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How do I even begin to describe a show like this? This is a show that defies all practical ways of storytelling. No main protagonist, a nonlinear story, and a huge cast of unconventional characters. You’d think that all these risks would harm the show, but not only does Baccano! stand as an enjoyable anime, but even possibly one of the greatest gangster stories ever told! It’s an entertaining show straight from the first few minutes of it’s beginning, and it stays enjoyable till the very end.

This is a tale about gangsters, immortals, psychopaths, and “The Flying Pussyfoot”. Welcome to 1930’s America! Our story begins, ... oddly enough, at the very end, with everything already been said and done. By the end of the first episode we already know how everything ends, we know who lives, and who doesn't. It seems weird at first, and it does kill off some suspense during parts of the show since, well, we already saw what happened to these characters, but luckily, that isn't Baccano!’s goal. Instead, we get to see just how all this happened to our character, and that’s probably one of the show’s greatest strengths.

As we watch, the mystery unfolds, and we get a better idea of just what really happened here. The show does an absolutely great job connecting it’s multiple stories together, showing us the big picture. Events which seem completely unrelated are woven together, leaving no questions unanswered. At first, this does seem rather confusing, and honestly, it can be at times. This isn't helped with the fact that the story takes place in the span of several different years, with characters appearing in multiple parts. As the show progresses, you will get a better grasp of this unique way of storytelling, but it does take a while, which does lead to some problems.

Another great thing about this show is it’s cast of insane characters. Like I said before, there is no main character, instead the story is presented through the eyes of several different characters. The best part is that all these characters are incredibly distinct, each of them genuinely feeling like fully realized characters, rather than just cardboard cutouts. There’s the hilarious duo Miria and Isaac, the crybaby Jacuzzi, the violent hit man Ladd Russo, and so much more. And somehow, in only 13 episodes, a lot these characters manage to get enough screentime to feel developed and unique in their own right. I do wish that some of these characters did get more time for themselves to feel more thought out, like Rachel, who doesn't even get that much screentime until the last few episodes. There are several other characters that I don’t think got enough development either, leaving them to stay more or less the same through the whole course, and that does hurt the show at some points. Still, I found every character enjoyable to watch, and it’s a cast of characters I don’t think I’ll be forgetting anytime soon.

What can I say about the animation and art style that hasn't been said before? It was produced by studio Brain Base, and it’s beautiful. Baccano! captures the jazz setting perfectly. The characters all look like they were ripped off of old gangster movies, and they have a more distinct look compared to other anime. The scenery also helps to put you in into America’s Chicago, you could tell a lot of work went into make this art style blend in with the setting, and the animation itself is very fluid. The action scenes in particular are impressive,and their are tons of them. Characters movements feel real, and only rarely did I feel as though the animation fell at some parts.

Now, for the the sound of Baccano!, which I can easily say does an incredible job putting the viewers engrossed with this world. The musical score, which was done by Makoto Yoshimori, is comprised of mostly jazz like songs and orchestrated tracks, really just further pushing the setting of America’s 1930's. Saxophones, pianos, violins, trumpets, and brass instruments, this show uses all of them to it’s advantage. A particular favorite track of mine is Baccano!’s OP, Guns and Roses, an amazing song that I look forward to every time an episode begins, and I’m sure you will too.

As for the voice acting, this is an amazing dub. The English voices feel so perfect with these characters, especially give the fact that the setting is America after all, but that’s not what just make the voices feel perfect. The acting gives all of the already fantastic characters a breath of life, helping them all feel more distinct and identifiable. You could tell which character is which just by hearing their voices for a few seconds, and that’s amazing considered the large amounts of characters this show has.

I enjoyed the hell out of Baccano!, it’s a great blend of mystery, action, comedy, and even a bit of horror. The jazzy setting is fantastic, the premise is unconventional, and it’s far more unique than other shows because of that. The story may be hard to follow at first, and the huge cast of characters may intimidate you, but once you can get through those problems, you get a show that is truly remarkable in almost every sense, and it’s a show I can’t help but to recommend to anyone interested.

FLCL is kind of a hard anime to review, mainly because since it’s so unique, people are bound to have different opinions on it. To some, it could all be a nonsensical, weird show about robots or something. Other people will see it as a work of art that is about the coming of age, or even a social statement about how how we, as a society, need to change our ways. One things for sure, though, and that Fooly Cooly is bursting with creativity, and is something I highly encourage you to watch.

The story of FLCL is interesting. It’s a little complicated to explain, ... but I’ll try my best to explain it without spoiling too much. The story begins with Naota with his brothers girlfriend, Mamimi. One day, while Naota and Mamimi are hanging out together, a girl riding a Vespa hits Naoto in the head with her electric guitar. After that, really strange things begin to happen, but I won't spoil the surprise The rest is basically up to you to figure out. But, that’s what's great about the show. The show will leave wondering what the hell you just watched, deciding what the show really is about. And, with only 6 episodes and an insane plot, this show allows for a lot of rewatchability.

The characters are just as weird too, although not as much. Lets begin with Naota, an adolescent kid who seems pretty empathetic. He doesn’t really care about much, even with all the crazy stuff happening around him, but he does have conflicting ideas about growing up and about life. Mamimi, Naota’s brother’s girlfriend, who seems childish, as she usually stays on the fantasy side of life, and can be a bit destructive. And finally, the weirdest of the bunch, Haruko Haruko. The best word to describe Haruko is this: unpredictable. Haruko is an eccentric, insane character who doesn’t let anything get in her way. She’s a bit hard to understand, but she’s hell of a fun character to watch. After that, we have a small cast of supporting characters. Theres Canti, a robot, special agents, and some school friends. My only gripe with the characters are that since the show is only 6 episodes, there isn’t really any character development and the characters don’t really have that much depth to them, with Naota being an exception.

The aesthetically unique animation is incredible and really shows off that what you're watching is something not to forget. It’s oozing with style The most fascinating thing about is that it always changes once in a while. It can go from looking like a manga, to having amazing detailed fight scenes, to a weird scene that look like it were drawn purposely half-assed.(you’ll see what I mean). There’s even a scene that is drawn like an episode of south park for some reason! This only helps push the weirdness that FLCL, which all in all, only makes it better.

Oh man, the music… the music is just so good, and really is something you should listen to. The japanese rock band, The Pillows, did an amazing job doing the music for the show. The songs do mostly just stick to the same style and tone, but it is focused enough that it really fits the show. The tracks really make FLCL commit to the crazy insanity it is with some heart pumping, upbeat, incredible pieces.

I would definitely recommend that you watch FLCL, if only for the fact that you can hands on see the insanity that is this show. It may not be for everyone, but if you can handle the shows weirdness, you might be able to see the show’s underlying themes, and appreciate for what it is. A nonsensical, thought provoking, enjoyable show that is loads of fun.

The original Fullmetal Alchemist was a fantastic anime back in 2004. It had a fantastic story, and amazing characters, but unfortunately, the pacing was slow, and the ending was somewhat bittersweet. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, it's remake, on the other hand manages to fix just about every problem the original had, and even manages to improve all the good points from the original.

The story of the Fullmetal is one not to forget. The story revolves Edward Elric, and his brother, Alphonse Elric, who are searching for a way to return back to their original lives after committing a dangerous taboo, human transmutation. The story revolves around ... the idea that in order to receive something, you must sacrifice something of equal value. The brothers live in a fantasy-like militaristic nation that has a great focus on the use of alchemy called Amestris. This is an incredible story that uses it's time wisely, with just about every moment having a importance in the grander scheme of things. Not everything is as it seems, as they are some really clever plot twist you won’t forget. Despite the fact the the story is massive, it never seems to complicated. It explains everything in a way that it doesn't talk down to you, but you never feel like you've been given to much info to keep track of either.

The best part of the anime by far, are the characters. The show has a huge cast of likable characters, each with own interesting personalities. None of the characters feel like stereotypes, and they are all given enough depth to make them feel alive. There’s the main dou, Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers who are searching for a way to get their original bodies back, and their childhood friend, Winry, who is always making sure the two brothers are safe. There’s also the members of the military, Roy Mustang, a man who wishes to become the fuhrer of Amestris, with his devoted team, and a loving father and husband, Hughes. And, of course, the antagonists of the show, the mysterious homunculi whose motives see, unclear at first, and a man looking for revenge, Scar. I haven’t even mentioned the side characters. Ninjas, Alchemy teachers, engineers, and a runaway father. Hell, I don’t even know if I can call these side characters. They're all so important, with their own different goals and character development, they could be considered all to be part of the main cast. They are all so varied, you’re bound to have your own favorites.

The animation for the show is great too, although some might prefer the originals art style over this one. It looks a bit more simpler compared to the originals, but that’s mainly because the original had some fantastic artwork. I will say this, though. The animation is great and has some incredible action scenes, and nice facial expressions. The art style is beautiful as well, creating fantastic environments, with a great use of distinct colors. The animation does fall once in a while, but it’s so rare, you’ll hardly notice it.

And finally, the sound. This show has a fantastic orchestrated soundtrack, with solid voice acting. The anime has five opening and ending songs, and they’re all a joy to listen to. The music complements the show greatly. Every scene is backed up by a great track, giving them all it’s intended atmosphere. It can make scenes intense or relaxing, exiting or melancholic, and most importantly, meaningful. The only complaint I would have is that some of these tracks are played too often, but it never really bothered me. The voice actors for this show are great as well. There’s not really a weak voice actor in the bunch, and some of them really do help push the characters to seem more believable. You can’t go wrong with either subbed or dubbed.

I can’t stop praising this show enough. The show is incredible, with practically no flaws(I tried my best to even find the few nitpicks that I did find). You’ll end up finding these episodes passing by too fast, with these 64 episodes will all hold something memorable. This is not a show you want to miss.