Netflix might not be primarily focused on anime in the same way that platforms like Crunchyroll and HIDIVE are, but the platform has had its fair share of anime originals to rely on. The streaming service has given the medium such entries as Sakamoto Days, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Aggretsuko, Devilman Crybaby, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, going a long way to solidifying its anime cred. In some welcome news for battle anime fans, the current Netflix anime property, Baki The Grappler, has some big news to help in celebrating thirty-five years of the son of the Ogre.
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In 2026, the thirty-fifth anniversary of Baki will arrive, and the long-running anime franchise has some big things in store. On top of hinting at what is to come for this celebration, the series created by legendary artist Keisuke Itagaki had a special visual featuring the father-son pair of Baki and Yujiro Hanma. As of the writing of this article, we have yet to officially learn all the inner workings of this anniversary celebration, but the Baki franchise will have plenty to celebrate. With the anime planning a return on Netflix and the manga continuing to release new chapters to this day, Baki defeating his father in the anime is far from the end for the titular character and his successful run on the streaming service.
The Future of Baki
Following the “Father Son War” of the anime, which gave Baki his long-awaited victory over his father, the hard-hitting franchise confirmed that the anime wasn’t done yet. Baki-Dou has already been confirmed to arrive on Netflix in the future, with TMS Entertainment once again returning to animation duties following their previous runs with the characters of Keisuke Itagaki. A specific release window has yet to be revealed for the son of the Ogre, but arriving in 2026 to accompany the franchise’s thirty-fifth anniversary would make a lot of sense.
As for the original manga, creator Keisuke Itagaki has continued weaving new chapters in the battle anime franchise. Following Baki’s fight against the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, the printed story would go on to pit the Ogre’s son against Nomi no Sukune, a legendary sumo wrestler. As for what’s happening these days, Baki appears to be on a collision course with his brother, Jack Hanma, who has been looking to increase his strength following some major defeats in his career.
For those who might not know, Keisuke Itagaki isn’t the only member of his family who has hit it big on Netflix. Peru Itagaki, the daughter of Keisuke, dove into the manga world with her own story, Beastars, presenting a very different story from that of her father’s. Planning to release its final entry next year, the story of Legosi will probably never meet with that of Baki’s, but the two franchises remain some of Netflix’s biggest anime exclusives.
What do you think of Baki celebrating thirty-five years of bone-breaking action? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
