Review of Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon in my view transcends anime and manga as a seminal work of crime-action fiction. This is a very approachable and accessible series that you can introduce to someone who either doesn't watch much anime or is not drawn in by typical anime tropes and more than likely induce a favorable or very favorable response. The themes it explores such as personal meaning and purpose, comradery, morality and honor among others resonate sharply while the very Hollywood, action-blockbuster presentation and polish yield undeniable charm and appeal. It should be noted that this isn't a heavily serialized story working towards a definitive or planned ending, atleast that is not the case with this original anime (the manga is currently ongoing). If that is something one must absolutely get out of an anime series then there is some room to be disappointed but I would in any case suggest to approach with the understanding that Black Lagoon is a short-arc-based series that delivers high octane, ultra-violent action set pieces complemented by memorable and well-written dialogue in the form of philosophical musings and intriguing conversations squeezed in between downing attack helicopters and fighting off terminator house maids.

The series is often compared to Tarantino films and while I appreciate why someone would make the comparison, to me it may be a bit more accurate to describe this series as Tarantino meets John Wick meets Lara Croft meets Hong Kong action flick. In any case, while these comparisons can be fun and useful perhaps to give someone uninitiated the general vibe and gist of the show I think if overstated do a disservice to the creator Rei Hiroe and the world and characters he has built and brought to life here through his writing, aesthetic design and his signature quirks. Once you familiarize yourself with the Black Lagoon anime and manga you might just as likely find yourself recognizing other works as being Rei Hiroe-esque as opposed to seeing Black Lagoon as necessarily Tarantino-esque.

Between the equal parts beautiful and badass female characters who are both physically and mentally powerful and overwhelming, to the "scum of the week" approach of showcasing the most irredeemable, rotten-to-the-core bastard villains of assorted backgrounds and motivations, to the plausible ambiguity of character backstories there is a signature style and tone at play here that, in my view, remains criminally underrated and underappreciated (pun intended).

While remaining very faithful to the manga (save for the placement of various story arcs, which may appear earlier or later in the anime as compared to the manga) the anime does a fantastic job both in adapting the style of Hiroe's original work while also adding to it to achieve something unique to the anime itself. The incredible, built for purpose soundtrack along with Madhouse's sharp and clean animation elevate the anime beyond what the genius of the manga could realize on its own. No where else is this more true than the voice-over work, particularly the English dub which is easily one of, if not the best, English localizations of any anime I have ever heard, even after all these years. The vulgarity of the language never comes across as needlessly edgy or sophomoric. It's written and delivered in such an original, intelligent and authentic way that it only serves to further immerse the viewer in the world and endear them to the characters. While the Japanese dub is certainly serviceable and Megumi Toyoguchi's more subdued, almost elegant characterization of Revy works on its own level it is ultimately difficult to match Marÿke Hendrikse's standout performance with the character, bringing a dynamic range between frighteningly psychotic to coldly cerebral to jovial boorishness and above all keeping these distinct modes both believable and consistent with the character. The rest of the casting is similarly faultless and Ocean Productions put on a masterclass in ADR directing here that has and I feel will continue to stand the test of time.

The characters in this anime exude personality at all times and their unstated or at most understated backstories further allures the viewer with the sense of mystery, always leaving you to guess at how exactly these characters got to where they are from the bits and breadcrumbs interspersed throughout the series. The almost stoic and world weary dispositions of Dutch and Balalaika are offset by the humorous and playful attitudes of Revy and Chang who are in turn balanced by the humanity of Benny and the idealism of Rock. Even relatively minor characters like Rock's boss or the captain of the mercenary company in the first two episodes are fully realized, have memorable quirks and as despicable as they are, are still somehow likable and charming in their own way.

On the surface Revy can be recognized as the sparsely-dressed, ass-kicking femme fatale with the tongue of a sailor who is the flashy poster girl and main draw of the series and while she is certainly all of those things there is also a lot more to her character as becomes steadily revealed. Revy is unexpectedly and almost deceptively multidimensional and deep from a characterization perspective. On one hand she comes across as a cold professional, a veteran criminal with ice in her veins but at the same time she can be an unhinged psychotic adrenaline junkie reveling in bloodlust and mayhem. Just as often she is playful, sprightly and genuinely funny with a crass and provocative sense of humor while at other times she comes across as a pragmatic and cool-headed tactician or as a thoughtful and articulate purveyor of a particularly jaded brand of philosophy.

Despite her rambunctious demeanor there are ample moments where her intelligence and instincts are put on display as being practically machine-like, clearly a product of practice of the life-or-death variety. At the same time her undisputed mastery of killing is balanced out by very human emotional outbursts, deep-seated insecurities and clouded thinking. There is a tragic and mysterious dark side to the character that one only obtains glimpses of through quick flashes of her past where just enough is shared for the viewer to get a vague idea of the kind of hardship and trauma Revy must have endured at a young age. What makes Revy interesting is not merely that she is a badass gunslinger but it's the fact that she is a deeply flawed character that also happens to be a badass gunslinger worthy of cultivating the reputation and nickname of "Two Hands" in a city filled to the brim with cutthroats, assassins and gangsters. At the time Black Lagoon was new on the scene Revy was a new fresh twist on the badass female lead in anime. Now, over 20 years since the original publication of the manga and almost 20 years since the anime first aired Revy is now fully cemented in the badass anime female lead hall of fame and this is for good reason.

The other primary character, Rock, is without a doubt the intended self-insert character meant to relate to the target demographic of the series and resonate with them a semi-plausible fantasy of leaving their own dreary and safe day-to-day and joining up with a crew of devil-may-care pirates, one of which is a hot chick and going on the adventure of a lifetime. The idea that this kind of straight-laced, noble but naive character can find a place and a niche even in the most seedy of seedy criminal undergrounds is a unique and refreshing take on the fish out of water trope.

Over the course of the series his initial rejection of his deferential, customary life in Japan collides with his resistance to fully accepting the greed, violence and cruelty of the criminal underworld. Inside Rock there is a part of us that critiques both the class-based grind of everyday working life in modern developed societies while also condemning criminality as something undesirable for obvious reasons while at the same time conceding that there is something entrancing about trading safety and security for freedom and self-determination.

And these gripping characterizations are commonplace and continue throughout the series. The Colombian terrorist turned housemaid who is so disillusioned and disgusted with her former life and the false promises of ideology that she has taken up the cause of protecting a family friend and finding in that meaning, purpose and perhaps a hope at redemption. Or the Russian paratrooper captain who fought and bled and lost comrades all for what in the end amounted to just another fallen regime quickly forgotten and lost to history. This is a world of cast-offs, misfits and runaways who cross paths and draw weapons over money, reputation, personal responsibilities, business commitments and surprisingly, honor. Above all, Black Lagoon is a series where the characters wear their principles and convictions at the end of a gun barrel and where few if any compromises can be reached.

To me there are many different ways or reasons for which a work can be regarded as a masterpiece. Some works stand on their creativity and originality, others through mastery of the craft and through near flawless execution.

In the case of Black Lagoon I am so much under its spell that I can't think of really anything that could be improved or that ought to be changed. No single part of this series is wholly original, this is true. Hiroe, being a pop-culture aficionado, wears his influences proudly on his sleeves, but Black Lagoon is an example of when the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The quality and skill on display here (both from the creator and by Madhouse) is at such a high level and the execution so impeccable that Black Lagoon not only stands shoulders above anything else in its genre from an anime perspective but also emerges as an influential work in its own right, as good as the best of anything that has come out of Hollywood itself. I would venture to guess Hiroe would be pleased to know his own magnum opus has by now joined the annals of Hollywood and Hong Kong action movies as not just a homage or tribute but as a fully realized entry and an exceptional entry at that.