"Black Lagoon" Review

Yeah, it's the same show, Black Lagoon, but they called season two a separate thing because reasons. I guess that's kinda like what SAO is doing, as season two is going to be called Sword Art Online II. I'm not complaining. It's not like the second season was any worse.

But enough about formalities. What is this "Black Lagoon" I speak of? Well it's an anime series dating back to 2006/2008, whether you watched it dubbed or subbed. It follows the Lagoon Company, a group of mercenaries, or "delivery boys" as one would call them, as they carry out missions for various organizations, such as the Japanase Yakuza, the Chinese Triad, or the Russian Mafia Hotel Moscow.

What else is it? Not. For. Kids.

Yeah, you're not gonna wanna sit down and watch this with your family. This is a mature anime series. But on that note, it's also a freaking awesome anime series.

There isn't much of an over-arcing story, as it just goes into different arcs and shows various missions the group goes on. The longest arc spans the final six episodes of Second Barrage, and it's totally worth the length. Regardless, the small stories that are embedded in each are both humorous, interesting, and dark.

Since it only follows the journey of the Lagoon company, we get a solid look at our four main characters: Rock, Revy (REVY!!!!), Dutch, and Benny. I'll get into the characters later.

Revy rules!

It's set in modern down Southeast Asia, as the Lagoon Company travels by way of a torpedo boat to get around places. Most of the settings, particularly Roanapur, seem very coastal. A lot of the people can be seen in coastal attire, as in girls wearing short-shorts and boys wearing Hawaiian shirts. Despite it being set there, though, we get so see some interesting locations such as a sunken German submarine.

What Black Lagoon is most known for, however, is the action. And oh man. Does this show have some action. It could fill you up for like ten years. The action is intense, it's fun, it's psychotic--when it comes to Revy, at least.

The show plays much like a Western does. A bar in Roanapur, the Yellow Flag, is a hotspot for criminals alike to fight, kill, and just hang out. You know, the normal stuff. It's much like a Western because you've got all these outlaws gathered with their pistols locked and loaded should anything go down. Instead of horses we've got cars. The big difference is the police, as the police are corrupt and could care less as long as the crime bosses pay them well.

It also plays much like a pirate movie would, concerning the Lagoon company. They carry goods between companies, picking them up and what not. Sometimes they raid a boat or two, but, only if they are hired to do so. Still, it acts much like a pirate showdown would.

A big thing I liked about Black Lagoon was it's ability to not hesitate. In fact, it mocked hesitation most of the time. Normally in a cool action anime, or just a show in general, we'd see two people standing off giving some big speech before the fight. This time around...not so much. The characters in the show know they are holding powerful weapons, guns, in their hands and know that it is quite impossible to stop a gun from going right through you. So they just shoot away.

I also liked the various personalities that the show came across. The first one, of course, was to become one of our main characters, Rock. Then we've got Neo-Nazis, a pair of serial-killing Romanian children twins, the Japanese Yakuza clans, the Rip-Off Church where the nuns get wasted and sell guns (corrupt city, what're ya gonna do?) and many more.

The Lagoon company has few allies on the show, one of which being the Rip-Off Church that stands for their own gain. Hotel Moscow's leader, Balalaika, and the Triad's Leader, Chang, sort of serve as allies but for the most part just have fun banter in the background while giving the Lagoon company their missions.

Regarding the characters, though, we've got four to focus on but only really two get major development.

First we've got Benny the technician. He sees the least amount of action within the group but seems to be one of the moral points of the group, as he has an easier way of transitioning Rock from his old world in Japan's business to the new lifestyle of a mercenary working with killers.

Then there's Dutch. He's the ship's captain and he's a load of fun. He helped found the Lagoon company alongside Revy and rarely goes into action. He's usually the brains, coming up with all the schemes and helping people enact them. He's also their informal diplomat, meeting with and calling people like Balalaika or Chang, since it would appear he has a solid history with them. He's always very calm, too, it's pretty interesting to watch.

The newest member of the Lagoon company is Rock. He is the only one whose past is very clear to us. He had a pretty average upbringing but failed to meet his family's standards after he didn't go to college immediately after high school. He then got into the business world and just lived a normal office life when everything changed and he carried a disk with a lot of information on it, and he was apprehended by none other than Revy and Dutch. After a mission and near ransom, thanks to Revy, Rock joined the Lagoon Company, struggling ever since to make sense of the world they live in. He never holds a gun to anyone and always tries to negotiate with people. I would say he's the main character but...then there's...

Revy.

Revy is without a doubt the single most psychotic, intense, awesome, freaking action-packed anime woman I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Born in Manhattan, Revy was beaten and abused throughout most of her childhood until she took to killing as a way of life. She joined the Lagoon company and found purpose, discovering that life is short so what's there not to be excited about it? Her nickname is Two-Hands because of her ability to wield two guns masterfully and take down anyone in her way. She's also very fond of much bigger and badder weapons, like anti-tank rifles and stuff. But Revy is psychotic as she is cold, threatening to kill Rock on multiple occasions.

As one would assume with a person out in the world of mercenaries for years, Revy becomes something of a wise-guy but a very menacing one at that, since her wise-cracks tend to become reality. She is without a doubt trigger-happy and will pull it with either a smile on her face or with a completely blank, solemn expression that spells certain doom for anyone standing on the other side of the barrel. Honestly, too, she is the source of most of the show's action and the show's humor, as just the way she acts is pretty funny. Not that she has too many jokes, but, she isn't afraid to speak whatever is on her mind.

The show mostly focuses on the adventures of Rock and Revy. There is great contrast between the two that the show works off of. Are they romantically involved? No. The closest thing to a kiss they share is when Revy asks Rock to help her light her cigarette using the flame already on his. That was it. And I'm glad for it.

The two are the perfect Ying-Yang and while they eventually come to rub off on each other, I'd much rather them argue and contrast each other than become romantically involved and have it like that. Besides, Rock is too much of a wimp to be able to handle Revy.

The final arc of Second Barrage focuses on their journey throughout Yakuza-infested Japan alongside Hotel Moscow, and really helps build up their relationship a lot, to the point where we are seeing some older things resurface between the two but in a new light. All their past arguments are discussed again and they are able to come to terms with one another a little more.

So while the story isn't altogether there, the show undergoes wonderful character development for the ones it wants to show us. And along the way, we get so see some very interesting characters sprout up. Such as Eda, from the Rip-Off Church, who is in many ways the partner Revy wants in Rock as she is a gunslinger and can keep up with Revy's lingo. Then there's Roberta, who is in many ways the enemy Revy always wanted as Roberta is an international assassin and the two do eventually go toe-to-toe in a not-so-epic showdown.

I can't speak for how the show ultimately ends as Season 3 seems to be a thing on it's own, so I'll get to that shortly once I'm done watching the OVAs. But as far as the Season 2 ending goes, it was a fitting ending that could satisfy anyone looking to not have to invest in just five OVAs.

Still, I would highly recommend this to anyone who thinks they can handle a very mature anime series. There is some stuff where you will be like "whaaaat is going on" but, regardless. For what it is, Black Lagoon and Black Lagoon: Second Barrage are awesome, action-packed, pretty funny anime series that will keep you watching all through the gunfighting.

And you will love Revy. Because Revy is the bomb. Dot com.