Baccano! Review

Baccano! Review I had heard about this anime for a while, but never really had the chance to check it out. I saw the first episode on Comcast On Demand (oh, wait, we’re calling it “Xfinity” now, aren’t we?) and didn’t really get it. About a year later, I saw the whole series of only 16 episodes…and I still don’t entirely understand it. But I love it. Why don’t I entirely understand it despite liking it? Well, because the way it tells its story is so shuffled that a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle is easier to figure out. The Plot to Baccano, if you’re intent enough to put the pieces together, or if you had help from online summaries, is somewhat loose, in that there are actually two story arcs told at the same time, as well as a prologue and a three part epilogue, primarily taking place in New York City in the 1930s. This show centers on gangsters, bandits, assassins and immortal alchemists, a one arc tells of a recreated elixir for immortality being juggled around between mob groups, and another tells of a hectic train ride on the famous “Flying Pussyfoot”. Yes, this is actually what they called it. Among its noteworthy protagonists and crooks are the three Gandor brothers, Luck, Berga and Keith, Firo Prochazell…Protenell…Prozac…Firo Smith, an immortal fighter, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, a “Bonnie & Clyde” style bandit duo, a gang of bombers including Nice Holystone and Jacuzzi Splot…okay, that is not a name for a person, that is what I’d call a tropical rum smoothie. Also, there’s Ladd Russo, a sadistic hired gun, and Szilard Quates, the villain who ties it all together. What is with these fucking names? So, anyway, aside from the mixed-up storytelling and the weird-ass names, this series is definitely worth the watch, even if you’re not into anime. The theme of gang wars in New York of old is portrayed incredibly well, with many of the characters sporting 1930s Gangster accents and mob leaders and primary members being as ruthless as they need to be to get what they want. The look of Manhattan is also drawn spot on. The art director really did his homework. A weak point that I feel I should make note of is that, like Buso Renkin, the alchemy aspect is underplayed. A primary aspect of the show is the Elixir for Immortality, which many of the main cast has consumed, but it’s only seen crafted a few times. One of the characters is also revealed to be a homunculus, and there are more to come only if you read a novel tie-in that continues where the series finale left off. If you’re not Japanese, then I guess you’re stuck with the sixteen episodes. Another weakness is that the European accents featured, like Russian, German and French aren’t perfect. I’m not really cynical enough to complain, but if you’ve studied foreign languages, you probably won’t be too impressed. Okay, now to further talk about the characters. I will get some of the ones like Firo, the Gandors and Ennis, the homunculus that I mentioned out of the way, because while they are a major aspect to the main story, there’s not a whole lot that they do outside of contributing to the plot, and once they’ve succeeded in their story arc, they’re pretty much done. Kind of anticlimactic, but I’m sure Wikipedia will tie in any loose ends for you. Among some of my favorites include the pair of Isaac and Miria, and Ladd Russo, because I think you’ll find these guys an absolute hoot as well. As far as Isaac and Miria go…I DON’T GET THEM. Usually, when they talk, it’s to proclaim whatever amazing deed of derring-do or don’t that they’re planning on, and when they contribute to the plot, they behave very bizarrely and very spastic. Most of the time, I can’t tell whether they’re being serious about the situation at hand, or they think everything’s a game and they’re making up the rules as they go along. They’re a lot like the Mad Hatter and March Hare, that way, and they do provide a lot of strange, yet satisfying comic relief. Ladd Russo, like I mentioned, is a complete psychopath, and absolutely loves to kill, dances around at the possibility that he’ll get to kill, and I could almost say he gets a boner out of killing. One of my favorite aspects of villainy is to express a good deal of humor in their acts, and he not only expresses humor, but also claims it. He really is one of those “deliciously evil” villains out there, and he’s definitely a fan favorite. However, he kind of has the Boba Fett factor, where he kind of fails to deliver in the end, and as far as his relationship with his lady lover, Lua Klein, he claims he wants to eventually kill her…kind of extreme, I know, but when he says it, I almost get the feeling that’s actually a euphemism for sex. Imagine the word “kill” as dirty talk for a few seconds. You’ll see what I mean. Another pair I should I mention, is Jacuzzi and Nice, who lead their own gang, whose names I do not give a shit about. Jacuzzi (I will never get used to that word as a person’s name) is an odd choice for a gang leader, because he does have a considerable bounty on his head, but when you meet him to try to collect, he’ll immediately start pleading peace and crying. Yea, I thought the same thing you did at first, but they’re not bullshitting you, I promise. His leadership mostly comes from his ability to form bonds with people and how much he mans up after he’s one acting like a pussy. I won’t say that makes him a bad character, but that concept in a “GANG LEADER” is quite unrealistic, especially in 1930s New York. As a protagonist, he is very capable. Nice (pronounced “niece”, oddly enough) serves as not only his second in command, but also his phoned-in love interest. She’s an expert in explosives, and has all kinds of bombs and firecrackers hidden in her pockets, and even in her shirt. You’ll immediately notice she’s missing an eye, and has burn scars from the right side of her face to her shoulder. I won’t spoil it for you, but when you see how she got it, you’ll have a serious facepalm moment. I will say that the moments where fans place their shipping on them are sincere, but the first time you’re shown they have a thing, it’s random to the point of seeming unnecessary. Among some other characters I’ll mention are Claire Stanfield, who just can’t seem to choose what kind of personality he’s supposed to have, Chane Laforet, a prime example of having a weak accent, and Szilard, who, for a villain, is very boring and forgettable. A handful of other characters are also kind of forgettable, and don’t last very long. There’s also some Director of a Novel Publishing company and his little girl assistant who are only in the first and last episode, and as such, nobody’s going to remember them. The main characters that I talked about are really the ones we should give any kind of crap about for who they are, what they do, and how they contribute to the story. Dub or Sub? While the original version is great, the Dub, like Cowboy Bebop and Fullmetal Alchemist, is far superior. Like I said, the New York accent is its strongest suit, and the fact that the people can be subtle, serious, and even spontaneous (special credit to J Michael Tatum and Caitlin Glass as Isaac and Miria) gives a lot to the show’s humor and atmosphere. Since this is one of Funimation’s rather recent releases, it was a good way to showcase voice actors who were new at the time, like Bryan Massey as Ladd, Maxey Whitehead as an immortal child character, and Joel McDonald as Jacuzzi, who kinda sounds like he’s imitating Greg Ayres. And, like I said, the European accents, like Monica Rial and Eric Vale’s French aren’t perfect, but well enough. I definitely recommend you check this out of you like Cops n’ Robbers style shows, Mafia War style shows, or even if you have about six hours to kill on NetFlix. There’s an afternoon well spent for ya. And, since this would be a good title for Non-anime goers, I think this show should DEFINITELY have been on Adult Swim. The people behind this would later make Durarara!!, which has an opening theme animation in the same style, and did end up on Adult Swim, so why not this? I definitely hope it’ll show up there in later years, though. It’s just too good to let go. *Baccano is owned by Funimation, Brains’ Base & Ryohoga Narita. Please support the official release by purchasing the DVD wherever available or watching it on Funimation’s website, Hulu or Netflix. .

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