Baccano!

About Baccano!

If you are hunting for a new action series, Baccano! (バッカーノ！) deserves a look (2007). The setup goes like this. The premise: During the early 1930s in Chicago, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, is starting its legendary adventure that will leave a trail of blood all over the country. At the same time in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his unwilling aide Ennis, are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir.

Further in, in addition, a war between the mafia groups is getting worse. On board the Advena Avis, in 1711, alchemists are about to learn the price of immortality. Based on the award winning light novels of the same name, this anime adaptation follows several events that initially seem unrelated, both in time and place, but are part of a much bigger story—one of alchemy.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Szilard Quates (Kinryuu Arimoto) and Ennis (Sanae Kobayashi) are two of the characters you will meet early. It will appeal most to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. The run is 13 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Brain's Base and Sakura Create, which means the visual identity of Baccano! follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. A community score of 8.1/10 puts it among the better-received action titles. Voice casting, including Kinryuu Arimoto as Szilard Quates, adds to the appeal for fans who follow seiyuu. Released in 2007, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.