‘Baki’ Creator Itagaki to Write Epilogue Featuring Kanji Igari

Baki is a sports series where most characters are inspired by real-life wrestlers who have made a name for themselves.

Besides a story to connect them to the plot, Keisuke Itagaki also gives these characters a unique twist of superhuman abilities. No wonder we all get attached to and impressed by these personalities so much.

Of all the real-life wrestlers that Itagaki has adapted, Antonio Inoki’s Kanji Igari has always stood out the most. Unfortunately, the real-life wrestler Antonio Inoki passed away earlier this month, breaking the hearts of many who fell in love with Kanji.

As a way to pay his respects, ‘Baki’ creator Keisuke Itagaki will write a memorial epilogue for the character Kanji Igari. It will launch in Weekly Shonen Champion’s 48th issue on October 27, 2022.

Kanji Igari made his debut in ‘Baki the Grappler’ manga’s chapter 177 back in the 1990s. His character became so popular that he received a side story titled ‘Grappler Baki Gaiden: Igari vs. Mount Toba.’

Not only is Igari an impactful character, but also one of the most formidable opponents that Baki has faced. Igari’s fight with Baki has been brought up many times and is considered one of the finest and most thrilling times in the ring ever.

The character appears again in the ‘Baki’ series with more combat scenes than the previous ones. Igari’s fights have always caught viewers and his opponents off guard due to the various types of unique techniques and strategies he uses.

Moreover, Igari has also been given the title of ‘Killer,’ and his ring name is Antonio Igari, like the wrestler he’s inspired from.

As an initial memorial for Inoki, Akita Shoten’s Manga Cross website has published all chapters of Baki the Grappler Gaiden for free.

The side story consists of nine chapters featuring the fight between Kanji Igari and Mount Shōhei Toba.

About Baki

Grappler Baki known as Baki the Grappler in North America, is a manga series written and illustrated by Keisuke Itagaki. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion, and collected into 42 tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten.

The story follows teenager Baki Hanma as he trains and tests his fighting skills against a variety of different opponents in deadly, no rules hand-to-hand combat.

He spends every waking moment training and fighting so that he may someday surpass the fighting abilities of the strongest being on Earth – his father Yuujiro Hanma, a cruel man who lives only to fight and hurt people.

Source: Akita Shoten’s Official Website