Our KISSUI x Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre AirPods Case Collection is dropping real soon. But before we get to revealing the designs, let’s meet the manga that built a legend—and made Baki Hanma a name synonymous with brain-breaking battles and raw, unfiltered masculinity. From Keisuke Itagaki, whose known for martial art series, Baki has become a cornerstone of the martial arts genre, known for its unique Baki logic, wild battles and over-the-top antics.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 2 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Baki follows Baki Hanma, a martial artist determined to surpass his father, Yujiro Hanma—revered as "The Strongest Creature on Earth." As Baki hones his skills, he faces martial artists from all over the world, each with unique fighting styles and motivations. Throughout the series, Baki trains, fights, and bleeds to earn his father's twisted form of respect. And how does one train for such a task? Apparently by shadow-boxing a giant mantis hallucination and going through extreme trauma and gains
Image Source: New Grappler Baki No. 1 Chapter 6, Page 150, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
The Baki manga franchise is the undisputed champion of unhinged martial arts storytelling. This series presents a distinct interpretation of the shonen genre. This is Baki—where imaginary bugs become training partners, prehistoric cavemen join MMA circuits, and one man literally stops an earthquake with a punch.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 2 Chapter 11, Page 83, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Baki Logic
While Baki is known for its testosterone-fueled art style and battles, it’s logic is also hilarious at times. The way Keisuke handles manga tropes, scientific explanations, and character dynamics makes it one of the most randomly funny action series ever.
Image Source: New Grappler Baki No. 1, Chapter 3, Page 97, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Here are some standout moments:
1. The Power of Imaginary Training
One of Baki Hanma’s funniest recurring tropes is training so intensely that it becomes reality. At one point, Baki literally hallucinates a fight with a praying mantis—yes, the insect mantis—because he believes it’ll make him stronger. In the world of Baki, the effects of mental training are just as powerful as actual combat training.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 2 Chapter 9, Page 44, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
2. Pickle, the Ultimate Caveman Warrior
Enter Pickle, a giant, prehistoric human frozen in ice for millions of years, now revived in modern times after smelling a T-rex steak. Instead of going through an adjustment period understanding how a society operates, Pickle immediately starts wrecking top-tier fighters, proving that evolution peaked way before civilization even existed.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 10 Chapter 81, Page 131, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
3. The Most Baki Explanation of Strength Ever
One of the best things about Baki is how it tries to scientifically explain every fight that challenges the laws of the physics. When Yujiro Hanma stops an earthquake by punching the ground, the manga provides a totally serious explanation about how Yujiro’s muscles can absorb and redirect tectonic energy. Who needs physics when you have muscles?
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 5 Chapter 38, Page 157, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
How to Read Baki (and Still Maintain Your Sanity)
Here’s your official manga read order to experience Baki’s journey without losing the plot (or your mind). This franchise spans decades, so buckle up:
Part 1: Baki the Grappler (371 chapters)
The origin story. Underground arena fights, early rivalries, and a teen Baki going full beast mode.
Spin-off:
- Baki Gaiden: Antonio Igari vs. Mount Toba - A fierce side story featuring a showdown between two rival pro wrestlers
Image Source: Grappler Baki cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Part 2: New Grappler Baki (a.k.a. BAKI) – 276 chapters
The arc that redefined “insane.” This is where we meet the Most Evil Death Row Convicts—an elite lineup of criminals who break out of prison just to get their asses handed to them by martial artists. It’s art.
Spin-offs:
- Baki Gaiden: Kizuzura – based on Kaoru Hanayama's adventures in high school
- Baki Gaiden: Scarface – depicting Kaoru Hanayama's yakuza adventures
- Baki Gaiden: Revenge Tokyo – Extra content for the Death Row Convicts
Image Source: New Grappler Baki No. 1 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Part 3: Baki: Son of Ogre (a.k.a. Hanma Baki) – 312 chapters
This marks the phase where Baki transforms into an official challenger to his father, the strongest creature on Earth. It features a prehistoric caveman named Pickle who wakes up and starts bodying people,Baki pushes his imagination to the limit, visualizing his opponent as if they were right there in front of him—and begins the ultimate training— and a showdown with Yujiro that defies all known laws of physics.
Spin-offs:
- Baki Gaiden: Blade Fist
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 1 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Part 4: Baki-Dou (2014) – 198 chapters
A samurai from the Edo period, Miyamoto Musashi gets cloned and starts slicing people in modern-day Tokyo.
Image Source: Baki Dou (2014) Vol. 1 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Part 5: Bakidou (2018) – 151 chapters
Pickle was just the beginning. Now Miyamoto Musashi is back again. Things escalate fast, and it’s wild.
Image Source: Baki Dou (2018) Vol. 1 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Part 6: Baki Rahen – ongoing weekly
Follows Jack Hanma and his clashes with the series' other warriors as he utilizes his martial art "Goudou" (The Way of Biting) in his battles
Image Source: Baki Rahen Vol. 1 cover page, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
Read or pass?
Baki stands out as a titan of the martial arts genre due to its unapologetic approach to strength and survival. While some may prefer more grounded series, Baki excels at capturing the primal thrill of battle. It is a perfect mix of serious martial arts and unhinged anime logic.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 2, Chapter 10, Page 54, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
If you're into hyper-muscular men doing things that break your suspension of disbelief, martial arts pushed to psychedelic extremes, and unfiltered testosterone chaos, this is your manga. Just don’t go in expecting tight plot pacing or emotional development arcs. Go in expecting muscles, madness, and moments that make you question whether the human body was ever supposed to work like that.
Image Source: Hanma Baki Vol. 3 Chapter 15, Page 21, illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki, published by Akita Shoten
KISSUI x Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre
We’re taking all this Baki energy and channeling it into an exclusive KISSUI x Baki Hanma Airpods case collection, featuring bold designs inspired by the raw power of legendary characters from the franchise. Aimed at fueling your fighting spirit, it is probably the most appropriate accessory you can get for your AirPods if you have a workout playlist in your spotify (or for when you’re sparring against the mantis from your imagination).
