The 24 episode anime aired in Japan between January 8, 2001 and June 25, 2001. A second 24 episode series called Grappler Baki Maximum Tournament aired from July 22, 2001 to December 24, 2001. The story revolves around Baki Hanma and his quest to proclaim himself as the strongest grappler in the world, thus taking the title from his father. Baki also fights to gain the trust of his overly psychotic mother. The anime was licensed and distributed by FUNimation Entertainment in the US. The OVA was released by Manga Entertainment in Australia and the UK and previously released by Central Park Media in the US. Gutsoon! Entertainment released the first 46 chapters of the original manga in English in the pages of Raijin Comics, their anthology magazine.
Baki Hanma fights a gang of 100 thugs; afterward, he is walked home by Detective Kido and his partner, who watched the fight. Baki then trains and thinks about what he should do to get stronger. Meanwhile, Kuriyagawa, the man who hired the thugs to fight Baki in order to test his strength, pays the gang's leader. Also, Baki watches a sparring match between Yuri Chakovsky, the international welterweight boxing champion, and Dinoy, Thailand's Muay Thai champion.
Baki spars with Yuri. Meanwhile, Kuriyagawa meets with Kaoru Hanayama, a gangster and renowned brawler, to set up a fight with Baki.
Baki meets his friend Ando in the woods and stays with him. While there, Baki adopts some of Ando's training techniques, and he camps alone on Yasha Rock, hoping to fight with the Yasha Ape.
Baki Hanma fights a rematch with the Yasha Ape. After very hard fight, Baki eventually defeat the giant monster. Later he and Yasha Ape becomes a friends and Yasha Ape gives Baki his fang.
After returning home, Baki learns that Yuri will be fighting for the heavyweight title, so he visits Yuri at his gym. Meanwhile, Kuriyagawa tells Hanayama that he can't fight Baki until Baki has fought Yuri, but Hanayama has other plans.
After being knocked down by Baki, Hanayama flies into a rage in his office; afterward, he visits his sick mother in the hospital. Also, Baki visits Yuri in the hospital before his rematch with Hanayama.
Baki and Hanayama continue to fight, and Hanayama's tattoo is explained.
Baki's dad, Yujiro, shows up after Baki's fight with Hanayama. After the story of how Yujiro met Baki's mother is told, Yujiro and Hanayama fight.
Baki explains to his mother why he fights, visits Hanayama in the hospital, and trains. After a brief encounter with Yujiro, they decide that they will fight in one month. Baki then meets Strydum, who tells him of a mercenary group in Hokkaido, and Baki decides to go there to defeat them.
Captured by the mercenaries as soon as he parachutes in, Baki must free himself and fight his way out. Meanwhile, an old friend warns Strydum of Gaia's fighting ability.
Baki Hanma fights Gaia (an alter ego of Nomura).
Yujiro breaks into the Prime Minister's office to prove a point; Baki fights the swordsman Kurokawa; Yujiro forces the archer Kanemoto to shoot an arrow at him; Baki visits his mother after she is rejected by Yujiro.
All of Baki's friends show up to watch his fight with Yujiro and to help him warm up; meanwhile, Yujiro fights Gaia. Also, Hanayama opens up to Baki about his mother.
Baki Hanma fights his own father - Yuujiro.
Detective Kido reflects upon his experiences with Baki, and Kuriyagawa tells Kido about Baki's relationship with his mother and his fight with Yujiro.
Anton Igari, an ex-wrestler, tells Tokugawa, an old man who runs an underground fighting circuit, about Baki and his recent global travels. In the narrative, Baki is seen training and fighting, and, while in Brazil, he visits a fighting master named Dixon. Learning of the circuit, Baki returns to Japan to meet with Tokugawa, and he fights Tokugawa's bodyguards to earn a chance to enter the circuit.
Flash forward three years: Baki is now the champion of the underground arena. Tokugawa meets with Orochi Doppo, a former champion of the arena, and asks him to enter his son Katsumi in the arena. Doppo finds Kato, a former student, at his dojo beating up his fighters, and he introduces Kato to the arena. Baki trains for a fight at the boarding house where he is staying, where Kozue, the daughter of the woman who owns the house, has a crush on him.
Baki fights Shinogi Kousho, a master of Cord-Cut Karate.
Kato spars with the fighters in Doppo's dojo; Kozue interferes with some bullies that are bothering Baki, which causes problems for her later; several fighters petition Tokugawa to be Baki's next opponent; Baki trains with Motobe Ito.
Baki fights Mount Toba, a professional wrestler.
Yujiro shows up after Baki's fight and knocks him out, and Doppo challenges Yujiro to a fight. After watching Doppo spar with his students, Baki spars with him. Yujiro starts a fight with a group of boxers at their gym, and he fights with Motobe Izo and Baki's next opponent is revealed.
Dr. Shinogi Kureha reveals to his brother, the Cord-Cutter, why he is fighting Baki; Doppo and Yujiro fight.
The fight between Doppo and Yujiro continues; after Dr. Shinogi Kureha performs a medical miracle, he demonstrates his physical abilities to the crowd; one of Kureha's former patients visits Baki.
Baki fights Dr. Shinogi Kureha.
Tokugawa announces his plans for a world martial arts tournament, and fighters from around the world gather for it. In the first fight of round one in the A-Block, Baki fights Artemis Reagan, a professional wrestler; in the second fight of round one in the A-Block, Vale Tudo master Zulu fights Muay Thai master Dentoranee Jitpika.
In the third A-Block match of round one, heavyweight kickboxing champion Rob Robinson takes on the professional wrestler Anton Igari; in the fourth A-Block match of round one, Motobe Izo fights the grand sumo Kinryuzan; in the first B-Block match of round one, the Sambo master Sergei Taktaroff fights Retsu Kaio, a master of Chinese Kenpo; in the second B-Block match of round one, Kato fights the son of the Yasha Ape.
Complete episode guide for Baki the Grappler with detailed information about every season and episode including air dates, summaries, ratings, and streaming availability in United States.
This episode guide is organized by seasons, making it easy to track your viewing progress or find specific episodes. Use the episode information to plan your binge-watching sessions or catch up on missed episodes.
Baki saves the Yasha Ape's son from Katsumi; in the third B-Block match of round one, Hanayama fights the Japanese Kenpo master Inagi Bunnoshin; in the fourth B-Block match of round one, Roland Gustaf, a catch-as-catch-can wrestler, fights Orochi Katsumi.
Yujiro arrives and enters his protégé Amanai Yu in the tournament; in the first C-Block match of round one, heavyweight boxing world champion Ian McGregor fights Taekwondo master Li Moko; in the second C-Block match of round one, biker gang leader Shiba Chiharu fights judo master Hatanaka Kohei; in the third C-Block match of round one, Shorinji Kenpo master Misaki Kengo fights pro wrestler Mike Queen.
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu master Sergio Silva faces pit-fighter Jack Hammer in the fourth C-Block match of round one; Yujiro tries to fight Hammer, but Baki intervenes; shoot wrestler Yamamoto Minoru faces Amanai Yu in the first D-Block match of round one.
Richard Filth, a bouncer, faces Orochi Doppo in the second D-Block match of round one; Roger Harlon, an amateur wrestler, faces the jujutsu master Shibukawa Goki in the third D-Block match of round one; Shinogi Kureha faces Shinogi Kousho in the fourth D-Block match of round one.
The fourth D-Block match of round one continues as Shinogi Kureha and Shinogi Kousho continue to fight; Baki faces Zulu in the first A-Block match of round two.
In the second A-Block match of round two, Igari faces Kinryuzan; in the first B-Block match of round two, Retsu Kaio faces Mount Toba.
In the second B-Block match of round two, Hanayama faces Orochi Katsumi.
In the first C-Block match of round two, Shiba Chiharu faces Ian McGregor.
Andreanof Garland, the last reserver, is introduced when it is deemed that Shiba is in no condition to fight in the next round; in the second C-Block match of round two, Jack Hammer faces Misaki Kengo.
In the first D-Block match of round two, Doppo faces Amanai Yu; Baki takes Kozue to the site of his mother's death.
Yujiro fights against all of the tournament losers; in the second D-Block match of round two, Shibukawa Goki faces Shinogi Kousho.
Igari begs Baki to let him win, and they fight in the first match of the quarter-finals.
In the second fight of the quarter-finals, Katsumi faces Retsu Kaio; Andreanof Garland fights an anaconda to make things fair, since he hasn't fought in the tournament yet, and then he faces Jack Hammer in the third fight of the quarter-finals.
Andreanof Garland and Jack Hammer continue to fight in the third match of the quarter-finals. Also, Hammer's training history is revealed.
Shibukawa Goki faces Doppo in the fourth match of the quarter-finals.
Baki fights Retsu Kaio in the first match of the semi-finals.
In the second match of the semi-finals, Shibukawa Goki faces Jack Hammer.
Baki and Jack Hammer think about the training and hardships they've endured to reach their current level of ability.
Baki faces Jack Hammer in the final match of the tournament. Also, in flashback Yujiro meets Jack's mother in Vietnam.
Baki and Jack Hammer continue to fight in the final match. In flashback to Vietnam, Yujiro breaks into an American base and terrorizes the soldiers; later, Jack is born.
Baki and Jack Hammer continue to fight in the finals as Jack's body breaks down.
In flashback, the United States government sends its special forces to South America to kill a young Yujiro.