coldspaghetti

Baccano. The multiple narrative anime of a lifetime. Being extremely enjoyable as well as entertaining Baccano has a charm to it that is found in very few anime. What made me click on Baccano was hearing people say it was historical and a seinen (which I am a sucker for historical anime as well as ones that fall into the sienen demographic) and that it was similar to Black Lagoon. I went into Baccano blindly and I was blown away with it's unforgettable action, amazing characters, great storytelling, and crazy plot twists. When this anime starts we are introduced to our main narrators who are presenting the story to us the audience. The story the narrators are beginning to tell is nothing short of elaborate. This intricate mystery anime slowly unravels before your eyes making sure to capture your attention with its thrilling action, hilarious comic relief, and its intertwining narratives. Baccano is set in a sequential narrative structure strikingly reminiscent from a Tarantino movie. In this case skipping from person to person to show the audience what is happening with each character as well as their perspective on things but in the end intertwining. Each episode darts from one character's story to anothers bringing a new exciting piece to put together in the puzzle. This was probably my favorite part of Baccano. It was always insanely interesting to see new characters and how they fit into the story properly. Being in the time period of early 30’s America we have character design and scenery that is fitting to this time. We see tommy guns, old school mafias, and classic heists scattered throughout this show. I really enjoyed seeing this because this era is so iconic in American literature and film, so to see an anime paying homage to this is great. This story is filled with  a sea of charming (and some psychotic) characters who each have their own motives and backgrounds to accompany them. This makes each character unique and interesting as you see them try to wade through the sea of action they take part in as well as the interactions with each other that come with it. This aspect was also extremely intriguing since we the audience know more about each character than they do to each other. It was so thrilling seeing the characters find out about each other’s secrets, personalities, motives, and us the audience untangle the web of interaction they play in. The characters all have their own one of a kind charming personality that draws you in. Even the mass murders were strangely lovable. With crazy interesting characters there has gotta be crazy interesting events. Here is where the action comes in. There is a considerable amount of butchery, destruction, blood baths, and gunfights which make this anime constantly thrilling. The fights are always crafted exceptionally well. Whether it is a cool monologue from one character revealing some of their background as they strut to kill another person, psychotic ramblings while stabbing people, or a divulgence of a major plot point while getting shot it always manages to be entertaining. Through the carnage, action, and gore we have a himbo and bimbo couple shedding light and comic relief in each scene. Miria and Issac. Out of all the delightful characters the ones that stick out the most would be Miria and Issac. This adorable couple is the sole reason why the genre comedy is listed under Baccano. Always bringing goofy comic relief and sweet moments to the mostly dark action centered anime. While there are many exciting events and great view points, you can drown in them if you aren’t paying attention. Being very fast paced since there is a lot to tell, you can get caught in the confusion of the non stop switch of narratives and the chronological switches too. I can't forget about how this story is unconventionally told backwards as well. But don’t let this stop you from diving into Baccano, though it is feels tangly it manages to pull off these switches smoothly. If you're confused that isn’t something a little rewinding won't fix. Overall I cannot explain how much fun it was to piece each slice of information together to come to a character conclusion or a prediction of events. I was so entertained as I watched Baccano and if you take a chance on this anime I think you will too.