Review of Black Lagoon

To start off, I will warn you that this is by far my favourite anime of all time. Thus, a little bit of bias is to be expected. However, I'm going to try my hand at writing this as objectively as possible. Here goes! Story: Black Lagoon is an action packed, character driven anime following a group of multi-national pirates (in this context, mercenaries who take jobs from criminals based around the use of their boat and combat prowess). Taking place in the South East Asian Sea, the key setting is Roanapur, a fictional city which is best described as a 'hive of scum and villainry'.Against this backdrop, the anime explores many facets of modern crime - ranging from Neo Nazism to people trafficking.

Despite the occasional absurdity, the anime attempts a very realistic representation of criminal activity. In fact, the context is usually brutally (term not used lightly) real up until the point one of the more 'personable' characters is introduced (for example, maids/nuns with guns).

Past the often-crazy action sequences, the story is remarkabley deep. Existentialism is a constant theme, and the anime has a lot to say about morals or ethics, always giving each side of a story and questioning the viewer's idea of what right or wrong is. This is expertly handled by the inclusion of Rock, who is given an outsider's view into the world of crime. Importantly, crime is rarely glorified in this anime; the characters are no Robin Hoods (and don't they know it), and their is a large focus on their pscyhological issues and physical weaknesses (drugs, greed).

However, I can understand why some people may find fault in Black Lagoon's story; action sequences are sometimes given a higher priority, meaning story arcs may become underdeveloped.

Art: Animation in Black Lagoon is generally flawless. Overall, everything is fluid and smooth, which is especially important for the action sequences, which are a joy to watch. Compounding this is a heavy attention to detail. Weapons mechanically discharge their cartrigdes with small plumes of smoke in split seconds, buildings explode sending pieces of identifiable shrapnel spinning out, and gunmen distort their faces in the intensity of battle - these details and so many others join together to create some seminal scenes.

The art style is very realistic, with little distortion of the characters. Character design also manages to create distinctive people without going overboard - you can tell Benny apart from every other guy in Roanapur, but he wears a fairly average shirt and slacks, with ponytail. Even the show's most distinctive character, Revy, manages to fit in realistically.

Occasionally, the animation will drop slightly - some details will be ommited to keep the action fluid, but compared to other anime, this is hardly an issue.

Sound: No issues in terms of sound effects - guns bang, boats vroom and stuff blows up convincingly. Music during the anime is fine as well, meditative when dealing with the heavy themes, and pumping when the action gears up.

The opening credits are accompanied by an upbeat tune that suits the tone of the anime perfectly - pulse pounding, with a subtle, underlying layer of something like lonliness or depression. However, the ending credits fail to deliver appropriatley, with a quiet reflective piece. This works in a couple of episodes; one example that comes to mind is after Revy lights her cigarette off Rock's, and the subdued tone works wonderfully. In general, a better suit may have been something more upbeat.

Voice acting is Black Lagoon is especially important, considering the wealth of nationalities and the inevitable accents that come with them. The Japanese version generally delivers in this department, with Balalaika sounding convincingly Russian and Dutch sounding like the American he is. Each character also gets the voice they deserve; credit goes to Revy's voice actress who is honestly perfect.

After watching the English version, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. While Dutch and Benny were voiced well, Revy's voice actress hardly captured her tense, often psychotic articulation. Worse was Rock, who hardly sounded Asian at all. Even Balalaika sounded less Russian, which is very disappointing.

Character: The cast of Black Lagoon is one of its biggest draws. Not only are they interesting, flawed character studies, but they are hugely entertaining, with distinctive personalities. More than most anime, viewers are drawn to the supporting characters (Balalaika, Shenhua, Mr Chang), in a way not dissimilar to a movie following many characters.

All characters manage to be distinctive without being unoriginal. Revy takes the 'badass' girl one step further with some truly questionable (violent) tendencies, and Dutch exudes a sense of power and control, without being omnipotent (his profanities and occasional loss of temper are testaments to this).

Some viewers may be unimpressed by Rock (who shares the main character slot with Revy), but often it is for want of further investigation. While an outsider in the crazy world of crime, Rock develops a real strength of character that reflects a determined attitude, and our own desire for a life out of the oridinary.

Enjoyment: Black Lagoon will not appeal to the average anime viewer - this is fact. Its Western influenced storytelling is far removed from your typical anime. It lacks story arcs that last for more than a couple of episodes. Even the most popular characters do reprehensible things that can leave the viewer feeling a little sick. So, in terms of universal appeal, Black Lagoon loses a point.

However, Black Lagoon satisfies those looking for an action fix, or those looking for numerous action fixes tied together with well thought out plot lines, or those looking for a gritty character driven piece. If you like style, violence, and don't mind the sometimes heavy themes, Black Lagoon's 'slice of (criminal) life' will be just the thing for you.