Anime Expo 2026 attendees witnessed something truly unprecedented when the team behind BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai took the stage for the franchise’s official panel, “Bring It On, BAKI-DOU!” On July 3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the panel paired a behind-the-scenes look at the latest BAKI anime with a live, choreographed performance of one of the season’s signature fights.
Hosted by MC Andrew Alandy, the panel brought together key figures from both sides of the production:
- Yuki Yokoi, Director of the Promotion Department at Akita Shoten (publisher of the original BAKI manga)
- Takayoshi Aso, Producer at TMS Entertainment (anime production)
- Kaz Kobayashi, actor, martial artist, and choreographer
The panel opened with a series overview and a screening of the BAKI-DOU Part 1 PV before transitioning into a moderated discussion across three themes: the journey from concept to anime adaptation, the production challenge of layering authentic swordsmanship onto the series’ grappling foundation, and the response to the latest season.
Yokoi framed the new arc’s significance within the franchise: “The earlier series was about a fight between father and son that reached its resolution. This series is about facing a greater power in the wake of that resolution. What’s really special this time is that we’ve introduced the sword—and with the sword comes the idea of death, a concept that’s new and deeply meaningful to this series.”
Aso elaborated on the creative vision: “When we spoke with the director, one of the things we focused on was how we could take the strongest swordsman in the Sengoku era and bring him into conflict with the fighters of today. When you bring in sword battles, you bring in death. So we’ve thought a lot about that tension, the possibility of death, and how to convey it to the viewers.”
Drawing on his own background in swordsmanship, Kobayashi spoke to the historical Musashi’s significance: “For his time, he was a symbol of ultimate strength, and going beyond that, his techniques weren’t just about fighting; they were rooted in the truths of survival, which you can see in the anime as well.”
The panel’s centerpiece arrived when Kobayashi performed a solo Iai demonstration as the revived Musashi, followed by a live, choreographed battle alongside Logan Chitwood (who plays Yujiro Hanma to an online following of more than 25 million). The two staged the Episode 12 “Yujiro vs. Musashi” battle in two parts against the season’s footage. Choreographed by Kobayashi, the fight carried across the panel room as attendees rose to follow the action, closing to thunderous applause.
Attendees participated in two challenges: a Yujiro grip-strength contest hosted by Chitwood and a sword-reaction challenge hosted by Kobayashi, with limited BAKI-DOU original towels as prizes. As a final surprise, a manga volume signed by series creator Keisuke Itagaki was awarded through a hall-wide game of rock-paper-scissors against Yokoi.
From a live Musashi vs. Yujiro showdown to behind-the-scenes insights and audience challenges, the “Bring It On, BAKI-DOU!” panel was one of Anime Expo 2026’s most memorable events. Both parts of BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai are now streaming exclusively on Netflix. The original manga is available in English from Kodama Tales.
Source: Akita Shoten/TMS Entertainment
