Series Review: Black Lagoon the Second Barrage
The second season of Black Lagoon was even better than the first, refining some of it’s rougher bits, and helping all of Black Lagoon become my best anime of 2006. Let’s look at how awesome the second season was.
First, there was the emotionally powerful and dramatic Hansel and Gretel arc. I think this was the best story Black Lagoon has ever done. I believe this was due to the particular tragic villiany of Hansel and Gretel’s characters, an element that re-occurs throughout the season. Swan Song at Dawn was a perfect finish for the arc, excellent in both cinematography and the ending song, The World of Midnight, an absolutely stunning and sad song for the finish. The Greenback Jane arc was a fun side diversion, giving us such classics as gothpunk mute Sawyer and Rotten Za Wizardo. And then the whole season concludes with the epic Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise arc.
The Highlight of this whole arc was Rock, and the payoff for all the small bits of character development he’s had over the series. We know he can be tough when he wants to, like figuring out how to destroy a helicoptor with a torpedo, or standing up to Revy. However, for most of the second season, I think Rock’s been in crisis about who he is. It began with his discussions with Gretel, before seeing her shot down. Rock knew how cruel and violent the world he lived in was, but this was an in your face example. This was struck in all the deeper when he talked with Yukio.
Yukio was forced to sacrifice everything to step into the darkness, while Rock still stood in the twilight, undecisive on what to do. As she saw it, he was a man who didn’t know where to go or where he belonged, and was weak for it. But, as Rock found out, this so-called ” indecisiveness” was his greatest strength. He could still understand things like hope and love, and was able to abide by his own rules instead of following anyone elses, even in a world where might made right. While everyone else had already given themselves up for dead, Rock still saw the value of life, no matter how dark. This is why, after everything, Rock was the one still standing, while Yukio was dead.
Yukio was a very interesting foil for Rock. Both had been dragged into the world of darkness without them wanting it. But Yukio fooled herself into thinking she had no other choice, while Rock always saw the other choices before him. As he said, Yukio could of ran away at anytime with Gin to start a new life, but she wouldn’t let herself do it. And by the time she realized this, it was all over. There were too many dead for this normal girl to account for, and she ended her life because of it. Through Rock’s realization of his choices, he’s finally decided where he stands, and to take full responsibility for everything he does. He chooses to live however he wants in the twilight.
Even though this arc was great with all the manly Rock and all, the plot was really confusing for me. I’m still not too sure what all was going on. I guess I need to brush up on my inner workings of Yakuza gangs. The Revy vs. Gin battle, for this hyped battle of the titans, should of been more epic also. Revy in a skirt is still incredibly awesome, though. More development for Dutch and Benny would of been nice also, but I guess that’ll come in time. So, basically, the second season of Black Lagoon is an even better continuation of the first season, and should be watched by all action and drama fans.
Black Lagoon 23-24 (END)…
Impressions (SPOILERS) And so the most intelligent and exciting action anime to come along in a while closes its most extensive arc yet, with plenty of room for more seasons to come. (Though my hopes that the schoolgirl Yakuza……
Trackback on January 3, 2007 @ 11:59 pm
Excellent character analysis, I especially like what you said about Yukio and Rock being odd but fitting foils for each other. This show has been unusually good at finding foils and counterpoints in general. I’ve linked you in my own review of Black Lagoon.
Comment on January 4, 2007 @ 12:00 am
Thanks for the linkage.
Comment on January 4, 2007 @ 4:13 am
After reading ur review, im glad to see that u appreciate such a great anime, even comparing it to Miachael Mann’s Heat which is arguably the greatest action movie ever. Im so glad to see a blog that didnt fall prey to the ridiculously overrated haruhi. i am officially a fan of ur blog.
make sure to check out Noein
Comment on January 5, 2007 @ 7:03 am
[...] Fistly, I have to say I like the way Demian wrapped up his thoughts on BL, and I may not have much to add, but I literally jotted notes evenings back in the ‘06. The first phrase I could have about Lagoon is “powerful stuff”. In the blog world BL received attention but as a retro to 2006 I think it stands out. Hands down, even without experiencing some of the best of 2006, it ranks with the popular Ouran and Melancholy. Shortly, it has meaning and enables the viewer to feel unaccustomed (in my case); the world of the living and undead, and the line of the twilight. In the end it shows that all existence is sad in a way, but meaningful, and I’m quite content that Rock decided that the place he was standing for the entire ride was indeed the correct one. Long live those of the twilight ^^. [...]
Pingback on January 8, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
The only weak point of this series is that Rock should be dead after the first episode…:) Other than that, I like Revy and Balalaika which in fact do have personalities opposite to the main character - Rock.
This is a flawed series, but it’s also a dirty pleasure.
Comment on February 27, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
Violent? Yes, action, Yes, Fun, I suppose but powerful and thought provoking…. erm no. Its like takeaway food, nice at the time but wont leave with a lasting impression. LIke Bebop without the deeper plots, sense of dread and general care for the charecters. Sigh….
I could name a dozen anime better… seriously
Comment on May 19, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
All in all this anime was simply magnificent, and im glad to see that i am not the only one that thinks so. this show is a politically driven existential action drama.
Dont u just love it when an anime breaks into ur top 10 list?? reminds me why i love this medium in the first place. The best thing about the show are the monologues and dialogues the different characters have regarding their actions and convictions.
I swear, this anime is more poetic that it is action… So many great moments of social commentary, as a black man i love seeing social commentary in anime… its always interesting to see how the japanese view other folk. The conversation between the Nazi and Dutch over the phone in episode 6 is just phenomenal. and how the nazi when given a gun still choses to shot Dutch because he`s black is just priceless. I also love how Hiroe Rei interweves other issues such as racism, revolution in Cuba, the fall of the soviet union, the war remnants of the middle east, and the tragedy of romanian orphans in the 80`s. Simply magnificent.
The sad thing is that some ignorant folk will dismiss this anime as just being action, or no story, or all style without substance… meanwhile the mangaka is not trying to tell a whole story, he is simply using pirates` experiences to give insight on contemporary issues that plage developed countries and 3rd world countries alike and how these issues can break people mentally and emotionally.
Revy a chinese girl from the U.S. who was definitely a gangbanger at too young an age, Dutch a Vietnam vet who can never be the same after seeing such horrors in that jungle. Benny a kid who grew up in the suburbs and messed up with the wrong kind of folk. Balalaika a war heroine who has given up her humanity for power, and Rock a regular guy lost to the world and himself.
The residents of Roanapur are an embodiment of what happens in a society were all our fears and inhibitions counteract. And Rock the hero of our story is the one man in the twilight that can testify on the evil and good of man in a screwed up world.
Comment on August 31, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
“Even though this arc was great with all the manly Rock and all, the plot was really confusing for me. I’m still not too sure what all was going on. I guess I need to brush up on my inner workings of Yakuza gangs.”
From what little I could understand, the Washimine Group has fallen on hard times since the death of its leader, Yukio’s father. The Kousa “Peacekeeping” Council wished to install a puppet leader to take over control. To prevent that from happening, Tsugio Bando, the acting deputy at the time, brought in Hotel Moscow to apply a “little bit of pressure” on the Kousa Council in order to negotiate more favourable terms. Unfortunately, Tsugio chose the wrong mafia to work with, as he had not expected Balaika’s team to be so ruthlessly efficient at “intimidation”. Realising that Balaika had become their problem to solve, the Washimine Group retaliates against its former “hound”, and got torn to pieces instead.
With Tsugio dead, and the surviving remnants of the Group in tatters, Yukio realised that she had to take up her destined role as her father’s daughter. It was the “honorable” thing to do. But the important thing to note is that she made a conscious change to step into the dark — she cast her own dice, and was not “forced” into it per se. She could have turned away instead, as Ginji wanted her to do, but she chose to stay.
At this point, the plot becomes a bit murkier, as it seems that Hotel Moscow had been out to double-cross the Washimine Group all along, given that Balaika was in negotiations with the Kousa Council. Or maybe that was merely the impression that she wanted the Council to have, given how they had been persecuting the Washimine Group over the past several days. In the end, Balaika executed the Council boss, as per her original orders, I think.
Which meant that Yukio and Ginji actually had no reason to fight Balaika in the end (Hotel Moscow had fulfilled its mission and was longer out to destroy the Washimine), but they still persisted out of the need to avenge Tsugio Bando’s death (Yakuza honour). Hence the tragedy of Yukio’s needless suicide.
Comment on September 30, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
[...] January - Series Review: Black Lagoon Second Barrage - several people seemed to agree with me on how great this anime was. A third season is still sorely missed. [...]
Pingback on December 30, 2007 @ 2:31 pm