Baccano! Specials Review

Title: Baccano! OVA

Anime: The Baccano! OVA was produced by Brains Base (who also produced Natsume Yuujin-Chou and the Kimi ga Nozomu Eien ~Next Season~ OVA) and was directed by Takahiro Omori (director for Jigoku Shoujo Futakomori and Natsume Yuujin-Chou). The three episodes were released on DVDs 5 (released February 27th, 2008), 7 (released April 23rd, 2008), and 8 (released May 28th, 2008) as bonus episodes in Japan; it is unclear if, in Funimation's licensing of the series Stateside, the OVA is included in what was licensed.

The Baccano! OVA picks up on some of the plot lines from the series that, despite being wrapped up, weren't quite complete and needed some more explaining, and also introduces some new characters.

I watched Baccano! almost a year ago now, and watching this reminded me of why I liked the series so much. There's an amazing amount of detail in this production, especially in the story and backstories of the characters, and how things in the past and future dovetail into each other to bring things full circle and fill out and finish the last of the plot lines that weren't quite perfect. The new characters also make their entrances nicely within all this, fitting in perfectly.

Art style is pretty much unchanged from the original series; still a great amount of detail given to the character designs, which is where it matters most, and the animation in general is smooth and well-done.

Music is still mostly jazz-based and good, while the OP and ED stays the same as from the series.

The seiyuu all returned for the OVA, and Tomokazu Sugita (famous for his roles as Mayama in Honey and Clover and Soldier Blue in Toward the Terra) makes an appearance as the new OVA-exclusive character Graham Spector.

The length was pretty good on this, though I would've liked to have this expanded into a second season. There's a rather metatastic moment at the end of this, though, and it very much leaves the possibility for a continuation open, and I would hope that they pick up on this.

All in all, an excellent OVA, though not quite as good as the series itself, that expands and brings the series full-circle while leaving the possibility for continuation more than open.

Story: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Music: 8/10
Seiyuu: 8/10
Length: 8/10

Overall: 42/50; 84% (B)

"All there is is a performance of people connecting, living, influencing each other, and departing."