The perfect Baki order to enter the ring!
Baki boasts one of the longest anime histories, dating back three decades, and is still enjoyed by fans today. The manga chronicles the journeys of the eponymous protagonist to prove he’s the strongest fighter in the world with the source material faithfully adapted into must-watch television.
It’s a peculiar tale based in reality, with human limitations in place but with the added shonen flair that allows some of the fights to be flashy and over the top.
Originally beginning all the way back in 1991 as the Baki the Grappler manga from the mind of Keisuke Itagaki, the popular story ran until 1999 and spawned sequel-after-sequel, with Baki, Baki Hanma, Baki-Dou, Bakidou and the latest, Baki Rahen which began this year.
Shortly after the original manga began, an OVA was released in 1994 but it wouldn’t be until just after the original manga ended that Baki would receive its first anime run in 2001. Baki is one of the most celebrated “sport” anime around and has maintained its popularity over time despite fierce mainstream competition. There’s not a massive backlog of episodes – 101 – which means you can binge the franchise in its entirety if you wanted.
Nonstop Baki viewing should only take you just over four days, which is well worth it when it comes to one of the most critically acclaimed anime around.
With the latest season of Baki Hanma arriving onto Netflix, here’s the best way to watch Baki in order.
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What order should I watch Baki?
Baki is one of the more straightforward anime with a timeline that matches its release date. There’s very little jumping around from past to present which makes for easy viewing and fewer headaches.
While Baki Hanma is a stand-alone sequel show to Baki, the two series are connected. One of the biggest differences in the newer series is the greater focus of Baki himself, however the two still share those classic over-the-top fight scenes with the biggest muscles you’ve ever seen on someone.
The following is the perfect order to watch Baki:
- Baki The Grappler: The Ultimate Fighter
- Baki The Grappler – Season 1: Kid Saga/Underground Arena Saga
- Baki The Grappler – Season 2: Maximum Tournament Saga
- Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Special Anime
- Baki – Season 1: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Saga
- Baki – Season 2: Great Chinese Challenge Saga/Godlike Clash of the Kids Saga
- Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre – Season 1: Combat Shadow Fighting Saga/Great Prison Battle Saga
- Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre – Season 2: Pickle Wars Saga/The Father VS Son Saga
Is Baki 2001 and 2018 the same?
This is what can confuse new-time fans to the series, as Baki technically has two season 1 and 2s.
The original first season of Baki is actually Season 1 of Baki the Grappler, which originally aired between January – June 2001, followed quickly by season 2 from July – December 2001. That’s quite a fast turnaround time for an anime.
However, while Baki season 1 is, well, season 1, it actually covers the second part of the Baki the Grappler series, loosely connecting the plot of the two shows. However, you don’t actually need to have seen the original series in order to pick up and enjoy Netflix’s version, thankfully.
Are there Baki filler episodes that I can skip?
There’s no filler in the traditional sense of a list of episodes that are skippable. There are, however, two OVAs acting as an interesting time capsule of the series’ history – the majority of which is recapped later.
The four must-watch instalments are the main series themselves: Baki the Grappler, Baki, and Baki Hanma. The OVA in question that you can live without are Baki: The Ultimate Fighter and Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Saga.
Will there be a Baki Hanma season 3?
There has yet to be an announcement from Netflix as to whether Baki Hanma will return for an official season 3.
However, looking at the current release schedule for the past two seasons of Netflix’s Baki Hanma, with season 1 releasing in September 2021 and season 2 having just released in late-July/early-August 2023, we could expect Baki Hanma season 3 to potentally release in August 2025.
We will keep this page updated with all the latest news on confirmations of future seasons.
Where can I watch Baki in the UK?
The majority of the Baki franchise is available on Netflix, including the newly released 2nd season of Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre.
For those without a subscription, Crunchyroll also offers the anime in its entirety.
Read more:
- How to watch Pokémon in order: All the TV series, movies and specials
- How to watch Evangelion in order
- How to watch Code Geass in order
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.
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