Baki Review

Ahoy me mateys Captain Cats here and today I’m going to review a series that just finished last month and Netflix is behind on, and that is Baki.

The anime series is based off on the manga series which is in five parts, and they are :

1. Grappler Baki – ran from 1991-1999, total volumes is 42
2. Baki – ran from 1999 – 2005, total volumes is 31 (The anime series is based on)
3. Baki Hanma – ran from 2005 – 2012, total volumes is 37
4. Baki-Dou – ran from 2014 – 2018, total volumes is 22
5. Baki-Dou II – 2018 and still in its current run

The anime series is based on the second book series, which all five series are written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki. The manga and anime series is in the Martial Arts genre, so you know it is going to be nothing but fighting, lots and lots of fighting and blood. The main story arc for the anime series is based on the same story arc in the manga which is “Most Evil Death Row Convicts,” in which Baki and his “friends” must go and fight against this five convicts in any means and way possible. Now it doesn’t sound much regarding the storyline, and you be right about that, but if you take the time and watch the series and pay attention to the primary and subplots in the series, you will find some good storytelling in here. The art and animation can be over the top at times as well, but I think it works in Baki’s favor, this is a martial arts series so seeing some characters go all out in fights makes it more enjoyable than seeing the fight end within five seconds. The series can sometimes go into odd places, and it does, this series was created for adults to watch and enjoy and I think it does a good job doing so. The only thing I would say does hurt Baki the pacing, it works at times, and it doesn’t. A few episodes in the series does have a problem with it, and if you can put up with it as I did, this is a good series to watch.

Baki was first shown in Netflix Japan from June 25 till December 17 of 2018 with a total of 26 episodes. Netflix split the series up into “two seasons” ala Little Witch Academia, and this does hurt the series here in the USA. No word yet on when the “second season” of Baki will be shown on Netflix here in the USA.