Story - 9/10
The most unique thing about Baccano! is the Pulp Fiction style of storytelling showing the events of the plot out of order. I thought this was going to be a cheap gimmick to keep me watching but it turns out to be an intuitive method to it's own madness. While it seems confusing at first, the plot lines unwind eventually and it leaves just enough in the dark to keep an interesting level of viewer interpretation open, which turns out to be both interesting and effective. While there is risk in telling three main stories that one or two may not be up to par with another, that was luckily not the case. While I favored the chaos going on aboard The Flying Pussyfoot (that's the train's name, I swear), I was never disinterested with everything else Baccano! had to offer. The only thing I could fault the story for is that it transitions from moment to moment in some odd manners at times, and the first few episodes can seem overwhelming enough to have viewers dropping it in fear of it being overly complex. I urge anyone who tries this anime to stick with it though, because really all you need is a little attention to pay it and the rest of the story will tell itself.
Animation - 8/10
When anything is set in a period like this I always take note of the design of everything from the character clothes to the cars. It's all done justice here. There are so many characters and they all stand out in one way or another in their design. Fight scenes are exceptional, and there are some crazy moments of violence that caught me by surprise. The devouring in particular was awesome. There were however some dark moments where, even watching in HD on my 32 inch TV, I couldn't quite tell what was happening. The lighting isn't a significant nor a consistent problem, but you will know it when you see it.
Sound - 10/10
Top to bottom, probably the closest we've ever come to having a Cowboy Bebop level of both music and english dub. The opening theme is so much fun that I actually let it play every single episode. The rest of the soundtrack is wonderfully fitting for the setting and catches it's moments perfectly. When the action kicks up it's fast paced and lively, and when the show slows down and creates moments of terror or suspense the music adapts gracefully. The musical compositions are really a tour de force, sounding perfectly fitting with every note.
The voices are superb as well. Ladd Russo is the stand out with what sounds like a once in a lifetime kind of performance given the kind of dialogue and character that he is. Bryan Massey hits it out of the park with Ladd, helping to personify one of the most interesting yet psychotic sadists I've witnessed in anything. Everyone else is all high quality as well. From Isaac and Miria to Nice or Szilard, the cast is stacked with not only culturally accurate accents that sound natural, but believable performances that never falter no matter what the moment is.
Characters - 10/10
Despite the level of risk in having a show with no main character, and many characters having importance to the events of the story, Baccano succeeds in having a cast with tons of likable people and entertaining personalities. Even the one guy who seemed pre-destined to be hated (Not hard to guess, it's the one named Jacuzzi Splot) ends up being someone I really enjoyed by the time it was all over. The strength in the characters isn't so much that they all develop well, but simply that they are all unique and entertaining in varying ways, a parallel to the very thing that makes Baccano! entertaining to begin with.
My favorite might be Ladd Russo, a certified wack-job with very interesting philosophies on killing. Ladd may just be the most oddly entertaining member of the cast. He's a baddie in every way, yet is so much fun to watch, even when he's doing disgustingly shocking things. The performance and writing of the character created one hell of a persona in Ladd Russo.
Nobody can talk about the characters of Baccano! without talking about Isaac and Miria. Literally every moment they have on screen is flawless, and they serve as the comic relief in a world that's mostly serious outside of these two people. Isaac and Miria are not only a cute couple (Best ever? I would take the bet.), but they're so wacky and out of their minds that it's hard to help but laugh and smile whilst watching them. Isaac and Miria are truly a charming pair.
Overall - 10/10
Baccano seemingly has everything going for it. Brilliant storytelling, very good animation, wonderful music and voice acting, a rich cast of characters, and it doesn't stop there. The show is versatile in displaying moments of suspense, comedy, action, and even a little romance. There's something here for everyone, and to pull that off within a modest 13 episodes is breathtaking.
