Picture this: an anime in which almost every major character is a colossally ripped, shredded behemoth of a man. These jacked giants are so obsessed with becoming the strongest that they go to extreme lengths to find powerful opponents they can fight in the most violent (and, often, most honorable) way possible. If you’ve ever wondered whether karate or sumo is the more lethal grappling style — or what a human face would look like if your eyebrows could bench-press — then you should make sure to stream BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai. 

Before jumping in, a few things to note about the world of BAKI-DOU: The show is the latest adaptation of the popular manga franchise Baki, created by Keisuke Itagaki. In fact, it’s the third installment in the series, after two batches of the original BAKI series from 2018 and two seasons of Baki Hanma from 2021 and 2023, all streaming on Netflix. 

Bridging the gap between the way the manga is read and the anime is viewed was the key challenge for Baki director Toshiki Hirano: “The viewing experience differs depending on whether audiences have read the original work or are encountering the story for the first time through the anime, so we were mindful of creating an approach that works for both. At first glance, faithfully adapting the original may seem straightforward, but in reality it is quite difficult. Elements such as pacing and character portrayal require careful handling, and it is precisely these details that make the Baki series so challenging. Staying true to the original feels like a more natural approach, both for audiences and for the original creators. We approached Baki with that same mindset.”

Read on for all the important context about the lore within Baki.

Baki Hanma’s goal is the be the strongest fighter of all time.

What is Baki’s origin story?

From a very early age, Baki Hanma (Troy Baker/Nobunaga Shimazaki) dedicated himself to rigorous and demanding training. By the start of BAKI-DOU, he’s at peak physical state and has perfected a unique fighting style inspired by mixed martial arts. He originally put himself on this path in order to one day defeat and surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma (Kirk Thornton/Akio Ōtsuka), who’s referred to as “the strongest creature on earth.” Working toward this goal, Baki realizes that fighting is what drives him and what he loves most.

This innate passion for fighting and becoming the strongest is the overarching ambition of all the major characters in the Baki franchise. These fighters live in an absurdist, over-the-top world where literal might makes right. The more powerful one is, the greater amount of respect they enjoy. In the world of Baki, government administrations have had to establish peace relations with Yujiro Hanma, essentially treating him as his own nation — he’s an unstoppable force that no weapon can neutralize. 

Ultimately, power and combat skills are prioritized above all else in the world of Baki, so all the major fighters train and compete to determine who comes out on top. This is where Mitsunari Tokugawa (Matthew Yang King/Mugihito) comes in. As an avid admirer of martial arts who enjoys watching hulking beasts of men tear each other to shreds, Tokugawa uses his wealth and influence to bring these combatants together to compete in his Underground Arena.

Legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto’s introduction to the scene brings weapons into the Underground Fighting Arena.

What is the Underground Fighting Arena?

The Underground Arena is a secret fighting ring underneath the Tokyo Dome in Japan, owned and run by Tokugawa. Its sole purpose is to bring together the strongest martial artists in glorious combat. The appeal of the Underground Arena is that it serves as the primary venue for Baki’s top fighters to engage in no-holds-barred matches without any restrictions. 

In fact, there aren’t many rules in the Underground Arena. The only one that’s enforced is that combatants aren’t allowed to use weapons of any kind — though even that rule can be bent if a participant requests to use them and their opponent agrees. Otherwise, pretty much anything else goes. The brawls in the Underground Arena are not sports competitions with prize money; they are near-life-and-death opportunities for the most powerful martial artists to prove their abilities and win honor and glory. The spectators of these matches, who are just as enthusiastic about martial arts as Tokugawa, undergo a selective process to attend the Underground Arena. They’re sworn to secrecy, and in exchange, they get to enjoy watching the strongest fighters go head-to-head.

At the start of BAKI-DOU, Baki Hanma is the champion of the Underground Arena. However, with the series’ main antagonist, Musashi Miyamoto (SungWon Cho/Naoya Uchida), now in the picture, his title may be in jeopardy. 

Who are the strongest fighters in Baki?

• Yujiro Hanma: Yujiro Hanma is known as “the strongest creature on earth,” a title he proudly brags about. He made a fortune as a mercenary, using his extremel strength and fighting skills to complete high-paying jobs. Yujiro has mastered every known martial art, and he can shift between fighting techniques while in battle. He’s also reached a supernatural state of physicality that allows him to move at the speed of light and have skin so durable that even blades can’t pierce him. 
• Baki Hanma: The champion of the Underground Arena, Baki has quickly become one of the strongest and youngest fighters. Baki is driven to surpass his father and become the greatest fighter on the planet. Baki adopts a mixed martial arts fighting style that blends various grappling styles into a singular combat approach. His most unique ability is to conjure up any opponent he can think of and fight them as if they were actually there. 
• Pickle: Pickle is a primitive caveman born in the prehistoric era, and he was frozen for millions of years before being exhumed. Pickle hunted and fought dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, which caused him to develop a level of strength and physicality on par with some of the strongest fighters. Pickle has no experience with martial arts, instead relying on brute force and animalistic instincts.
• Musashi Miyamoto: A clone of the real-life Japanese swordsman brought to life by Tokugawa, Miyamoto has his past version’s strength, skills, and memories, and he’s eager to see the kind of challenge the warriors of today pose. Miyamoto practices Niten Ichi-ryū, a real fighting style he created in which the user simultaneously wields a long and short sword. Miyamoto is so strong that he can visualize slashing someone with a sword and leave them in actual pain.