Baki is a famous series spanning multiple adaptations across various platforms. The manga tells the story of young Baki Hanma, a teenager who participates in an underground tournament filled with deadly fighters. Baki’s drive to take part stems from the trauma inflicted on him by his father, a brutal parent known globally for his international crimes.
In a bid to grow stronger and one day best his father in combat, Baki engages in fight after fight with powerful opponents where anything outside the use of weapons is allowed. The battles are bloody, and the stakes are high, with each participant having different reasons for being there. It is an intense manga with phenomenal art, breathtaking action, and fascinating characters. In this regard, here are some manga series fans of Baki can also check out.
10 Garouden
Garouden follows the powerful fighter Bunshichi Tanba in his quest to seek out other strong fighters and justify his strength. He goes from dojo to dojo, looking for powerful warriors for the sake of this goal, and usually succeeds in defeating their strongest fighters. This all changes, however, once he comes across the FAW underground gym, where he is beaten and humiliated, consequently disappearing for three years.
Once the three-year period elapses, Tanba returns incomparably stronger than he was before. With his newfound power, he is courted by some of the biggest names in the underground fighting world, and he finds himself at the center of attention.
9 Tough
Tough is a martial arts manga that also features a significant father-and-son dynamic. The main character, Kiichi Miyazawa, is an ambitious martial artist who aspires to become the next Bruce Lee, with his father primarily guiding his training. His father, Seiko Miyazawa, teaches him their family’s secret technique, Nadashinkage-ryu, and with it, Kiichi becomes extremely strong and gets closer to his aim.
Throughout the series, Kiichi is pitted against different powerful characters and is forced to prove his strength in battles against each of them. The sequel has a more interesting plot, though, as Kiichi fights in underground battles to pay for his father’s medical bills because he was injured in a fight against his evil twin.
8 Holyland
Holyland tells the story of a mistreated young man who is continually abused with no way of fitting in. He is shunned by society and has to take solace in something special. That something for him turned out to be fighting, as he trained his fists and punches to the point where he’s become nearly unstoppable.
He built a reputation for himself as the Thug Hunter, and as a result, people from all over want his attention. Through these many encounters, Yuu gradually finds a place where he belongs, and fights are no longer just an exchange of fists to him.
7 Gamaran
Gamaran is a battle royale-themed manga where different fighters are tasked with killing one another until there is only one left. The plot centers around Kurogane Gama, son of legendary swordsman Kurogane Jinsuke, who can be carefree but has a serious passion for martial arts. He is recruited by the son of a powerful ruler to participate in a battle between the ruler's 31 sons, aimed at determining the heir to the throne.
Gama sees this as an opportunity to hone his skills by fighting strong opponents and, as a result, devotes himself fully to the cause. What ensues afterward is a bloody battle with various fighting styles and unique characters, all of whom Gama has to defeat to win.
6 Rikudou
Rikudou features a protagonist, Riku, who gradually develops a passion for boxing after a series of traumatic events. One of the most notable ones in his early life includes the death of his father, after which Riku had to live with his mother and her Yazuka boyfriend. Unfortunately for Riku, the man was also a violent drug dealer, and a scuffle between the two resulted in Riku killing him in self-defense.
Riku is then noticed by another Yakuza member, but this time he is noticed by one who sees potential in his boxing ability. He is then introduced to the world of boxing and, when he grows older, becomes a professional boxer with many things to fight for.
5 Ashita no Joe
The protagonist of Ashita no Joe is also a talented fighter who didn’t have a pleasant childhood. Orphaned from a young age, Joe spent most of his early life going from orphanage to orphanage, developing feelings of distrust and betrayal along the way. After finding himself out of the loop, he resided in a slum in Tokyo, provoking conflict whenever he wanted.
Joe is later arrested for committing small-time crimes, and in prison, he meets a talented boxer whom he constantly loses to due to his poor technique. After successfully landing a knockout blow on one occasion, he earns the respect of said boxer, and the two vow to meet again in the ring. This stirs up Joe’s passion for boxing and marks the start of his epic journey in this timeless classic.
4 Hajime no Ippo
Hajime no Ippo is another boxing classic featuring an underdog protagonist with a significant talent for boxing. The story is centered around Ippo, an unassuming high school student who is constantly bullied with no way of defending himself. On one specific occasion, after being roughed up by bullies, he encounters a professional boxer who invites him to his local gym.
This chance meeting leads to Ippo discovering that he might have a chance at boxing, and everyone present sees his talent. Furthermore, he doesn’t solely rely on that, as he is hardworking and has shown time and time again that he will do whatever it takes to improve. The manga tells the story of Ippo’s constant improvement.
3 Fist Of The North Star
Fist of the North Star is a manga featuring a powerful protagonist, amazing art, and an intriguing plot, which was released in the early 80s. It is also a classic that has spawned many references in future works and is an iconic manga with famous moments.
The plot follows the mysterious protagonist, Kenshirou, a huge man armed with a deadly martial art that incapacitates opponents from the inside out, making most forms of external protection useless. With this power, Kenshirou roams a post-apocalyptic world set in the 1990s, acting as a savior and protecting the weak from exploitative individuals.
2 Kengan Ashura
Kengan Ashura is a martial arts manga featuring a fighter and a manager thrown into a frenzied world of battle. It is set in a world where major corporations settle their differences through Kengan matches; underground duels where representatives from different companies participate in brutal fights. In this world, Kazuo Yamashita, a regular salaryman, is tasked with managing Ouma Tokita, a man who is focused only on overpowering strong opponents.
Eventually, Ohma is invited to participate in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, a competition held to determine what CEO will take the seat of Kengan Association Chairman. This sets the stage for even more intense battles with extremely high stakes, making for a quality spectacle.
1 Record of Ragnarok
Record of Ragnarok features an intriguing plot where the lives of god and man intertwine. After the gods convened and decided it would be best to eradicate mankind for different reasons, the human race faced potential extinction. A Valkyrie, however, suggested a fighting tournament between man and god to give humanity a fighting chance.
This suggestion was accepted by many in attendance, and so the decision to re-enact Ragnarok was approved. In preparation, multiple fighters popular throughout human history were picked to participate in the colossal battle. Furthermore, they are armed with Valkyries to aid them in their fights against the gods.