Revy is pissed.
Neo Nazi’s coming after the Lagoon Company’s cargo attack the boat, trap
her in a submarine full of long dead Germans with a way of life questioning
Rock, and are partying like the war they wish to restart is already won. Oh yes, Revy is very pissed off. Bullets and bloodlust run wild and rampant as
Dutch and Revy man a two man massacare of their enemies. But when the dust settles, what will be the
status of Revy and Rock’s partnership following two tense standoffs over belief
and way of life?
The first set of episodes from Black Lagoon were, for me,
pretty entertaining. But this second set
is where things got hella fun and showed just how brutal yet amazing it could
be. Best yet, it wasn’t just the action
that stood out. We got some really deep
character moments that impressed just as much if not more as when the bullets
start flying.
Let’s start back with the submarine scene that set the
stage for the heart of this set of episodes.
Rock’s wishes to respect the dead are admirable and valid. But it’s Revy’s sad tale detailing a bit
about her past and how dirty you have to be to survive in this world that
stands out. This is helped by how she is
show while smoking a cigarette with shadows over the top of her head, covering
a nightmare worthy stare. It’s one of
the most bone chilling images I’ve ever seen in an Anime. When she threatens to kill Rock if he pushes
to go against her way of life, you know it’s a threat she’ll carry out. And for a moment it makes you wonder if she
will leave Rock to die, loot the sub and just make up an excuse as to why he
didn’t make it out.
Thankfully there’s a better outcome. With their target painting stolen, Revy and
Dutch decide to stick it to these happy as can be Neo Nazi’s by raining an epic
massacare on their heads. For the most
part it’s a lot of fun to watch this easily one sided fight play itself
out. As stated in last weeks review when
we reached this arc, these villains think they’ve already won the war before it
began. They didn’t count on an out of
her mind gun woman and a bald black guy with a shotgun messing up their grand
plans. I still think this shootout puts
anything in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards to shame. True, no time is taken to scalp anybody. But Revy and Dutch’s no quarter, kill on
sight approach is just as effective. A
particularly fun scene is when one strong looking soldier brags about his gun
only to be shot by Revy, “Shut the f*** up, cant you see I wasn’t
listening? I mean were you trying to
sell me the damn thing or what?” Pleading
is clearly out of the question. Though
there is one scene where Revy almost kills members of the crew that are not Neo
Nazi’s, which leads to a tense stand off with Dutch. It’s clear Revy’s more messed up than anyone
thinks if she’s willing to shoot up the world, even innocent people, to clear
her head…sort of. But it’s nice to see
that even Dutch has his limits and can keep her in line. And how about the climax of the shootout? Who would’ve thought an old Nazi and a Black
man could have a conversation where they admit both their resentment for each
other but also that strange sense of respect for tactics and battle
prowness? That’s smart writing there and
easily caps off one of the best episodes of any Anime I have ever seen.
And just when I thought that episode could not be topped,
Episode 7 happens. This one is all about
the fallout from Revy and Rock’s time in the submarine. We get some fun glimpses into more of
Roanapur’s residents including our introduction to the potentially bad ass Rip
Off Church. Oh and Balialaika cutting
together porn as a part time job was pretty amusing, she looked so bored lol. However it was Rock and Revy’s confrontation
at the end that stole the episode. Rock
stands up to Revy, who has just about had it with him, and doesn’t back away,
taking a bullet graze and a punch to the face just to get her to hear him
out. These two really could not be
anymore different, right now anyway.
Rock’s the more calm, analytical and compassionate while Revy refuses to
listen to reason and sees solutions as excuses for violence. Getting these two to work together should be
an impossible task. But as Rock hears
out Revy’s past some more and at the same time thanks her for freeing him from
his boring former worthless way of life, you can see the beginnings of
acceptance and even friendship. It all
comes down to that one moment in the back of a police car as Rock lights Revy’s
cigarette with his own. It’s both great
symbolism of acceptance and also a hint at something possibly more that may or
may not bloom between them. It’s a hot
scene in a couple of ways. But for now
let’s just be happy they’re both on the same side.
With the Nazi Painting Job done we get a slow burning
fuse of an intro episode to the next arc.
What fate will befall young Garcia Lovelace? And just how big will the
crater in Roanapur be now that the Maid from Hell has arrived to bring him
home? We’ve leapt from one amazing arc
into another and man is the ride getting wilder and better with each episode.
Makes it kind of a shame that the season finale is
getting covered next time. My one gripe
with this series, too short seasons.
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