Baccano! - A must see.

[Isteb]

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Baccano!

Here’s another really good anime you probably missed. With all the dango daikazoku and Gundam 00 floating around on the internet at the time, I couldn't blame you.

Well, what is the anime about, anyway? The safest answer would probably be "characters" or better yet, "pulp fiction". If that answer doesn't satisfy you, the anime is about Italian mobsters, alchemists, bonnie and clyde, hijackers, urban legends, cults, assassins and immortals. It’s pulp fiction in anime.

The plot can be quite confusing at first, with the huge cast and seemingly unrelated events. And it doesn’t help that the story jumps back and forth in time, from the 1700’s until the modern age. It reminds me of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and how they employed the same technique to slowly step up the show’s pace.

It’s also easy to confuse the characters for one another, as the character designer(s) seem to have taken a liking for brushed-up hair. Besides that, I have no other complaints. The character designs are top-notch and it occasionally makes me want to plagiarize. While antagonists usually are dead-boring, I can’t help but enjoy watching the “villains” in the show. Well developed, full of depth, intriguing. The psychos here are comparable to Prison Break’s T-Bag. These are people who jump for joy at the sight of blood, who ramble on like crazy about philosophy, people you’d love to hate. As for the pairings, none felt awkward, and the romance scenes were never cheesy, either.

As for the music, the jazzy tunes did justice to the 1930’s setting. While OP’s tend to get boring after a few episodes, I did not feel the urge to skip the opening credits for this one. Yes, I watched it every time, also because the OP introduces the cast; I need to watch it to remind myself who’s who. But it’s all good.

10/10

[blissfullynaive]

Hmm.. i know i've DLed a couple of episodes of this sauna..
asa man to ha..
Must watch it then.. ^^

[Nezumix22]

My other favorite series of 2007 (the other being TTGL). An amazing series, with an unbelievably HUGE cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities and charms. Yeah, it's easy to confuse one for the other, but I'm still amazed at how they managed to create great character artwork even for the minor characters like the bartender, or the mafia's henchmen. This series is such an amazing achievement that I might actually call it the best anime of 2007 along with TTGL. The DVD release has an extra 3 episodes, a very good addition and is essential for the completist out there. It's not for the weak of heart though, there are some graphic scenes, plenty of blood and violence, disturbing themes and the immorality of it all can be quite shocking for those expecting to see good guys beat bad guys.. hehehe..

Anyway, a very minor complaint is the absence of "rail tracer" in the opening sequence... considering he plays a major role in the plot.. and he actually has a funny side as revealed in the extra episodes..

[Isteb]

yeah I remember that it was in Nezumix-san's post that I got the idea that people who love TTGL would also love this anime.

wala bitaw si rail tracer gi introduce, but he IS in the opening sequence. I'm thinking it was better that they left it that way, since it made me wonder who "vino" was. It didn't help that he had a feminine name, either. I actually thought Chane was Vino. If they had introduced "Reiru Toreisa" at the OP, or even the dude at the beginning, it would have been a different viewing experience, considering how they made him look like a minor role in the beginning.

Isaac is Lupin III, and Luck Gandor is Michael Corleone.

[Nezumix22]

yeah I remember that it was in Nezumix-san's post that I got the idea that people who love TTGL would also love this anime.

wala bitaw si rail tracer gi introduce, but he IS in the opening sequence. I'm thinking it was better that they left it that way, since it made me wonder who "vino" was. It didn't help that he had a feminine name, either. I actually thought Chane was Vino. If they had introduced "Reiru Toreisa" at the OP, or even the dude at the beginning, it would have been a different viewing experience, considering how they made him look like a minor role in the beginning.

Isaac is Lupin III, and Luck Gandor is Michael Corleone.

hehe.. It's that both TTGL and Baccano! are hyper-paced, enjoyable, and silly (in a positive way) that I've come to regard them as my top picks of last year..

Yeah, he was in the OP, but it looked like he was a minor character there, it's just that the hair won't fool me, with that hair you have to be a major character.. hehehe.. I even thought he died.. Mao sad, I guess it's better that way, so Rail Tracer's appearance will be a surprise.. And I actually thought it was a real monster.. hahaha.. Ooops, too many spoilers already.. hahaha...

Bitaw, another complaint diay would be the first episode.. A lot of people couldn't handle that messy episode which served as an introduction to the characters and the train events.. Yet I actually loved it, it's the episode I usually watch again and again.. hehehe..

[Isteb]

it's like throwing in all the cliches into one show but making it unpredictable still.

it's one big mess of a story, and that is what exactly makes this series really good. They took all the elements of cheap stories, crammed them in 16 episodes... and baccano!

It's really difficult to point out who the main character is in a cast of 18. But everyone is so well balanced, well thought out, well developed...

This show's so cheap that's it's not cheap all over again. Here I was trying to write a story with so much depth... along comes baccano! and rubs its cheap thrills on my face. I'm humbled.

[johnnski]

I Love This Anime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Already Included In My Topten List!!!!

[Isteb]

top three gyud para nako...

1. TTGL
2. Baccano!
3. TMOHS
4. SZS
5. L*S

[Nezumix22]

The series hasn't been licensed yet so for those who are afraid of torrents and IRC, you can get the series fan-subbed in directDL anime sites.

I hope they will adapt the other chapters in the light novel. The show has been more of a critical than a commercial success in Japan. (anime shows aired in WOWOW aren't actually the highest rating shows in Japan and the network is known to air more 13-episode format animes than the usual full season anime)..

[dzulai]

^^ i prefer 13-episode animes though. dili time intensive kung mag marathon. hehehe

one of my top picks for 2007, along with ttgl and seirei no moribito.