Baccano!

[Shadell]

A book or tv show is invariably told from the perspective of one hero. Everyone else is defined in context of the hero. However, real life is not like that. Everyone is the hero from their own perspective. Everyone is the main character in their own life. For every event there are as many explanations as there are people involved.

And thus we arrive at Baccano!: an anime without a main character. Rather, Baccano! is the intersection of several independent stories, each with their own characters. The heroes of one tale are simultaneously the footnotes in another. The results are amazing and hilarious.

Baccano! itself is quite an unusual set-up. Set simultaneously in 1930, 1931 and 1932, the plot advances multiple stories at once, and somehow managing to weave a coherent whole. the characters include innocent heiresses, immortal alchemists, mafia executives, young punks, inept thieves and psychotic murderers.

Ultimately the sheer complexity of the plot makes Baccano! quite difficult to describe.

Depending on one's perspective the only possible downside of Baccano! is that it is infrequently quite gory.

Overall 10/10!

Has anyone else seen it?

[The Fungus from Yuggoth]

No, but count me interested, very interested! What's Baccano! about?

[Shadell]

Hard to describe so I'll just use Wikipedia to do it for me!

"Baccano", which Narita translates as "stupid commotion", is Italian for "ruckus". Each of the stories in the series involves several unrelated plots intersecting and crossing each other as events spiral farther and farther out of control. Immortal alchemists, mafia operated speakeasies, and many other elements of pulp fiction mashed together for a world straight out of the movies.

opening video (Also serves as a good refresher for the names of most major characters.)

And a preview. The date it gives is last year, the only thing that isn't available online is a last dvd special.

(I apologize in advance if teasers violate rule 7; I'm assuming materials designed to make people want to buy stuff don't count against copyright laws.)

It hasn't been licensed; but I can provide a link to downloads for anyone whose interested (PM me). The series is 13 episodes + 3 TV OVAs (Edit; last one released today.) But they only cover two or three books out of a longer series so there is some (small) hope for a second season.

[Helel]

Yes, yes, yes.

I've been watching Baccano since the spring, and several people including me on the IRC channel have been watching it as well (Meru/Allen is the first to come to mind, we've acted out several skits based on Baccano!).

Seriously, this show is perfect for people that love seemingly mindless action. As Shadell mentioned, you have immortals running in the shadows, alchemists seeking immortality, clueless burglars that lighten up everyone's day, serial killers with reality issues, the mafia warring with other families, a newspaper business that happens to indulge in philosophy from time to time, and everyone caught in between. Despite the violence involved, this is easily one of the funniest and most exciting series I've been watching recently.

I can't think of a real reason why NOT to watch this series, and if it seems confusing at first, rewatch the series and it makes sooooooo much more sense.

Also, a question to those who have watched the series: how in god's name do you not notice that you haven't aged a day- IN SEVENTY YEARS?! XD

[ZeroForever]

great series, the OVA is out now which is a nice addition to the series.

Manga/novels been out a while apparently but to my knowledge no one has translated them.

bit hard to remeber all the character but in geenral this series is one that grows on you as you watch.

and rail tracer >> you.

[Alissa of Someday]

Ah! A lovely, lovely show--I just ran across it last month or so. Haven't watched the last episode of the OVA yet, but besides that, its definitely become on of my favorites--glad to see I'm not the only out there watching it!