Summary
Things start to look up for Baki in “Turnaround”, as Mohammad Alai Jr also proves himself in the tournament’s first round.
This recap of Baki season 3, episode 2, “Turnaround”, contains spoilers. You can check out our thoughts on the previous episode by clicking these words.
Check out our review of the first season.
Check out our review of the second season.
Check out all our recaps of this season.
After a bloody, unexpected opening fight, “Turnaround” quickly introduces the second matchup: Mohammad Alai Jr. versus Sea King Jo. Before the fight, he talks with Kozue about the state of Baki. Alai Jr comforts her and promises if he’s to fight Baki he’ll make it end without trouble.
Sea King Jo is a giant, but Alai Jr drops him with a speedy uppercut to the junk. We get some useful dialogue about how the Sea Kings are the proud defenders of the country — they can’t fall to foreign fighters twice in a row. But Jo needs some time to recover from the low blow. He rushes back into the fight, and Alai uses his speed to slip and counter, knocking Jo out in one shot. The ministry are not keen on the outcome.
A severely emaciated Baki is next up to bat in Baki season 3, episode 2, and his opponent, Sea King Li, is apparently the greatest Poison Hand user in all of China. Baki’s spewing blood and is in no fit state to do anything, but his condition seems to be affecting Kozue more than himself; she breaks down and starts wailing on Retsu for sharing the information.
Baki takes the stage to some concerned comments from the crowd. He drops Li with a kick, but takes a clean hit from the Poison Hand for his trouble — a big purple pustule swells up on his foot, so Baki bites into it and sucks the poison out. They continue to fight, with Li taking the early advantage; Baki collapses, spewing blood everywhere, while Yujiro looks on. Kozue tearfully inspires him, and her tears negate the poison. Yujiro gives some explanation about the history of the Poison Hand technique, and the specific circumstances about negating the poison. Whatever might have done it, the tears or Yin and Yang or a chemical released by Baki’s brain, Li says himself it’s bad news. Baki is fully reinvigorated, and thus he wins easily.
Backstage, Baki and Kozue embrace. Things are getting interesting.
