Baki Hanma, the Son of Ogre is one of the toughest fighters in all of anime, trained to take on opponents of incredible power. His notoriety in the pantheon of great anime fighters has only increased with the release of his newest anime on Netflix, bringing Baki the grappler to a whole new audience. Due to this, many wonder what exactly his fighting style is and how he learned it.
Baki's incredible power and ruthless fighting style stem both from his parentage and the training he received from several unique teachers. This workout regimen honed his body further into a living machine, allowing Baki to take down pretty much anyone in his path. Here's what Baki did to get so tough and who helped him along the way to get there.
Baki the Grappler's Training and Fighting Style
Some of Baki's strength likely comes from his heritage, as his father Yuujiro Hanma is considered the toughest fighter in the entire series. Hoping to one day be even stronger, Baki trains incredibly hard every day from a young age. His mother made sure that he would accomplish his dream, using her wealth to get him the most advanced training and workout equipment possible. This included master-level personal trainers and sparring partners, though Baki would build upon this further by casually picking off local thugs.
Baki has the uncanny ability to visualize fighters in practice, fighting these "ghosts" as if they were real. This intense form of shadowboxing helps him prepare for his opponents, and also shows how his body becomes so disciplined. The end result is that the teenage Baki has a physique ripped to the nines, with his muscles and bones beyond even top Olympic athletes'.
Baki's fighting style is a mixed martial art in the grittiest sense, employing hard-hitting moves that only the most durable of fighters can withstand. Likewise, more structured styles are also incorporated into his repertoire, including judo and jujitsu. These have been added as he's faced more fighters in his life, both in the ring and through his shadowboxing technique. He's unable to copy other styles instantly like his father, but he can learn them incredibly quickly.
Which Mentors Trained Baki the Grappler?
Baki has had several people in his proverbial ring to cheer him on, train him and get him the experience he needed to become a better fighter. One of these was Hitoshi Kuriyagawa, an employee of his mother's who organized fights for and cared quite a bit for the young Baki. Ironically, another mentor for Baki is Gerry Strydum, an American military general who befriended Baki's estranged father. He keeps up with Baki's affairs while also letting him know where his father is, so as to help Baki challenge him when the time comes.
Another trainer of Baki's is Izou Motobe, who had previously lost a fight against Baki's dad Yuujiro. Ever since then, he became obsessed with fighting Yuujiro once again, but gave up once he realized that he would never beat him. Baki sought him out for training when he learned that one of his upcoming opponents was a former student of Motobe's. Though Motobe is considered weak by many, he's initially able to beat Baki thanks to an incredible fighting intellect that he passes on to the young fighter. This bolsters Baki's ability to foresee the attacks of others and plan accordingly, making him an even stronger combatant.
