Baki Hanma

I initially soured a bit with Netflix’s original Baki series and dropped it after the first season ended. I found the pacing dragged a little, but I picked up its sequel series Baki Hanma on a whim to see if the show got any better. And holy shit does it.

Baki Hanma finds the titular character behind bars in an Arizona state prison after he kidnaps the president of the U.S., George Bosch, not to be confused with George Bush. But it turns out the 18-year-old wanted to be sent to prison because he’s gunning to take down the strongest man there, Biscuit Oliver. What follows is a smackdown in a prison tournament where Baki rises the ranks to get closer to matching the strength of his father Yujiro Hanma, the strongest fighter in the world.

Baki Hanma’s singular location helped the show maintain the focus I found lacking in its earlier seasons. Plus, Baki’s universe running alongside our own historic events, albeit with more fanfare for martial arts, tickled me to no end. The show’s depiction of Mike Tyson, Che Guevara, and George Bush added to the already absurd series’ comedy and interpretation of historical events.