Baki-Dou Season 2: What to Expect?

Directed by Toshiki Hirano, season 1 of ‘Baki-Dou,’ also known as ‘Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai,’ adapts the fourth major part of Keisuke Itagaki’s ‘Baki’ manga series, and follows the aftermath of Baki’s fight with his father, Yujiro Hanma. Deemed the battle between the strongest beings on earth, the fight draws a conclusion unlike any other and ushers in an era of boredom. To address this decline in stakes, Tokugawa seeks to bring Miyamoto Musashi back to life and pit history’s most famous samurai against the best martial artists the modern world has to offer. While Netflix has not confirmed a second season as of writing, a continuation of the arc is more than likely, and based on the show’s past release schedule, fans can expect a ‘Baki-Dou’ sequel to release within 2026.

Baki-Dou Season 2 Will Likely Adapt Musashi Vs Pickle and Head to the End of the Arc

Season 2 of ‘Baki-Dou’ will most likely continue the Musashi arc from the manga, moving onto the second half of the story. Like its predecessor, ‘Baki Hanma’, large arcs in ‘Baki’ are often broken down into two seasons, traditionally known as two cours, with a gap in between their release. In the case of ‘Baki Hanma’, the story is split to cover ‘The Father vs. Son Saga’ in the second season, which was released shortly after the first. To that end, a similar schedule and timeframe can be expected for a potential ‘Baki-Dou 2’ release. Regardless, with the most action-heavy parts of the arc still left to be brought to the screen, fans expect the sequel to elevate every character and plot thread introduced thus far.

The first season of ‘Baki-Dou’ intentionally nullifies Musashi’s fight with the two strongest people on earth: Baki and Yujiro, and for good reason. While Baki’s first bout with the legendary samurai can technically be called a draw, it is clear that the young prodigy has a lot to train for, as so far Musashi seems unshakeable. The exact opposite is true in the case of Yujiro, who is simply not much impressed by Musashi as a warrior. As such, the sequel is likely to continue keeping the world’s strongest creature on the sidelines, allowing supporting characters to take the spotlight. With the season finale specifically teasing Pickle’s return as a challenger, the stage is set for Musashi to take on many more people, styles, and ideas.

Baki-Dou Season 2 is All Set to Reintroduce a Fan Favorite Character

Given that ‘Baki-Dou’ ends its first season exactly in the middle of the arc, it is unlikely there will be any major changes to the cast of characters for a potential season 2. Voice actors Shimazaki Nobunaga and Otsuka Akio, who play the classic duo of Baki and Yujiro, are set to reunite with famous voice actor Uchida Naoya, who plays Miyamoto Musashi. Additionally, with the season finale hinting at Pickle’s return, fans can expect Takeshi Kusao to reprise his role in a potential second season, perfectly complementing Musashi’s role in the narrative. Veteran artist Mugihito is also highly likely to continue his role as Mitsunari Tokugawa, the grand orchestrator of this entire operation, and it’s possible fans will catch a few more glimpses of actor Ogata Kenichi, who lends his voice to Kaiou.

The biggest twist in the season is Retsu’s death, which means that voice actor Koyama Rikiya is unlikely to come back for a sequel. Another potential departure is that of actor Miyake Kenta, who is the voice behind Jack Hanma. Unlike the rest, Jack is unlikely to stay around for long after his crushing defeat, but audiences can expect a few more cameos along the way. Sugou Takayuki, Kawahara Yoshihisa, and Shimada Bin are all likely to return to their respective roles of Orochi Doppo, Orochi Katsumi, and Shibukawa Gouki, but this time as spectators to the next lineup of fights. Fans can also expect the characters of Izou Motobe and Kaoru Hanayama to take center stage in a potential season 2 of ‘Baki-Dou,’ as Musashi has yet to battle with both of them.

Baki-Dou Season 2 Will Deconstruct Musashi’s Character Even Further

Although the first season of ‘Baki-Dou’ gives off the illusion that Musashi is almost a godly being, his quick fight with Yujiro is enough to dismantle that notion. In reality, Musashi is subtly presented as a hedonist who used the violence of his era as a means to amass a name and fortune. Even still, his reluctance to accept anything but the sword has proven itself to be a problem, and it is up to Baki and his team to stop him. On the other hand, it appears that Motobe has his own plans to take down the samurai, not with pure martial might, but with an array of hidden weapons that Musashi has no way of recognizing. As a practitioner of obscure arts, Motobe perhaps best understands the distinction between past and present, and with Musashi acting as a walking contradiction, their rivalry is natural.

Apart from Yujiro and Motobe, Baki is likely the only character to see the cracks in how Musashi projects himself to the world. Specifically, while the world sees him as akin to a natural calamity, Baki alone sees him as a nuclear explosion, that is, a human-made crisis that needs to be averted. As the protagonist of the series, Baki is certain to have a proper match with the samurai, but how other characters he parallels, such as Hanayama and Pickle, play into this remains to be seen. Hanayama, in particular, is effectively the polar opposite of Musashi, and while he, too, is thoroughly defeated by Yujiro at the start of the season, there is a chance for him and Musashi to find their wavelength through pure fighting, in true ‘Baki’ fashion.

Read More: Baki-Dou The Invincible Samurai Ending Explained: Is Pickle Coming Back?