Hanma Baki: Son of Ogre 2nd Season

Having finished this season I have to say, this anime was a blast. Maybe this will sound a bit contradictory but, this anime is not the best I have seen, but it's definitely one of the funnest. Especially the second part of this season I enjoyed immensely.

Interesting characters, compelling story, excellent animation, fitting sound effects are all there. This all combined with Baki's unique style of over-explaining everything make this show an unforgettable experience for any action/martial art anime enjoyer. Of course, dynamic fighting sequences, innovating (fabricated) fighting moves and styles, funny expressions, super-detailed masculine figures and crooked jaw lines are all include in the ... package, as per Baki.

Thought it felt like the ending was a bit rushed, it was still more than satisfying preserving the hype till the last second. Every character was there, every moment they shared with each other felt like it counted. Definitely a must-watch!

Baki has always been a bit of a mixed bag for me. I think it peaked in terms of interesting dynamics and having multiple incredible fights back during the Great Raitai Tournament Saga two seasons ago, and even then, this is mostly just a fight fest. Absurd body proportions, detail on crazy move sets, and any excuse to fight are the name of the game, and I honestly don’t think this series even does that best (I prefer the Kengan series).

From here on, I'll break this review into two halves, one coming from the first half of the season and the other coming from the ... latter half.

I will say that they really put the dynamics of a fight under a magnifying glass this season, which is awesome... but they're all against a single opponent, one whose entire history of fighting starts and ends with "he lived with, fought and ate dinosaurs." When you have a set of characters who use a wide variety of interesting tactics and have demonstrated them over previous seasons, having everyone test themselves against a physical monster who is just absurdly powerful and fast just feels like a let down. Doesn’t help that the whole premise of “caveman awakes in our time” is basically just Encino Man, but instead of goofy antics, dude just wants to fight (admittedly with some interesting nuances) and eat. Really doesn’t help that some earlier scenes in this show other things he wants that just… aren’t good. The general response of the military and scientific community are all baffling.

It's good to see the development of a couple of characters through this and to see some real maimings that result from fighting this particular opponent, but it still feels empty of actual risk to their lives, despite the series repeated attempts to make us think that more could happen. But that’s a problem I have with Baki as a whole. Ends up around a 6.3/10 for me.

Onto the second half of the season.

I would say that it’s a substantial improvement. Despite the fact this portion involved fewer fights, focusing instead on the relationship between Baki and Yujirou, it does such a deep dive into the dynamics between them that I was actually pretty invested in the characters. Each of the moves themselves are drawn out to the nth degree, which makes sense when you’re talking about the kind of fight that has been built up to for the whole series.

That being said, this still is just one fight with a lot of people standing around making clear how important it is. For all that these two characters come into it with the mentality that it’s a father-son match built on years of turmoil, tragedy and torture, it becomes an absolute event. It becomes kind of absurd how the whole thing is carved into the wall of some ancient temple to boot and how people are traveling countless miles to literally pray to Yujirou. I get that absurdity is kind of this series’ strength, but even so, this was a little much for me. I think this fight is at its best when it is about their relationship and showcasing it through the moves that Baki, in particular, learned to utilize over all this time, but for every moment that demonstrates the strength of the story, there’s just so much absurdity that it’s hard to take it as seriously as it deserves. It raises the strength of the season for me. It just barely makes a 7/10 for me, even if some of the moments are 8/10.

In the previous season's teasing, authorities uncover a man frozen from the dinosaur era for millions of years. Thawing him out reveals a formidable fighter who once battled and conquered dinosaurs. In the quirky, buffoonish humor typical of the show, they name him Pickle. Renowned fighters like Retsu and Jack Hammer, excluding Oliva and Yujiro, engage him in combat, resulting in significant losses. Baki ultimately faces Pickle in the series' expected climax, though the outcome remains ambiguous.

The second part introduces two arcs: Retsu's quest to conquer the boxing world and the impending father-son showdown. Regrettably, the first feels like filler, elongating the show unnecessarily. The ... second, attempting family drama, starts absurdly, continues poorly, and concludes somewhat more satisfactorily.

The first part maintains interest with its intriguing concept of protagonists facing a dinosaur-like opponent in a tournament style arc. Despite occasional lagging, the brutal fights captivate us, especially the buildup to the Baki vs. Pickle battle. However, repetitive jokes about Pickle's intelligence and a mediocre, ambiguous outcome slightly tarnish the experience. In general, the first 12 episodes are entertaining and well paced.

Conversely, the second part disappoints. The long-anticipated father-son clash is delayed within the 15 episodes, and unnecessary elements, like flashbacks and a dull side story with Retsu, contribute to its mediocrity. The buildup to the final battle, laden with forced family drama, feels out of place. Moments like the ogre Yujiro doing everything for his son and a cringe worthy scene of them eating together detract from the narrative. The initial phase of the battle, where Yujiro treats Baki like a spoiled child, adds to the disappointment. Baki's transformation into human nunchakus and crafting a samurai doll from a car's parts come off as unintentional parody, diminishing the overall quality.

Additionally, the character design by Shingo Ishikawa becomes tiresome with its repetitive ultra-muscular build. While Baki and Kaoru stand out, Pickle's resemblance to Yujiro is a drawback. The animation by TMS Entertainment impresses during intense fight scenes, aided by the character design, making it the series' most commendable aspect.