It's hard to know where to start a review for Baccano, mostly because the show itself doesn't know where it wants to begin either. The story is told in a non-linear fashion, giving snippets of information about three separate plotlines that all tie together by the end. Think Pulp Fiction style storytelling, but with much smaller segments. The story itself is incredibly interesting, though it can be a bit hard to follow the first time you watch it. The non-linear storytelling is good at hiding details that would otherwise make other parts of the story straight forward and less interesting. The experience of watching this show lies more in piecing it together yourself than simply being presented a story, and in this way it makes the story a bit more fun. The story itself is also insanely fun as you watch mobsters gunning each other down and taking part in crazy shenanigans. For example, one of the plotlines centers around the events that took place on a very large and prestigious steam train as three separate gangs vie for control, all the while a rumored monster is stalking the rails killing random people.
Another great part about the presentation style of the show is that the characters dictate the plot. The characters themselves are all interesting and easily identifiable (the main ones at least). Each character has their own clearly defined motivation which usually results in intense clashes with other characters as they cross paths. Isaac and Miria, probably the most iconic characters from the show, are by far the most fun to watch. They are a non-romantic crime duo that shares half a brain between them. They aren't stupid, but they are often times hilariously naive and downright silly.
The music in this show is superb, from the opening song to the skin-crawling violins during tense bouts on the train. It has excellent music direction, and there isn't much more I can say about it.
The art can sometimes get a bit chunky and weird as details are sometimes added at strange times. It's hard to give an example of this without sounding like I'm nitpicking, but overall the art is very good and the action scenes are very well animated.
Baccano! is a show that every fan of anime should watch. It's fun, fast, and memorable. The story can be a bit confusing at first, but becomes clearer, and in someways more enjoyable, with each subsequent viewing.
