Hanma Baki 10.5 Gaiden - Pickle
Son of Ogre 10.5 - Pickle Special

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Preface:
The side story about everyone's favorite gherkin named prehistoric man! As I write this I am still currently in the process of reading Hanma Baki, so my feelings on the series are not yet finalized but this was definitely a neat little side story.

Story 7/10: While not very long in length, it gives us an introduction to a pretty unique character in the world of Baki. I personally think it would have made more sense if he just devoted an entire volume to this instead of breaking it up into its own separate thing but that is beside the point. The story is simple and ... as follows: A group of excavators find a perfectly preserved T-Rex and what appears to be a human in the midst of combat. They debate on what they should do with him and this amazing discovery. I won't reveal as to how he is revived but it is just your typical caveman brought into the modern era sort of story. Since it is only an introduction to the character, nothing really gets resolved or is there any sort of major conflict. Nothing groundbreaking but if you have made it to this point in Baki, you probably know what to expect in terms of story.

Art 9/10: Itagaki's art at this point in time is actually pretty impressive, especially comparing it to early Grappler Baki. I feel like his action lines and conveying of motion needs to be worked on but he has clearly defined his style by this point. The page spreads are nice and there is just enough detail. Still more or less your typical affair when it comes to Baki in the art department.

Character 8/10: From my initial expectations of Pickle, I thought he was going to be a lot more rampant and destructive, the side story detailing all of his destruction and adjustment to the era he woke up in, but you actually don't get too much of that. His design is decently unique and his approach to issues are not as basic as you would think. He deserves a bit more credit than what others around him think so I expect some interesting things from him. Also the last couple of panels with Pickle are surprisingly cute with him smiling and shaking hands.

Enjoyment 7/10: It is Baki and you know what you get with Baki at this point. Nothing new but if you are invested in the series, you will find it mildly entertaining. Pickle is pretty moe not gonna lie and the creation of such a character is something that could only come from Baki.

Overall 8/10: This will probably take you less than an hour to read so why not just blast through it? You get introduced to a decently unique character and his potential impact on the world around him. It won't rock your world or change how you think about manga but it will do what Baki does best and that is entertain.