Synopsis
Set in Chicago during the early 1930s, the legendary transcontinental train Flying Pussyfoot embarks on a journey that will leave a trail of blood across the nation. Simultaneously, in New York, the ambitious scientist Szilard and his reluctant assistant Ennis search for missing bottles of the immortality elixir while mafia conflicts escalate. In 1711, aboard the Advena Avis, alchemists are about to discover the true cost of immortality. Based on the award-winning light novels, Baccano! weaves together seemingly unrelated events in time and place into a larger narrative involving alchemy, survival, and eternal life. The kindhearted aspiring thieves Isaac and Miria act as a nexus, connecting various characters with their own hidden agendas and creating lifelong bonds and consequences for everyone involved.
Background
Baccano! is based on Ryohgo Narita's award-winning light novels of the same title and mainly adapts the first 4 novels. While more faithful to the first 3 novels, the 4th novel (1932) is followed more loosely and is mostly an anime-exclusive story. In addition, content from later novels is briefly included in the anime as well. Unlike the novels however, which follow a mostly linear narrative per book, the anime adopts a non-linear storytelling style; the tale of each novel is told simultaneously with one another, with the focus jumping back and forth in time between and within the different plotlines.
