Season 1 of Baki the Grappler premiered on January 8, 2001.

In the saga, Baki and other characters from China, Japan, and the USA take part in the Great Raitai Tournament, a martial arts tournament that happens once every 100 years in China.

Season 2 of Baki the Grappler premiered on July 23, 2001.

The plot of this saga tells the story of a great martial arts tournament, which is organized by Mitsunari Tokugawa in the Underground Arena. At the very beginning, Tokugawa meets with various people from the upper classes and tells them to bring the strongest fighters from around the world. He also explains that the prize for the winner will be a great Pankration belt.