Alternative Titles
Grappler Baki: Saidai Tournament Hen; Grappler Baki Maximum Tournament; Grappler Baki TV 2
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 24
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 24, 2001 to Dec 25, 2001
Duration:
20 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.451 (scored by 560 users)
Ranked: #8282
Popularity: #1343
Members: 913
Favorites: 4 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
shounen sports |
SynopsisBaki, a great grappler needs to live up to his name being the son of the the greatest grapplers of all time: Hanma Yujiro. At the Shinshinkai Organization's private arena, anything goes and the odds are always stacked against you. Current champion of the urderground tournament he fight to defend his title against the worlds strongest and best martial artists, including "the beast" his own father Yujiro. (Source: ANN) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Grappler Baki
Prequel: Baki the Grappler
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Recommendations
|
|
Sequel to Baki the Grappler.
|
|
|
Both involve the main character fighting to become the strongest in a fighting competition. Many have wondered what the outcome would be in a fight between Hanma Baki and Aikawa Maki.
|
Reviews
| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
|
Oct 11, 200824 of 24 episodes seen 5 of 7 people found this review helpful In terms of story, what you see is what you get. It’s a tournament so it focuses exclusively on that. But what makes up for limited but effective and reasonable plot in a singular environment is being a character centric story arc. We get to learn about a certain fraction of the new characters and what they sacrificed to get to where they are. They are portrayed in ways once again where you can get to know and sympathize with them. They all have likable qualities even though they may seem... like savage animals. And the development is pretty much predictable in this kind of genre. Win or lose, if you put on the best fight you ever had, it’s only going to make you stronger, etc. In further addition the pacing that I liked from season 1 is still there for the most part except near the end where it pulls somewhat of a Kishimoto. I don’t want to spoil how it does but for those who have been frustrated with Naruto recently, you’ll get what I mean when you get to that part or if you have seen it before.
Art style wise, nothing much to really add from season 1. So what I said art style wise in season 1 applies here as well. Now on to the fights. Good news is, there is more emphasis on grappling which I do like, but still isn’t really the main base for the most part. And I don’t think styles such as the Sambo and Brazilian Jiujitsu weren’t accurately represented. How the hell does Kung Fu kill Sambo? What kind of crap is that? Especially when the strongest fighter in the world right now, Fedor, is primarily a sambo fighter. Kung Fu died in the old UFCs. Hell, Royce Gracie killed kung fu during the era of the Gracie challenge. And guys like Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, and Tito Ortiz only made it worse. To get an idea of what I’m talking about, look them up on youtube. Then again, maybe Kung Fu is making a come back with Cung Le with his recent victory over an over the hill Frank Shamrock. But I gotta give Frank credit for backing up that he’d stand up with Cung Le. Then again, Cung Le I hope fights Anderson Silva or Paul Filho later to prove his kung fu. Plus, sumo wrestling beats traditional jujutsu? After how they built up Motobe in season 1, I thought it was bullcrap he’d lose like that! Look at the big name sumo wrestlers who fought in MMA competition. Akebono who was one of the most legendary Yokozunas ever lost to Bob Sapp for crying out loud! And Sentoryu is a bum.
I think grappling is underrated outside of the Mixed Martial Arts world, and I’m primarily a stand up fighter! I took up wrestling and judo in my youth and learned some catch wrestling on the side and started to see how grappling had its use first hand. Plus, the way Baki finishes his final fight in this story arc was how I beat a football player in 8th grade except I pulled guard like how Nogueria did against Tim Sylvia. I think it’s pretty bizarre the story arc represents styles such as bouncers and motorcycle gang members. Like how Bob Sapp’s style is listed as NFL, in consideration he had little to no career in the NFL. I really liked how Vale Tudo was represented in this anime. Plus, they used the name of a real life Vale Tudo fighter, Zulu, based on Rei Zulu who was feared until the legendary and awesome Rickson Gracie defeated him! And Zulu’s son, Zuluhino a few years back lost to Fedor in like 10 seconds. But despite that, the fights in Maximum Tournament are original and high octane.
If you’re a martial arts enthusiast, you may get a majority of who the fighters may represent. Like Yamamoto Minoru, the shoot fighter, is of course based on Suzuki Minoru, co-founder of King of Pancrase, one of Japan’s original MMA organizations. But he really didn’t do much. And the anime also has a catch wrestler. They explained the principles of catch wrestling very well, but execution wise, considering his opponent, really couldn’t shine. Shoot fighting is essentially catch wrestling, but with strikes added. Plus, Jack Hammer portrays pit fighting decently. Tank Abbott represented pit fighting and he was twice a finalist in the UFC. And he beat the mystic arts of kung fu and ninjutsu. Speaking of ninjitsu. Where was the anime representation of Frank Dux in all of this? C’mon! He was the originator of these kinds of movies! Plus, Bloodsport is a true story! It’s not fair they didn’t get Frank Dux in this showing off his ninja moves he used while as a CIA agent.
I can’t really add too much to the voice acting. But I thought the new actors did well. Another personal favorite of mine, Fujiwara Keiji does a great job of playing Kasumi, the son of Doppo. He does a great job as usual of playing someone being a smart ass, and yet so serious. The background music from season 1 is still retained so nothing much to say. But I don’t like the new opening and ending themes. So how do I explain this? OK, to those who play DDR. Are you the kind of guy that can handle very fast songs on SSR or Maniac or Expert or whatever you wanna call it and yet hate the slow songs? That’s how I feel about the newer opening and ending themes.
Anyway, the plot is linear, but for its intentions, there is nothing wrong with that. It’s very exclusive to the underground tournament environment for the most part, which may turn off some people. But if you want brutal martial arts action, then you’ve come to the right anime. Anyway, I am aware of more manga stories going on after this one and is still in publication. I hear the manga is excellent and trying to get my hands on it. I really like the characters. Even though some may have limited screen time, they all bring in their own kind of personality and charisma. Even though I disagreed with how some of the match ups ended up in very inaccurate ways, in comparison to my criticisms of History’s Strongest Disciple Ken’ichi for being too one dimensional, the reason why I’m not that critical with this series in that aspect is because the original manga of Baki was made from 1991 and MMA didn’t really become mainstream yet. So I feel because of the age of the manga in comparison to Ken’ichi’s which I believe was between 2000 and 2002, I feel I can leave Baki off when kung fu had its myth-ism. read more
|
| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
|
Jul 31, 200824 of 24 episodes seen 9 of 15 people found this review helpful I'm a huge fan of the first season of "Grappler Baki", and the second season, which covers the Maximum Tournament saga, is a continuation of the same theme.
If you didn't enjoy the first season, you won't like this.
Every single episode is devoted to the 38 fighters in the tournament and their encounters with one another, and God, what encounters. As viciously brutal, bloody, and uniquely choreographed as the fights in the first season are, they pale next ...to the fights in the Maximum Tournament.
I have watched thousands of action movies, but there were instances of the Maximum Tournament where my head jerked back, and then slowly shook in disbelief that such a simultaneously awesome and violent scene was filmed.
As with the first season, every fighter is different, and has their own peculiar personality and style.
There are Japanese pro wrestlers, world champion boxers, Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic champions, judokas, karate practioners, Vale Tudo and streetfighting experts, kung-fu guys, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu experts, and a dozen other styles and hybrids.
Virtually every characters is at least interesting, and some are especially likeable and cool, such as Orochi Doppo, a heavily-scarred old man who resembles a jolly old uncle, wears an eyepatch, has a physique that would make Arnold jealous, and constantly cracks jokes.
Karou Hanayama is another favorite, a stoic, gigantic crime boss, wearing an elegant suit, glasses, and stab and bullet wounds along his face and upper body. His calm, understated personality and ruthless effiency would make Ogami Itto proud.
Watching these fighters having their skulls shattered, their windpipes smashed, and repeatedly beaten to bloody pulps in graphic detail is a sight to behold, since the show takes the time to make one genuinely care about each fighter.
The season peaks at the perfect time, too; Baki, the hero, gets more vicious, focused, and intense in each episode, and the fights become more and more spectacular every time.
It all comes to a head in Episodes 22 and 23, with a gritty, emotional battle royale-style final that truly defies the imagination.
At one point, one of the tournament organizers wants to stop the match, as it has gone from life-threateningly brutal to downright grotesque.
At that point, the 70 year old, 3 foot tall patron of the Underground Arena, Tokugawa Mitsunari, largely comic relief until then, pulls out a dagger and holds it to the organizer's throat, making it perfectly clear what will happen if he goes through with that decision.
Finally, Episode 24 is a neat bonus, as it offers more backstory for Yujiro and his experiences fighting in the jungles of Central and Southern America, as well as introducing the unbelievable badass known as Biscuit "Oly" Oliva (who plays a huge role in the manga continuation).
After watching these two amazing Baki seasons, I can only hope that they eventually make an anime of the Convict and Chinese Tournament sagas. read more
|
Opening Theme"Child Prey" - Dir en Grey
Ending ThemeNo ending themes found, add themes.
Recent Forum DiscussionNo discussion topics have been made yet, how about starting one?
Fansubbing Groups
Which fansubbers do you like the best? Click + to approve of their subs for this show. Click - if you don't think they did such a great job.
No fansub groups were found.
Related ClubsSports (Anime) Fans
Recently Watched By|
5 hours ago |
10 hours ago |
Today, 1:20 AM |
Today, 12:12 AM |
Yesterday, 2:16 PM | |
Yesterday, 11:00 AM |
Yesterday, 2:37 AM |
11-30-08, 8:46 AM |
11-30-08, 5:39 AM |
11-29-08, 7:09 PM |
|
|
