An Anime Review of 'Baki' (Netflix Part 3)

Baki, season 4? Or season 2 of the Netflix Baki? Part 3 in Netflix? Dropped on Netflix in June and it continues on in its glorious path of ridiculousness and mayhem. The latest season carries on from where the previous left off, giving us a quick rundown of what has happened until this point, covering what happened in the seasons that are not available on Netflix as well, which is good? Ultimately, it did not hinder my excitement while watching the show, though it would add a lot more context and depth to the characters and their relationships in these two seasons. Regardless, I had little to no trouble following what was happening in the narrative having only seen the Netflix show.

My feelings, as written before in one of my pieces, in the first half of the first Netflix season were mixed at best. My enthusiasm for the show grew, during the second half of the first Netflix season to the point where I loved the show. In addition it ended with a massive cliffhanger while also introducing some really fascinating characters. This season has two distinctive arcs and the first episode of this season starts by introducing the players that are going to be involved in the tournament that Baki is taking place in.

Right from the off, the insanity kicks off at one hundred. The characters are over the top, the musculature is over the top, the action is over the top, and the ideas in the show are over the top. Yet when combined, makes for a concoction that is incredibly difficult to resist. Everything is over the top, with a basis in reality, and that is the most fascinating aspect of Baki. The characters, while being over the top are incredibly earnest in their own ideology, whether they be a protagonist or a villain. That being said, I do feel like Alai Jr. was done dirty in the show. This was an interesting character that was able to go toe to toe with many of the established cast members. He had a strong sense of determination when fighting, and had a style unique to him that made him formidable. There was one particular episode in the show that had me laughing so hard that I was struggling to breath and felt my body cramp up. This episode was revolving around Alai Jr, and his significantly different personality interacting with the other characters and fighting them was great to see. I could let the events of this episode slide as each character has their own journey to go through, however the events of the final episode made all the time we spent with Alai Jr, feel as if it was a waste of time. As a result the ending in the TWELFTH episode, thirteen is side material that helps flesh out the world and characters further, and the events of episode twelve as a whole feels incredibly unearned. Which is something I never expected to happen with Baki.

The animation was a step up this time around. There was a lot less 3D animation that was involved in the fight scenes this time around, and when they were the integration is much better handled where it fits the scene it is in. This was an aspect that took me out of the immersion in the previous season. The fights themselves maintain their over the top fun throughout, till the very end.

What has been consistently great about Baki is the character Kozue, Baki’s girlfriend, she brings a level of emotion to the show that helps balance the sheer amount of testosterone oozing from the screen at every frame. In fact if I were to imagine the kind of story that would be written if it were to be written by testosterone, that story would be Baki.

Barring the Treatment of Alai Jr, and the deflating ending to the season, I would still recommend Baki season 4, (part 3 on Netflix). It continues the sheer insanity of the previous season and only elevates it further, and is a fun ride throughout. As stated, Baki is available to watch on Netflix.