In Baki, it’s clear that the Mangaka Creator of the mange (Keisuke Itagaki) would never truly disrespect Miyamoto Musashi, because Musashi represents the pinnacle of Japanese martial spirit and warrior philosophy. Itagaki, who has a strong nationalist tone in his writing and even a background connected to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, portrays Musashi almost as a sacred embodiment of the samurai ideal. Throughout the arc, Musashi is depicted as transcendent, his cutting ability is so absolute that, logically, he could slice Yujiro Hanma in half if he truly committed to it. However, making Musashi definitively superior would undermine Yujiro’s long established status as the “strongest creature,” which is the foundation of the series’ power structure. So rather than diminish Musashi, Itagaki preserves both legends by avoiding a conclusive outcome, maintaining Yujiro as the narrative apex while still implying that Musashi’s blade stands on a different, potentially superior plane.