Ryuhei Kitamura's <i>Baton</i> has style, which is enough for it to receive a passing grade.<p>Comprised of three episodes that add up to roughly an hour of storytelling, <i>Baton</i> is an animation that ends up a little vague on setting and… More
Ryuhei Kitamura's <i>Baton</i> has style, which is enough for it to receive a passing grade.<p>Comprised of three episodes that add up to roughly an hour of storytelling, <i>Baton</i> is an animation that ends up a little vague on setting and technological details; however this is only a minor letdown. The important plot details are also absent until the second and third episodes.</p><p>The action and visuals are stylized around Kitamura's directing and this all adds up to a unique watch. The choreography behind the action is pretty good and there is quite a bunch of it, especially in the first episode's introduction. The visuals behind the animation are showcased throughout the closing credits when a few screenshots are transferred to their live action counterparts.</p><p>The voice work of Hayato Ichihara and Aya Ueto are the frontrunners of this production with some other noticeable names popping in throughout the episodes.</p><p>By the end, <i>Baton</i> is a little lacking in places, but with enough stylization and story, it isn't a waste of time.</p>
