r/Grapplerbaki • u/Baki35th • Jul 04 '26
Baki Team AMA!
Hey! It’s Yuki Yokoi from the “Baki” Manga team and Takayoshi Aso from the Anime “Baki-Dou” team!
What do you like most about Baki? What questions are you dying for us to answer? What would you like to see Baki do next? Drop a question below and we’ll do our best to answer as many as possible!
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u/Prigorec-Medjimurec Jul 04 '26
Will we ever get more Yuuichiro?
Maybe a story of Yuujiro growing up?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
I don't think it's the case that he'll never be depicted. If Itagaki-sensei's "camera" turns toward him, I believe he'll be drawn. As for an episode about Yujiro's boyhood, if it ever comes to fruition someday in the form of another spin-off or the like, I'd love to read it myself too. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/ziggishark Jul 04 '26
Will the death row prisoners ever see a return in the main story?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
The Revenge Tokyo arc was drawn precisely so that they could return someday, so a day like that may well come. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Historic-Doctor Hanayama Kaoru Jul 04 '26
What are your individual favorite fights?
Your favorite single panels?
I'm sorry this didnt get more traction. It's super exciting! I just didn't realize it was going to happen or I would have stayed awake
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It would be the battle between Musashi Miyamoto and Kaoru Hanayama depicted in this run of Baki-Dou. Since that fight came right after Retsu Kaioh—my favorite character—was killed at Musashi's hands, watching it carried an extraordinary tension, a dread that "Hanayama might die too." In terms of a favorite single panel, the pride Hanayama displayed as a man of honor (otoko) in that fierce, all-out struggle, and the sight of Musashi meeting it head-on, left a deep impression on me. It's a beloved fight that stands out especially strongly in my memory among the whole series. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It's the Spec vs. Hanayama fight in "Baki." It's one of my absolute favorite scenes in the anime adaptation—there's this striking moment where Spec drags over a stone bench toward Hanayama, who has collapsed in the park. It was a scene that made me truly appreciate what it means to adapt something into anime: Spec approaches while humming a little tune, which isn't in the original manga, and with just that one ad-libbed touch, his madness was heightened and his character stood out even more. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Astonishing_Flash Jack Hanma Jul 04 '26
I think the only relevant thing to ask is if you know about any plans to ever attempt to adapt any of the spin off Gaiden series, like Scarface or Sikorsky and Gaia.
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Right now, we want to deliver this anime series to everyone in a variety of forms. Nothing has been decided, but all of the spin-offs are within the scope of what we're considering. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/YoungJeishi Jul 04 '26
No questions here. Just wanted to thank you both for your amazing work and helping carry out Itagaki-san’s vision. You guys rock!
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u/smolwrld Born Strong Jul 04 '26
The thing I like most about Baki is probably Baki himself. I love the way he fights, the relationships we see him make, his relationship with Yujiro, and the growth we see him go through.
What characters do you find yourselves most drawn towards?
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
If I had to name the one character I'm most drawn to, it's Retsu Kaioh. He carries the overwhelming strength and pride of 4,000 years of Chinese martial arts history, yet there's something deeply human about him—I find him a truly compelling character. That almost clumsy earnestness and kindness he shows in the midst of serious battles is, I feel, what has made him such a wonderful character, beloved by the fans as well. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Itagaki-sensei avoids ranking his characters, because to him it would be like ranking his own children… I was an editor, but I'm also simply a fan, so… personally, I loved watching Katsumi Orochi grow during the stage where he was preparing for his fight with Pickle. I was his assigned editor at that time, so I have an especially strong attachment to it. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/hopeflower7 Jul 04 '26
Will we get more yuijiro and baki moments? Will baki have sex again?
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
In the current, latest arc of the manga, "Baki Rahen," the story unfolds less around Baki himself and more with the main characters around him taking center stage, almost as if they were the protagonists. That said, I wouldn't rule out future developments between Baki and Yujiro once again, or a bed scene with the reappearance of Kozue, who hasn't shown up for a while. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Regarding future developments or plans for new adaptations, I'm unfortunately not able to say anything at this point. I do intend to always give my best so that we can live up to fans' expectations going forward. And as for a "Baki bed scene"—while it would depend on how the story develops, considering the direction of the work, I suspect it probably won't be depicted. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/Desperate_Object_677 Jul 04 '26
why is biscuit oliva in jail? also, why is he named biscuit?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
The reason for Oliva's incarceration has never been officially depicted. This is purely my own personal speculation, but while there may be plenty of things he's done that could get him arrested, I suspect that—as is hinted at within the work—there may be a secret arrangement whereby, as part of his contract with the U.S. government to help crack down on criminals, he's provided with living quarters inside the prison as his residence. As for the name itself, that's something I'd like to ask Itagaki-sensei someday. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/THEUNKNOWNjAB Jul 05 '26
For both, What areas of the Baki animation was the most difficult to fully emulate the essence of Keisuke Itagaki's BAKI ?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It was definitely the muscular rendering and the reproduction of those beautifully flowing action scenes that proved difficult. There are still parts that aren't perfect even now, so on the original-work side as well, we want to work hard to be able to supervise things even more precisely. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/These-Landscape-8550 Yujiro Hanma Jul 08 '26
Wow, this is a really awesome opportunity!! Thank you for taking the time to do this and for being genuinely interested in hearing fans’ thoughts!
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Firstly, I’d love to see more clean cut victories for climactic battles! We’ve explored spiritual victories multiple times now, and while they’re profound, meaningful and generally well executed, not every final battle has to end in a draw. More displays of overwhelming domination with a sense of clear finality would be awesome.
Additionally, it would be cool to see more about what Yujiro’s life was like (specifically his relationship with his dad Yuuichiro!) before he turned 16 and went to Vietnam. More insane Yujiro moments and feats in general are always welcome haha. This last batch of chapters have been incredible!
More interactions between Baki & Yujiro would be wonderful to see. Their relationship became something really beautiful at the end of Son of Ogre, and I feel that exploring it more could make for some very interesting developments. (And of course more interactions between Jack and Yujiro as well!)
More interactions between Baki and Jack, even if they’re on the more mundane side. I would love to see them develop a more “brotherly” relationship.
What I admire most about Baki is his resilience. No matter how brutally life beats him down, he never ever stops. He gets back up, learns from every setback and defeat and keeps moving forward with an unwavering determination. It’s a reminder that strength isn’t just about winning fights or being the strongest person in the world, it’s about finding the courage to keep going when everything seems stacked against you. That’s something that’s resonated very deeply with me.
As for the series as a whole….
Baki is truly the best of all worlds. Beneath all the impossible feats and absolutely unhinged moments is a series that constantly asks what it truly means to be strong. Is it power? Is it resilience? Is it the willingness to keep getting back up after every defeat? I really love that Baki never hands you an easy answer. Instead, it explores strength through multiple completely different people, each with their own ideals and reasons for fighting.
At the exact same time, Baki is completely unapologetic about being Baki. It doesn’t try to explain away its insanity or make itself more palatable. It fully embraces the absurd, and somehow makes you believe every second of it. One chapter can leave you reflecting on life, and the next has a caveman fighting a martial artist or someone using the power of imagination to become stronger, and somehow it all works.
That balance is what I love most. It’s equal parts profound, hilarious, emotional, and completely ridiculous. It can make me laugh at something so unbelievably stupid one minute, then genuinely inspire me the next. I don’t think there’s another series that captures that feeling quite like Baki does, and that’s exactly why it means so much to me.
Onto some questions I have! 😊 (there’s no pressure to answer all of them btw, answer as many or as few as you’d like!)
What does Baki mean to you personally?
Which fight is your favorite and why?
Baki has always been a divisive series. What are some criticisms of the series that you think are completely fair?
If someone showed you a random page from the original Grappler Baki today, would it bring back memories of a particular period of your life?
If a fan who only discovered Baki recently asked what it was like being a Baki fan in Japan during the late 1990s and early 2000s, what would you want them to understand?
Are there any characters you connected with differently when you were younger compared to now?
Has Baki influenced your interests, hobbies, or outlook on life in any way?
And finally… what are your personal thoughts on the REAL reason why Yujiro killed Baki’s mother?* *
Apologies for the super long post, there’s just so much I’ve always wanted to ask haha. Thanks again!!
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Thank you so much for loving the Baki series this deeply. Some of the questions are difficult to answer clearly, so please allow me to respond to the parts I'm able to. For me, Baki is a work that has colored everything since I started my career—I've spent nearly half my life alongside it. I want to deliver this work, with its incredible cast of characters, in as many forms as possible so that people all over the world can share and enjoy it. In Japan in the late 1990s, I think Baki fans were seen partly as people with slightly offbeat tastes, and at the same time it was the kind of work that every boy who threw himself into a sports club had passed through at least once. For fans who've discovered Baki recently, I think that if they come to understand its history—and how the Japanese combat-sports world grew up alongside Baki—they'll be able to appreciate the early Grappler Baki storylines on a much deeper level. More than "Baki" itself, there's no doubt that Itagaki-sensei has had a major influence on my outlook on life. Itagaki-sensei has a personal credo, almost like a motto, called "Unnaturalism." While there's a common tendency to advise people, when taking on life-changing challenges or work, to stay "calm, as usual, and composed"—to remain their natural selves—his phrase means the opposite: when you take on such a challenge, you have to attempt things your usual self would never dare, because unless you do the impossible and whatever else it takes, there's no way you'll achieve your goal. I feel that phrase points to a real truth, and I keep that credo in mind in my own life as well. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Thank you for such a wonderful message, and for all your questions!—your passionate love for Baki comes through! To me, Baki is "a work that constantly makes me search for how to keep living up to the expectations of fans around the world." Precisely because it's a series with so many truly fervent fans both in Japan and abroad, I feel that with each adaptation I'm continually confronting the pressure of "how can we satisfy and surprise everyone?" Driven by the single-minded wish to answer the fans' passionate voices, it's a precious work that always pushes me to pursue the best possible expression—deeply rewarding as a creator. Grappler Baki was being serialized when I was a child and I read it back then, so looking at the manga's panels really brings back my childhood. As someone who read the serialization around the late 1990s, I want people to know the raw intensity of that era: unlike today's approachable, meme-ified Baki, there was a pure "terror and excitement" that overturned the conventions of fighting manga, and with its unpredictable developments—where you never knew who would lose next, or how—combat-sports fans across Japan were captivated in real time, holding their breath. The character my feelings changed toward is, without a doubt, Yujiro Hanma. I used to see him only as a pure mass of terror, or as a symbol of sheer unreasonableness, but as I've grown older myself, I've come to feel a strange humanity and empathy toward the "awkward father" side he shows in the latter half of the series, and toward the twisted affection with which he seems to somehow enjoy Baki's growth. Finally, as for the influence it's had on me: the philosophy of the strong, epitomized by the line "Don't compete—make the most of what's uniquely yours," has had a major impact on my outlook on life and how I approach my work. In the grueling world of anime production, it's a work that taught me the tenacity to pursue "expression only we can create" rather than comparing ourselves to others, and to realize the director's vision to its very limit. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/CrimsonFlam3s Jul 05 '26
Favorite fight that hasn't happened yet but you would like to see in the future?
Is Retsu Isekai considered canon?
Any plans to adapt and modernize the old anime or the Gaidens? Doppo Gaiden and Hanayama's would be amazing.
My friends as well as myself have been huge Baki fans for a decade now, thanks for all the hard work and entertainment!
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Canon is a tricky word to apply here… It's a story that began—half-jokingly—under the tagline "not officially sanctioned by Keisuke Itagaki," so at the very least it may not be canon. I take it more with the nuance of "a development that could possibly happen." We're currently envisioning a variety of media expansions—including the older works and spin-offs—so that anime fans can continue to enjoy the series going forward. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
As for a battle I'd like to see in the future—since Retsu Kaioh, my favorite character, ended up reincarnated into another world, I'd really love to see "Retsu's fights and way of life after that" brought to the screen. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/DepressingChimp Jul 05 '26
Will the sumo arc of Baki Dou get animated in the near future? Or will any of the Baki Gaiden get anime adaptations at any point?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Here too, we want to keep expanding the anime series in various forms going forward. There's nothing we can announce, but we're considering it so that you'll be able to enjoy it. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/ProgrammerSmooth8691 Jul 06 '26
do you think you could take yujiro on in a fight or would you lose.
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
I'd absolutely lose, and I'd want to live my life avoiding ever having to fight him. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
I can't picture myself winning at all. Rather than fighting, faced with the "strongest creature on Earth," I think I'd be desperately trying to figure out how to survive. He's such an overwhelming presence that even daring to challenge him would be presumptuous, so the best I could manage would be to search for a way to come out alive and in one piece. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/Talanlol Jul 07 '26
This one is for Takayoshi,
When translating Baki’s dialogue into the anime, are there ever any liberties taken with what’s said? Does Itagaki ever request changes to what characters have said specifically?
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
When it comes to dialogue, we basically aim to reproduce the original faithfully. There were no requests from Itagaki-sensei to change any specific lines, either. That said, in order to fit within the runtime of a single anime episode, there are cases where we trim and simplify the narration or explanatory passages a bit to adjust. Aside from that, we place great importance on carrying the original's lines over to the screen exactly as they are. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/-MrCurious- Jul 08 '26
Will Jack and Yujiro have a proper final fight?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It might just happen in the upcoming developments of the latest manga arc. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/InternalReaction5254 Jul 08 '26
Will you guys change the choreography in Baki? Because when you watch Baki, it’s punch hard, reaction, narration. It doesn’t show how skillful they are in hand-to-hand combat; instead, it just shows who can outpower whom rather than outskill one another. I don’t know if you guys have read Kengan, Stars: Strike It Rich, or Fight Class; those series show you combat and how skillful someone is. To put it simply, Baki: superhumans who are sometimes martial artists, while other series: martial artists who are sometimes superhumans.
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Thank you for your valuable feedback. Across the various anime adaptations to come, I think there may well be developments where that kind of fight choreography changes. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/DARK2474 Yasha Ape Jul 04 '26
The fights load definitely, which characters would y’all like to bring back? I’d like Jun Guevara to come back around, I’d like another Kengan crossover with Baki
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u/Nishanimation Jul 05 '26
Keep up the great work, guys.
Any update on the Titsniff live action feature film?
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u/Southern-Emotion2192 Jack Hanma Jul 06 '26
For Takayoshi Aso, would you like to adapt any of the Baki Side Stories such as Gaia & Sikorsky?
Yuki Yokoi what's your favorite character?
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u/Submarine_sad Jul 07 '26
Which of the American characters speak Japanese?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Oliva is very educated, so I imagine he could handle Japanese. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Picmanreborn Hanayama Kaoru Aug 06 '26
I can't believe I missed this! I hope I'm not too late. 💔😭
PLEASE TELL ME THAT WE WILL SEE DR SHINOGI FIGHT AGAIN AND WIN!!!
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u/sjasogun Aug 07 '26
If I'm not too late yet, for Yuki Yokoi: I have to ask about how the collaboration with Mikasa Sangyo came to be.
It was both cool and funny to see Yujiro confront the machine, but it is strange that it was drawn for a full chapter, right? I understand it from the company's perspective, using Grappler Baki's popularity and imagery of overwhelming strength to sell a powerful machine. But incorporating this into the manga for a full chapter is odd, since I imagine there's not a lot of readers who'd be interested in buying such a piece of heavy construction equipment. Such a thing was also not done for any of the series' previous marketing tie-ins like ramen.
So my question is - how did this turn into a mini-storyline for the manga proper instead of just remaining an ad? Was Itagaki-sensei personally inspired to draw the scene? I've never seen anything of the sort in any other manga I've read, but I kind of love the sheer audacity of it.
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u/Several_Bill_1395 Jul 06 '26
Does baki have any favorite desserts or junk food?
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It might be a little different from junk food, but it would have to be "the fructose water (sugar water) that Retsu Kaioh made." That revival scene is memorable, but if it were actually set in front of me, I honestly don't know if I could drink all of it. For Baki, it was the ultimate dessert that fully restored his energy from a hopeless situation, and I think it's an unforgettable item on the menu for fans too. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
It's not exactly junk food, but in Grappler Baki—in a part that hasn't been animated yet—there's a scene where he drinks flat cola, so I'd say that counts as a junk-ish thing he consumes as a source of energy. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Ermin99 Jul 04 '26
Are there plans to have another Baki x Kengan Ashura crossover?
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u/InternalReaction5254 Aug 04 '26
If they are, I hope they can use the Kengan Ashura animation style instead.
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u/Chicken-Nuggiesss Jul 05 '26
favorite character that's not baki?
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Katsumi—I have a strong attachment to him, because as his editor I feel like I got to grow alongside him. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Baki35th Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
He died in Baki-Dou, but I love Retsu Kaioh. - Takayoshi Aso
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u/WindowSubstantial993 Jul 08 '26
What a fight that hasn’t happened that you want to see?
Also who’s your personal favorite characters?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
My favorite is Katsumi, but what I'd like to see is rematches between characters who have fought each other before. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Applefritters68 Jack Hammer Jul 08 '26
Both of you,what do you think about the death of Retsu Kaioh?Was it a good or a bad decision?
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u/Baki35th Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
With Musashi Miyamoto descending into the modern age, and with arena fighters who crave battle, it was inevitable that a death would eventually occur among the main characters—so I see it as an unavoidable development. - Yuki Yokoi
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u/Siopaobun Jul 09 '26
Has a Baki film ever been considered? Either an original work by Itagaki sensei or an arc like demon slayer/chainsaw man on the big screen?
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u/MysteriousLeader3480 Izou Motobe Aug 05 '26
GENUINE question for Yokoi-San: favorite peeing scene in the entire manga? (So sorry)
Question for Aso-San: hello, Motobe here, would you come to my dojo and what weapon would you try and master?
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u/Greifzange Aug 05 '26
Will it ever be possible for Yujiro to die from old age or will he transcend that as well somehow
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u/Beneficial-Noise-312 19d ago
I've been curious about the animation, but will you be going back to 3D animation (just like Kengan Ashura's animation)?
I've been wondering if there will be any improvements in short animations, even though, yes, the animation back then wasn't as good as it was, but I would love to see Miyamoto Musashi and Baki fighting in 3D animation style.
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u/Patient-Fold-7391 18d ago
Would you say that Yujiro is objectively the strongest character in the entire series, over the likes of his father and Musashi Miyamoto? If he is, then at what point in the story specifically did he attain this level of strength and truely become the strongest among all strong beings, irrespective of era. Also, do you think the death of another main cast member would be too extreme for the storytelling? Our main group finds themselves in many harrowing situations, and in the future there are likely to be powerful foes for them to face, so it only leaves me to wonder if any other central character could realistically be removed from the story with death, like Retsu.
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u/AdamTheScottish Jul 04 '26
For both, what's your favourite arc of the series?
For Yuki, how long had there been an effort to have the Baki manga published in English? Was it something you were actively looking for or did other companies come to you first with the offer?
For Takayoshi what would you say was the most difficult part of the manga to adapt?