Baki is a manga that’s all about fighting but with 30 years of history, it’s hard to keep track of all of them.
There are lots of iconic sequences in the Baki franchise, and a growing number of memed moments. But with six Baki manga series and multiple arcs in each one, then loads of spin-offs to navigate through, newcomers to the series might not be able to figure out when Doppo Orochi lost his eye, or when either fight between Baki and Yujiro takes place.
This guide is here to help you track down when and where all the biggest fights in the Baki franchise took place, and where you can go read them.
Table of contents
The best Baki the Grappler fights
Baki the Grappler was the first manga series in the Baki franchise, and it boasts some of the best fights. Many of these have been forgotten over time but Yujiro Hanma vs Doppo Orochi remains one of the most popular of all time. The Maximum Tournament was the most dense Baki arc across the entire franchise, introducing major characters like Katsumi Orochi, Kaio Retsu, and Gouki Shibukawa with some exciting showdowns against the established cast and each other. Perhaps most importantly, Baki the Grappler is also where readers can find the first fight between Baki and Yujiro.
All Underground Arena arc fights
The Baki the Grappler manga opens with the introduction of Baki Hanma through a karate tournament, but reveals that he’s actually the top fighter of a secret underground fighting circuit in Tokyo. The arc follows Baki’s fights as the champion of the arena, while also establishing Yujiro Hanma as “the world’s strongest creature.
Worth noting is that Baki vs Atsushi Suedo is omitted from the Baki the Grappler anime. It’s instead part of the 1994 OVA that adapts the first two fights of the manga.
All fights in The Underground Arena arc:
- Baki vs Atsushi Suedo
- Baki vs Kosho Shinogi
- Baki vs Mount Toba
- Yujiro Hanma vs Doppo Orochi
- Baki vs Kureha Shinogi
Kid Baki arc
The Kid Baki arc of Baki the Grappler marked a radical change in the manga’s tone, art style, and portrayal of its titular character. After initially showing Baki as something of a goof, he was changed to having an intense personality with a tragic upbringing. After being shown as a largely dominant fighter in the first arc, he was portrayed as much more vulnerable here. The arc ends with introducing how Baki is introduced to the Underground Arena and its head, Mitsunari Tokugawa.
All fights in the Kid Baki arc:
- Baki vs 100 gang members
- Baki vs Yuri Chakovsky
- Baki vs the Yasha Ape
- Baki vs Kaoru Hanayama
- Baki vs Gaia
- Baki vs Yujiro Hanma
All The Maximum Tournament arc fights
Following the Kid Baki arc, the manga jumps back to the modern day when Baki is the reigning champion of the Underground Arena. Tokugawa arranges for a tournament that brings together both established characters and introduces many of the series regulars.
Here are all of the fights that take place in the first round of the Maximum Tournament:
- Baki vs Andreas Reagan
- Zulu vs Dentrany Shidopaika
- Kanji Igari vs Rob Robinson
- Kinryuzan vs Izou Motobe
- Kaio Retsu vs Sergei Taktarov
- Yasha-Zaru Jr vs Kiyosumi Katou
- Kaoru Hanayama vs Inagi Bunoshin
- Katsumi Orochi vs Roland Istaz
- Iron Michael vs Mouko Lee
- Chiharu Shiba vs Kouhei Hatanaka
- Kengo Misaki vs Mike Quinn
- Jack Hammer vs Sergio Silva
- Yuu Amanai vs Minoru Yamamoto
- Doppo Orochi vs Richard Filth
- Gouki Shibukawa vs Roger Harlon
- Kosho Shinogi vs Kureha Shinogi
The second round includes the following fights:
- Baki vs Zulu
- Kanji Igari vs Kinryuzan
- Kaio Retsu vs Mount Toba
- Katsumi Orochi vs Kaoru Hanayama
- Chiharu Shiba vs Iron Michael
- Jack Hammer vs Kengo Misaki
- Doppo Orochi vs Yuu Amanai
- Gouki Shibukawa vs Kosho Shinogi
- Yujiro Hanma vs Iron Michael, Kinryuzan, Roger Harlon, Kouhei Hatanaka, Rob Robinson, Richard Filth, Kureha Shinogi, Roland Istaz, and Mouko Lee
From there, the final leg of the Maximum Tournament includes these fights:
- Baki vs Kanji Igari
- Kaio Retsu vs Katsumi Orochi
- Jack Hammer vs Alexander Garland
- Gouki Shibukawa vs Doppo Orochi
- Baki vs Kaio Retsu
- Jack Hammer vs Gouki Shibukawa
- Baki vs Jack Hammer
The best Baki fights
“Best” is a subjective metric and that’s especially the case in Baki. This series in particular is a great demonstration of that, going from ludicrous street fights with weapons that venture into science fiction territory to ol’ fashioned Underground Arena battles.
Yujiro Hanma vs Kaio Kaku is widely regarded as the best fight in the Baki series, both in terms of the anime and the manga. Shobun Ron vs Biscuit Oliva is also held in high regard, with back-and-forth action that further establishes Oliva’s character. Past those two, however, most of the fights in Baki are panned due to an abundance of dusty or otherwise unceremonious finishes.
All fights in The Most Vicious Death Row Inmates arc
Following the conclusion of the Maximum Tournament, Baki’s return to school life is disrupted when five escaped convicts descend upon Tokyo. They find their way to the Underground Arena and are greeted by its elite fighters, with both sides agreeing to fight without any restrictions.
These fights take place during the Most Vicious Death Row Inmates arc:
- Baki vs school thugs
- Katsumi Orochi vs Dorian
- Sikorski vs Kanji Igari
- Dorian vs Doppo Orochi
- Kaoru Hanayama vs Spec
- Baki and Gouki Shibukawa vs Ryuko Yanagi
- Dorian vs Kiyosumi Katou
- Dorian vs Atsushi Suedo
- Baki vs Sikorsky
- Doyle vs Biscuit Oliva
- Kosho Shinogi vs Doyle
- Sikorsky and Ryuko Yanagi vs Baki
- Kaio Retsu vs Doyle
- Jack Hanma vs Sikorsky
- Gaia vs Sikorsky
- Izou Motobe vs Ryuko Yanagi
All fights in Baki’s Raitai Tournament arc
Following the events of the Most Vicious Death Row Inmates arc, Baki Hanma finds himself dealing with a critical illness. Kaio Retsu whisks him and Kozue Matsumoto away to China, insisting that the cure for Baki can be found in a tournament that is held once every 100 years. Shenanigans wind up becoming a major factor in the tournament once things go awry for the Chinese fighters.
Here are all fights that happen during Baki’s Raitai Tournament arc:
- Baki vs You-o Cho
- Yujiro Hanma vs Kaio Ryuu
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs an unnamed Chinese fighter
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Kaio Jo
- Baki vs Kaio Li
- Kaio Jaku vs Kaio Chin
- Kaio Kaku vs Kaio Samwan
- Kaio Yo vs Dorian
- Kaio Yo vs Biscuit Oliva
- Kaio Retsu vs Kaio Son
- Biscuit Oliva vs Shobun Ron
- Baki vs Shunsei Kaku
- Kaio Retsu vs Kaio Jaku
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Kaio Han
- Yujiro Hanma vs Kaio Kaku
All The Sons of Gods Clash arc fights
After the Raitai Tournament, the fighters return to Japan and Mohammad Alai Jr begins to romantically pursue Kozue. He also seeks a fight with Baki Hanma, but challenges some of Japan’s other top fighters along the way.
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Doppo Orochi
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Gouki Shibukawa
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Jack Hanma
- Mohammad Alai Jr vs Baki Hanma
The best Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre fights
While Baki’s fights weren’t held in especially high regard, that’s not the case with the Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre manga and anime. Each of the major fights of the arc can reasonably be labeled as the best across the entire Baki franchise.
Baki vs Biscuit Oliva has a slow buildup but becomes a long, brutal brawl. The Pickle arc has a unique feel to the action due to the caveman’s silent nature, with each fight bringing something new to the table.
The Baki Hanma series closes on the rematch between Baki and Yujiro, a fight that has received mixed receptions for both the manga version and TMS Entertainment‘s anime adaptation. The fight lives up to its epic billing, but frequent cutaways and unnecessary exposition saw the “Greatest Father and Son Fight” fall flat for many.
All Real Shadow Boxing arc fights in Baki Hanma
Baki challenges Yujiro Hanma to a fight and prepares for it using his talent for imagining opponents. This includes a pair of brief fights for Baki against an imaginary Iron Michael and a six-foot-tall, 200-pound imaginary praying mantis.
All The Super Prison Battle arc fights
Baki seeks a real-life challenge in the form of Biscuit Oliva, who returned to his home in the Arizona State Penetentiary. While few doubt his strength, Baki has to wait for the fight due to Oliva’s agreement to face a different opponent; Jun Guevaru.
- Jun Guevaru vs an unnamed prisoner
- The Mouth vs Iron Michael
- The Mouth vs Jun Guevaru
- Jun Guevaru vs Biscuit Oliva
- Biscuit Oliva vs Baki
All The Pickle War arc fights
A frozen caveman is unearthed, thawed, and shipped to Japan. The Underground Arena fighters all become obsessed with him after discovering he was strong enough to kill dinosaurs barehanded. That obsession costs some of them dearly.
- Pickle vs a police officer in a mechanized exoskeleton
- Pickle vs Kaio Retsu
- Pickle vs Katsumi Orochi
- Pickle vs Jack Hanma
- Pickle vs Baki
All The Warrior’s Battle arc fights
Pickle slips into hiding after his fight with Baki Hanma, which returns some normalcy to the fighters’ lives. This arc showcases the daily lives of several Underground Arena regulars, but don’t mistake their “daily lives” with anything resembling “slice of life.” The centerpieces of the arc are Kaio Retsu taking up boxing, a fight between Baki Hanma and Chiharu Shiba, and the preparation for the showdown between Baki and Yujiro.
While the main beats of this arc are hit in the Baki Hanma anime, several scenes from the manga are removed. Here are all the fights that take place:
- Yujiro Hanma vs Gerry Strydum
- Yujiro Hanma vs Biscuit Oliva
- Kaio Retsu vs Andrei Valev
- Kaio Retsu vs Smoking Joe
- Baki vs Chiharu Shiba
The Greatest Father and Son Fight
After hundreds of chapters of build, Baki and Yujiro finally have their rematch. This lengthy fight starts quietly in a restaurant but becomes a worldwide phenomenon. It’s interspersed with new details regarding Yujiro’s backstory, including the introduction of his father and Baki’s grandfather, Yuichiro Hanma.
Similar to the The Warrior’s Battle arc, some elements of The Greatest Father and Son Fight arc are removed from the Baki Hanma anime.
The best Baki-Dou 2014 fights
Baki-Dou is largely centered around Miyamoto Musashi, and the lineup of fights speaks to that. Once Musashi is introduced, author Keisuke Itagaki effectively sprints through as many big fights with him as he can. That’s not a bad thing, as Baki-Dou has some of the best fights in any Baki series.
The samurai is among the most brutal fighters in Baki, and he faces his primary competitors for that title. Miyamoto Musashi’s fights against Kaio Retsu, Pickle, Izou Motobe, and Kaoru Hanayama all stand as some of the bloodiest and most intense fights across the Baki franchise.
All Miyamoto Musashi arc fights in the Baki-Dou manga
2014’s Baki-Dou manga is one long arc starring Miyamoto Musashi, a real-life samurai who was resurrected my Mitsunari Tokugawa and his shaman sister. Musashi, who actually fought in bloody wars, takes that approach to his battles against the Underground Arena regulars. But much like with Pickle, the Underground Arena fighters can’t help but be drawn to powerful opponents.
Here are all the fights during the Miyamoto Musashi arc in Baki Dou:
- Kaoru Hanayama vs Yujiro Hanma
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Doppo Orochi
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Kaio Retsu
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Yujiro Hanma
- Jack Hanma vs Izou Motobe
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Gaia
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Pickle
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Izou Motobe
- Miyamoto Musashi vs the Japanese Self-Defense Force
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Kaoru Hanayama
- Miyamoto Musashi vs Baki
The best Baki-Dou 2018 fights
Baki-Dou 2018 was widely panned for its slow build and while it has some good fights, many have predictable outcomes. The Sumo Tournament arc establishes new character Nomi No Sukune with a brutal fight against Biscuit Oliva, then pivots into an extended series of showcase matches for the incoming lineup of sumo wrestlers.
The best fight of Baki-Dou 2018 by a comfortable margin is Nomi No Sukune vs Jack Hanma. Jack’s fights are consistently exciting and that streak is maintained here with another bloody match. What’s more, it has a highly unpredictable outcome as Jack enters following another off-screen power-up while Nomi No Sukune is essentially the main character of the series here.
All fights in the Sumo Tournament Arc of Baki-Dou
Another legendary Japanese fighter of yore is resurrected in the 2018 Baki-Dou manga. The creator of sumo wrestling, Nomi No Sukune, is effectively reincarnated and sets out to prove that the ancient version of the sport is the strongest martial art. The first step in proving this is a tournament where Nomi No Sukune and the Underground Arena’s finest take on the standout stars of modern-day grand sumo.
- Nomi No Sukune vs Biscuit Oliva
- Gouki Shibukawa vs Kyogei
- Doppo Orochi vs Taketsurugi
- Kaoru Hanayama vs Shachihoko
- Katsumi Orochi vs Shishimaru
- Baki vs Hono-o
- Nomi No Sukune vs Reihou
All Baki-Dou 2018 fights after the sumo tournament arc
Following the sumo tournament, Nomi No Sukune effectively becomes the main character of the series. He continues to try and demonstrate the strength of ancient sumo and receives help in this from a descendant of Taima No Kehaya, who faced the first Nomi No Sukune in what is regarded as the first sumo match.
Here are all the fights from Baki-2018 following the sumo tournament:
- Nomi No Sukune vs Yujiro Hanma
- Nomi No Sukune vs Jack Hanma
- Taima No Kehaya vs Doppo Orochi
- Nomi No Sukune vs Biscuit Oliva
- Nomi No Sukune vs Baki
The best Baki Rahen fights
Jack Hanma has great fights and Itagaki decided to put him under the spotlight in Baki Rahen. New characters are cycled in to face Jack, with each match having a distinct look and feel. The series is ongoing but Jack Hanma vs Kaoru Hanayama will likely go down as one of its best, with Jack’s biting and Hanayama’s ability to crush flesh combining for an ugly brawl.
All Baki Rahen fights as of 2025
Jack Hanma underwent major changes in both Baki-Dou series, and they’re fully explored here. Jack becomes the main character in the opening Baki Rahen arc and faces a string of fighters from throughout the series’ history.
Here are all the fights in Baki Rahen thus far:
- Jack Hanma vs Kyouichirou Sabu
- Jack Hanma vs Kosho Shinogi
- Jack Hanma vs Pickle
- Jack Hanma vs Kaoru Hanayama
