Baki the Grappler

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|} Baki the Grappler or Grappler Baki (グラップラー刃牙) is a manga and anime series by Keisuke Itagaki.

The 24 episode anime aired in Japan between January 8 2001 and June 25 2001. A second series called Grappler Baki Maximum Tournament was released on 22 July 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.

Characters

Baki Hanma (範馬刃牙 Hanma Baki): The main character, and son of Yujiro Hanma. He has been training in martial arts since the age of three, and has trained under various teachers and coaches throughout his life. At the age of thirteen, he decided to take his training into his own hands and left the coaches to perform more intense training "in his father's footsteps." He later meets with his father and becomes disillusioned as to his father's true character, and afterwards, aims to defeat and kill his father. His fighting style is called "total fighting," and includes techniques from many different martial arts.
Yujiro Hanma (範馬勇次郎 Hanma Yūjirō): The father of Baki and Jack Hammer/Hanma. He is the strongest creature in the world, and has mastered multiple styles of martial arts. His repertoire apparently includes all of the well-known fighting styles (such as boxing, tae kwon do, judo, jujutsu, wrestling, street-fighting, and so on) as well as some more esoteric ones (such as the udonde or uzunde style, an actual system used in the Motobu style of karate). He has been fighting on the battlefields, using only his bare hands, since the age of sixteen, when he fought against both American and Vietcong in the Vietnam War. Since then, it appears that he has obtained respect from the American forces, and has begun fighting as a kind of mercenary for them. It is said that he sold his soul to a demon for superhuman abilities, as the muscles on his back form the shape of a demon's face, but it is also possible that it is only a genetic issue, as the same demon appears on Baki's back, and that Yujiro actually achieved his great skill through his own personal training and genius.
Doppo Orochi (愚地独歩 Orochi Doppo): A karate master and head of the shinshinkai-kan (a karate style which seems to be inspired by the real-life style of kyokushin karate). One of the only people in the world able to stand toe-to-toe with Yujiro. He whips his students into shape by fighting them regularly, and practices all of his karate techniques at least one thousand times daily. A very devoted karate practitioner, and a mentor of Baki's. Also the instructor of Katou and father of Katsumi.
Gouki Shibukawa: Master of the ancient jujutsu arts used by the samurai soldier-warriors of feudal Japan. Is sixty years of age, and has trained since prior to WWII, in the "old days" of the martial arts. His art makes use of the martial arts principle of aiki, which uses the opponents' attacks against him.
Kaoru Hanayama: Fifteen-year-old yakuza leader and strongman. His grip is so strong that if he grabs an opponent's arm, he can usually cause it to explode from restricting the blood flow. He is also trained in martial arts, but it is unknown what styles he is trained in.
Amanai Yuu: Yujiro's apprentice. Yujiro meets him in America, where he is serving as a bodyguard to the President. It is unknown whether he is Japanese or American, but it is most likely that he is American but of Japanese descent. His style is based on "love," in contrast to Yujiro's style, which is more aggressive and based on rage.
Retsu Kaiou: Kenpo practitioner. Trained in China and became the heir to the kenpo style in his temple.
Jack Hammer (or Jack Hanma): Freestyle wrestler and streetfighter. Is the son of Yujiro and a Canadian soldier woman who Yujiro met in Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. Like Baki, he has since childhood wished to surpass his father Yujiro in strength and martial ability, however, a defect or disease caused his body to not respond to the training, no matter how hard he pushed himself. This caused him to become reliant on drugs and steroids to build his body up. One of his main techniques is biting, and he can bite hard enough to easily crush wood with his teeth.
Strydum: An American soldier and Yujiro's companion and comrade-at-arms. Originally met Yujiro as an enemy in the Vietnam War. Developed an admiration for Yujiro, and now he travels, fighting with him on the battlefields of the world. Is also a friend and mentor of Baki's.

Books

Baki books so far (chronologically)

-Grappler Baki (1-42) (The champion saga, the kid saga, and the maximum tournament saga)

-Grappler baki Gaiden :Igari vs mount toba (immediately after the maximum tournament)

-Baki the search of our strongest hero 1-31 (The prisoners saga, the chinese challenge saga, the Ali jr saga)

-Baki saga (Side story that develops at the same time as book 15)

-Grappler Baki: Scarface, the legend of the invincible fist 1-2 (Hanayama Kaoru special, ongoing)

-Grappler Baki: Dragon side, Grappler side (compendium of the characters and events of the world of Grappler baki, covers until book 23)

-Grappler baki: tiger side, fighting side (Compendium of every battle fought and its results on the world of Grappler baki, also covers until 23)

-Hanma Baki : Son of ogre 1-2 (ongoing, the final saga).

External links

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