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Baki the Grappler is the first part of the anime series adapted from the 1991 eponymous manga by Keisuke Itagaki. With an ongoing third part, titled Baki Hanma, the series has enjoyed a massive fan following for the longest time.
In the series, Baki is seen consuming teeth, and in this article, we will strive to explain the context of the strange action. This article will also give a recap of the events that led up to that scene in the anime, which first came out almost 30 years ago in 1993.
Baki the Grappler: Baki ate Yasha-Zaru's tooth to immortalize his friend's memory
The reason why Baki Hanma ate the teeth of the giant ape Yasha-Zaru in Episode 9 of Baki the Grappler was so that he could remember his friend forever and make Yasha a part of him for all eternity. After Yasha’s death, Baki took his teeth that he was given as a souvenir. As a gesture of lament, he consumed it, commemorating their strong friendship.
The friendship between Yasha-Zaru and Baki Hanma in Baki the Grappler started with a rough patch when both engaged in a fight. This happened right after Baki reached the mountaintop to visit an old friend of his father, a giant man named Reiichi Andou, to train the same way his father did at that place.
In that fight, Yasha almost had the upper hand when Andou came to Baki’s rescue and fended off the ape. Not satisfied with the defeat, Baki once again sought to fight Yasha, and this time he was determined to win.
The second fight between the two proved to be quite a violent affair, with Baki finally making the giant ape yield as Yasha returned to his cave after a respectful stare-off with Baki.
However, the latter realizes that the victory did not seem very enjoyable as he essentially fought with a creature who only wanted to live in peace in his own land. Thus, he became very uncomfortable with the win and decided to visit the ape again, as it had earned his respect.
The strong bond of friendship between the two finally blossomed when it was revealed that the two share a very significant past. Yuujirou Hanma, Baki’s father, killed Yasha-Zaru’s wife, and Baki came back to return her skeleton to Yasha.
Recognizing their mutual respect for one another, the two shared a very emotional moment, and Yasha gave his canine tooth that fell off during their fight to Baki as a token of friendship. Both then shared a bittersweet goodbye.
Unfortunately, Yuujirou later returned to the mountains and killed Yasha-Zaru, absolutely crushing Baki. In a solemn moment of grief, Baki decides to ingest the canine tooth to immortalize his friend’s memory.
Stay tuned for more updates on the return of Baki Hanma, Baki the Grappler, and more shows like One Piece, Tokyo Revengers, Chainsaw Man, and more.
