Baki the GrapplerFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grappler Baki
Cover of the English release of Baki the Grapplervolume 2.
グラップラー刃牙 (Gurappurā Baki)
Genre	Action, Martial arts
Manga
Written by	Keisuke Itagaki
Published by	Akita Shoten
English publisher	Gutsoon! Entertainment (North America)
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Champion
English magazine	Raijin Comics
Original run	1991 – 1999
Volumes	42
Original video animation
Directed by	Yuji Asada
Produced by	Chiaki Yasuda Tsuneo Seto
Written by	Yoshihisa Araki
Music by	Takahiro Saito
Studio	Sung San
Licensed by	Manga Entertainment (Australia & United Kingdom) Central Park Media (North America)
Released	August 21, 1994
Runtime	45 minutes
Manga
Baki²
Written by	Keisuke Itagaki
Published by	Akita Shoten
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Champion
Original run	1999 – November 24, 2005
Volumes	31
Anime television series
Directed by	Hitoshi Nanba
Produced by	Dynamite Tommy
Written by	Yasunori Yamada
Music by	Dynamite Tommy
Studio	Group TAC
Licensed by	Funimation Entertainment (North America)
Network	TV Tokyo
English network	Funimation Channel, Colours TV(United States)
Original run	January 8, 2001 – June 25, 2001
Episodes	24
Anime television series
Grappler Baki: Maximum Tournament
Directed by	Katsuyoshi Yatabe
Produced by	Dynamite Tommy
Written by	Yasunori Yamada
Music by	Dynamite Tommy
Studio	Group TAC
Licensed by	Funimation Entertainment (North America)
Original run	July 23, 2001 –December 24, 2001
Episodes	24
Manga
Baki Hanma
Written by	Keisuke Itagaki
Published by	Akita Shoten
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Champion
Original run	December 1, 2005 –August 16, 2012
Volumes	37
Anime and Manga portal

Grappler Baki (グラップラー刃牙 Gurappurā Baki^?), or Baki the Grappler, is a mangaseries written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1991 to 1999, and later collected into 42 tankōbon volumes. It was followed by two sequel series; Baki² (バキ² Baki Baki^?), which was serialized from 1999 to 2005 and later collected into 31 volumes, and Baki Hanma (範馬刃牙 Hanma Baki^?), which was serialized from 2005 to 2012 and later collected into 37 volumes.^[1][2]A 45-minute original video animation (OVA) was released in 1994. A 24-episode animeaired on TV Tokyo between January 8 and June 25, 2001. This was quickly followed by a second 24-episode series, from July 22 to December 24, 2001. The 2012 comedy filmGraffreeter Toki (lit. "Toki the Freelancing Grappler") is based on the March 2011 play of the same name, which in turn was inspired by Grappler Baki.^[3] The OVA was the first to be licensed and released in North America, in 1998 by Central Park Media, followed by the original manga series, in 2002 by Gutsoon! Entertainment (incomplete), and finally both anime series, in 2005 by Funimation Entertainment.
Contents

• 1 Plot

• 2 Manga

• 3 OVA

• 4 Anime

• 4.1 International broadcast

• 5 References

• 6 External links

Main article:
Main article: List of Baki the Grappler characters
Baki is raised by his wealthy and obsessive mother, Emi Akezawa, who also funds his training in the hopes that he can be a powerful warrior like his father. Around the start of the series, Baki outgrows traditional training and heads out to follows the path of his ruthless father's training and meets many powerful fighters along the way. Eventually, Baki fights his father and is beaten without a challenge.
After being beaten, Baki travels around the world continuing his training. Years down the road he finds an underground fighting arena where he fights some of the most powerful fighters of all styles of martial arts. It is here he truly begins to hone his martial arts skills.

• Grappler Baki

• Grappler Baki (or Baki the Grappler) - Original series, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1991 to 1999. Collected into 42 volumes, that encompasses The Champion, the Kid, and the Maximum Tournament sagas. From 2007-2008 it was collected into 24 deluxe edition volumes.^[4][5]

This series was licensed for a North American release by Gutsoon! Entertainment, who retitled it Baki the Grappler. They published the first 46 chapters in their English-language manga anthology magazine Raijin Comics.^[6] The magazine's first issue was released on December 18, 2002, but in July 2004 it was discontinued. 4 collected volumes were planned but it is unknown if they were released.

• Baki² (Baki: In Search of Our Strongest Hero or New Grappler Baki) - Second series, also serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from 1999 to November 24, 2005.^[1]Collected into 31 volumes, and encompasses The Prisoners, the Chinese Challenge, and the Ali. Jr sagas.

• Baki Hanma (or Baki: Son of Ogre) - Third series, again serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion, began on December 1, 2005 and ended on August 16, 2012.^[1][2] Collected into 37 volumes, and encompasses the Oliva's Fortress, The Prehistoric Menace, Retsu Kaiou's Boxing, and the final confrontation of Yujiro and Baki.

Gaiden

• "Grappler Baki Gaiden: Igari vs Mount Toba" - Immediately after the Maximum Tournament.

• "Baki saga - (The Romantic Contact chapter)" - Side story that develops at the same time as volume 15.

• Baki Gaiden: Scarface (バキ外伝 -スカーフェイス-^?) (or Scarface, The Legend of the Invincible Fist) - Spinoff series, written and illustrated by Yukinao Yamauchi, depicting Kaoru Hanayama's yakuza adventures. Ran from March 2005 to December 2007 inChampion Red, then in July 2009 in Weekly Shōnen Champion, currently 5 volumes.

• Baki Gaiden: Scarface 2nd series (バキ外伝 創面^?) - Spinoff series, written and illustrated by Yukinao Yamauchi, based on Hanayama Kaoru adventures in High school. Began in Bessatsu Shōnen Champion in July 2012.^[2]

• Baki Gaiden: Kenjin (バキ外伝 拳刃^?) - Spinoff series, written and illustrated by Kenko Miyatani, representing and describing Doppo's adventures. Began in Champion Red in June 2013.^[7]

Supplements

• Grappler Baki: Red Dragon side, Grappler side - Compendium of the characters and events in the world of Grappler Baki, covers until volume 23 of the second saga.

• Grappler Baki: Blue Tiger side, Fighting side - Compendium of every battle fought and its results in the world of Grappler Baki, also covers until volume 23 of the second 

 

 [hide] 

Plot[edit source | editbeta]

Manga[edit source | editbeta]