Review of Black Lagoon

So, for my 50th review I wanted to do something classic. Something majestic and refined. Something that stands as a fine example of art and story telling not just within the Anime world, but the world of art as well. But, that idea quickly faded as I went with the Anime equivalent of a massive cheeseburger- Studio Madhouse's "Black Lagoon". Forget art. Forget storytelling. Forget all the higher standards that Anime often claims to hold itself to compared to Western products, this is a piece of delicious junk food and made to be mindlessly entertaining. A show about 4 anti-heroes with guns andtheir own specialties trying to make a buck and facing the standard bunch of bad guys with guns each packaged with their own gimmick. From pirates, to Neo Nazis, to mobsters, militant guerrillas, and even the terminator maid- it's a fun ride that feels like "Cowboy Bebop" meets "The Expendables".

One aspect I especially enjoyed about this show was the opening and closing music. The show starts with a stylish montage of color, pictures of the cast, and violence all set to a catchy tune called "Red Fraction" by MELL. It gets you pumped up for the bullet-ridden adventure to come and when the episode ends, we're treated to a slow, almost mournful piece called "Don't Look Behind" by EDISON featuring the footprints a slow walk down the beach with the evidence of carnage scattered along the way. It's the first show where I didn't skip the credits in a long time.

Purists may argue with me when it comes to the Sub vs. Dub battle, but I really liked the English dub better than the Japanese cast here. The overused voice that is Brad Swaile as Rock does leave some room for improvement, the performances by Dean Redman as Dutch (in to date his ONLY Anime role) and especially Marÿke Hendrikse as Revy help bring this show to life. An honorable mention goes to Patricia Drake's perfect casting as Balalaika, too. It always helps when you can hear what a voice will sound like without a character opening their mouth and she fits like a glove.

Sure, I'm an American who loves shoot 'em ups and 'splosions, but rarely do you get a show that is this level of comfort food enjoyable in Anime while still giving you memorable and colorful characters. This Anime seems destined to be adapted into a Hollywood screenplay, but it's still going to be most enjoyable in it's animated form. The show is a blast. As binge worthy as french fries, I can't wait for "The Second Barrage"! Just kick back and enjoy the show, a friendly reminder that Anime can still just be fun like when you were a kid. 7.5/10. Check it out. Cheers!