008 for one volume with a total of 7 chapters.

Baki Domoe (2010)
Baki Domoe is a parody manga about Baki series, written and illustrated by by Saitou Naoki and serialized in Bessatsu Shounen Magazine in 2010 for a total of three volumes. Baki Hanma is the strongest fighter in the world but he’s still trying to surpass his father. Baki Domoe is a Japanese parody gag manga series by manga artist Saitou Naoki about the adventures of the characters in the Baki series and life in their over-the-silly-top world they live in.

Baki Gaiden: Kizudzura (2012 - Ongoing)
Baki Gaiden: Kizudzura (バキ外伝 創面, Baki Gaiden Kizudzura; literally: "Baki's Side Story: Scarface"), also romanized as Baki Gaiden: Kizuzura, is a spinoff series, written by Keisuke Itagaki and illustrated by Yukinao Yamauchi, based on Hanayama Kaoru adventures in High school. Began in Bessatsu Shounen Champion in July 2011, currently 3 volumes. This is a gaiden of the Baki series, follows an adventures of the most dangerous yakuza in Japan, 15 years old Kaoru Hanayama, showing the school years of the gangster. It is an ongoing series.

Trivia

 * One of the notable characters introduced in this series is Pickle, a prehistoric man revived in modern times. Pickle is an immensely powerful and savage fighter with a unique and primal fighting style.
 * Pickle, the prehistoric man introduced in the series, is depicted as an ancient human who has survived through millennia in hibernation. His character brings a fascinating blend of primal instincts and raw power into the Baki universe, adding an intriguing twist to the traditional martial arts battles.
 * A central arc in the series involves Baki Hanma engaging in a legendary battle with Miyamoto Musashi, a historical swordsman. This epic confrontation showcases a clash of fighting styles and ideologies, illustrating the essence of martial arts philosophy within the storyline.
 * "Son of Ogre" delves into Baki's relationships, including his romantic involvement with Kozue Matsumoto and his complex, competitive bond with his half-brother, Jack Hanma. These relationships provide depth to Baki's character and influence his martial arts journey.
 * A memorable battle occurs between the formidable Yasha Ape and Pickle, demonstrating the clash of strength and primal instincts. This fight stands out for its brutality and showcases the sheer power and ferocity of the combatants.
 * The Baki series, including "Son of Ogre," has had a notable impact on martial arts culture, inspiring discussions and analysis of fighting techniques and strategies among martial arts enthusiasts. It has become a reference point for martial artists and fans interested in combat sports and martial arts philosophy.

Continuity

 * The part begins the way the last one ended, with Yujiro challenging a large African elephant signifying that he accepts Baki's challenge, to which he continues to train for.
 * It also continues where Baki left off, training against a foe in his mind, which in the first couple of episodes is revealed to be called Shadow Boxing.
 * The character Iron Mike returns during the Great Prison Battle Arc after last appearing in the Maximum Tournament. He previously lost the tournament in his fight with Chiharu Shiba, and has since been placed in Arizona State Prison, the same prison as Biscuit Oliva, where he meets Baki again.
 * In his fight with Oliva, Baki recalls the exact feeling he had five years prior during Part 1 when he fought his father for the first time, and how he feels nostalgic for it now. In the same moment his synapsis start firing and power is rushed into him when he is on the brink of defeat, a practice he hasn't used since Baki the Grappler.
 * While describing Baki's speed and power, scenes from Part 1 ("The Fang and the Ties") and Part 2 ("A Formiddable Team") are shown.
 * The Devil's Face also reappears on Baki's back, which hasn't happened since his fight with his brother at the end of Baki the Grappler.
 * Oliva uses the same technique against Baki that Kureha Shinogi once used against him during the Maximum Tournament.
 * When about to battle Pickle for the first time, Baki recounts that doing so would be just as bad as when he first attacked the Yasha Apes in Baki the Grappler.
 * Kaiou Kaku, the leader of the Chinese martial arts, last seen in the episode "The Title of the Strongest" in Baki, returns in "Beyond the Sound Barrier." He is introduced to Katsumi by Retsu, who teaches the both of them how to go beyond the sound barrier with only their fists.
 * Baki remembers Yujiro killing his mother in Part 1, revealing that it has been four years since then.
 * In another couple of episodes it's revealed that another year has passed, making it five years.
 * In the middle of the second season, Kozue recalls the events of the end of Part 2 where she parted ways with Mohammad Ali Junior. It shows more of their final conversation, where Ali Junior accepts that he was never in the running to be Kozue's lover.
 * The episode "Dying For Love" in Season 2 adapts only one chapter from Baki Hanma but re-adapts scenes from Part 1, specifically the Childhood Arc, to explain who Baki's mother is for new fans. In this episode, Kuriyagawa returns for the first time since Part 1.
 * The scene of Baki and Yujiro's first fight is re-animated. It also re-animates Emi's original meeting with Yujiro, a flashback previously shown in the Childhood Arc. With these memories comes a realization that in all this time his desire to fight his father wasn't just to surpass him, but to repay her love.
 * The Whip Strike, an attack Baki previously used against Ryuukou Yanagi in Part 2, is used against him in his fight with Yujiro Hanma.
 * It is revealed in Episode 25 that Baki's grandfather is named Yuichiro Hanma, who was the previous World's Strongest Creature before his son, Yujiro.
 * In the same episode it is shown that a carving of a Hanma ancestor is inside the walls of one of the Great Pyramids in Egypt. It is unknown now how old it is, but it is possibly to indicate that Hanmas, the strongest creatures on earth, with backs that show the face of an Oni, have been around for millennia.
 * Another depiction shows this creature fighting its son, showing that this fight has been repeated generation after generation after generation. The Hanmas, the strongest creatures on earth, are fated to fight their sons.
 * In "Dress," Yujiro remembers the five death-row inmates from Part 2 who desired what it was like to lose, and realized that he is like them, and wanted to taste defeat.
 * At the end of their fight, Hanayama recalls that Baki's defeat is the same as when Baki's mother was killed by Yujiro 5 years ago.
 * The final scene in the anime adaptation is of Kaiou Retsu giving a press conference on his fight with Usain Bolt, which was originally taken from Chapter 47 of Part 4: Baki-Dou.

Gallery
To Be Continued in Part 4: Baki-Dou