If you were a "hardcore" anime fan between 2007 and 2010, there's a good chance you have at least heard of "Baccano!" By "hardcore," I mean you've watched more than a handful of anime, were interested in more mature shows, and would read or watch online reviews by anime fans, which at this point was starting to explode as its own genre of Internet career before the word "Youtuber" was invented. I don't think "Baccano!" is quite the sleeper hit is was always made out to be; nearly every Youtube anime reviewer that existed at the time would review the show, praising its exciting atmosphere and maverick editing, while also boldly exclaiming "it's such a shame no one has heard of it!" Chances are, your average anime friend (ie. the one watching "Naruto" or "Bleach" around that time) hasn't heard of it, but for everyone else, it was difficult NOT to hear about it.So what exactly is it that makes "Baccano!" so special? For one, it is set in the rolling bootleg era (somewhere around the 1920's) in the USA. That time period and setting was already an usual one for anime, trading in samurai and robots for gangsters and the Italian-American mafia. The story actually jumps and skips a lot between multiple stories, each taking place in a different year. The most memorable plot takes place on a train, another involves the search for a missing brother, and a couple more exist to keep things fresh. Some of the characters will recur across multiple stories, but the biggest connecting thread is revealed as the show progresses: a secret exilar that gave immortality to anyone who drank it. If you cross immortality with violent crooks, well... you can imagine what happens.If there is one weakness to "Baccano!," it would be in the plot. When all is said and done, there isn't really a specific goal or end game for any of the characters. No one is seeking revenge or enlightenment, no one is trying to save someone important. The show's tagline is that "Baccano means 'rukus, noise,'" and that's appropriate here. Everything is just a series of events. But what does work about the story is how it is told. The style of whipping between timelines isn't entirely unique (see the live-action films "Cloud Atlas" or "Pulp Fiction"), but when it is done well, it becomes all the more riviting. That an attentive viewer could easily follow the inter-weaving stories based on the characters involved after each black cut with only the year the story took place is impressive. Initially a slow burn, it still holds your attention like a knife to your throat, and by the end it'll all seem clear as day exactly what happened. The anchor to all the stories is through the viewpoint of a young reporter (a girl who looks barely ten years old) and the editor of "The Daily Days" newspaper, researching the series of strange events that the paper had published in prior years and wondering how they came to be, and whether or not they were connected. It's a smart and appropriate metaphor to the entire show, but doesn't overbear itself: these two characters only appear two or three times during the entire 16 episode run. By the way, four of those episodes are technically extras to the more standard 12-episode season, a nice desert that gives a new story and expands the existing cast of characters.Aside from the smart direction and editing, the rest of the production is also quite good. It's surprising how well the visuals still hold up even today, with simplistic but well designed characters and a worn urban environment that gives everything a more timeless aura. The music is effectively catchy, especially the killer opening, and the entire soundtrack will want you to revisit swing and jazz tunes from your grandparents' heyday. I was initially taken aback by Funimation's English dub for its unusually strong American and Italian accents, but got used to it over time, to the point where I can't imagine the show without them. It helps that certain psychopathic characters in the show are immensely entertaining to hear as much as they are to watch. Even a seemingly unusual sense of humor and unusual character names (who would ever be named "Jaccuzi Splot?") seem natural in the dub. The Japanese release on home video would even include the English dub on the disc, a great compliment to their respect to the job and the American setting.
Speaking of Funimation, they would eventually lose the license to the show. It was one of their largest public loses, made more painful when Aniplex of America clearly prevented them from renewing it. To date, Aniplex hasn't re-released it (other than an older Japanese Bluray import), so it remains out of print today. You could still technically import the Bluray directly from Japan with the English dub, and even if it is more expensive than you migh be used to, I think you'll find it's worth it. Few other anime can give a sense of place and style as well as "Baccano!" while remaining this much fun as an action / comedy / mystery. And I can't think of another show that exists that made me go out to buy a fedorra.