The Underground Arena Saga (地下闘技場編, Chika Tōgijō Hen), also known as the Champion Saga, is the first saga of Baki the Grappler manga. In the anime, the Childhood Saga was the first saga and the Underground Arena Saga was the second saga. The saga was comprised chapters 1 to 73 of the manga and episodes 17 to 24 of the Baki the Grappler anime series.
Plot[]
Karate Tournament Arc[]
The Karate Tournament Arc, is the first arc of Baki the Grappler manga. The arc was skipped in the anime series but was comprised in the OVA. The Karate Tournament Arc was comprised chapters 1 to 8 of the manga and the Ultimate Fighter OVA.
Baki Hanma is a young fighter who trains in martial arts. For the first time, he is shown at a Shinshinkai Karate tournament in the Budoukan arena. It is there that he defeats a big karateka named Atsushi Suedou and meets Doppo Orochi, the grandmaster of Shinshinkai Karate. Meanwhile, Baki also meets a karateka named Kiyosumi Katou and a renowned jujutsu master, Izou Motobe.
Daily Life Arc[]
The Daily Life Arc, is the second arc of Baki the Grappler manga and the sixth arc of Baki the Grappler anime series. The Daily Life Arc was comprised chapters 9 to 16 of the manga and episode 17 of the anime.
Later, Baki's home is shown. He lives with his dog, Musashi. He rents a a house from a woman named Kinuyo Matsumoto and her daughter, Kozue. He soon clashes with the school's boxer named Takayama.
Kourakuen Arc[]
The Kourakuen Arc, is the third arc of Baki the Grappler manga and the seventh arc of Baki the Grappler anime series. The Kourakuen Arc was comprised chapters 17 to 73 of the manga and episodes 18 to 24 of the anime.
Then Baki goes to a mysterious Underground Arena that is located beneath the Tokyo Dome. The owner of this arena is Mitsunari Tokugawa, an old friend of Doppo. It turns out that Baki is the champion there. He fights and wins a battle against a dangerous opponent named Koushou Shinogi, also known as the "cord-cutter".
His next opponent in the Underground Arena is chosen. It is supposed to be Junichi Hanada, a professional wrestler who once trained jujutsu and was a student of Izou Motobe. Eventually, however, the situation gets complicated and it turns out that Baki's next challenger is a giant wrestler named Mount Toba. The great wrestler is defeated, but then Yuujirou Hanma (Baki's insane father and "the Strongest Creature on Earth") and Gerry Strydum (a soldier who is Yuujirou's companion) appear.
Two great matches are set in the Underground Arena: Yuujirou Hanma vs Doppo Orochi, and Baki Hanma vs Kureha Shinogi – the brother of the "cord-cutter", a brilliant doctor and powerful fighter. The first battle is won by Yuujirou Hanma, and Doppo Orochi almost dies. In the second fight, Baki manages to survive all of Kureha's lethal techniques and wins with his skill called Goutaijutsu.