Danica Davidson
February 22, 2025 
Using comics as a means of political spoof has a long history in both America and Japan, and Baki Rahen, the latest in the Baki the Grappler franchise, recently went after President Donald Trump and DOGE’s Elon Musk.
Keisuke Itagaki, the creator of Baki, also has a history of spoofing American politicians in his comics, including former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, and former First Lady and Senator Hillary Clinton. He’s made fun of President Trump before, too, like having Trump plead with character Yuujirou not to acknowledge Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential win. Yuujirou beat him up after this.
In this new comic, which comes to us via Weekly Shonen Champion, President Trump is referred to as “Trunp” and Elon Musk is referred to as “Elom.” America has sworn an oath of non-aggression toward aforementioned Baki bad guy Yuujirou Hanma. Elom scoffs at Yuujirou’s power, while Trunp is concerned he’s actually quite dangerous.
Elom responds, “That doesn’t make any sense! Can we not just arrest him?”
To which Trunp answers, “Everyone’s hopeless, down to the military!”
Then Elom wants to meet Yuujirou. The two men go to see him, but when they do, they’re terrified. Yuujirou sends his fist soaring at Elom, and while he pulls the punch short, he knocks back the skin on Elom’s face from the sheer force of it.
Going further, Yuujirou threatens to sexually assault the two trembling men, which appears to be a reference to President Trump’s Access Hollywood tape where he bragged about groping women, and how a jury decided he had sexually abused E. Jean Carroll.
https://twitter.com/teambaki/status/1892529129213309145
Not content with just roughing up these two men, Yuujirou continues, “Call your security in, too. More the merrier.”
Keisuke Itagaki isn’t the only person who has used manga to spoof President Trump. In 2016, the Tokyo Shinbun published a comic showing Trump as a Titan rampaging, in a clear spoof of Attack on Titan.
Source: Polygon
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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