Baki Really Did It: The Hit Manga Just Dropped a Shocking Presidential Cameo with Elon Musk
While the President of the United States is often regarded as the most powerful person on Earth, that title is relative in the universe of Baki the Grappler. In Baki's world, where individuals possess superhuman abilities, "power" is defined by physical strength, fighting skills, and martial arts prowess. Anyone who lacks these attributes is considered weak — plain and simple.
However, to Baki's father, Yujiro Hanma, the notion that the President is the most powerful person on the planet is neither relative nor absolute — it’s simply incorrect. Whether a President possesses the physical strength to personally defeat anyone who threatens him or, as the traditional view suggests, wields the authority to impose his will as the leader of the world’s strongest nation, he would never be able to force Yujiro to submit. In fact, the opposite is true: it is Yujiro who would impose his will on the President.
Baki Rehan Continues the Franchise's Tradition of Including American Presidents in Its Storyline
Another Meeting Between Trump and Yujiro Hanma
Nowhere is this power dynamic more evident than in Keisuke Itagaki’s Baki Rahen Chapter #39. Baki Rahen is the latest installment in the Baki the Grappler manga franchise. In this chapter, American President Trump calls his advisor Elon Musk in to discuss a matter of urgent importance — namely, Trump's decision to pledge non-aggression to Yujiro, who the President believes is stronger than the United States government and military combined. Flabbergasted that the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military is afraid of one man, Musk, in true fashion, demands to meet Yujiro.
Against his better judgment, Trump reluctantly agrees to arrange a meeting. Musk, unsure of what to expect, is immediately taken aback by Yujiro, and his overwhelming aura of superiority. It's clear that all three men recognize Yujiro as the most powerful person on Earth. Of course, they are happy that Yujiro doesn't have much interest in politics - as long as it doesn't interfere with his fighting activities.
This isn't Trump's first encounter with Yujiro's formidable presence. In Baki-Dou (2013) Chapter #135, in one of Baki's craziest moments, incoming President Trump experienced a similar realization with Obama during the traditional pre-inauguration meeting. Obama reveals that all American presidents are forced to pledge their alliance to Yujiro to avoid unnecessary American casualties. He advises Trump to adopt the same policy for the country's sake. Trump, now back in power, intends to continue this cautious approach. Other former presidents who have "bent a knee" to Yujiro include Biden, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan.
Baki's Hanma Family Stands Above US Presidents
A Fun Tradition for the Over-the-Top Manga
Elon is likely to find out soon that there’s a rock-solid reason why successive American presidents have been so cautious in their interactions with Yujiro Hanma — namely, his and his father’s history with the U.S. government. His father, Yuichiro Hanma — Baki's grandfather — left an indelible mark during World War II. As depicted in Baki Hanma Chapter #286, Yuichiro single-handedly defeated an entire American naval battleship group after they laid siege to the island he was living on. Decades later, as shown in Baki Hanma, Yujiro followed in his father’s footsteps. While still a teenager, he took on American forces in Vietnam and effortlessly defeated them.
Keisuke Itagaki’s long-standing and ongoing inclusion of American presidents in the Baki series is an intriguing aspect of the franchise. Few mangaka show an interest or inclination in incorporating real-world political figures into their narratives, making Itagaki’s approach particularly unique. Whatever his reasons for introducing this element, it has now become a signature feature of the series.
At this point, for him to suddenly stop referencing American presidents would feel unusual. So, it was only a matter of time before Baki's Yujiro would once again cross paths with Trump — and meet his chief assistant, Musk.
Baki
- Release Date
- 2018 - 2020-00-00
Baki (2018) is a Japanese anime adaptation of Keisuke Itagaki’s manga series. The show follows Baki Hanma, a young martial artist determined to surpass his legendary father, Yujiro Hanma, as the strongest fighter in the world. The series features intense battles, diverse combat styles, and explores the extremes of physical and mental strength. Baki engages in deadly tournaments and confronts dangerous adversaries as he strives to achieve his goal.
- Franchise(s)
- Baki the Grappler
- Main Genre
- Action
- Creator(s)
- Keisuke Itagaki
