We are somewhere in the early 90s. Okajima Rokuro is a normal, everyday business man, but one day he is asked to deliver a confidential disk to eastern China. However the boat is hijacked by a band of mercenaries, and the CD is stolen. Okajima is then taken hostage for a ransom. While Okajima tries to negotiate for his life, he is being told about the dark secrets his employer was really involved in, and that they have taken all the necessary steps for everyone to believe he is dead. He is now stuck with people who call themselves the Black Lagoon Trading Company, which are based in the fictional city of Roanapur in Thailand. The ship he is stuck on, is the Black Lagoon.
The core characters of the show, starting from top, clockwise: Benny, Dutch, Revy, Rock
With all people in Japan believing him to be dead, Okajima decides to join the crew. It is then when he is given his new name Rock. He is no big gunman or fighter, but has excellent translation and negotiation skills, which the rest of the crew believe could come in handy at some stage. Also, the crew seems to have a particularly friendly relationship with the Russian crime syndicate Hotel Moscow. The ship and the company is lead by a man only known as Dutch. His background or past remains a mystery, although it is safe to assume that he has served the military in some point in the past.
Revy is a somewhat troubled woman, events of her past made her who she is today. Quite skilled with guns, she is the main female lead. Never short of a sarcastic comment and extremely dangerous, she seems to be a very broken girl inside. Rock learns of this, but Revy seems to be reluctant.
Whatcha gonna do?
Benny is the tech guy in the show who has hacking and computing skills, therefore able to acquire information otherwise not obtainable. Like Rock, he is not so great with guns – but his technological and mechanical skills are quite valuable to Dutch.
The show has 24 episodes altogether and is divided in two seasons, where the second season is titled “Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage”. While the first 12 episodes concentrate on the crew and what they do for a living, The second 12 concentrate more on character development. Many references to authors, philosophers, and interestingly Quentin Tarantino films can be found. In one episode for example there is a poster titled “The Wild Punch”, which is a reference to Tarantino’s “The Wild Bunch”.
The show encompasses many of the known girls-with-guns elements – for example maids and nuns with guns. However the way they come together make it an interesting mix.
All in all, it is a pretty outstanding show – if you don’t mind graphic violence that is. Some conversations between Rock and Revy bear a deeper meaning, with the topics of existence, reason for being, and human perception of things. If you are looking for good but not brainless entertainment, action, not afraid of the violence, surprises, nuns with guns, torpedo boats, blowing up bars, super sexy Revy, and a non-shooting negotiator, then this is the next anime for you.
Black Lagoon
Episodes: 24
Director: Sunao Katabuchi
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime fiction, Black comedy
Voted second worst place in America after Liberty City, Roanapur is a haven for the damned, lost, dead and pirates. Survive if you can, join up with Black Lagoon if you think you got what it takes.
Rockstar Games presents: a Rockstar North production.
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