Review of Black Lagoon

First let me say that I don't much like the practice of rating shows by numbers. I put down a score because I have to, but I'd prefer if you ignored that and read what I have to say and see if any of it resonates with you. This show was refreshing to watch in a number of ways. First, I think the ensemble cast is well designed; the characters are idiosyncratic and lifelike, and the group of them together forms a good balance of conflict and cooperation. So many ensemble cast shows--both in anime and other television--quickly become stale as the sameaspects of the characters' relationships are rehashed over and over. That doesn't happen in Black Lagoon, though it is only one season. (There is The Second Barrage and the Roberta OVAs but the stylistic differences between each of these and the original series make me inclined to discuss each individually.) The relationships between characters grow, conflicts arise and are overcome, all without wasting the viewer's time with interpersonal drama which would run contrary to the fast-paced, irreverent, action-packed atmosphere.

It is an action show, and the action is good. The animation is slick, the sequences are interesting, especially because it's not just a beat-em-up show. Often the characters find themselves in a bleak situation and have to overcome their differences amid witty combat banter to triumph. This is not a show that will use speed lines or pan the camera on still frames or use other techniques that cut down on the amount of actual animation and unique backgrounds that have to be made--it does the thing right.

Other than the at times hilarious dialogue during fights, though, there's nothing in the action sequences that makes this show stand out among other seinen action shows made with a decent budget in the few years. What makes this show remarkable to me visually is the facial expressions. Part of it is the characters' facial structure and the way their features are drawn. In this respect, the character design is solid--not revolutionary, but not generic either. It's good enough to carry some of the most dynamic, striking, and articulate facial expression I've ever seen in a cartoon. It's not lifelike, it is caricatured in a very expressive way. The same goes for the characters' body language and the way their clothing is drawn and shaded. In combination with what I thought were stellar voice actors, the characters are vivid and memorable.

Lastly, I enjoy the tone of this show. It is casually violent, unabashedly irreverent, and cheerfully cynical. It pokes fun at all manner of topics ranging from the Japanese business world to Hollywood to opera to other anime, even. The dialogue is witty and profane, matching the slightly over the top world and characters. This is a show full of moral ambiguities (such as the fact that the main characters are criminals) that are right in the viewer's face, but these issues aren't forcefully driven home. The characters don't waste much time on moral question, and the viewer is left to do so or not as they please. The core cast is a genuinely likable bunch of anti-heroes that don't fall into too many overdone anti-hero type clichés and archetypes.

All in all, I found this show pleasingly iconoclastic and very entertaining. It is episodic and driven largely by the setting and characters rather than a complex overarching plot, so if you're looking for something full of plot twists and core story, this show probably isn't a good choice. But if you're looking for a show with good action sequences that's vividly animated and flippantly funny, give it a try.