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Baki Hanma: Blood Arena is set to arrive this September on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. While your mind might immediately think that this video game adaptation would be an arena fighter like so many other anime entries, you might be surprised to see the format for the game from Purple Tree. Having a structure similar to Nintendo’s Super Punch-Out, even the developers note as such in their description, “Enter the brutal world of Baki Hanma: Blood Arena, a thrilling 2D action game inspired by the Netflix anime phenomenon Baki. With gameplay reminiscent of the classic Super Punch-Out!!, this game blends precision, timing, and shonen-style flair to deliver a high-energy combat experience.”
What’s Next For Baki?
In March, 2024, Netflix announced that it was working on a new anime series to continue Baki’s story. Following the “Father Son War” that saw Baki finally defeating his father in hand-to-hand combat, many might have been left wondering where the series would go. Luckily, creator Keisuke Itagaki had plenty of ideas when it came to where he would take his brawling character next.
Baki-Dou, the name of the next series, sees a legendary Japanese figure, Musashi Miyamoto, brought back from the dead to take on the strongest warriors of the present. Since Baki is now considered the strongest being walking the planet Earth, it makes for an excellent follow-up to his fight against the Ogre. As has been the case with previous seasons, expect all of Baki’s roster to have a part to play in Musashi’s return to the land of the living.
The Baki Controversy
Baki The Grappler has never shied from controversy, especially when it comes to bringing real people into the mix. Most recently, American President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared in the latest manga chapter, having a rather tense meeting with Baki’s father. Yujiro Hanma would routinely meet political figures in Baki’s history, including George Bush, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama, though this meeting might have been one of the most controversial to date. Baki Rahen is the latest series to feature this political minefield though its sure to not be the last.
Want to see how the son of the Ogre operates in the video game world? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Baki The Grappler and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
