Sex, violence, and profanity. Women, don't let men fool you; this is all that we think about. While you're talking about how you scored a great deal on buying that wool scarf, we're devising in our heads how we can rob a bank and kill the guards in the most explosive and over-the-top way imaginable. Trust me on this one... men were born thinking they have the knowledge it takes to become a trained killer. It's in our blood to imagine a scenario in which we blow everything to hell. Of course, not all of us can be that badass assassin we wish to be, but we have ways to curb our hunger for action, and, simply put, Black Lagoon is testosterone in a can pumped with steroids and the biggest cajone's you've ever seen in 20 minutes of awesome. Oh yeah... this ain't your daddy's pansy-ass anime.
Meet Rokuro: He's in the same vein as Fight Club's Narrator or Wesley from Wanted in that he has a deadbeat job that he doesn't like and a boss that pisses him off. He's a Japanese salaryman who was sent by his boss overseas to do some business, but ends up being at the wrong place at the wrong time. His ship is overrun and boarded by the pirate crew "The Black Lagoon". The crew consists of the calm yet intimidating Dutch (from America), the mechanic / operator / computer specialist Benny, and the loose cannon, Chinese-American chick Revy. In attempts to gain some ransom cash, the crew takes Rokuro hostage in return for some dough. Well, turns out the ship Rokuro was on was secretly carrying out a smuggling operation, unbeknownst to him. Betrayed and literally left to die by his heartless boss, Rokuro finally snaps and decides that his life, which has been meaningless routine after meaningless routine, is now under his control, and he decides to live the hardcore way that he wants to. He asks, or rather demands, to join the Black Lagoon, and, reluctantly, the crew lets him in. To mark that he isn't taking crap from anybody anymore, Rokuro decides to use a name more suited to his new ways: Rock. From there, The Black Lagoon, with orders from the well-known Russian-crime-syndicate "The Hotel Moscow", set part to perform tasks such as smuggling, mob hits, narcotic transactions, gang wars, and straight up explosive firefights as everyday activities.
The series does not need to try much to pump your heart. In between the violent gun fights and the numerous F-bombs, the show is no doubt a manly one. Not one to shy from sensitive topics, bloodshed and mass body counts are the norm. Black Lagoon is no doubt over-the-top, and often campy. The charm of it is how you'll grow to love the characters and appreciate how all of them are uniquely badass in their own way.
The series is definitely influenced by western action blockbusters and stylized violence, as demonstrated by the mass abundance of guns and bullets. The first season features a thrill ride of adventures, such as treasure-hunting in a sunken Nazi battleship and fighting a war-torn and battle ready housemaid. It also introduces the odd sort of partnership and understanding of The Black Lagoon crew, from Revy's mysterious past to Dutch's and Benny's complicated history. Other characters, such as Balalaika, owner of Hotel Moscow, and Eda, a woman posing as a nun in the Church of Violence, a church with underground ties to smuggling, and posing as Revy's sort of rival, make the rich mythology of the series that much better. On a different note, the second season of Black Lagoon (aptly named "The Second Barrage") features much darker themes than its wacky and exaggerated predecessor. One of the more controversial arcs seen in anime recently has to be the "Hansel and Gretel" arc in "The Second Barrage", which features insestuous and sadistic twin children who murder countless people just for the sake of doing it. At first, this just seemed to fit the off-the-wall bill Black Lagoon has managed to set up, but as it progresses, it becamomes much darker than it seems. While I'm not going to spoil anything, when the history of the twins are revealed, you feel a sort of sick and twisted feeling of tragedy for these two children, and you start to sympathize with them, hoping that they could get a second chance at life. It's a strange detour from the rest of the series, but it is nonetheless an amazing set of episodes that you really owe it to yourself to check out.
The scope of the setting and rich world of Black Lagoon is massive. Not at all confined to the typical anime setting of Japan, Black Lagoon features a wide assortment of characters from all around the world. It features backstories revolving around the Afghanistan War, Romanian snuff films, Nazi Germany, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Vietnam War, and Colombian drug lords, amongst well-known knowledge about the military tactics and weapons of various countries and factions. In fact, Rock (with the exception of the Yakuza gang, "The Washimine Group") is one of the only Japanese people in the entire anime; the rest come with a wide variety of accents and languages. This is an anime that it makes sense to see dubbed in English. Speaking of the dub, the voice work is exceptionally done, if not a bit campy and cheesy at times. Those offended by profanity may want to stay clear, but military buffs will clap with glee at the numerous jargon for weaponry and tactics. The voice actors are pretty well suited. Brad Swaile does an admiral job at voicing everyman Rock, though connections to his role as Death Note's Light Yagami are inevitable (and often humorous when he drops a few F-bombs). Dutch no doubt has the coolest and most badass voice in anime (perhaps disregarding Samuel L. Jackson's roles in Afro Samurai and the Boondocks), and the similarities in personality are there as well. Revy is as profane and foul-mouthed as you can get, voiced by Maryke Hendrikse, who mainly is known for her Gundam roles, and, surprisingly, Bubbles from Powerpuff Girls. Other characters have accents appropriate to their country of origin, sometimes to humorous effect (such as the Chinese woman named Shenhua, whose manner of speech Revy aptly calls "Chinglish").
As stated before, the series is heavily influenced by western culture, which is shown in the art style. Akin more to a comic book direction than a typical anime, the characters are given a rough and grungy look. The various looks of cultures and characteristics are true to their countries, and, more so than in any other anime, each country is given a different design that's easy enough to distinguish from others. On a side note, the exaggerated look of the show can sometimes get a little too out of hand, and proportions can on occasion be skewed. Overall, however, there are really no huge gripes.
With a story that's in your face and action that's like a kick to the nads, Black Lagoon is any action fan's wet dream of babes, guns, and babes with guns. And no matter how stupid it may get, if you find nothing wrong with turning your brain off for 20 minutes at a time, you will not be disappointed. If you feel like the manliness of Gurren Lagann couldn't be beaten, then I suggest you either reconsider with this series, or shoot yourself in the face. Anyone familiar with the feelings of watching a great 80's grindhouse flick or the cheese-fest of a kung-fu flick should do themselves a favor and not only watch Black Lagoon, but have their young children grow up with it at the earliest time possible. Maybe then, that'll teach women to shut up when us men are watching our goddamn anime.
-Marcus Speer
Meet Rokuro: He's in the same vein as Fight Club's Narrator or Wesley from Wanted in that he has a deadbeat job that he doesn't like and a boss that pisses him off. He's a Japanese salaryman who was sent by his boss overseas to do some business, but ends up being at the wrong place at the wrong time. His ship is overrun and boarded by the pirate crew "The Black Lagoon". The crew consists of the calm yet intimidating Dutch (from America), the mechanic / operator / computer specialist Benny, and the loose cannon, Chinese-American chick Revy. In attempts to gain some ransom cash, the crew takes Rokuro hostage in return for some dough. Well, turns out the ship Rokuro was on was secretly carrying out a smuggling operation, unbeknownst to him. Betrayed and literally left to die by his heartless boss, Rokuro finally snaps and decides that his life, which has been meaningless routine after meaningless routine, is now under his control, and he decides to live the hardcore way that he wants to. He asks, or rather demands, to join the Black Lagoon, and, reluctantly, the crew lets him in. To mark that he isn't taking crap from anybody anymore, Rokuro decides to use a name more suited to his new ways: Rock. From there, The Black Lagoon, with orders from the well-known Russian-crime-syndicate "The Hotel Moscow", set part to perform tasks such as smuggling, mob hits, narcotic transactions, gang wars, and straight up explosive firefights as everyday activities.
The series does not need to try much to pump your heart. In between the violent gun fights and the numerous F-bombs, the show is no doubt a manly one. Not one to shy from sensitive topics, bloodshed and mass body counts are the norm. Black Lagoon is no doubt over-the-top, and often campy. The charm of it is how you'll grow to love the characters and appreciate how all of them are uniquely badass in their own way.
The series is definitely influenced by western action blockbusters and stylized violence, as demonstrated by the mass abundance of guns and bullets. The first season features a thrill ride of adventures, such as treasure-hunting in a sunken Nazi battleship and fighting a war-torn and battle ready housemaid. It also introduces the odd sort of partnership and understanding of The Black Lagoon crew, from Revy's mysterious past to Dutch's and Benny's complicated history. Other characters, such as Balalaika, owner of Hotel Moscow, and Eda, a woman posing as a nun in the Church of Violence, a church with underground ties to smuggling, and posing as Revy's sort of rival, make the rich mythology of the series that much better. On a different note, the second season of Black Lagoon (aptly named "The Second Barrage") features much darker themes than its wacky and exaggerated predecessor. One of the more controversial arcs seen in anime recently has to be the "Hansel and Gretel" arc in "The Second Barrage", which features insestuous and sadistic twin children who murder countless people just for the sake of doing it. At first, this just seemed to fit the off-the-wall bill Black Lagoon has managed to set up, but as it progresses, it becamomes much darker than it seems. While I'm not going to spoil anything, when the history of the twins are revealed, you feel a sort of sick and twisted feeling of tragedy for these two children, and you start to sympathize with them, hoping that they could get a second chance at life. It's a strange detour from the rest of the series, but it is nonetheless an amazing set of episodes that you really owe it to yourself to check out.
The scope of the setting and rich world of Black Lagoon is massive. Not at all confined to the typical anime setting of Japan, Black Lagoon features a wide assortment of characters from all around the world. It features backstories revolving around the Afghanistan War, Romanian snuff films, Nazi Germany, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Vietnam War, and Colombian drug lords, amongst well-known knowledge about the military tactics and weapons of various countries and factions. In fact, Rock (with the exception of the Yakuza gang, "The Washimine Group") is one of the only Japanese people in the entire anime; the rest come with a wide variety of accents and languages. This is an anime that it makes sense to see dubbed in English. Speaking of the dub, the voice work is exceptionally done, if not a bit campy and cheesy at times. Those offended by profanity may want to stay clear, but military buffs will clap with glee at the numerous jargon for weaponry and tactics. The voice actors are pretty well suited. Brad Swaile does an admiral job at voicing everyman Rock, though connections to his role as Death Note's Light Yagami are inevitable (and often humorous when he drops a few F-bombs). Dutch no doubt has the coolest and most badass voice in anime (perhaps disregarding Samuel L. Jackson's roles in Afro Samurai and the Boondocks), and the similarities in personality are there as well. Revy is as profane and foul-mouthed as you can get, voiced by Maryke Hendrikse, who mainly is known for her Gundam roles, and, surprisingly, Bubbles from Powerpuff Girls. Other characters have accents appropriate to their country of origin, sometimes to humorous effect (such as the Chinese woman named Shenhua, whose manner of speech Revy aptly calls "Chinglish").
As stated before, the series is heavily influenced by western culture, which is shown in the art style. Akin more to a comic book direction than a typical anime, the characters are given a rough and grungy look. The various looks of cultures and characteristics are true to their countries, and, more so than in any other anime, each country is given a different design that's easy enough to distinguish from others. On a side note, the exaggerated look of the show can sometimes get a little too out of hand, and proportions can on occasion be skewed. Overall, however, there are really no huge gripes.
With a story that's in your face and action that's like a kick to the nads, Black Lagoon is any action fan's wet dream of babes, guns, and babes with guns. And no matter how stupid it may get, if you find nothing wrong with turning your brain off for 20 minutes at a time, you will not be disappointed. If you feel like the manliness of Gurren Lagann couldn't be beaten, then I suggest you either reconsider with this series, or shoot yourself in the face. Anyone familiar with the feelings of watching a great 80's grindhouse flick or the cheese-fest of a kung-fu flick should do themselves a favor and not only watch Black Lagoon, but have their young children grow up with it at the earliest time possible. Maybe then, that'll teach women to shut up when us men are watching our goddamn anime.
-Marcus Speer
