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 So you want an anime with action, eh? Good news - there are quite a few. But if the action you want is of the athletic kind, more Balboa than Batman, then you won't go wrong getting into the Baki saga.

Baki tells the story of the titular character, a martial artist that goes up against massive physical threats as a way of getting out of his father's shadow. Originally a manga by Keisuke Itagaki, Baki's story has been serialized into over three different shows and a handful of specials - and the upcoming Netflix crossover epic Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura. If this sounds like your kind of action, read on for Popverse's Baki watch guide, where we'll cover how to watch the series in both chronological and release order.

Before we get there, though, let's answer some frequently asked questions.

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How long is Baki?

Baki's animated adventures have been running since 1994, but don't panic - they aired off and on over these thirty years, and though his story stretches across three shows, none of them have more than a handful of seasons.

All in all, there are 126 anime episodes of Baki, plus a film and anime special, respectively. It may seem like a lot, but we're going to mae it very simple for you, especially once we explain...

What is the difference between Baki the Grappler, Baki, Baki Hanma, and Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura?

The answer to this, simply put, is time. Starting with Baki the Grappler, the events of the three series run linearly, following the fighter's history as he ages over the course of the three series. Now that we've got our timeline straight, let's go ahead and move on to...

How to watch Baki in chronological order

Multiple Baki anime series have been released over the past few decades, which may make it seem fairly daunting trying to get into it. Luckily, if you want to watch Baki in chronological order you mainly have to stick to the order that it was released in. That means watching Baki the Grappler, followed by Netflix's Baki and then Baki Hanma.

If you're looking to watch Baki chronologically, the only thing that throws a spanner in the works is the first ever Baki anime, called Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter. This OVA (original video animation) was a one-shot anime that was released in 1994. It takes place during the Baki the Grappler timeline and is best watched midway through that run.

If you're planning to watch the Baki animes available on Netflix just bear in mind that the Netflix-made Baki animes take place after the events of Baki the Grappler. The anime does try to accommodate fans that are new to the series though and using it as a starting point.

The only series that takes place outside of this established timeline is Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura, which is a crossover series with another popular fighting anime about large men without an ounce of body fat on them.

You can find out how to watch Baki in chronological order below:

• Baki the Grappler, Season 1 - Episodes 1-16 (2001)
• Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter (1994)
• Baki the Grappler, Season 1 - Episodes 17-24 (2001)
• Baki the Grappler, Season 2 (2001)
• Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Special Anime (2016)
• Baki, Season 1 (2018)
• Baki, Season 2 (2020)
• Baki Hanma, Season 1 (2021)
• Baki Hanma, Season 2 (2023)
• Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura (2024)

How to watch Baki in release order

If you want to watch Baki in release order you just need to start with Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter, which was first released in 1994, and work your way through to the latest Netflix series of Baki Hanma released in 2023.

Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter is one of two Baki OVAs that were released throughout the anime's history. The other is Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Special Anime, which is a 15 minute anime that was released on a DVD bundled with a volume of the Baki manga. This OVA takes place prior to the events of the first season of Netflix's Baki anime.

Once you get around to watching Baki on Netflix another thing that may confuse you is the way Baki is listed, with one boxset called The Great Raitai Tournament Saga. This is just Baki season 2, and for simplicity's sake, we've listed it like that in our watch order lists.

Here's how you can watch Baki in release order:

• Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter (1994)
• Baki the Grappler, Season 1 (2001)
• Baki the Grappler, Season 2 (2001)
• Baki: Most Evil Death Row Convicts Special Anime (2016)
• Baki, Season 1 (2018)
• Baki, Season 2 (2020)
• Baki Hanma, Season 1 (2021)
• Baki Hanma, Season 2 (2023)
• Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura (2024)

Where to watch Baki

Netflix is the place you can watch Baki and Baki Hanma. Every episode of the Netflix Original Anime is available to watch on the service. 

If you want to watch Baki the Grappler and the OVAs then things become more tricky. These animes aren't available to watch on any streaming service, so the only way you can watch it legally is by tracking down the original DVDs, which can no longer be purchased new as it's out-of-print.

You can pick up some second hand copies from Amazon Marketplace and eBay, but listings can fetch high prices. At the time of writing, a DVD set of season 1 of Baki the Grappler is available on Amazon but is priced at over $199.

Will the be more Baki?

Baki has continued to be a popular anime and manga, which has stoked demand for more. In March 2023, it was confirmed that another anime had been green-lit, adapting the 2014 Baki-Dou manga. This storyline involves a legendary swordsman being revived in a secret government facility through the use of cloning and necromancy. Sort of like Emperor Palpatine only ripped. A release date for Baki-Dou hasn't been anounced yet, nor do we know where it will be streamed.

Don't want to wait that long? Netflix released a new anime on June 6, 2024 staring Baki Hanma. Titled Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura, it does exactly what the title says - pit two of the greatest anime fighters against each other in a grueling (and highly entertaining) death match. 

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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