Baccano! - Volume 10 - Chapter Aft

AFTERWORD

Hello; it’s been quite a while. This is Narita.

So here it is: the concluding volume of the 1934 arc.

Not only is this the thickest Baccano! volume to date, it’s the volume that gave me the most trouble yet (struggling with time and adjusting the number of pages). To make it fit into the current page count, I had to shave away about a hundred and fifty pages’ worth of story. I’d like to include those scenes in 1935 instead, but…I wonder how long 1935 is going to end up being. Heh-heh. I’m getting kinda psyched about it! …Through my tears.

Before now, I’d kept my attitude toward the story fresh by alternating writing it with volumes of DRRR!!!, Vamp!, and the Etsusa Bridge series. However, what with the anime this year, Baccano! is just about the only story I’ve been able to work on, which means that I’m not really in my element… The trouble is that since I’ve been writing Baccano! back-to-back, ideas for DRRR!!!, Vamp!, 5656! – Knights’ Strange Night, and new series are piling up, and the supply of stories and characters is outstripping consumption. I’ve got close to a hundred characters’ worth of Vamp! character background details at this point, and could probably fill a volume with them. Although, naturally, I doubt they’d publish that for me!

The Baccano! cast has also been increasing at a similar pace up till now.

Members of the anime staff have asked me about specific cast numbers, and I’ve been getting worried that my novels actually might have more characters than the norm. However, as of the 1934 arc, I think I’ve introduced about 90 percent of the 1930s characters. Just a little longer and I should be able to shout, “All the players are in place! And as a matter of fact, we’re heading into the climax of the 1930s arc!” …Yes indeed!

The only remaining new 1930s characters are the Runorata grandkid, Nader’s childhood buddy, and the Croquis clan, so for those of you who are thinking, “I don’t think I can remember any more character names!” rest assured.

…Provided I don’t think of any new characters before I write 1935 or while I’m working on it anyway.

All of this to say that Baccano! is going to keep right on going, so look forward to it!

There’s 1705, which is about a grand adventure Elmer and Huey had as kids.

Also 1710, in which the pasts of Denkurou and Zankurou, Nile, Victor, and the Avaro brothers are revealed.

As well as 2002, in which the final boss (?) of the Baccano! series finally appears.

And then 1935. (I’m currently meeting with the editorial department to figure out which ones I’m going to write this year.)

The DRRR!!!, 5656!, and Vamp! series haven’t been dropped, either (or so I’d like to believe), so hang on until later this year, around the time the weather starts to get cold!

So this has become the year of anime and manga and the crazy ruckus, and I’ll be attacking stubbornly with a focus on Baccano! The specific airdates are still a secret, but while the anime’s being broadcast, I’ll be hitting aggressively, and it’ll be Baccano! go, fight, win, kaboom! (Broken Japanese.)

The fact that I’ve been able to stay energized even though my writing cycle’s different from usual is all thanks to the anime staff and Ginyuu Shijin!

Every time new information about the anime comes in, my heart leaps, and whenever I see a new chapter from Ginyuu Shijin (he was good to begin with, and he’s been getting better at a jaw-dropping rate), I think, Dammit! I’m not letting him beat me like this!

As a rule, I check all the anime scripts and the manga roughs very carefully, but with the anime, even if I say, “Whoa… That’s awesome! It’s fine like this!” the editor and the director say “No, let’s make it better” and keep having meetings. With the manga, even if I say, “Dude! I don’t even have any comments to make here!” the manga supervisor says, “No, please make it crazier!” and then the finished manuscript ends up being even crazier than the roughs I corrected… B-but the author of the original is saying it’s fine the way it is?! Uh-oh: Both the anime and the manga are hell-bent on surpassing the original. I’m in a gloves-off fight with the anime and manga! “G-great, bring it! If you’re trying to surpass the original, I’ll just aim even higher!” …And so, these days, I keep getting myself even more fired up.

By this month, I think they’ll have released information about the anime staff, and some readers will be seeing anime promo footage. Look forward to watching the finished product!

Parenthetically, there are all sorts of Baccano!-related projects in the Dengeki hp that comes out this month, including an interview with me and Director Omori, so do check that out as well! Don’t miss the editor’s notes, either!! Enami’s supremely magnificent Chané is on the cover, so just look for her!

*And now for the usual thank-yous.

To my supervising editor, Wada (Papio), for whom I’m always, always causing trouble (especially this time, to the point where it really isn’t funny anymore). Also to Jasmine the facilitator, Chief Editor Suzuki, and the people of the editorial department. Thank you very much, but more importantly, I’m really sorry!

To the copy editors, for whom I’m always causing trouble by being a slow worker. To the designers, who make my books look good. To the people of the publicity, printing, and marketing departments, and Media Works as a whole.

To my family, friends, and acquaintances, who always take care of me in all sorts of ways, and particularly to everyone in S City.

To Katsumi Enami, who brought fantastic, top-quality color to the world of Baccano! even though he was busy.

And to all the readers… Thank you very much!

March 2007

I thought I’d talk about games I like in the afterword for a change, but it would easily go over ten pages, so I’m sticking with my usual style after all.

Ryohgo Narita