Baccano!

I was expecting a decent mafia series, instead I got a Pulp Fiction wannabe with supernatural elements. If they kept it down to earth and trimmed the fat it could have been good but they wanted to make a series about immortal generic anime teens cosplaying as mafia gangsters while also trying to appear hip by throwing as many characters at you as possible, engaging in senseless violence for the sake of senseless violence, being self-aware and introducing plot elements out of order for no reason. It's pretentious garbage that insults the viewer's intelligence.

The artwork quality was passable and the opening/ending themes were fine, but ... the real problems are with the story and characters - no amount of visual or sound quality can fix a flawed premise. The characters are extremely forgettable primarily due to just how many are introduced in such a short period of time, and their lack of depth. The series also asks you to suspend disbelief enough to believe characters who look like emo teens would proliferate 1930's organized crime. Their personalities are mostly copy-and-pasted from each other and I had no interest in learning anything more about them. The fact that the characters are immortal also means there is no tension about what will happen to them. This is not a series I would recommend to people who value their time.

Baccano! is one of those shows that over-complicates everything in an attempt to make itself look cerebral and intelligent. In reality, I feel this show probably appeals most to the lowest-common-denominator.

Right away in the first episode, we're introduced to so many different characters it's hard to say we learn anything about any of them. I had difficulty keeping the characters straight, and that's partially because a lot of them are very same-y. They feel 1D, shallow, one-note, etc. I guess the series tries to compensate for this by having a billion of them.

This show also massively overuses violence. I don't mind violence, even ... brutal, gory violence. But there is so much over-the-top violence in this show that it loses all meaning. Brutal violence should shock and disturb me. After the first couple of times I saw a guy get beaten to death in this show I just lost interest.

The only good thing I can say about this show is it has a nice soundtrack.

Baccano wins a handful of personal awards from yours truly and is a serious contender for several others. These include "Most Disjointed Anime", "Most Pointless Anime", "Worst Fake Accents in Anime" and more!

I really, really disliked this series. Yuki Kajiura's catchy soundtrack is not enough to detract from the plethora of problems here. First of all, this anime is absolutely pointless. This is not a matter of me "not getting it"; there is simply nothing to get. There is no bigger picture message, there is no social commentary and there is no buildup to that amazing hits you in the feels moment. This anime simply ... lacks purpose.

Secondly, it's a convoluted mess. Too many characters, too many side stories (all of which have no purpose), random comic relief characters that don't add anything to the story, too many time jumps (which do not enhance the viewing experience in any way) and it all amounts to nothing. I envision this anime coming about after the creator went out for a night of heavy drinking. Dude, let's have a mafia anime! Bro, let's add paranormal elements! Yeah, great idea! Dude, know what would be cool? Let's also make it a comedy! Dude, that's genius! Bro, I've got it! Let's tell the story out of order! Broooooo, that's so good! Take whatever random non cohesive pieces you can think of, throw them in a pot, stir gently and POOF- Baccano!

There are COUNTLESS examples of "this really doesn't go with that" in this anime, but one that particularly irks me is opting to have the nastiest, most gruesome murderer in the entire anime (and I'm talking really gruesome, Elfen Lied/When They Cry kind of stuff) sometimes also serve as a comedic character. It just doesn't work. It's one of many disjointed elements that plague this anime from start to finish.

Also, a MASSIVE pet peeve of mine is bad fake accents and this anime is bar none THE worst offender I have ever seen. New York, French and Italian accents are ALL faked in this anime in the English dub and they're all awful. I'm not sure if it is through extreme loyalty to the same five people Funimation seems to hire for every single role ever or if they're just too damn lazy to go out and hire an actual New Yorker or actual French or Italian person, but you might as well have had some teenager recite the line "It's a-me- MARIO!" and it'd be about on par with what we get here. Perhaps the young, uncultured people who generally watch anime and have never gotten to actually travel wouldn't be as offended by this as I am, but as someone who has actually been to New York, been to France and been to Italy I can tell you the accents in this anime are AWFUL.

At no point did I feel engaged in this anime or compelled to watch more. There is no emotional depth whatsoever and nothing is designed to come even close to hitting you in the feels. Between that and the directionless plot, it just never felt like there was much reason to watch.

If you've made it this far you know how I feel about this anime and don't need a summary. Baccano, in my eyes, is a convoluted, pointless, very poorly voice-acted mess and I have zero desire to ever watch it again.

OBJECTIVE RATING 5.5-6
PERSONAL ENJOYMENT RATING- 5

Please be ready, cause this will be a long one!

BACCANO is INSANE in the best way possible! It's got everything – wild storylines about humanity, (in)justice, and life-changing lessons (if you want to look at it this way), all tangled up with crazy amounts of blood, action, and spiced (cursive) up with a lot of dark humor. It's such a wild mix but it totally works.

Let's talk characters because Miria and Isaac completely stole my heart. These two, as Jacuzzi clearly put it, are self-centered dup who bring a much-needed touch of humor and absurdity to the otherwise dark and terrifying scenes. Episode 8 is ... hands down my favorite. Meh, to be honest, every scene with them is my FAVORITE. And let's not forget the growth and depth of Maiza and the other immortals (as well as other living ordinary humans, such as me) – finally, immortals on screen who aren't just clichés (rich vampires, or people who are bored of living)! Each character is COLORFUL and unique, making the cast unforgettable. Solid 10/10 from me.

The plot is another masterpiece. Like "Durarara," "Baccano!" (I should switch them up, but I watched Durarara!! first) shows its story like a puzzle. With each episode, more pieces fall into place, giving us the bigger picture. The pacing, the woven-in "lessons," and again, the humor, are all A TOP. Another 10/10.

Now, THE SOUNDTRACK (imagine sparkling emojis here). It adds layers of depth to every scene, which made me feel the intensity right down to your bones. A perfect score here as well.

I MIGHT BE BIASED, AND I DON'T GIVE A FUCK. Watch it, and do it right now.

A show with Top 100 stats on both ends of MyAnimeList is worthy of a little attention and combined with having friends who both loved and hated the show made me enter it with quite a large amount of curiousity. A definite good thing about Baccano is it instantly thrusts the viewer into its OP, a very snazzy and jazzy piece that introduces you to the important players of the show in a way that feels like it is lifted right out of a Quentin Tarantino movie. It is quite effective at setting the mood of the show and doing something which I feel the ... show does, for the most part, effectively: Showing instead of telling. Showing off all these characters in the OP and effectively means we skip a fair deal of silly introduction and get into things faster.

The plot itself takes a nonlinear format that instantly made me think of Pulp Fiction, with Isaac and Miria filling a similiar role to Pumpkin and Honey Bunny. Aboard the train the Flying Pussyfoot, a collection of the main characters in our opening (mostly) all board it for a variety of reasons, with their motivations and how they got there being told in frequent story sections and cuts to the past and future to show us. The nonlinear story telling for the most part works, but in a few places it leaves plot lines fraying and irrelevant to the overall narrative, with this being most obvious with the stuff involving Eve, as most of the things relevant to the plot occur during the Firo plot anyway. I feel as though chopping off a few less relevant plot threads for some of the stronger or more notable ones would have done a very good job at stregthening the narrative.

Going into each plot into full detail would not only greatly spoil the show, but also take forever to actually go over, so I'll mostly briefly go over the primary plot on the Flying Pussyfoot. It primarily focuses on the entanglement of multiple forces who are all plotting to take control of the train for different reasons, ranging from an ill-thought-out robbery to the release of a prisoner from a US Senator via extortion, and how all of them collide together. Some get more screen time than others, with Nice and her group feeling sadly irrelevant. One great thing though is that three of the best characters in the show get the most screen time in the show: The duo of Isaac and Miria and their crazy, stupid and hilarious antics, and Ladd Russo, an assassin of the Russo family who lives for the thrill of murder and is ABSOLUTELY insane, although somehow NOT the craziest or edgiest character in the show.

These three together do a good job carrying a feel deal of the show with hilarious antics with some drama to them, and the show is usually at its best when focusing on their antics. In addition to the plot of everyone colliding on the train, there is the plot of the supernatural "Rail Tracer", an entity seen in Isaac and Miria's made-up story that goes onto trains and gobbles up all of its passengers...right before a string of murders begins just as described! I won't go into detail here, in part because discussing anything aside from the basics essentially requires spoiling you on a major plot point, but I will say that the Rail Tracer story line was very disappointing to me, and that I wish they had gone for something with a more supernatural, maybe even less explained edge. And yes I know that it has to follow the light novels, but that doesn't mean I have to like that part of the light novel's storyline.

I also personally found the stuff with Szilard slightly...disappointing for what is essentially the buildup of one of the bigger bad guys on the show, although this is moreso whenw e see the stuff with him in the past rather than him in the future. again, difficult to discuss, as the nonlinear nature of the plot can make discussing one thing a spoiler for other parts.

The plot felt like it would have benefitted from some streamlining to be really good, like removing Eve's plot, but instead ends in a spot where it goes from anywhere between really fun (Isaac and Miria or Ladd being insane) to somewhat interesting but not breathtaking (stuff with the Gandors and Firo) to active dislike (the Rail Tracer). The decidedly mixed end bag ends the show on a feeling of average plot.

Art-wise and sound-wise, the show is good with a variety of character designs, some pretty well handled shots, some decently jazzy backgrounds and a really nice OP. It isn't anything that will BLOW YOU AWAY or anything, but it looks noticeably good and has some really good voice acting (NOTE: I watched the sub), like Isaac, Miria, Ladd and Nice's. Jacuzzi's voice actor was perhaps too good at his job, though, as there were a few times it made me want to really punch the character.

The show ultimately ended up feeling, to me, like something with plenty of bits of good and bad that all got souped and mixed together, and a work with a bit too little room to breathe in it. The good outweighs the bad to me, I think, but the Rail Tracer plotline ends up a solid disappointment that harms some earlier segments, and the complex narrative combined with the amount of characters it is juggling means that it ends up dropping some balls. Worth a watch when it has a good deal to chew on, but not something I think I'll find myself remembering a lot.

Baccano! was one of those anime that I knew about, but didn't really watch because I didn't think it was my type of anime. One day, I decided to give this a try, and it turned out great.

Story/Character: 9/10
I decided to merge these two categories together because I believe that they are more connected in this anime than in any other. Of course, all plots are made up of the characters, but Baccano! is more than that. Baccano! has an extraordinary amount of characters, and it was difficult for me at the start to determine which ones were the main characters. To be honest, I ... was slightly confused by the time leaps between the episodes. But once I got the hang of it, I really got to understand more and more about how all the characters are connected and related to each other. I started seeing the big picture. That was what I found very entertaining about this anime: how ALL of the characters matter, and how strangers can meet and become good friends in a very short time.

Art: 8/10
Quite distinguishable. The characters in Baccano! all have unique appearances and/or expressions that help you remember who is who. This aspect of the anime was done very well to help the characters leave deeper impressions on the audience. Aside from the appearance of characters, the background scenes also contained a vibe that gave the audience either a positive or negative feeling depending on what is about to happen next. I personally liked the Pumpkinhead and Santa Claus. (See opening)

Sound: 9/10
The jazz music in Baccano! was not only extremely sonorous but also very groovy. There isn't a lot of anime out there whose openings do not have lyrics, and Baccano! is quite unique in this respect. When I first listened to the opening, the catchy tone caught me by surprise and whenever it is played, I can't help tapping my fingers. Aside from the opening, the other OST pieces that are played are just earcandy. The set up of crazy rhythms often depict a situation that IS CRAZY. The appearance of a calm, country piece serves to juxtapose the darker sides of the anime.

Enjoyment/Overall: 9/10
I quite enjoyed this anime, once you get to a certain event in the anime, the cliffhangers really start hanging you. Amazing in all aspects, this anime is an anime that should be watched by BOTH mystery and comedy fans. One thing that I did not really like about this anime was the time leaps between the episodes. Many anime have time leaps that show what ACTUALLY happened before the start or some sort of knowledge that they give the audience afterwards. However, this anime seemed to have too much time leaps that was not necessary. It kind of confused my sense of time as I watching it, and this was why I did not give this anime a 10. However, despite, this aspect of the anime, you should give this a try by all means, if you like comedy and/or mystery genres.

Last week I finished the anime Bacanno! I title that is loved greatly by people like IrishAnimeFan and gigguk. But what about me? What did I think of it? Let's find out.

The Story

During the late 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary journey that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis, are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. In addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are ... about to learn the price of immortality.

Now something those who didn't check this series yet might not know, is that they have a "Pulp Fiction" style of telling there three stories. They're told all at once. Instead of telling one, and going to the next afterwards. A technique that could be confusing at first, but you begin to follow it as it goes on. And you can tell which story is being told when it starts focusing on it. Plus, it has very creepy and interesting ideas of being "immortal", which are shown in very graphic ways. If there is one flaw with it's story telling, is that it has romantic aspects to it that don't go anywhere and are barely focused. There may be some things left barely touched, but it does give you many surprises that will keep you engaged.

The Animation

Like a lot of animes I've seen both good and bad, the animation is pretty good. It captures the creepiness the show would have, and the movements are done perfectly......That's about it. Don't see any point talking about the animes animation, when 98% percent of anime has really good animation.

The Characters

Now there are ALOT of characters, so I might just talk about the ones I enjoy the most. I'll first talk about perhaps the most popular characters, Isaac and Miria. They. Were. Fucking. Hilarious. Every time they've been on screen, it was just a delight. They're one of those anti heroes you can't help but root for just for how fun and nice they are. Caitlin Glass and J. Michael Tatum did a great job with the voices, capturing they're behavior well. Then there's.......actually, my favorite characters, Jacuzzi Splot and Nice Holystone. Jacuzzi is an interesting choice for a leader, because he doesn't act like one. He's cowardly and frail, but despite this, he always steps in to fight when his friends are in danger. That and his voice sounds like Greg Ayres talking through a cheese grater. Plus, I loved the relationship he had with Nice. When we discover there backstory, we see why he has that tattoo on his face, and why Nice is scarred and has one eye. I won't say due to spoilers, but what Jacuzzi did for Nice is one of the nicest things ANYONE could do for another. Nice Holystone was just as awesome. An expert with explosion, and at times fangasming at her own. But also has a sweeter side. Ennis was your typical emotionless girl that gains human emotions and independence from hanging out with Isaac and Miria. (Possibly) But to be fair, it's done very well. And she is an interesting character. Benjamin was just creepy to me (At first). He suffers from what IrishAnimeFan calls "Signs Syndrome". In which he's a kid who acts more like an adult then.....well, the adult characters. But as we get farther into the show, we discover his past somewhat and all the horrible things he's endured, and you just feel sorry for him. But one downgrade is that he screams like a girl. Most of the other characters are mostly psychotic killers, nice guys, and innocent children, so you'll have to see them for yourself. This is a huge cast of characters, but the ones that stand out, REALLY stand out.

Overall

This was an exhilarating ride. If you enjoy animes with a great combo of Action, Comedy, and some Drama, (Like Cowboy Bebop) this title is right up your ally. The only warning I would give is that it's very gory at times, that it ALMOST reaches "Elfen Lied" standards. I give this anime an 8 out of 10.

Baccano! is an interesting series. It's interesting in the sense that I wanted to like it more than I did. It has great characters which drive the series, and it's been hyped up by fans that love the delivery of the story. As I said, I wanted to like it more than I did, but alas, it sits at a low 7 in my book.

The story itself is what cripples this series. They took an incredibly interesting concept and packaged it into a mediocre (at best) story, and then they chopped it up into a jigsaw puzzle and threw the pieces all over the table. ... That's the format of Baccano! in a nutshell. It's done in an interesting way, but the story isn't interesting enough to be delivered in such a way.

The story is a simple one. If you've read the synopsis then you pretty much know the story. It's not complicated at all. In fact, it sounds more interesting than it is. I have not read the light novels, but I assume that they are at least better than this bare bones story where nothing substantial actually happens. I was bored for much of the series, but there were some redeeming scenes that were salvaged due to the wonderful characters.

Yes, the characters were great. If not for the diverse characters in Baccano! then I would not have made it to the end. The only complaint I have on the characters is that they were developed too late in the story. They were all introduced (and it's a fairly large cast mind you) early on with very little development. It jumps between too many characters each episode. Instead of focusing on 2 or 3 at a time they simply tried to fill each episode with the entire case. It made it difficult to get through the first few episodes, and when it finally shows you "enough" then the lack of focus becomes tolerable.

I mentioned this series being a scattered jigsaw puzzle, which I think was a great idea (on paper), but they constantly switched between different years and different characters so that it felt as if the series itself had A.D.D. It was a tease that wasn't done correctly. I wasn't on the edge of my seat once during this series. When they finally showed where the immortality came from (which is still vaguely explained) it then jumps right back to one of the later events and times. It really needed to focus a little longer before it transitioned to a different subject.

Overall the artwork and animation were ok, the sound was hit or miss at times, and the quality really was missing on the story and enjoyment. They had interesting fight scenes, bloody moments, hilarious moments, but then the drama fell very short. It definitely isn't the masterpiece I have heard others say it is. That said, it wasn't horrible and it may even be better on a second run (though I'm not rushing to see it again).

In short, I was bored at times, but I laughed at times. I loved some of the characters, but I did wait for a story that never delivered. It's worth watching, and I give it a low 7 (or a C- if you want to give it a grade).

Baccano is set in the 1930s U.S, with small stories following different characters and you get to see their history and ambitions. Baccano uses a supernatural, horror, drama, comedy and action mixture and together with that the stories are short and jumps to a different events, usually in the eyes of a different character, creates a unique anime with a fantastic story.

Be warned, kids and people who can't handle blood and gore should definitely not watch this.

At first, I found it hard to digest the feeling of short stories being told twice or even trice by different views. But even though it consists of small ... stories, they're all connected and thus resulting in a detailed comprehensive plot. So you won't have a feeling of characters with their own distinct short stories in small bits with no overall plot development whatsoever (which I first had suspected).

The characters are amazingly easy to like, whether they be extremely dumb or murderers. My only wish would have been more episodes to follow the development of the characters, which in my eyes ended a little bit abruptly. Additionally, the development during the story is slightly cramped due to the short stories which seemed to be valuing the plot more than the characters, but that might just be my personal opinion.

The animation is great, with the colours of the post-war clothing, the way the characters are drawn and much more results in a realistic feeling.

The music isn't as great as I'd like to be, but there's nothing wrong with it expect the averageness. But the sound is good, the voice actors are top-notch with no complaints, and small things (like the train) further increasing the realistic feeling.



Story – 9
Animation – 10
Sound – 7
Characters – 8
Enjoyment - 9

Overall – 9



Lastly, this is my first review and I hope you liked reading it as much as I did writing it!

baccano! is one of the most unique anime shows i have seen. It is a bit complex and confusing at times soo not recommended for everyone.

STORY:

the story of baccano! is unique and intriguing. Anyone who want to watch an anime with a great story then this is the one. At first i hesitated to watch this series as iam not really into the whole fantasy genre but as i started to watch the series i was amazed on how the story unfolded and the way it was presented which totally rocked. The though a story of immortals of the 1930s might sound a little strange, ... Baccano! had one of the most realistic mafia and gangster animes out there. The story was nearly perfect for an anime series and is very interesting and is a mix of almost every genre. During the first couple of eps it may be a bit confusing but everything will be sorted out and explained in the latter episodes. Also the ending was really fantastic.

ANIMATION:

The animation could have been a lot of better considering the length of series. Sometimes there was a lack in details of the characters and backgrounds. Other than tat animation was really fluid and action scenes were intense and fast paced. Almost each of the long list of characters in the anime had their own unique design and no two characters were alike.

SOUND:

Baccano had awesome soundtracks from the start to the end and was somewhat similar to cowboy bebop. The OP and ED was equally good. Music suited this anime perfectly.

CHARACTER:

Almost every characters in baccano had their own unique behaviors and styles. Even though this anime had a lot of characters, no two characters were alike in design which i really liked. There were some annoying character and weird but most of the characters are lovable. Character development and the characters was overall very good and was very different form most the animes.

ENJOYMENT:

Very enjoyable from start to finish and gets really exciting during the last few eps..

Baccano!, with its bevy of a cast and three story lines from three different time periods, all crammed into thirteen episodes, where do I begin? Actually, this question is asked by the show itself in the first episode, where it is then discussed. It is a careful introduction; lots of talking, a little bit slow.

But come episode two, it picks up and never slows down, expanding on these stories and characters, weaving the threads in and out until it all culminates into an explosive ending where everything comes together. The last two episodes are brilliant and I'd say it's one of the most satisfying endings ... to any anime series I've watched.

The tight, overarching plot is one that is well-crafted and well-paced, and where every moment is meaningful. You feel like you know the characters after all--to differing degrees, of course. There are exciting, badass moments to enjoy, the music is good, and the violence is extreme. That last one is not really a plus in my book, but is a point to take note of.

Can you tell I really like this show? Well, I don't want to raise your expectations too high. Best to take it slow. Start from the beginning.

I watched this series not really knowing what to expect, except that there was a train involved, which made for a very poor starting point for watching Baccano! The story is based around the events that unfold in the year 1932 on-board the flying pussyfoot, a Chicago to New York express train, underpinned by a back story related to a bunch of immortals, it also a lot more gory than I had anticipated, its definitely not for the faint hearted.

I'll leave the story till the end, the artwork is very good, the artists have managed to settle on artwork which works with the setting ... of 1930's America, and while it may not be as polished as some Gonzo works, it benefits from this. The sound is good quality from the screams, and voice actresses to the periodic music that occurs in the background, it all comes together to give the feel of 1930's America.

The characters are probably the best part of Baccano! Miria and Isaac are the funniest double act and always brighten the screen whenever they are on, as well as having other great characters like Firo and Jaccuzi. There are also characters that should make you feel completely the opposite, but the characters are so well polished that you can't help but like all of them (apart from perhaps one, the main villain). While a lot of the back stories are covered in the series, the OVA's after give the perfect rounding off to all the characters and should be watched for the complete story.

I found the story quite hard to follow. The story telling is through a reporter at the start but eventually moves along at its own pace, but has a reservoir dogs theme of jumping back and forth between times as well as character stories.This may have worked in the film which focused on one group and was one film, but with four/five main groups and in episodes as in Baccano! I don't think this works, In a normal anime I can get the story after 2/3 episodes but after 4 I was still wondering what was going on. There are too many different storylines going on at once for this style of script to work in my opinion, the train is a good way to bring everyone together, but I was also surprised that the groups didn't run into each other more often on the train, being only one way forward and back. Once you get to towards the end of the series though, the pieces finally come together and the true masterpiece of the story can be seen, I'm just afraid many people will have been put off by the confusing opening scenes.

Overall this is a very good anime, the characters and overall storyline are fantastic but are let down by poor opening episodes and random story jumping.

13 Episodes of pure joy is the only way to descirbe Baccano, it is the absolute perfect mix of everything. Action and comedy with some supernatural elements oh and gangsters plenty of gangsters.

One thing: For the first half of the first episode you WILL be confused, but that's just how the story works, like a huge puzzle you add piece by piece until you see the whole picture.

The bulk of the story spans 3 years and Baccano switches between them accordingly, you see what happens in the future, get confused, then they show you what happened in the past and vice versa. It times ... every scene perfectly so you're not just being thrown around, and it makes sure you know what time period you're looking at. Without having to use a purely linear time line Baccano can tell a very interesting and very deep story from multiple points of view making for some very interesting moments.

The Art and effects were great, explosions, fight scenes, and the overall atmosphere were done perfectly. Only problem I've ever encountered was that sometimes it was just too dark, I don't know if if that was intentional orwhat but occasionally I couldn't see what was going on.

Soundtrack was practically form fitted and just adds to the epicness of Baccano.

Characters characters this show has so many great ones and they're all lovable, even the "bad" ones. The voice acting was superb too. (I'm referring to the japanese voices, I'm not sure if it has an english dub but I doubt they'd be as good as the original)

Enjoyment? Yes, every episode is pure win, you'll love every minute of it. (I've run out of things to say but you get the idea)

One word summation: MASTERPIECE
Watch it.

Baccano! is an anime that very few people have been talking about, which is a shame since it is so good. Film noir and pulp fiction . . . in an anime?! When I read this description, before it even aired, I knew it was a must see for me.

Having seen the movie Pulp Fiction, I knew, to some extent, what to expect in terms of how the story is told. If you aren't familiar with the film, then allow me to explain. This is the kind of anime that you can start watching without having any idea as to what it is about. The ... reason being you truly don't know what is going on until around the halfway point in the series.

All you need to know is that Baccano! is a violent, action packed, comical drama involving immortal alchemists and the mafia (I hear people saying . . . what?). There is no question that you will be confused for quite some time, but you should stick with it since everything does become clearer as the story progresses. As for the ending, I thought it was very well done and everything came together nicely.

The music they chose for Baccano! is superb. A collection of jazz tunes that immerses you in the time period of the anime. The opening song quickly became one of my all time favorites. You can see from the OP that there is a large number of characters. With every episode more and more is revealed about them through the use of multiple time jumps/flashbacks, and you can see in which way they are all connected. Each character has a unique personality and a story of their own. In the end, you will be wishing that you had more time to spend with them. They are truly unforgettable.

Baccano! was one of the best, most entertaining anime of 2007. The only thing left for me to say is that I really wish it was more talked about.

So anime is Japanese. Duh. Everyone knows that. Obviously there are some exceptions, but for the most part anime is most closely related to Japan. Because of this fact, there are many situations in anime where a show will be set in modern-day Tokyo or historical Japan. What you don't often see, however, is an anime set in 1930's New York. Which is quite a shame considering how well a setting like this opens itself up for interesting concepts as Baccano! shows.

From the masterminds behind amazing shows like Durarara!! and D-Frag! (geez, this company is obsessed with putting "!" in the titles of their ... shows), Baccano! is another amazing piece of animations and a truly unique and interesting story. The show definitely feels a lot like Durarara!! and in a way could almost be seen as existing within the same world (characters form Baccano! appear in some scenes of Durarara!!, the code for the Dollars website in Durarara!! is 'Baccano', etc.). Durarara!!, having come out many years after Baccano!, definitely takes many things from the show such as a huge cast of characters that are laid out for the viewer in the opening to help them remember all the names, the supernatural element of the show, and the use of many converging storylines just to name some examples.

Where does Baccano! excel? Well, an easier question would be where does it NOT. Starting with the characters, Baccano! has one of the most diverse and colorful cast of characters of any anime I've seen, from a man who gets his kicks from murdering people, the 'unique' couple of Issac and Miria, and the cowardly gang leader and his, uh, 'explosive' girlfirend. No character is left to just be ignored and all have a significant role in each of their own arcs. It's also very enjoyable watching different characters from different arcs coming together and interacting and seeing what happens from that point on.

Sidenote: If you wish to watch this show, I recommend the dub. I typically lean more towards sub, but the 1930's New York accents can't be matched in the sub.

Along with the stellar cast, Baccano! has many interesting storylines that will keep you guessing until everything is resolved. The show also sports a very good mix of modern music to accentuate that this is a very complex story, but it also has very many tracks that are more classical and jazzy to fit the vibe of the time period the show lays out. Animation is solid for its time and nothing really seemed to be off about the art. Speaking of, I loved how the show used a very good mix of dark colors for the time of mystery and action, but also had very many moments of bright color to highlight the comedy or emotional aspects.

Baccano! is essentially pre-Durarara!! and shows that Brain's Base is a very competent group that knows how to produce anime and especially characters within anime. The show may be a somewhat slow to start, but once you're in, good luck getting out.

Positives:
+"Guns and Roses" is very enjoyable jazz opening, though not having lyrics may turn some people off
+Unique setting and very in depth characters that show lots of unique attributes
+Animation and art style was very well done
+Very good mixture of dark, gloomy tones and upbeat, happy moments
+I personally enjoy when anime and TV shows and the like use many different storylines that eventually intersect and tie the whole story together

Negatives:
-Show is slow to start
-Even for a supernatural show, some things are just a little too unbelievable, such as a young girl letting strangers into her house, watching them take stuff, and then stand by as they just leave out the window
-Slightly confusing if you're not paying attention at all times

Baccano! is a fantastic show that takes a unique setting and great characters and just runs wild with them. The whole show will keep you on your toes and is a very enjoyable and entertaining ride that any fan of anime (or I guess 1930's America) will love.
And that is why Baccano! gets a 9/10

The beginning of Baccano! is a disorienting experience. Forget linear storytelling-the series actually spends half an episode debating just how to tell its story through a sequence of meta dialogue between a newspaper vice-president and his secretary. What it settles on is scrambling a tale that already has a huge scope in terms of ground covered and characters included by jumping around between several seemingly unrelated storylines, and doesn't settle down until several episodes after that. And even then, even then, I still wouldn't blame you if you felt lost. Some people have said that it's disrespectful of the audience to do this-it's like throwing ... them out in the ocean without a life vest. But that's an odd criticism, since it implies that it's respectful to simply tell a story like anybody else would, using the same techniques we learned in 6th grade English class. Isn't that just milquetoast? And it's especially odd when you level that criticism in anime, where anything resembling "normal" is routinely routed, twisted and bungled for the sake of being as cool as possible.

Like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Baccano! deliberately abandons those conventional methods with reckless abandon. And unlike Haruhi, there's a meta-textual method to its madness; a commentary on how stories never really have a proper beginning or ending, that what we watch and read is only a snapshot of something much bigger and that continues long after the final reel goes black. And when you're telling a story as big as this one, are there even main characters, or just one person of many who the narrator arbitrarily picks? It's an appropriate theme for a story about immortality, and especially this one.

Most media portray immortality the same way: a route "be careful what you wish for" fable. Surprisingly, Baccano! eschews that idea and embraces immortality, because life is an excellent, excellent thing. As long as you have friends and family to live it with, who are you kidding? Why wouldn't you want to live forever?

Especially when it's friends like the cast of characters populating this anime-a suite of eighteen that includes Jokers, Thieves, Murderers, Gangsters, Lovers, Monsters, and even a couple of Idiots make up the "main cast." There's Miria and Isaac, a lovable duo of happy-go-lucky thieves who have only gotten away with so many crimes because they pull them off in profoundly stupid ways. There's Dallas, a young punk who is a much worse thief, if only because he accidentally stole the wrong thing at the wrong time. There's Szilard, a sinister immortal who has been scamming people for over a century with a fake immortality elixir. He has just recently recreated the real deal, though, and is enraged that some punk has stolen it. His silent assistant, the emotionless homunculus Ennis, is supposed to retrieve it. And she meant to, but she met this sweet boy named Firo, who is the ingenious new inductee to the Camorra mafia family. Ladd Russo is a psychotic son-of-a-gun who has boarded the Flying Pussyfoot with his gang of white suit assassins to kidnap a Senator's family. He didn't count on the black suited orchestra actually being a rival group of assassins, or on the Rail Tracer, a monster that hunts down trains and devours its passengers. And then there's the Gandor and Martillo family, Dallas' sister Eve, the cult leader Huey Leforet, his mute daughter Chane, the capable crybaby Jacuzzi and the sadistic kid Czeslaw. In a hobby filled with colorful and memorable characters, Baccano!'s cast leave a helluva an impression, and when it seems like the story is beyond your grasp, latching onto the strong cast makes the road to understanding less bumpy.

Even when you sit down and string the events of this series into a linear path it's still a crazy tale. Much like a Rube Goldberg contraption, seemingly unrelated subplots bump into other subplots, which coincidently stumble onto other events before characters meet other characters in strange circumstances, creating a surprise twist. I should note here that "baccano" is Italian for "ruckus," and it's an apt description of this series.

In Highlander: The Search for Vengence, having immortal characters who healed from nearly any wound gave its director Kawajiri a license to show outlandish violence. Baccano! doesn't so much take that idea a step further as give it a running start. Heads will roll, and if there wasn't anything you would recognize as a head left, it will still piece itself back together...on camera. Like Kurozuka, it's a stylishly violent series with so much blood being spilt it almost repaints the dining car in the Flying Pussyfoot red. I haven't seen anything like it since Hellsing Ultimate- it's so outlandish it could only have been visualized through animation. It's not for the squeamish, but for people like myself who enjoy stylized violence like this, it's a treat. It helps that the animation looks great throughout, especially for a TV series- the initial episodes looked so good I was afraid that the finale's budget would only allow for a series of still frames.

You'd expect a series mostly set in the Great Depression with so much violence and danger to be...depressing, but in the end, it's a joy to watch. It's a suspenseful series with such a large cast that it feels like no one is armed with plot armor-no one, even the "immortals," are guaranteed to come out of this insanity alive. There is a palpable feeling of danger. And when it wraps up, even with a few threads left dangling, some justice has been served, and even better, some characters find love. While the series ends on an epilogue that feels a bit flat, it left me with the best possible feeling: a mixture of contentment and a hunger to see more.

In anime, it's become extremely irritating to deal with character cliches nowadays. You have your self-insert harem protagonist with otaku habits that may have the urge to bone his sister, the cynical edgy protagonist who sits at the back of the classroom next to a window, and the hot headed shounen protagonist who is oblivious to all the girls that want his dick. While not all anime have cookie cutter characters like this, the market is saturated with characters that are made with the sole intention of being relatable to the loser demographic and wish fulfillment

Baccano! is none of this. The show focuses greatly ... on character interactions and development more than any other anime I've seen. Bear in mind: The amount of unique and developed characters number in the twenties when certain anime fail to produce one likable character.

The show starts with an interesting take on exposition. "Baccano!" is the quiet kid in elementary school because it has a lot to show, and not a lot to tell. Never have I felt that the show was shoving certain things about its world into my face and the world was presented smoothly (if not slow at first). The story isn't clear at first, but that's part of the appeal as the first 5 episodes are you trying to figure out exactly what's going on. Even as you're figuring everything out, you're rewarded with great characters who interact with each other well.

The characters are the main focus of the show. Narita is famous for saying that his characters write the story for him, and you can see it with "Baccano!". Characters range from suave playboys, likable hitmen, an oblivious bonnie and clyde duo, and psychotic train conductors, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. And these characters don't need people to tell about how cool/crazy/badass they are, as they can show you through their dialogue and interactions.

The music in the anime isn't exactly something to talk about standalone, but it's always fitting. The score compliments the setting well and sets the mood and atmosphere fantastically. It's hard to think about a better musical selection for this anime. While anime have legendary soundtracks that "Baccano!" may lack, it's impossible to say that a soundtrack fit "Baccano!" better than the one it has now.

While this isn't the greatest plot in the world, it's well nuanced enough to be a talking point among the other elements this show has. The plot's strength isn't within itself, but how malleable it is to the characters. Each character plays an integral part to the story and no character really affects it more than another. As a result, you have an interesting story that reflects itself off how the characters interact within it.

All in all, this may be one of my favorite if not my favorite anime. If you're into dialogue and character development then this anime is for you. If you're into generic characters and lazy exposition.... well I guess there's a bunch of other LN adaptations for you to watch.

Unique. That is the term that probably comes first to mind when one attempts to describe Baccano! qualitatively. Regardless of the fact that the word is wont to be bandied around to describe any anime series which offers even a shadow of novelty, very few anime truly deserve it (especially in an age where the medium is overrun by mediocre and rather shallow storylines that rely on done-to-death cliches and/or exaggeratedly dark, mysterious settings in a supposed attempt to 'intrigue' viewers). However, Baccano!, both as an anime series and as a work of art, warrants its own special niche due to its sheer idiosyncrasy. It ... showcases a straightforward yet remarkable story, told in a way that is at the same time incredibly daring and edge-of-the-seat-suspenseful. The result is a one-of-a-kind experience that sets Baccano! quite apart from most other series that populate the anime medium.

The crux of Baccano! lies in its story, rather than in its characters-- the story being that of a series of strange and apparently disparate events occurring across three separate timelines and locations, which ultimately coalesce to form a 'big picture' of sorts. Perhaps it would be better to say that the crux of Baccano! lies in its storytelling. The word 'baccano' means 'ruckus' in Italian, and true to its meaning, the plot of Baccano! is unveiled in the disorderly manner of a jigsaw puzzle, with the narration abruptly jumping from one timeline to another, revealing no connection between the individual threads until the big picture is revealed. It is an odd, jerky way of telling a story, but Baccano! carries it through with so much flair and panache that I doubt whether any other style would function in its place. Nor am I confident that this style of narration would work with any kind of story other than the one that Baccano! offers. However, the incredible success of the storytelling does not detract one from the fact that the story itself does have some issues: one, that it is underdeveloped compared to the massive potential it had, and two, the fact that considering the massive buildup throughout 12 of the 13 episodes, the denouement falls a bit flat. But apart from these two problems, there is really nothing to nitpick about a plot that is as neat and pitfall-free as this. Overall 9/10

The characters are another department in which Baccano! surprises: it is hardly conceivable that a 13-episode series can develop as many as 18 main characters, besides several side ones as well as Baccano! does. The favorites, of course, are the bumbling thieves-with-hearts-of-gold Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, who, in addition to forming the most vital connections between different timelines, also provide some comic relief where it is most needed. It is quite incredible how novel they seem despite the good-hearted klutz being one of the most overused cliches in anime. The other characters are also very well thought out, especially the psychopathic Ladd Russo, the charismatic Firo Prochainezo, the sniveling but dangerous Jacuzzi Splot, and the enigmatic Czeslaw Meyer. Despite the sheer number of characters, the show rarely 'spaces out' as most shows with large casts are more prone to do, neither does it rush too much, except for one or two parts towards the end. It makes me quite sad that Baccano! did not have more episodes to do more with its characters; there are shows having ten times as many episodes with less character development. Overall 9/10

The art deserves a special mention because the studio in question, Brains Base, does a wonderful job even without the seemingly endless budgets of studios like Kyoto Animation and Madhouse. The art does a great balancing act between being colorful and being dark and full of suspense at the right moments, while the animation is almost uniformly fluid, doing its bit to accentuate the feel of the show. Overall 8.5/10

The sound is above average, but does not stand out much except for the opening montage "Guns and Roses"(performed by Paradise Lunch) introducing all the characters, which I personally regard as one of my favorite opening sequences in anime. It is stylish, interesting and piques one's attention towards the episode instantly. Overall 8/10

I see this review is already quite long, but I must throw in a few words about enjoyment as well. This show rarely lets you want to look away or feel bored. It has humor, action, violence and gore (the latter in moderate quantity), suspense, and above all, style. It is a must watch if you are looking for something different. Overall 9/10

Overall Rating-8.85/10
Baccano! deserves a watch for being different, and for utilising it well. If you are the kind of person who evaluates a show based on its story, the way the story is told, and the way the characters are utilized, rather than simply based on enjoyment, this is certainly a series, and perhaps THE series, for you.

(My first review so it might not be good)

Baccano! is mostly put as an underrated anime, but it's actually quite popular. It's just that it didn't gain popularity as much as it should have as it's arguably one of the best anime series ever made.

The first few chapters might be a little confusing, but after that it's a ride that will have you in the edge of your seat. The most important aspect about this anime is the timeline that the characters are living in. It varies alot but the way it handles is just top- notch.

Story(9)- I won't explain the story as I ... won't be able to without some spoilers. But if you want a light introduction, you can read the synopsis. Story is really well written with timelines handled perfectly. The story gets even sharper as the anime progresses. It's indeed a very clever writing with different timelines serving as pieces of puzzles intertwining for the main plot. Although intertwining timelines is a big plus, it also became its downfall as many thought it as confusing. But it's not as confusing as many people say so.

Sound(9)- Love the music although sometimes background music are really quiet for some scenes. Still sound is really a plus in this anime. It helps to keep the mood. It also well expresses the year the anime is set in meaning it really makes you feel like you are in the 70's.

Character(10)- The main highlight of this anime is the characters. There are many and all of them serves a purpose. All the characters are equally interesting. It's up to you to choose the best and the main character. The character development is easily the best i have seen in any anime. So many characters, so little episodes yet they all get enough screentime to not forget about them. Another best thing is the variety of character it displays each with their own unique changing personalities. I can briefly talk about all the characters and how they are amazing but it's better to analyse the characters yourself.

Enjoyment(10)- It was definitely a blast. Funny, action- packed and suspense. Each episode ends with you wanting more. The story never diverts away from the main plot.It keeps you entertained with it's amazingly intertwined timelines.

Overall(10)- A MUST WATCH.

Always wanted to review this anime with spoilers but I will let non spoiler review satisfy me for now.

To be honest, Baccano! is exactly my type of story. Ensemble larger-than-life cast, frequent perspective changes, messing with chronology, history mixed with fantasy, and an earnestness in its finality. It wraps itself up so nicely and gives frequently great perspectives on the actions of each individual party to form a narrative which is equally hilarious as it is exhilarating.

Baccano! seems to lay all its cards on the table in the first episode, but don't let that fool you. It's a very clever show not only in subverting expectations but getting you to genuinely forget that you know much of the outcome. It's a narrative which ... is completely comprehensive if the episodes are watched close enough to each other and the distinctiveness of the characters are more than enough to keep people hooked. Even if you find the comedic relief of Issac and Miria annoying, you can more than put up with them to see others grow and reveal themselves due to their actions.

Sure, a lot of the villainous intent in this series goes a bit off the rails. Both of the "main villains" have flimsy motivations and ramble on a little bit too much, but its still incredibly entertaining and not plot-dumpy at all. The voice cast carries a lot of this, with even the scenes which aren't brilliantly animated being granted life by the dub. It's one of those shows where you beg to see how X will interact with Y, and you seem to get it from almost every character combination. Other presentation aspects come mostly as a result of being in New York, with several eras of jazz serving as the soundtrack, sometimes rivaling even Watanabe's use in his works. All of the world gets across what it needs to without really needing to stray too far outside of a few select settings.

Baccano! is fun, and even though it doesn't really successfully raise too many questions about the human condition like it seems to want, it still feels quite meaningful. The overarching questions are far less important than specific character motivations and actions. It's an anime all about going forward with ideas and understanding them later. It sets itself up for humor with supreme skill and makes a multi-layered gangster world come to life in the course of 13 episodes.

(I must say though, even though I love it, I have no idea why people truly wish for a sequel. The story is wrapped up with all loose ends settled and trying to draw all those characters back together would probably stretch things a bit too far. I think it's a matter of wanting to see a story told in the same way, and that I am very hopeful for.)