How do I even begin to describe a show like this? This is a show that defies all practical ways of storytelling. No main protagonist, a nonlinear story, and a huge cast of unconventional characters. You’d think that all these risks would harm the show, but not only does Baccano! stand as an enjoyable anime, but even possibly one of the greatest gangster stories ever told! It’s an entertaining show straight from the first few minutes of it’s beginning, and it stays enjoyable till the very end.
This is a tale about gangsters, immortals, psychopaths, and “The Flying Pussyfoot”. Welcome to 1930’s America! Our story begins,
...
oddly enough, at the very end, with everything already been said and done. By the end of the first episode we already know how everything ends, we know who lives, and who doesn't. It seems weird at first, and it does kill off some suspense during parts of the show since, well, we already saw what happened to these characters, but luckily, that isn't Baccano!’s goal. Instead, we get to see just how all this happened to our character, and that’s probably one of the show’s greatest strengths.
As we watch, the mystery unfolds, and we get a better idea of just what really happened here. The show does an absolutely great job connecting it’s multiple stories together, showing us the big picture. Events which seem completely unrelated are woven together, leaving no questions unanswered. At first, this does seem rather confusing, and honestly, it can be at times. This isn't helped with the fact that the story takes place in the span of several different years, with characters appearing in multiple parts. As the show progresses, you will get a better grasp of this unique way of storytelling, but it does take a while, which does lead to some problems.
Another great thing about this show is it’s cast of insane characters. Like I said before, there is no main character, instead the story is presented through the eyes of several different characters. The best part is that all these characters are incredibly distinct, each of them genuinely feeling like fully realized characters, rather than just cardboard cutouts. There’s the hilarious duo Miria and Isaac, the crybaby Jacuzzi, the violent hit man Ladd Russo, and so much more. And somehow, in only 13 episodes, a lot these characters manage to get enough screentime to feel developed and unique in their own right. I do wish that some of these characters did get more time for themselves to feel more thought out, like Rachel, who doesn't even get that much screentime until the last few episodes. There are several other characters that I don’t think got enough development either, leaving them to stay more or less the same through the whole course, and that does hurt the show at some points. Still, I found every character enjoyable to watch, and it’s a cast of characters I don’t think I’ll be forgetting anytime soon.
What can I say about the animation and art style that hasn't been said before? It was produced by studio Brain Base, and it’s beautiful. Baccano! captures the jazz setting perfectly. The characters all look like they were ripped off of old gangster movies, and they have a more distinct look compared to other anime. The scenery also helps to put you in into America’s Chicago, you could tell a lot of work went into make this art style blend in with the setting, and the animation itself is very fluid. The action scenes in particular are impressive,and their are tons of them. Characters movements feel real, and only rarely did I feel as though the animation fell at some parts.
Now, for the the sound of Baccano!, which I can easily say does an incredible job putting the viewers engrossed with this world. The musical score, which was done by Makoto Yoshimori, is comprised of mostly jazz like songs and orchestrated tracks, really just further pushing the setting of America’s 1930's. Saxophones, pianos, violins, trumpets, and brass instruments, this show uses all of them to it’s advantage. A particular favorite track of mine is Baccano!’s OP, Guns and Roses, an amazing song that I look forward to every time an episode begins, and I’m sure you will too.
As for the voice acting, this is an amazing dub. The English voices feel so perfect with these characters, especially give the fact that the setting is America after all, but that’s not what just make the voices feel perfect. The acting gives all of the already fantastic characters a breath of life, helping them all feel more distinct and identifiable. You could tell which character is which just by hearing their voices for a few seconds, and that’s amazing considered the large amounts of characters this show has.
I enjoyed the hell out of Baccano!, it’s a great blend of mystery, action, comedy, and even a bit of horror. The jazzy setting is fantastic, the premise is unconventional, and it’s far more unique than other shows because of that. The story may be hard to follow at first, and the huge cast of characters may intimidate you, but once you can get through those problems, you get a show that is truly remarkable in almost every sense, and it’s a show I can’t help but to recommend to anyone interested.
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Feb 15, 2015
How do I even begin to describe a show like this? This is a show that defies all practical ways of storytelling. No main protagonist, a nonlinear story, and a huge cast of unconventional characters. You’d think that all these risks would harm the show, but not only does Baccano! stand as an enjoyable anime, but even possibly one of the greatest gangster stories ever told! It’s an entertaining show straight from the first few minutes of it’s beginning, and it stays enjoyable till the very end.
This is a tale about gangsters, immortals, psychopaths, and “The Flying Pussyfoot”. Welcome to 1930’s America! Our story begins, ... 
Oct 31, 2014
FLCL is kind of a hard anime to review, mainly because since it’s so unique, people are bound to have different opinions on it. To some, it could all be a nonsensical, weird show about robots or something. Other people will see it as a work of art that is about the coming of age, or even a social statement about how how we, as a society, need to change our ways. One things for sure, though, and that Fooly Cooly is bursting with creativity, and is something I highly encourage you to watch.
The story of FLCL is interesting. It’s a little complicated to explain, ... 
Sep 24, 2014
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
(Anime)
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The original Fullmetal Alchemist was a fantastic anime back in 2004. It had a fantastic story, and amazing characters, but unfortunately, the pacing was slow, and the ending was somewhat bittersweet. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, it's remake, on the other hand manages to fix just about every problem the original had, and even manages to improve all the good points from the original.
The story of the Fullmetal is one not to forget. The story revolves Edward Elric, and his brother, Alphonse Elric, who are searching for a way to return back to their original lives after committing a dangerous taboo, human transmutation. The story revolves around ... |
