Review of Black Lagoon

Story - 8 The story in Black Lagoon is about a group of modern day pirates called the Lagoon company (Dutch, Revy, Benny, and Rock) and the misfit citizens of the city of Roanapur, known for its violence and criminal enterprises. The plot line is mostly episodic in nature depending on the specific “job” the Lagoon crew takes on for the day. Although the story is mainly episodic in nature, there are mini arcs throughout seasons 1 & 2, that encompass 3-5 episodes at a time. The story is honestly unique in that you don’t find one like it very often, and it stands out inits own right.

Art - 8
I thought the characters and scenery were a good fit for the story and mood. Action sequences were smooth, and blended well together. Character art changed throughout seasons 1&2, but not noticeable enough to effect my enjoyment or opinion.

Sound - 9
I watched the dubbed version of this anime, and I must say, Black Lagoon has one of the best dubs of all time. I would recommend that everyone watch the dubbed version because the translation and accents not only enhances the characters, but it contributes to the overall enjoyment. The only reason I gave it a 9 was because I wasn’t a fan of the opening or endings of the anime.

Character - 10
The characters are the best part of the anime, and it would not be the same without them. Many of the characters’ background stories are touched on, even briefly, including secondary characters, which allows the viewer to understand their history, motives, and the reasons behind their actions in the present day. Character development occurs only for the two main characters, Rock and Revy, which is appropriate for the story. Rock goes from a Japanese businessman who came from a sheltered, safe, office environment to being thrown into a violent life-and-death career as a calculated negotiator for the Lagoon crew. Rock starts off as a close minded person, who is very rigid in his views of morality, and often pushes those views onto the individuals who go against his moral views. However, after coming to understand the reasons behind the actions of others that go against his moral code, he also starts to reflect on his old life and strives to change. Revy starts off as being impulsive and closed minded in her own way, often using her past as an excuse for her violent and thuggish behaviors. She threatens Rock many times when she feels he is judging her unfairly, and threatens his life frequently. However, Rock starts to grow on her, and even though she never acknowledges it, he is able to provide her with balance and serves somewhat as her conscience for her to think before she acts. Secondary characters are just as loveable, including the badass nun, Eda, of the Rip Off Church, the cool and smooth ruler of Roanapur, Mr. Chang of the Triad, and the cold, cunning, Balalika of Hotel Moscow. Rock is able to make an impression of everyone, and becomes an individual they are able to respect.

Enjoyment - 10
The reason I gave enjoyment a 10 was based on how many times I’ve rewatched his anime, which is 4 times.

Overall - 10
This is one of my favorite animes of all time, and any show I can watch over and over again only to love it even more deserves a 10 in my book.