(Isis): Greetings and welcome to Project Nitsuj. I am Isis.
(Seras): Good day to you and welcome to Project Nitsuj. I am Seras. Okay, I’m just going to come out and say it, doing a review with you is going to be awkward.
(Isis): I know. I know. Look, I know you and I have bad history together and we haven’t really interacted with each other that much but over the year that we’ve been together you’ve shown me that you’ve changed and over these last few weeks you’ve really come out of your shell. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m willing to give this a try if you’re willing to. What do you say?
(Seras): Well this anime isn’t going to review itself. What the hell! Let’s do this. We continue the Badass Women arc with an anime featuring not only one of the greatest female characters ever in anime but also one of the most badass females in anime, Black Lagoon.
(Isis): Based on a manga by Rei Hiroe and still ongoing to this day Black Lagoon takes us into a world of drugs, violence, sex, guns, and philosophies of life. I guess you could think of it as Gangsta with more story and characters to it.
(Seras): The series follows the story of a group of pirate mercenaries living in the 90s. While it may not sound exciting the series really took off because of its characters, stories, and its ability to not shy away from the dark side of life. In 2006 the powerhouse anime studio Madhouse (Death Parade and Devil May Cry) turned the series into an anime giving it a total of 24 episodes and for the next two weeks we’ll be looking at them.
(Isis): Let’s get ready for two weeks of blood, guns, action, and obsessive cursing and check out Black Lagoon.
(Seras): And since this is one of the best dubbed animes out there we’ll be looking at the dub version of this show.
Opening and Ending Theme
(Seras): The opening is “Red Fraction” by Mell. It’s a techno rock song sung in a very low key but at the same time it works for this series. It sets the tone perfectly, there’s a sense of danger in the song which is what we’ll be in throughout the anime. The song keeps that low tone for a majority of the opening but then it’ll finally picks up the tone signally that something big is about to happen. I also like how the song is in English but it’s really hard to make out what the singer is saying a majority of the time. Overall, it’s a good song for this series but not one I see myself coming back to listen to regularly.
(Isis): The ending theme is “Don’t Look Behind” by Edison. Fitting, seeing as how almost everyone in this anime is trying to forget their past or look back at it. The ending is quite sad and there’s no singer at all. All we here is music setting the tone that takes us into the mind of our female lead who’s trying to forget her past or at least not think about it and drowning herself in a world of drugs, violence and death in the hopes of trying to keep herself from thinking about it.
Episodes 1-3
(Isis): The anime opens with a narration from our main character Rokuro voiced by Brad Sawaile (Light from Death Note) your run of the mill salaryman always saying yes to his superiors and being a brownnoser (Seras: I think you mean kiss ass). One day he gets tasked with delivery a disc for his company to some clients in China (no doubt bank account numbers) where his ship gets attacked by the Lagoon company a group of pirates all from different walks of life. Their leader is Dutch a tall muscular black man who always wears shades (and isn’t racist at all. Impressive. (Seras): Yeah no offence to the Japanese but when it comes to writing minority characters they tend to screw up big time). Despite his appearance he’s a fair guy and a good person but get on his bad side and you will die. He’s voiced by Dean Redman. Next up is Benny voiced by Brian Drummond (Ryuk from Death Note) the team’s technician and computer expert. Originally from America he was a college student until he got in trouble with the FBI and mafia (they saw the contents of his computers. (Seras): Gross) and got rescued by the Lagoon company. The final member is our female lead of the series Revy voiced by Maryke Hendrikse who does an amazing job as Revy. Everything that comes out of her mouth is gold here. They take the disc from Rokuro for their client Balalaika, the leader of Hotel Moscow (Seras: It’s a nice hotel once you get past the dead bodies and screams of agony) a branch of the Russian Mafia. As they leave Revy abducts Rokuro for a ransom (Seras: And a little night time fun. (Isis): O-O. (Seras): Master’s not the only one who can make sex jokes) much to Dutch’s dismay who decides to drop Rokuro off at a safe location as a way to apologize for the inconvenience. Rokuro finds himself developing a bond with the Lagoon company (so this is what they call Stockholm Syndrome) and earns himself the nickname Rock (is that because he has the fortitude of a rock or is it something ecchi?). They arrive in Roanapur (Seras: Somewhere in Thailand) a city full of corruption and death and controlled by the mobs (Seras: My kind of place). They go out to drink where Rock gets pushed into a drinking contest with Revy (scene here: //youtu.be/xNXxZLptVDU). As they’re drinking a mercenary group hired by Rock’s company comes in to retrieve the disc from the Lagoon company and a shootout begins (wait, let me get by handguns. (Seras): And I’ll get my crossbow) where we see just how awesome Revy is (scene here: //youtu.be/ok_q_4cGiK0). After killing a majority of the mercenaries they escape on their boat the Black Lagoon where they’re contacted by Rock’s company who tell him he’s been declared dead by them and they have no intention of saving him (Seras: Wow, they gave him the corporate America treatment). After that an armed helicopter starts chasing them to end the episode.
In episode 2 Dutch drives the ship down a river and reaches a dead end. Realizing their situation looks bad they prepare for the worse except for Rock who continues to panic (Seras please hit him. (Seras): With pleasure). After getting punched he calms down (Seras: The last thing we need is for him to have a Shinji episode) and comes up with a crazy plan to defeat the helicopter (scene here: //youtu.be/UjASERYanDI, (Seras): Best line to end on). After defeating the helicopter, the crew goes to deliver the disc to Balalaika who gives the disc back to Kageyama, Rock’s superior who made a deal with the Russian mafia as a contingency plan (then why hire the mercenaries? (Seras): To see someone get fucked). Rather than go back with Kageyama, Rock decides to stay and joins the Lagoon company.
Episode 3 is a rather quick episode. While staying in Roanapur, Dutch runs into Chin a gangsta who used to do jobs with the company. Chin doesn’t like Dutch working with Balalaika so he sets up a job for them and hires other pirates to kill them on the job (Seras: Pirates killing other pirates? What’s this world come to?). Of course the plan doesn’t work as Revy easily takes them down (scene here: //youtu.be/LNmqd_DwJJ4) and return to the office where they receive a call from Balalaika who has a surprise for them (scene here: //youtu.be/dUwYmV9v3Gw, now that was satisfaction. I’m beginning to see why you like this anime so much Seras. It truly is a joy).
Episodes 4-7
Episodes 4-6 is where we get our first arc in the series. The gang has been hired to retrieve a Nazi painting from a sunken submarine. The painting was believed to have been painted by Hitler himself (yeah right, his painting was terrible) but in truth it was done by some unknown painter and this crazy old guy who collects Nazi stuff wants it (that’s a disturbing hobby you have). Rock and Revy dive to the sub while Dutch and Benny monitor them from the ship where they get attacked by Neo-Nazis who want the painting for themselves (Seras: Those bastards). Dutch and Benny are forced to retreat and as the Nazis send a team down to retrieve the painting Benny offers us his insights on Nazis (scene here: //youtu.be/bMSb5_HtI3g, actually truth be told I think this is a world creed). On the sub Rock and Revy find the painting still intact and Revy begins salvaging the ship hoping to find other rare items to loot. Rock disapproves this saying that they should leave and honor the lives of those who died here (Seras: Rock, they’re fucking Nazis. They can die and burn in Hell for all I care. Let their deaths be used for something good). This makes Revy angry so she decides to give her viewpoint on the situation as well as her philosophy of life (scene here: //youtu.be/gey4MNgteK4. (Isis): Wow, powerful stuff. (Seras): The amazing part is she’s not wrong nor is she right in this scene. The philosophy of life is very subjective. Everyone views life differently. Some from a religious aspect, others from a world aspect. Whether or not you agree with Revy’s philosophy you have to respect it as well as her. She has done and seen some pretty messed up stuff in her life. Stuff that would honestly drive a normal person insane but despite this she still manages to function like a normal person and continues living life the way she believes it should be lived. Besides, if you were in her position chances are you would have the same outlook on life). The Nazis come in, steal the painting, escape, and the crew quickly go after them. At night they find the Nazis where Dutch and Revy (still mad at Rock. (Seras): Because she loves him) go and kill them all (scenes here: //youtu.be/6F87Zc_92js and //youtu.be/ZTQSBm5A_FI. (Seras): Man if all it took was one black guy and a troubled Asian girl with issues to defeat the Nazis we should have done this years ago). Dutch finds the commander on the phone with Alfred the person who hired them where we find out Alfred is a Nazi himself who wanted the painting because it contains secret bank account numbers but now he has no need for them and cuts his times with the Neo-Nazis (Seras: I hope he burns in Hell) where Revy and Dutch kill the commander bringing their mission to an end (and doing the world a good service). After the mission Revy tells Dutch she can’t work with Rock because he makes her feel uneasy (because he makes you question your way of life and you can’t stand it).
(Seras): Another quick episode for episode 7. In this episode Dutch sends Rock and Revy on errands around town hoping the two will work out their differences (that or Revy will shoot him. She seems like the kind of person who shoots first and ask questions never). We get some funny moments such as them watching Balalaika edit a porno (scene here: //youtu.be/L-Ui5Suk7q0, (Isis): Oh the master would have a field day with this scene. I really am starting to miss him). They then go to the church known as the Rip-Off Church which acts as a front for drug and weapon trafficking. Their leader is Yolanda an old lady with an eyepatch and one of the members is Eda who seems to be Revy’s friend. At the church a deal falls through about Revy’s new gun so Revy pulls a gun out on Yolanda. Rock uses business skills to reach a new deal with Yolanda and he earns the respect of Yolanda for reading the situation and backing her into a corner. After that they finally have their argument out in public for everyone to see (scenes here: //youtu.be/NbpwEV6Glw4, honestly, if you’re going to have a fight do it where no one can see it). The two manage to reconcile and have a cigarette kiss in the back of a police car (which you could argue is better than an actual kiss. Scene here: //youtu.be/GKbP9gmLtOc).
Episodes 8-12
In episode 8 the gang gets hired by the Cartel to deliver a hostage. The hostage is a boy named Garcia heir to one of the wealthiest families in South America (Isis: Well that explains the kidnapping). Rock befriends the kid and Dutch becomes concerned about Garcia’s kidnapping so he asks Balalaika for information on his family circumstances. When they arrive back at Roanapur, Garcia tells them he’s not afraid (ha! Cute) because he knows in his heart that his maid Roberta will save him. We then cut to Roberta traveling the town looking for Garcia (check the local bars) where she fights the Cartel in a bar just as the gang comes in.
Episode 9 shows us how Roberta is a terminator (in fact they literally call her that in the dub and it’s no exaggeration). We find out she’s a former member of FARC with a $400,000 bounty on her head ($400,000? I get that kind of money walking into a club. (Isis): Is that really something to brag about? (Seras). . .Yes). She destroys the Cartel along with the bar and knocks out Revy with a grenade launcher (Isis: Oh yeah, for those of you at home who are bronies. The VA for Roberta is the same VA for Rarity in MLP: FiM. Let that sink in for a moment). Garcia shocked by Roberta’s true nature begs the gang to take him with them (uh no. I don’t want to be chased by a terminator). Not having a choice in the matter they take Garcia with them and Roberta chases them all over the city (scene here: //youtu.be/3twUI-KDv1E?t=15m33s, (Isis): Well I’m convinced she’s inhuman. (Seras): Persistent maid outfit-wearing Latin American looking friendship is magic loving terminator hunting motherfucker).
In episode 10 Roberta forces them to crash the car into the port where she gets flung into a steel container but still gets back up (this bitch just won’t die). Revy finally wakes back up (Isis: About time. Any longer and I would have drawn on her face) and a gun fight ensues between the two where it gets stopped by Balalaika and Hotel Moscow. After Garcia finds out about her past (there was a lot of killing, blood, bombing, and I think someone got traumatized all in the name of some revolution) he still says he accepts Roberta as a member of his family (Isis: Ain’t that a trip? Where was this acceptance when she bombed the bar and went terminator on us?). Garcia and Roberta decide to leave but before leaving Revy wants to settle the score with her in a fist fight (100 bucks says Roberta wins. (Isis): You’re on. Scene here: //youtu.be/y6vn0dKqH8g).
Episode 11 starts off with Rock waking up Revy (scene here: //youtu.be/ET7j1E-A-8I, she looks so cute and defenseless) and the group gets handed a job by Chang leader of the Roanapur Triad (and all around fun guy to be around). He wants them to transport a briefcase containing information about the Protectors of the Islamic Front a terrorist group the CIA has been fighting to the CIA. At first Dutch is hesitant to accept the job but once they get attacked by the terrorists at their own office they have no choice but to accept. They fight their way out where we see Chang is a badass himself (scene here: //youtu.be/brdqfLov8Gk). They leave on their ship but get pursued by the terrorist and are forced to take a land route. Revy and Rock take the land route while Dutch and Benny throw off their pursuers. The two make it to a village to find their getaway driver but instead get approached by Takenaka one of the leaders of the Islamic Front and a former member of the Japanese Red Army. He tries to pose as the getaway driver but Revy sees through him. Despite being at point blank range she misses him (wow, fail. (Isis): Yes, even I would be embarrassed by that) and Rock gets captured with Revy getting pinned down by the Front where she gets saved by Shenhua an assassin of the Triads and her partner and driver Leigharch the high Irish man (Isis: Well he’ll be a lot of fun). Also Shenhua is the one character in the dub you’re either going to like or hate because of her speech. The VA gives her this broken English with a Taiwanese accent. Some fans find this funny while others find it annoying and cringe worthy. Personally, I tolerated it but I won’t lie it is pretty cringe worthy (scene here: //youtu.be/3rxVQe8vtOI, see what I mean? Leigharch sounds good. If anything the accent only serves to make him sound funnier but Shenhua just sounds bad). Revy convinces them to go back and save Rock who is about to be interrogated by Takenaka since the documents aren’t in the briefcase he had.
Episode 12 starts off with Rock getting interrogated by Takenaka. During the interrogation Rock asks him why he continues to fight for a lost cause (to give meaning and purpose to the death of his comrades and to make the sacrifices he made for his beliefs meaningful). Takenaka doesn’t get anything out of Rock so his partner Ibraha wants to torture him but Takenaka says no and just leaves him alone. At night Revy and Shenhua raid the camp, save Rock, and escape in one of the best scenes the anime has to offer (scene here: //youtu.be/ejwYpOTSQMU?t=8m32s).
(Isis): Well that covers Black Lagoon. The first part at least.
(Seras): We’ll be stopping here for today but come back next where we take a look at the second half of Black Lagoon which promises to be a lot darker and disturbing than the first half.
(Isis): Until then. Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.
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