Television series
Baki
Baki is a gloriously stupid martial-arts anime where a teenage fighter trains obsessively to defeat his dad, then five death-row inmates show up because they're bored and want him to pummel them. It's all screaming, impossible musculature, and fights that go on forever in the best way. Pure wish-fulfilment combat spectacle for people who love anime that commits completely to its absurdity.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like your action anime loud, bloody and gloriously over the top, where every fight escalates into a contest of absurd physical extremes and the characters' bravado is half the pleasure.
Skip it if you want restraint or realism from your fight scenes, since the violence is extreme, the physics are cheerfully ignored and the stakes often feel like a shouting match between muscle-bound egos.
What it asks of you: Each episode runs about twenty-four minutes across three seasons and thirty-nine episodes, so it asks for a steady commitment, and it rarely slows down long enough to let you catch your breath.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Demon Slayer2019
Jaw-dropping animation and fight choreography that makes combat feel like dance. A teenage hero trains to protect his humanity while slaughtering demons. Emotional stakes wrapped in gorgeous, kinetic action.
But The pacing can drag between battles. Shonen formula hits all the expected beats, so surprises are rare.
Jujutsu Kaisen2020
Magnetic protagonist, inventive power system, and fights that actually have consequences. Stylish direction and a perfect balance of comedy, character, and spectacular action that respects your intelligence.
But Vast manga source material means seasons end on cliffhangers. You'll immediately want more and have to wait.
Kengan Ashura2019
A tournament of fighters so brutal and varied it makes Baki look quaint. CGI animation is divisive but the combat design is genuinely inventive, and every character gets their moment.
But Heavy CGI looks plasticky to some viewers. Character development takes a backseat to the spectacle of the fights.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Baki
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Kaiji2007
Both centre on a driven underdog testing themselves against impossible opponents through sheer force of will. Baki fights bodies; Kaiji fights fate. Same obsessive engine, different arena.
A broke man enters high-stakes gambling games where the psychological pressure is as brutal as any fistfight. Anime showing a human pushed to the absolute limit of will and desperation, with visuals that make cards and dice as tense as combat.
But No action at all—it's all tension and internal screaming. Incredibly dark and punishing to watch, with a protagonist who loses constantly.
More like this (8)
My Hero Academia2016
A teenager discovers superpowers and trains under the world's greatest hero. Earnest, funny, and genuinely invested in why people become heroes. Fights are visually imaginative and character-driven.
But Early seasons are slow. Later arcs sprawl across multiple storylines that don't always land with equal impact.
Ninja Kamui2024
A trained killer emerges from hiding for revenge with jaw-dropping hand-to-hand animation and no wasted movement. Stylish, brutal, and lean—watches like a perfect action film stretched across episodes.
But Minimal plot or character depth. It's pure execution over story, which some will find hollow.
Dororo2019
A swordsman who can't feel pain or emotion learns compassion while traveling with a street kid. Visually gorgeous, thematically rich, and surprisingly moving beneath the samurai action.
But The body-horror and historical violence aren't comfortable. Episodic structure means pacing uneven across the season.
Record of Ragnarok2021
Gods and legendary humans fight for the fate of mankind in a tournament format. Massively entertaining, wildly creative matchups, and unapologetically pulpy fun that doesn't take itself seriously.
But Animation quality is inconsistent. The hype-man commentary is relentless and can feel exhausting.
Hunter x Hunter2011
A boy trains to find his father while fighting in tournaments and uncovering conspiracies. Smart battle system, genuine character growth, and arcs that build toward something that matters emotionally.
But Extremely long—140+ episodes. Pacing stutters, and later arcs get bogged down in exposition and internal monologue.
Blue Lock2022
A soccer anime with the intensity and ridiculous determination of a fighting series. High-concept training sequences and a protagonist who evolves through raw obsession make it compulsively watchable.
But Surrenders any pretense of real soccer strategy for anime spectacle. Character writing is thin outside the main arc.
Ashita no Nadja2003
Beneath the screaming muscles and death matches, Baki is a show about someone training obsessively because they love the pursuit. Nadja is that same story stripped of ego and violence—a character who trains because growth itself is the point.
A cheerful girl joins a traveling circus and discovers her past while learning acrobatics and magic. Pure joy and earnestness that sounds saccharine until you realize you're watching someone train relentlessly to become skilled at something meaningful to them.
But Bright, optimistic, and deeply unfashionable. Almost no conflict; it's a show about a character who keeps getting better and happier.
Devilman Crybaby2018
Both are fighting-obsessed anime from the same streaming era that understand the primal appeal of training and combat, but Crybaby flips the register entirely—Baki celebrates strength and will; Devilman Crybaby asks whether fighting ever actually saves anyone.
A boy merges with a demon to fight supernatural evil and watches his world burn. Psychedelic, gorgeous, violent, and genuinely haunting—anime at its most artistically uncompromising. Every frame is painterly and intentional.
But Nihilistic and bleak. The ending offers no comfort. Some sequences are explicitly sexual and deeply uncomfortable by design.
