‘Baki Hanma’ Season 2, Part 1 Ending Explained: Who Wins Baki vs. Pickle?
Welcome to the Ending Explained for Baki Hanma, Season 2, Part 1. Netflix is going by this release’s schedule once again. It seems like this release strategy is working out as more and more series are applying it. While the first part of season 2 releases this week, we must wait at least a month before seeing the rest of the season. This makes sense because the second half of the season will deal with a different arc. And so, this first part of the season adapts one of the most iconic arcs in the manga, “The Pickle Wars.” The arc is actually quite simple, so it is quite interesting that the series still manages to be so compelling.
The reason for it is that the series spends a lot of time focusing on the characters and not much else. The series introduces many real-life facts into the story. They build the world the story sets in, but somehow the world of the series is always elevated by the inhuman feats that most characters accomplish.
Also, this arc’s premise is one of the most outlandish in the entire series. However, it is such a compelling challenge for the characters that you always want to see one more fight. The season maintains the same level of animation, which is disappointing at times, but it does the job of adapting the story for the screen.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Baki Hanma, Season 2, Part 1. Read at your own risk.
How Does Pickle Arrive To Our Current World?
As a series, Baki is all about fighting and proving who is the strongest. The only way to achieve this goal is to find someone who is stronger than you and challenge them. The logic tells you that you can meet a stronger person on their level at some point through this challenge.
And so, Baki is always introducing new challenges to our main character, Baki, and the rest of the supporting roster, who all share the passion for fighting and improving their strength. However, some methods these people used to become stronger are out there, and the promise for this season is even more out there than usual.
The episode begins by giving us a glimpse of an amazing discovery. We see that a group of miners has discovered something deep within the earth: the something in question is a huge chunk of ice. However, what is really important is what is preserved inside the ice.
We see a preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex, all teeth and size. The creature is terrifying, but that is not the craziest thing. The ice preserved not only the dinosaur but also a man, who is seen battling the dinosaur. The vision makes no sense. Humans and dinosaurs never shared the planet Earth at the same time, yet here they are together, frozen in battle.
The discovery news quickly reaches the ears of some of the most powerful warriors on Earth, who all become quite curious about this caveman. A scientist is beaten by curiosity and starts cooking some T. rex meat.
The smell wakes the caveman, who has been baptized at this point, Pickle. Pickle seems unbeatable, and the entire US army cannot stop. He is then taken to Japan. There he is put into a facility, but Yuujiro Hanma and many of the other fighters just break into me him. They all agree that Pickle is just an amazing specimen, and they want to fight him.
Pickle seems to be having a hard time getting used to modern society, and finding food is also an issue. He only eats meat that he has hunted, and here he has nothing to hunt. That is until he meets Retsu, a master martial artist. Retsu is excited to battle the caveman, and Pickle realizes that this is not a mere fighter. This is a challenge, and so, a prey. They exchange blows, but Retsu is just outmatched, and Pickle tries to eat him. In the end, Retsu manages to win the fight but loses one of his legs in the process.
Who Wins Baki Vs. Pickle?
Of course, our main character, Baki, hears the news about Pickle and meets him very early in the season when Pickle escapes his facility looking for food. Hanayama also meets the giant man, and they get to fight for a bit.
During this exchange, Pickle is impressed by the yakuza’s strength, which reminds him of when he fought dinosaurs. Baki appears to stop the fight, but Pickle also recognizes him as someone who is quite strong. Their battle is postponed, but both have their eyes on each other.
Katsumi, who has also been trying to prove himself, hears the news from Retsu and starts training to defeat Pickle. Retsu and Katsumi train together, and the result is Katsumi manages to create a powerful technique that allows him to punch at the speed of Match 1.
On the day of the battle, Katsumi’s entire clan goes to see the fight, and when he tries his technique, he manages to knock down Pickle. However, his arm is completely destroyed. He uses his arm as a whip, destroying it even more.
Katsumi thought he had won the fight, but Pickle was just sleeping. He doesn’t see Katsumi as a threat now that he is badly hurt. Katsumi loses his arm, and he is taken away from the arena.
Pickle seems unbeatable in normal circumstances; everyone is left scarred. Jack Hanma also tries his luck, and he is equally devastated by Pickle, who almost destroys Jack’s entire face. Meanwhile, Baki often meets with Pickle, and they seem to become friends. Pickle becomes more docile now that he is being fed, so he has no reason to fight.
Baki decides to taunt Pickle, which ignites his anger, and their fight finally begins. It is a brutal fight. Pickle is much bigger and stronger, but Baki has something that Pickle doesn’t have: technique. By using his knowledge of all martial arts, Baki can make Pickle feel pain as he has never felt before.
The fight ends in a sort of stalemate. Retsu believes that Pickle is the winner, while Hanayama thinks the opposite. It doesn’t really matter, though. Both fighters are friends and look at the city skyline from the top of a building after their fight is over.
The season ends with humanity deciding to put Pickle back to sleep as a sort of mercy. However, Pickle doesn’t seem to think the same, and he disappears in Tokyo.
