Baccano!
Alternate Titles: バッカーノ！ (Japanese)
Original Japanese Release Date: 2007-07-26
Episode Length/Run-time: 16 Episodes
Summary:
Set in 1930’s New York, Baccano! follows various characters through a decade or so of six degrees of separation, showing their own lives as well as those of the people they come in contact with. The story can be broken down into many different plot lines, from the general inner workings of the city, Mafia, bootlegger and civilian alike, to the dangerous occurrences aboard the Transcontinental Flying Pussyfoot, to the adventures of many an immortal introduced throughout the series. All fates intertwine, each character’s fate practically in the hands of the stranger in the next car.
Review:
Practically a work of art, Baccano! manages to pull of something only ever rarely done well: time jumping in a coherent and entertaining manner. Though it still may need to be watched a few times to truly comprehend and appreciate the little nuances of theatrical time travel, it is a re-watching that would be both willing and utterly well worth it. The plot manages to stay practically 100% sound throughout its leap from year to year, answering questions at the same time that new ones are asked, coming full circle and tying up any loose ends in the final episodes. It’s a pleasure to follow and a treat to watch, dubbed OR subbed—thought the dub does make use of some brilliantly acted 1930’s New York accents that I would recommend taking the time to listen to. Each and every character is addicting in their own right, from the lovably eccentric pair of robbers to the criminally insane acrobatic assassin with the god complex. It’s as though everyone has their own life that begs delving into more fully, their quirks making them human as their deaths make them immortal.
And to match their effortlessly woven personalities, the animation style is fantastic to behold, suiting the style perfectly. It’s easy to watch, the violence maintaining a quality of surrealism that makes it entertaining rather than uncomfortable, which is good because there’s quite a bit of it. Even the smallest detail is held in artistic importance, it seems, every effort put into making sure this adaptation is well presented. And it most certainly is.
Even the music manages to stick with the 1930’s atmosphere, embracing the sounds of smooth jazz and speak easy blues that’s just a pleasure to listen to, keeping the viewer locked in their world as it drifts along in the background. Everything about this anime is brilliant. Baccano! is a timeless story that hits on various themes and emotions that can easily be forgotten in a standard anime, and were it not for the very few questions that went unanswered, I would have given it the 5/5 my heart says it deserves. But, as a fair critic, it still deserves no less than a 4.5/5, everything else easily making up for its minor, minor blemishes.
[starrater]