I recently decided to get into Baki the Grappler, and boy am I glad I did. It redefines over-the-top martial arts violence, with some really excellent fights and great characters.
if you want to read it, there are 3 series. Baki the Grappler is first, and only the first 90 chapters or so are scanlated. Baki is introduced, and wins a few underground fighting ring battles. then it goes into flashback mode, detailing the beginnings of Baki's quest to surpass his father. but then like I said the scans stop, and you'll have to download the raws or watch the anime to find out what happens, which is a damn shame because what happens is important as balls.
If you don't want to take the extra time to read the rest of part 1, here's all you need to know -
! Hanayama breaks Yuri, because he won't throw a fight. Baki fights Hanayama and beats him. Then Baki goes to train in the mountains with a guy named Andore, and fights this Yasha Ape. He really levels up, and eventually beats it. after that Yuujiro and Emi's past is revealed - she loves his power and demonic strength, and wanted to help him bear a son worthy of challenging him. Baki goes and fights some commandos, notably Gaia, who uses tactics and almost ninja-magic. Finally Baki feels ready to fight his father, and fights with Yuri and Hanayama as a warm-up. But of course Yuujiro beats him into the ground, and is going to kill his weak ass. But some maternal instinct triggers in Emi, and she rushes in to save him. So Yuujiro crushes her with a bear hug. Disgusted by everything that isn't him, Yuujiro leaves Baki to carry his dying mother and bury her among the flowers on the side of a river.
! then we're done with the flashback, and continue with the chronological story.
! Tokugawa organizes the mother of all tournaments, and not a single fight is skipped. important plot points that happen among a string of fights:
-this guy called Jack Hammer is on steroids like crazy and pretty tough. he bites people's fingers off
-Doppo Orochi's son, Katsumi Orochi, is also a badass
-The Yasha ape was brought in for some reason, but Katsumi deals with it
-Katsumi even defeats Hanayama in a really close match, leaving him heavily wounded
-this old guy named Shibukawa Gouki is kicking ass, throwing people around like whatever
-Kinogi and Kureha Koushou fight, they have brotherly drama, but Kureha wins
-the boxer Iron Michael and this delinquent Shingo have a bloody honorable slugfest that leaves them both unable to compete
-because Yuujiro just came in and killed some people, Mount Toba steps in as a reserve
-Igari is a wrestler who is feeling his age, and uses dirty tricks to try and beat Baki, but it doesn't work
-Chinese badass Retsu Kaioh beats the tar out of lots of people, including Toba and KOs Katsumi in a single hit
-on the other side of the bracket, Gouki defeats Doppo
-Jack Hammer defeats Gouki, biting his achilles tendon
-despite honestly taking what should have been fatal damage, Baki defeats Retsu Kaioh
-Jack reveals that he is really Jack Hanma, his Canadian mother was raped by Yuujiro and he's also out to kill his dad. he was a weakling, but he found a doctor who gave him super steroids and shit
-Jack and Baki fight, Jack keeps trying to bite Baki, lots of intense hits, but the clincher comes when Jack's pre-game steroid rush wears off
-Baki wins the tourney and also this whole time he was building a relationship with that girl whose house he lives in
-Igari has a noble final fight with Toba (who dies afterwords)
anyway, however to decide to experience part 1, it's time for New Grappler Baki, which is scanlated in its entirety. This is the high point of the series, for me. While part 1 was kind of the Baki Show, this one lets the side characters have a lot of cool moments as well, and really captures the feeling of "there are a dozen top-level martial artists living in the same city and they just bump into each other and fight okay". also there's an arc featuring the 148-year-old master of all chinese kenpo, Kaku Kaioh. also Muhammen Ali's son is in this part.
then finally, Baki Son of Ogre. This still has a gap in the middle that people are working on scanlating, but you can read Baki's fight with the Strongest Man in America, Biscuit Oliva, as well as the whole thing about Pickle, the neolithic warrior brought back to life. then there's that gap, which I don't know what happens in, but at long last the final confrontation with Yuujiro.
anyway, it's a really manly and ridiculous manga. If you liked the part in Toriko where he punched Tommyrod despite not having a hand, or Zoro's "nothing happened at all", or HxH's over-dramatic descriptions of split-second thoughts and praise for the fighters, you will love this manga.
I just want to talk about it with someone…
I'm up all night to get lucky.