The animation finally stops getting in the way of the fights. Every impact sounds like it costs something, every sequence built to show you exactly what these warriors can do at full power. Baki enters the tournament poisoned, desperate, and fighting opponents who have trained their entire lives for this moment, but the show never wastes time pretending the setup matters more than the violence itself.

Baki Hanma is dying. Poison from his previous battle is wearing him down, and no cure is in sight. His friend Retsu Kaiou takes him to China, where he learns of the Raitai Tournament, a martial arts contest held once a century to decide the strongest fighter in the country. With the event now open to foreigners, Baki is told he must enter, because the tournament holds the remedy for his illness. The catch is that his father, known as the Strongest Creature on Earth, is competing too. Alongside the tournament, Baki also crosses paths with Mohammad Alai Jr., an eccentric but formidable fighter. The result is a hard-hitting season of martial arts action.