Netflix’s seasons rush through exposition to get to the blood. The 2001 series takes its time. You watch Baki train until his bones break. You see the emotional toll of his obsession with strength. The "Walking" episodes where Baki simply reflects on his life are often cited as the best character moments in the franchise.
Unlike the later Netflix seasons, which focus on underground arena fighters vs. convicts or the Raitai Tournament, the 2001 anime has a raw, late-90s OVA feel: grittier linework, hand-drawn violence, and a more psychological focus on Baki’s childhood trauma and training. Baki The Grappler Full Episodes
A: No. Baki the Grappler (2001) is the prequel. Baki (2018) is the sequel. Netflix’s seasons rush through exposition to get to