@madhoops Published Feb. 26, 2026, 1:30 p.m. ET More On: anime Is the ‘Scarlet’ Movie Streaming on Netflix, Prime Video or Crunchyroll? 11 Best New Shows on Netflix: February 2026’s Top Upcoming Series to Watch Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Cosmic Princess Kaguya!’ on Netflix, A Visually Stunning And Narratively Dense Anime Movie That Will Appeal To Its Niche Target Audience Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Love Through A Prism’ on Netflix, In Which A Japanese Exchange Student Enrolls In A Prestigious London Art Academy Almost three years after Netflix wrapped up Baki Hanma, the platform returns to continue Baki’s story with BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai. The martial arts anime series adapts another arc from Keisuke Itagaki’s manga series, Baki the Grappler, as it picks up with our titular champion fighter (Troy Baker) as he fights fresh opponents— and boredom—in the wake of an exciting father-son brawl. But when a secret cloning experiment comes to fruition, things suddenly grow much more exciting for our protagonist, with the promise of a strong resurrected opponent. Keep reading to find out more about the latest release from this action-packed franchise.
Opening Shot: Baki Hanma (Troy Baker) stands atop a steep flight of steps leading to a shrine, and recklessly sprints down them as a training exercise. But even amidst this dangerous practice, he finds himself yawning from boredom and hungry for a real challenge.
The Gist: After an epic fight between Baki Hanma (Troy Baker) and his father, the “Strongest Creature on the Earth,” Yujiro Hanma (Kirk Thornton), at the end of Baki Hanma: Season 2, Baki has finally earned the recognition of his father, but is left feeling lackadaisical in the aftermath. Despite intense training and new opponents, nothing seems to stop Baki from yawning out of boredom and wondering if anything can match the high of that long-awaited serious familial brawl. Even seasoned, decorated fighters like the seven-year-reigning American MMA champ Sam Atlas (Mike “The Miz” Mizanin) fall woefully short of Baki, traveling all the way to Japan just to decisively lose a fight in mere seconds.
In an effort to cure Baki’s boredom, as well as that of the crowd visiting his underground arena, Mitsunari Tokugawa (Matthew Yang King) hatches a secret operation involving experimentation taking place 366 meters below ground beneath the Tokyo Sky Tree. As his goals come within reach, Tokugawa takes the Prime Minister (Christopher W. Jones) down to his hidden lab, revealing his unsettling, nature-defying plan to resurrect one of the most legendary samurai in Japanese history, Musashi Miyamoto (SungWon Cho). Tokugawa then introduces the Prime Minister to team leader, paleontologist Dr. John Honer (Andrew Russell), who explains how the Japanese government paid him enough to get him to ditch his morals and use discoveries made towards reviving dinosaurs to successfully clone the 400+-year-old deceased swordsman.
Through all of this, Baki senses that something big might be on the horizon as he hears a mysterious heartbeat he can’t identify. Perhaps the arrival of Musashi Miyamoto is what it’ll take to cure Baki of his malaise and give the newly minted strongest man in the world his fiercest opponent yet.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai might call to mind other martial arts and brawling-focused anime series like Kengan Ashura, Record of Ragnarok, Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf, and Megalobox.
Our Take: BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai immediately begins making a case for itself with fluid animation, unique character design, and engaging storyline as we enter a new phase of Baki’s development that expresses the boredom that can come with achieving your goals. The show is impressively self-aware as it openly acknowledges that the aftermath of the long-awaited Baki vs. Yujiro fight left both in-universe characters and some viewers bored or wondering what can top it.
Naturally, they take a big swing and purposefully jump the shark by cloning a samurai who has been dead for centuries, just to spice things up. But for all of the show’s zany, funny moments, there is also an inner depth to balance it, as silly gags and jokes give way to greater questions of the taboo nature of human experimentation, what it takes to sell out our morals, and the lengths that ambition will drive us to go.
For newcomers to the show, having this as your first Baki experience might be a bit confusing without the context of all the characters and storylines that preceded it. Even so, if you don’t mind ferocious fights, occasionally outlandish humor, or a slightly slow start before things really pick up steam, BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai will pull you in and have you hungry for more. As for returning fans, you’ll likely be pleased with the continued dedication to adapting the world of Baki the Grappler as we dive into this long-awaited latest installment of the series.
Performance Worth Watching: Who else but our titular grappler, Baki Hanma (Troy Baker)? Baki continues to be his unbothered, hard-working, and extremely strong self, while
Sex And Skin: Nothing overtly untoward in the first episode. Just some muscular shirtless men brawling, an F-bomb dropping, and dubious science ethics.
Parting Shot: Baki is on a 25-mile training run and still somehow seems bored and unfulfilled as he once again yawns before internally musing, “That mysterious heartbeat, the yawning that won’t quit… Just what is this? I feel like something’s coming.”
Sleeper Star: In the pilot episode, the tale of eccentric Doctor John Honer’s (Andrew Russell) rapid transformation from respected academic to mad scientist was intriguing and made me curious about what he’ll do from here as his human cloning experiment comes to fruition.
Most Pilot-y Line: When Tokugawa declares that, “Exactly 1,000 meters below the top of the Tree, we are working on building a human being,” the Prime Minister responds with an exaggerated, “Don’t tell me… You wouldn’t! You’re not making a clone?”
Our Call: With its sometimes graphic violence and wild moments, BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai might not be for everyone, but if these things (plus great animation) do appeal to you, then you’ll likely enjoy this latest adaptation from the world of Baki the Grappler, especially if you’re a returning fan. Newcomers, maybe just check out the previously released seasons to gain the necessary background info before you STREAM IT!
Maddy Casale is a Chicago-based writer and comedian who covers everything from animated series to Hallmark movies. Follow her on Duolingo @MCasale.
