What is Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura
Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura is a crossover ONA based on mangas developed by Keisuke Itagaki and Daromeon. This crossover features characters from respective series Baki the Grappler and Kengan Ashura. Baki the Grappler is about main protagonist Baki Hanma, who is training to defeat his unstoppable dad, Yujiro Hanma. While Kengan Ashura, main MC Okita Ohma fights for a group named Nogi Group to participate in a fighting tournament sponsored by Kengan Association. Along with helping out a fellow Nogi group employee named Kazuo Yamashita. Both manga series are based on martial arts and very similar to each other in many ways. First off, ONA starts off went Baki and Okita jogging in the street. Okita and Baki meet face to face until earthquake erupts, later commented by Kazuo.
Both chairmans from Kengan and undergound associations agree to do 3vs3 team battle. First match is Saw Ping and Kaoru Hanayama. In the end of that match, Kaoru wins the match and Saw Paing was impressive by his skills and wanted to fight again. Second match is Jack Hammer (Baki’s half-brother) and Raian, during that match, both men were fighting to the death. Afterwards, both Baki and Okita stopped the match from going any longer. Third and final match between two main characters. Baki and Okita were going at it until Yujiro Hanma along with another Kengan character shows up. Yujiro leaves and the match ended in a draw. Baki continues to train and Okita wants to face him again in the near future.
Which is the Better Fighter
Okita is considered strongest because Niko style and transformation as well. Even Baki seems to match him perfectly in strength. He has a long way to go to catch up to Yujiro Hanma. Okita can harden his body and can kill someone like Baki. Ohma can four katas “Adamantine, Flame, Redirection and Water” which is one fighting style. Baki can master different styles like Yujiro and can use them as weapons like Whip technique. Personally, I have watched both series and it could go ever way. I think Baki is the better fighter in my opinion alone because years of training. He fought against the best like Pickle, Retsu and Katsumi. Okita is just a street fighter and doesn’t have multiple teachers but only one Tokita Niko.
Both Baki and Okita have been in underground fighting arena for so long. Each of them has experience in fighting against tough opponents. Personally, if they still been going, I think Baki would have won the fight. Okita is not very strong but upcoming fighter still has ways to go. Speaking of ONA, I want another crossover because certain characters were sidelined and didn’t offer much purpose. I wanted to see Doopo Orochi and other Baki characters fight in the tournament. Also, I forgot about Kengan Ashura characters like Cosmo Imai along with others face each other. It was a missed opportunity on their part but understand runtime is 63 minutes along.
Thoughts Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura
Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura was an average crossover, and I had some issues with animation. When Okita throw Baki, next frame him standing, which I found odd. TMS Entertainment was charged of the animation and Kengan characters look flat compared to CGI. Baki characters were incorporated with CGI in the past but stuck to 2D models. Fight scenes are very gory and gruesome, not intended for young audiences. Interaction between Baki and Kengan is very comedic also, clashes with one another. I felt that they could make a series out of this. Sometimes the creators want to shoehorn characters like a special guest starring in sitcoms. They had to force characters saying, “here I am” and “don’t forgot me”.
Some scenes felt pointless and didn’t contribute to the crossover special. I have seen some anime crossovers that incorporate characters pretty well than Baki Hanma vs Kegan Ashura. For example, Detective Conan x Lupin the 3rd along with Pretty Cure Allstars,” I would recommend checking these crossovers out. Other than that, I like crossover, but it has some faults and not perfect whatsoever. Two fighters have a slugfest and knock each other off the wall to crown the winner. During the fights, we get some motives why fighters choose to participate in 3vs3 underground arena fights. Sometimes that gets repetitive and boring at the same time.
Closing
Both Baki the Grappler and Kengan Ashura are great series if you like UFC style fighting series. Kengan manga has ended in August 9, 2018, but anime is a available for watch on Netflix. Baki the Grappler manga is still ongoing and Baki-Dou is available to watch on Netflix as well. While watching, Kengan Ashura, I love ending song “Nani?!” performed by Jin Dogg. Also, CGI didn’t bother me unlike Kingdom (which I tried watching but felt off because animation). Baki-Dou, I will watch after this post because I wonder what Baki will do next. What are your thoughts on Baki Hanma vs Kengan Ashura crossover anime ONA, let me know in the comments. Thank you for reading my blogpost and tune into the next one.