Baccano! Episode 05

"Jacuzzi Splot Cries, Gets Scared and Musters Reckless Valor" is the fifth episode of the 2007 Baccano! anime.

Funimation Blurb
A dagger bomb to the head is no way to go. He uses his palm to eat his mind and body. Some girls are born, she was made. A knife fight among friends is the perfect initiation into a life of crime. He heals instantly. Heroism is more heroic when coming from a coward. The tattoo on his face prevents him from acting inconspicuous. Even with good intentions, firing a gun indoors is a bad idea. A puddle of blood and guts sometimes isn’t the worst of it. Two bottles are still out there somewhere. Politeness isn’t required when taking a hostage, but it is appreciated. The quickest way to catch a him is to use the only person who loves him as bait. Even criminals are afraid of monsters. Here's all you need to know: A bomb to the head is no way to go. Even criminals fear monsters. The best knife fights are between friends. Heroism is more heroic when coming from a coward. He eats him.
 * First Version
 * Later Version

Recap Scenes
Vicky shooting a Lemur and shot dead in turn by the Lemur's two comrades, while the woman in coveralls escapes through a window (E04); Ladd Russo identifying Natalie Beriam while Czeslaw Meyer grins deviously next to Mary Beriam in Natalie's arms (E04); Dallas Genoard and his gang assaulting Barnes (E04); the Lemur conductor staring at the Young Conductor while Isaac Dian says that there is one way to prevent the Rail Tracer in a voiceover (E02); and Jacuzzi Splot running through the cars of the Flying Pussyfoot (E01).

Synopsis
In 1931, three armed mafiosi corner Jacuzzi Splot in a dead-end alleyway. Jacuzzi attempts to convince the men to lower their guns and settle the confrontation peacefully, tearfully explaining that he doesn't have any money.

Taken aback by Jacuzzi's tears, the leader of the three (Sidaris) wonders if he really is the one in the wanted poster. His subordinate shows him Jacuzzi's wanted poster - the one issued by the Russo Family - and confirms that Jacuzzi is the man they want. The men order Jacuzzi to stop crying; Jacuzzi, while crying, objects that he isn't crying and has a nervous condition. Fed up, Sidaris grabs Jacuzzi by his lapel and shoves the muzzle of his gun onto Jacuzzi's temple, ordering Jacuzzi to cough up his name if he doesn't want a hole in his head. Jacuzzi complies, tears streaming down his face.

Title card. Aboard the Flying Pussyfoot, Jacuzzi stares in horror at the conductors' gruesome corpses and concludes that they were killed by the Rail Tracer (a replay of the ending scene of Episode 03). Nice Holystone and Donny finally catch up with Jacuzzi and are instantly sobered by the corpses. Their arrival immensely relieves Jacuzzi, but his relief is tempered when Nice informs him that Nick was caught by members of the black-suited orchestra they'd previously seen boarding the train. She assumes that they must actually be train robbers, and assures Jacuzzi that they will save Nick at a later point. When she asks Jacuzzi what happened in the conductors' compartment, Jacuzzi declares that the murder scene is the work of the Rail Tracer, and that the three of them had better save Nick before they are all 'erased.'

Distant gunfire cuts off Jacuzzi's declaration. Trembling with fear, Jacuzzi wonders where it is coming from and insists that they have to escape.

The scene flashes back to the alleyway, where Sidaris grinds the gun's muzzle into Jacuzzi's skin and sneers that he never would have guessed that the leader of the delinquents giving the Russos a hard time would turn out to be a coward. He shoves Jacuzzi against the the brick wall, ranting about how he had expected more of a fight from someone who acts like they own the town, and literally kicks Jacuzzi while he is down. Jacuzzi coils in on himself, quips that his followers are "serious contenders for [their] weight class," and Sidaris kicks him again.

Jacuzzi falls onto his side; in-between kicks, he accuses the Russos of 'starting it' when they killed eight of Jacuzzi's friends. Sidaris switches from kicking his abdomen to his back, and with blood leaking out of the corner of his mouth Jacuzzi continues that it was out of revenge for their friends' deaths that his gang declared all out war with the Russos. Furious, Sidaris aims his gun at Jacuzzi.

Back on the Flying Pussyfoot, Jacuzzi realizes that the Rail Tracer will 'eat' Isaac & Miria, Mary Beriam, Czeslaw Meyer, and everyone else if he and his friends try and flee. Getting a hold of himself, he looks to Nice and Donny and announces that it up to them to drive the Black Suits and the Rail Tracer off the train. Nice and Donny nod, encouraged by his determination.

Returning to the alleyway, a train rattles down the tracks in the background as Jacuzzi sits up and pleads with the three Russos to put down their weapons – he does not want to kill them. Sidaris points out that Jacuzzi is the one who will be killed, but Jacuzzi ignores him and begs a seemingly absent Donny to wait a little longer since he is sure that the gangsters will drop their guns. He plea comes too late, and Donny reaches out from behind Sidaris to crush both Sidaris's gun and the hand holding it. Sidaris screams, gun falling from his mangled hand. Turning to find Donny and a crowd of delinquents barricading the three gangsters and Jacuzzi into the dead end, he shouts for his men to shoot – only for the two men to fall to the ground dead, knives buried in the backs of their heads. Jacuzzi, recumbent, whimpers at the sight. Meanwhile, Nice steps out from behind Donny and lobs a knife encased in a lit bomb at Sidaris's forehead. Her aim is true, and Jacuzzi stands and takes off with Nice in tow, the gang following. The bomb explodes seconds after they escape, releasing a batch of colorful fireworks in its wake.

In 1930, as ordered by Szilard Quates, Ennis finds Barnes dead in an alleyway (the same scene from episode three). Barnes regenerates and regains consciousness long enough to recognize Ennis before passing out. When Barnes next awakes, he finds himself in Szilard's secret meeting room with Ennis, Szilard, and a coterie of aging men. Szilard demands to know why Ennis didn't kill Barnes immediately, to which she replies that she thought they should learn what happened first before doing away with him; he retorts that as a homunculus he created, she should not think at all. Szilard poses three questions to his followers: why did Barnes try to cover his tracks with fire; what did he do with the finished product; and whether they should give the person responsible for losing said product a chance to explain. They have no choice but to learn what happens, he says, through a certain method which the other man are aware of: a method that involves Barnes’s memories, knowledge, experience and life. Barnes sits up on the couch and cries out Szilard's name, but Szilard swiftly devours him.

After sifting through Barnes' memories, Szilard informs the others that Barnes managed to save two bottles of the product from the fire - only to have the bottles stolen from him, news that causes the aging men much distress. He announces that he knows the faces of those responsible, and to Ennis adds that there seems to be someone looking for her. Placing his right hand on Ennis' head, Szilard transfers to her Barnes' memory of Firo Prochainezo taking down Dallas Genoard and his friends. He orders her to find the four men who took the bottles first, and she nods and heads for the stairwell. On the stairwell, she realizes that she is missing a cuff link.

In 1931, Gustavo Bagetta assures Bartolo Runorata via telephone that he and his men have been doing everything they can to find Dallas. Bartolo, unamused, subtly threatens Gustavo's life as forfeit should he fail to find Dallas, to which Gustavo insists he will find Dallas no matter what. After Gustavo hangs up, he shouts at two of his Runorata subordinates for making him 'look bad' in front of his boss and throws a heavy ashtray in their direction.

The two men - the same men who visited the Daily Days for information regarding Dallas in episode three - nervously explain that the Daily Days gave them information that was 'less than nothing'. Angered, Gustavo decides to pay the Daily Days a personal visit, and leaves his office with Rubik and another Runorata in tow. After the phone call ends, Bartolo remarks to Manfred Beriam that Gustavo is incompetent and perfectly disposable. Manfred reminds him that this matter must be handled quietly, and Bartolo wonders how a 'lowly juvenile delinquent' such as Dallas could have become an immortal. Manfred tells him that Dallas apparently got hold of the incomplete product (meaning that he is invulnerable to everything but aging), and remarks that they will be able to experience inhuman happiness should they retrieve their prize. He admits that he would not mind losing his soul for such a bounty, and adds that since Huey Laforet is in custody, he will have the lead if he makes a move now.

In 1930, Molsa Martillo and the other Martillo executives conduct Firo's initiation ceremony in a secret room underneath the Alveare. Molsa plies Firo with a series of questions testing his loyalty, and tells him that he can still turn back now – if he continues, he will lose his one chance to live on the straight and narrow. Firo insists that he is prepared, and drives his knife into the meeting table to demonstrate his resolve. In 1931, Isaac and Miria stand and announce their intention to look for Jacuzzi. As they walk down the aisle – with the passengers on either side staring at them in bewilderment – Isaac says that while he has no idea what is going on with the three groups that held up the dining car earlier, he is not afraid to use his guns against them.

Back by the bar, Natalie Beriam instructs her daughter Mary and passenger Czeslaw Meyer to hide, assuring Mary that her father Manfred will be sure to rescue them. She asks Czes to take good care of her daughter; Czes nods, takes Mary's hand, and leads her down the aisle toward the door leading to the Second Class cars.

The door leading to First Class opens, revealing a group of armed Lemures. Their leader, Goose Perkins, identifies Natalie as Manfred's wife and introduces himself by his first name. Natalie looks behind her head and sees the aisle empty - Czes and Mary have managed to hide under a table just in time. Goose explains that there is a 'sensitive manner' they need the Senator's cooperation with, and requests that she accompany the Lemures. Natalie asks him to promise that his men will not hurt any of the passengers, to which Goose replies that fulfilling that promise would ultimately depend on the responses of her husband and the government.

Back in 1931, Gustavo, Rubik, and the third Runorata enter the Daily Days' headquarters. At the front desk, Nicholas Wayne expresses his surprise and honor that a capo of Gustavo's stature is paying a personal visit. Gustavo is taken aback to see that Nicholas knows of him specifically, and Nicholas replies that there is not much they do not know. Cutting to the chase, Gustavo accuses Nicholas of having condescended to his subordinates, grabbing him by his collar when he tries to protest. The Daily Days employees reach for their guns, but stop when they see Rubik and the other Runorata pointing machine guns at them.

Gustavo demands Dallas' location from Nicholas, threatening his life if he does not answer. Once Nicholas recovers from Gustavo's choke hold, he claims that he and the Daily Days truly do not know more than what they already told Gustavo's subordinates; however, rumor has it that the Gandor Family is also after Dallas. He slyly asks if it would be bad for the Runoratas if the Gandors found Dallas first; alarmed, Gustavo asks him how the Runoratas can beat the Gandors to the chase, and he suggests that Gustavo use Dallas' little sister Eve Genoard as bait. Back in 1930, Ronny Schiatto hands knives to Firo, Kanshichirou Yaguruma, and Maiza Avaro in the meeting room. While Maiza and Firo have their coats removed by Randy and Pezzo respectively, Yaguruma – acting as the officiator of the knife match – reminds them that if either of them stabs their opponent on the chest, he will kill them on the spot. The knife duel begins with Maiza taking the lead, driving Firo toward the back wall with a flurry of blindingly quick slashes while the rest of the executives watch on.

Firo jumps up and kicks off against the wall, using the momentum to strike back against Maiza. Maiza blocks the thrust with his knife, and they push against each other's knives in an effort to break out of the lock; Firo breaks the lock first and, in wounding Maiza's arm, ends the match. All the executives applaud Firo's win against an opponent as formidable as Maiza, who comes over to offer congratulations of his own. Firo thanks him, and then notices that the blood on Maiza's sleeve has disappeared along with the cut.

Yaguruma laughs that Firo has not only improved, he is the first to ever lay a scratch on Maiza. From his seat, Molsa compliments Firo as a splendid camorrista and fires his ceremonial pistol into the air. All the executives cheer, only to hear a woman wailing overhead that someone called 'Isaac' has been killed.

In 1931, Goose asks Natalie where her daughter is; Natalie lies that Mary was taken away by men in white suits - in reality, Mary and Czes are currently crawling under table after table while Natalie and Goose talk. Goose wants to know who these men are, and Natalie replies that she does not know - all she can tell him is that the men seemed to be looking for both her and Mary, but only took Mary in the end.

Goose promises to keep a look out for Mary, and orders Natalie to accompany him back to their compartment – only to notice something suspicious down the car. He tells Natalie to wait and walks until he reaches a table by an open window, with a man sitting opposite to an empty seat.

Goose points his gun at the man and tersely asks who opened the window. Raising his hands, the man answers that a woman in coveralls had escaped during the shootout; Goose looks out through the window at the passing expanse to see for himself.

Several cars away, the woman in question crawls along the side of the Flying Pussyfoot and attempts to look through a window into a corridor. In the corridor, Chané Laforet senses something strange and approaches the window to look outside. She sees no one, for the woman in coveralls has hidden under the train.

Over the wireless, Goose relays orders to the Lemures to find the woman in fatigues. A man wearing a headset by his wireless looks to his two companions in a freight hold and relays the orders to them; he takes off his headset and exits the hold with one of the Lemures while the third remains seated. When the third exits the car, he finds the first Lemur standing alone in a corridor by a window, looking lost. The third Lemur asks where George went, and the first Lemur – nearly out of his mind with fear – babbles that George has vanished. The third Lemur spots a Red Shadow outside the open window; as the lights flicker off above him, the Red Shadow envelops the first Lemur. They are both gone by the time the lights return, and the third Lemur grabs his head and screams.

Preview
Isaac exclaims in alarm upon reading the Rail Tracer's name in the title for the next episode, observing in horror that the Rail Tracer will be slaughtering people covertly. Miria asks if that means the Rail Tracer will be murdering people sneakily, and Isaac compliments her on her insight. He wonders what the part "inside the coaches" means, but all Miria can utter in response is that she is scared.

1930
Click "Expand" for differences regarding the 1930 timeline. When Barnes is killed in the first light novel, his last thoughts are of his mother and how he had wanted to become an immortal so that he could save her from her abuser. His final thoughts and motivations are never shared in the anime. In the novels, Szilard lauds Barnes' loyalty to him even in death and encourages the elderly men to follow his example, but gives Barnes no such acknowledgment in the anime.

Szilard transfers Barnes' memories to Ennis with his left hand in the novels, whereas the anime relegates this ability to the right hand instead. Ennis also does not notice that her cuff link is missing in the novel, because she never lost it in the first place.

Firo's ceremony in the anime is a highly abbreviated version of the one that takes place in the novels: it leaves out a series of symbolic ritual tests performed by Firo and Molsa that serve to demonstrate Firo's loyalty and courage. The ensuing knife fight as seen in the anime is one of these tests, specifically designed to test Firo's duty.

1931
Click "Expand" for differences regarding the 1931 timeline. The Russo capo killed by Jacuzzi's Gang is named Sidaris in the anime, but is named Sidaris in the official translation of the novels. He and his men also do not have a copy of the poster with them, they merely quote it. Sidaris does not drop his gun when Donny crushes his hand in the second light novel, but instead tries and fails to fire it at Donny. When Donny does crush Sidaris's right hand in the novels, he is simultaneously choking the throat of one of the other mafiosi with his left hand - there are implied to be more than two subordinates present in the novels, whereas there are only two in the anime.

The rest of the scene is truncated, and Sidaris's death is changed. After Nice addresses Sidaris in the novels, one of the delinquents next to her strikes Sidaris's cheek with an iron pipe. Nice quotes Sidaris's words to Jacuzzi back at him in an overly-polite manner of speaking (Nice's polite manner of speech is largely lost in the anime in general). It is only then that Sidaris manages to drop the gun, and he pleads with Jacuzzi that he has done what Jacuzzi asked - only to find that Jacuzzi has fainted, which does not happen in the anime. Sidaris tries to reach for his gun on the ground, but Donny stomps down on both his left hand and the gun.

Sidaris manages to drag his left hand and gun out from under the boot and prepares to fire at Nice, only for Nice to throw a firecracker his way. The men surrounding Nice throw their knives simultaneously at Sidaris, killing him. Donny wakes up Jacuzzi, and Nice compliments him for predicting correctly that the Russos would walk into their trap. The ensuing conversation - including Donny stomping on the corpses and Nice lighting fireworks on top of said corpses - is cut from the anime.

In the novels, Nick and Jack are caught by the Lemures. Since Jack is cut from the train in the anime, only Nick is captured. Nice and Donny also witness the Lemures capture Lua Klein and Who in the novels.

Bartolo's and Gustavo's telephone conversation is anime-original, since the Runoratas are not searching for Dallas in the novels. Gustavo does throw an ashtray against the wall of the hotel he is staying at in the novels, but his fury is directed towards the (just left) representatives of Manhattan's five big syndicates, who had heard of his (novel-only) encroaching upon Gandor and Martillo turf and came to warn him of the consequences of doing the same on nearby Runorata territory.

Beriam's desire to become an immortal is totally opposite to who Beriam is in the novels, though he seems to at least share his novel counterpart's view of immortals as inhuman to some degree. In the novels, Beriam regards immortals as inhuman monsters and refuses to tolerate those who would use humans as their playthings. He has never expressed a desire to become that which he loathes.

While Rubik did at one point work for the Runoratas, there is no indication in the novels that he was involved in Gustavo's machinations in the New York scene.

Gustavo's visit to the Daily Days in the anime is loosely derived from the novels in that a Daily Days employee does suggest to a customer to use Eve as bait or blackmail in the novels. However, that employee is Henry, not Nicholas, and he makes the suggestion to Roy Maddock, not Gustavo. Neither Henry and Roy appear in the anime, nor does their relevant plotline.

Czes and Mary leave the dining car before the Lemures arrive in the novels, not after. The anime leaves out Jon Panel's interactions with both Natalie and Isaac and Miria: he asks Natalie if it wouldn't be better for her to hide as well, and tries and fails to dissuade Isaac and Miria from leaving.

When Natalie lies to Goose about Mary's whereabouts in Volume Two, she bites her lip and digs her fingernails into her palms so hard as to make them bleed, all for the sake of convincing Goose of her distress. Jon takes cover behind the bar.

An earlier alteration between Turner and other passengers in the dining car is completely cut from the anime.

Trivia

 * In an interview with director Takahiro Omori, Omori says that episode five is key in that it introduces the concept of "devouring" to the audience for the first time. Omori wanted to depict devouring as the "grabbing and eating of a creature with flesh and blood" rather than "the person disappears like smoke or light." In order to realize his vision, he decided to develop "a tactile sense through visual images."

New Characters

 * Molsa Martillo
 * Kanshichirou Yaguruma
 * Rubik (unnamed, no lines)
 * Seina (one line)

Unanswered Questions

 * What became of Isaac and Miria after they were hit by the car?
 * Why were Isaac and Miria at the Alveare the day of Firo's promotion ceremony? What happened to Isaac?
 * Why did Maiza's wound heal? Is he an immortal?
 * Will Gustavo use Eve as bait like Nicholas suggested, and if so, how will he do it?
 * How will Czes and Mary escape the hijackers?
 * Who is the woman in coveralls?
 * The camera focused on the Runorata eating sugarcubes. Is he important?
 * Where is Dallas Genoard?