With the art, I really like the character design a lot. Especially 13 year old Baki. He has this cut physique and yet he does have an innocent look to his face. Especially the eyes which I like about it. But what’s disappointing is that Baki’s scars from the oav are not at all drawn in this version though they are briefly talked about in the anime itself. And Yujiro comes across as a clone of the mixed genes of MMA juggernaut Fedor, Violence Jack, and Brolly from DBZ. And the other characters who come in later on in this anime are based on real martial artists and pro wrestlers such as Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushinkai karate, Japanese pro wrestling legends Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, and Jiujitsu legend Rickson Gracie. So martial arts enthusiasts should be able to love this for those influences alone.
Once again, before I get into talking about the fights, I will protest the use and definition of the word grappler and how I felt it doesn’t at all apply to a majority of the fights and Baki’s fighting style, which looks like a mix between Shotokan Karate and Muay Thai like you see in the movie Kickboxer with Van Damme. I don’t like how there is very limited emphasis on grappling. But every now and then, we’ll see a rear naked choke that does little to no damage, and an arm bar attempt which does nothing as well, and typical wrestling suplexes. But there is the Hanayama character who grips the person’s arm and destroys their bicep and blood vessels which I think is a bizarre move and is nothing more than a fictional Indian burn. But I would like to see techniques like the omoplata, the triangle choke, and the guillotine choke.
I think if a true grappling element was implemented than it would be more exiting in my point of view. I practice grappling arts and striking arts. I have black belts in judo and in Tae Kwon Do, and I currently practice kickboxing, brazilian jiujitsu, and mixed martial arts, and there are times I’ve seen in the fights of this anime that I think true grappling you see in brazilian jiujitsu, kousen judo, and in catch wrestling could have applied. I think seeing an effective submission is just as fun as watching a KO punch or kick, or a vaporizing kamehameha.
But other criticisms people may have it how crazy these people can take pain. I swear, to do half of the crap they’re doing, you got to take serious steroids, PCP or some performance enhancer. Since the characters are not fighting in officially sanctioned bouts, they are free to take such drugs. Yujiro probably took serious roids and PCP. Hell, Nick Diaz beat Pride lightweight champion with a beautiful gogoplata while testing off the charts on weed. The closest I can back up this assumption to some extent is when Baki fights Gaea. Who can manipulate his own adrenaline. Which is bizarre but I guess that’s a cool concept. He brings new definition to adrenaline junky.
The music I really like in this one. The opening them Ai Belive and I forgot the name of the ending theme are really cool in my point of view. I think the style and execution of the songs fit more for Initial D, another favorite anime of mine with one of my favorite soundtracks, but I think it’s enough to represent the fast pace and explosive nature of Grappler Baki as well. The background music itself also invokes and entices the mood and really pulls you into it. Some of the tracks reminds me of an old school Virtua Fighter game which makes it cool in that kind of way, I guess.
The dub is ok. I think it has intensity but I don’t think it compares to the Japanese version at all. Surprisingly, despite how awesome the Japanese cast is, there are little to no big names in the Japanese version. The only big name I could recognize is of course Baki’s seiyuu, Kikuchi Masami, who is most known to some of you as Tenchi from Tenchi Muyo, and Keiichi from Ah My Goddess. I think this gives Kikuchi a different kind of approach to his other characters that are losers, while this time his character has a tough exterior with a soft heart and I think he portrays that very convincingly where you feel his character.
OK to conclude my review, I’ll get back into the subject of drugs and fighting. In case some of you don’t know, 10th Planet Jiujitsu chief instructor and my cousin’s instructor Eddie Bravo, who beat reigning Abu Dhabi champion Royler Gracie in the 2003 quarter finals happens to be a marijuana advocate and he’s the reason why Fear Factor host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan is also a weed dude. He claimed he invented his techniques such as his rubber guard while under the influence. Considering Nick Diaz’s victory over Gomi, I am starting to believe him, but in no ways am I advocating the use of drugs, nor am I consider taking up drugs. I just say after watching this anime, I am starting to reconsider how these guys fight like crazy ass mofoss. But putting that aside, I strongly recommend this anime despite my criticisms of it based on my passion and experience with the martial arts today thanks to MMA. It is high paced, explosive, has drama, and an excellent cast of characters. If you love extreme brutal action, then this is foryou.
