Baki Hanma Season 2 - What We Know So Far
Few martial arts anime are as revered as the "Baki" franchise. While it is far from realistic, there is arguably no better source of heart-pounding intensity when it comes to watching two skilled warriors batter each other. Between 2018 and 2020, Netflix garnered considerable success with its "Baki" series, which picked up where the 2001 anime "Baki the Grappler" left off by adapting the second part of the original "Baki the Grappler" manga.
On September 30, Netflix returned with a new series titled "Baki Hanma: Son of Ogre." Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, "Baki Hanma" adapts the third part of Keisuke Itagaki's classic fighting manga series. Season 1 of "Baki Hanma" charted Baki's growth as a fighter, as the high schooler trains with the goal of defeating his father, Yuujiro, the strongest man on earth. Along the way, Baki faces many strong opponents.
Since all 12 episodes were released at once, fans are already hungry for the second season of "Baki." Luckily, such a thing is practically confirmed by the cliffhanger ending to Season 1, which teases an opponent the likes of which Baki has never seen. Here is what we know so far about "Baki Hanma" Season 2.
When is the release date for Baki Hanma Season 2?
So far, Netflix has not announced a second season for "Baki Hanma." That being said, the fact that Season 1 ends on a cliffhanger leading up to the next phase of the manga's story hopefully indicates that the streaming giant intends to invest in a follow-up season — though it wouldn't be the first time Netflix canceled a show that ended on a cliffhanger. That said, the overall popularity of the "Baki" franchise on its platform is a strong indicator the show could return. Netflix's original "Baki" show ran for three seasons before "Baki Hanma" was released, and it's doubtful that Netflix would stop capitalizing on that success now.
However, it isn't clear when exactly "Baki Hanma" Season 2 will come out. Like most seasonal shows, fans could expect Season 2 to release sometime in 2022, but the world of anime is not immune to delays. After all, it takes a long time to animate shows and if something does go awry, fans could be waiting longer than expected. Still, it's hard to imagine that "Baki Hanma" will have a lengthy hiatus. Until then, fans should try and remain patiently optimistic about the future of "Baki."
Who is in the cast for Baki Hanma Season 2?
Both the "Baki" and "Baki Hanma" series were developed by the same studio, TMS Entertainment, and most of the cast in "Baki Hanma" is identical to that of Netflix's previous "Baki" series. As such, "Baki Hanma" Season 2 will likely star Nobunaga Shimazaki as the titular Baki, Hochu Otsuka as Biscuit Oliva, Akio Otsuka as Yuujiro Hanma, and more.
While Netflix does provide casting information for the original Japanese voices in "Baki Hanma," it neglects to provide such information for any of its dubs. According to Anime News Network, though, the English dub of Baki is voiced by Troy Baker, with voice actors James Mathis III and Kirk Thorton portraying Biscuit Oliva and Yuujiro Hanma respectively. This is no major surprise, as casting between "Baki Hanma" and the previous "Baki" series has remained much the same for the English dub as well. You can likely expect these voices to make a return when Season 2 of "Baki Hanma" rolls around.
What is the plot of Baki Hanma Season 2?
"Baki Hanma" Season 1 concluded with a bang as Baki finally managed to beat down Biscuit Oliva, the strongest man in America. For his victory, Baki gained his freedom from Arizona State Prison and earned recognition from one of the only fighters that Yuujiro Hanma — Baki's nigh-invincible "demon" father — respects. Even Yuujiro seems somewhat interested in these events as the final battle against his son draws closer. He expects it to be the most challenging fight he will ever experience.
Even so, Yuujiro isn't the only obstacle Baki has left quite yet. Deep within the Earth's belly, underneath a nuclear waste facility somewhere within Colorado, men have uncovered a perfectly preserved caveman frozen in ice. This, according to the Baki wiki, is Pickle, a missing link in human evolution of unparalleled power and ferocity. Thus begins the series' adaptation of the manga's "Wildman War — Pickle Wars Saga," which follows Pickle's battles against a variety of strong and familiar opponents, including (of course) Baki himself.