Anime DVD Review: Baccano! Volume 4

Whenever I get ready to dive into a new Anime series, there are three things I hope for: engaging stories, memorable characters, and of course stunning visuals. Take away any one of those things, and the quality of the series begins to diminish rapidly. Take away two, and you’ve got yourself one forgettable series. “Baccano!,” however, is one series that has made me rethink my vision of what good Anime entails. The stunning visuals are all there - ready to draw you in. But, after the first episode, you’ll begin to wonder exactly what and whom you were watching for the past thirty minutes. By the end of the series you’ll kick yourself for having ever misjudged this amazing, albeit disjointed, tale.

Baccano is the Italian word for noise. Novelist Ryohgo Narita translates it as “stupid commotion.” You’ll immediately get the point after seeing ten different characters scream, for ten different reasons, with no apparent connection. Keep in mind I’m referring to ten different main characters out of Baccano’s eighteen main-character roster. If it sounds overwhelming, it should.

“Baccano!” is the story of eighteen apparently unrelated immortals from all walks of life, including: politicians and mafia men. The characters’ stories will overlap slightly from time to time, but overall there is no real connection between their individual tales. This is an Anime series that revolves around the theme of immortal lifestyle. Each character stands alone with his/her own unique back-story, desires and story arc. You’ll get small doses of each character over time – no story goes on for too long without changing to another story. Even the humorous stories, like one about a couple building a domino chain, ends right on the joke – not giving viewers the chance to let the joke sink in before swapping to a new tale. The goal is to create a world where no individual’s story is greater than another, no matter how trivial that person’s story may be.

You may expect that jarring style of jump cuts will leave you dissatisfied. But, once you break-plot pacing, you’ll realize that “Baccano!” is an endless adrenaline rush.

Several scenes are filled with bone-bashing buckets of blood, counter-balanced with a fair amount of humor. For instance there is one character, Jacuzzi Splot, who not only has a laughable name, but also cries before unleashing a flurry of attacks. It’s all quite funny and grotesque at the same time, as he head-butts his attackers while crying.

When you first check out “Baccano!” you’ll immediately be hit by the music. The music something out of the Roaring 20s mixed with show tunes and Theatre musicals translated to film. The cheesy lounge music actually transports you back in time and gives you a real sense of the different eras these immortals live in.

“Baccano!” is one Anime series that will not be for everyone. Many people will be turned off by the break-pace story. While, others will not get used to the lack of a focal character. However, “Baccano!” is actually one of the most daring Anime series to come to Funimation. “Baccano!” defies the linear trend of rudimentary storytelling to create a well-crafted series that will fill you with tension as it leaves you utterly confused.

Special Features
- Episode 15 Actor Commentary