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Anime Review: Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage Vol. 3
- By Gretchen Lee
- Published 11/21/2008
- Anime and Manga
- Unrated
Gretchen Lee
Gretchen is an anime junkie who spends far too much time reading manga and searching for that elusive new favorite series. She lives with her cat, and raises tomato trees.
View all articles by Gretchen Lee
For all the violence, explosions, and gratuitous fondness for guns, deep inside, Black Lagoon hides an intelligence that adds a delightful layer to what is already a great action series. There's nothing quite like a good action series. Explosions, car chases, gun- and sword fights, they make the action-world go 'round. Sometimes, though, action loses its punch when it encounters a muddled storyline. Sure, the explosions might still be pretty, but they lose something when the audience can't remember why it was important to blow something up in the first place. Luckily, that's not a problem with the final volume of The Second Barrage. The reasons for violent action are clear (even if that reason might simply be for the hell of it), there's some nifty character insight, and enough moments that are good for a laugh to make a very satisfying package.
After a year with the Lagoon Company, Rock finds himself at a crossroads when he and Revy accompany Balalaika and her Hotel Moscow contingency to Japan. Upheaval within several Yakuza clans creates an opportunity the Russian mafia doesn't want to miss, and Rock puts his language skills to use as an interpreter. Convinced that Rock is incapable of taking care of himself, Revy acts as his gunslinging babysitter. When Rock learns that a young Yakuza boss is in trouble, he goes against Balalaika's wishes and Revy's better judgement to try and save her. His actions, however, bring up some uncomfortable questions regarding where is own life might be headed.
Returning to his home forces Rock into some serious self-reflection, and he must decide whether to return to his old life or continue forward into the underworld. If he decides to stay on his current path, just how far does he plan to go into the darkness? And if he decides to stay in Japan, can he just forget the Lagoon Company and settle back into a normal life? Which is the reality and which is the illusion? He receives unsolicited input from both Revy and Balalaika, as well as the young Yakuza boss, which leads to some interesting character insights all around; his indecision touches the others, causing more than one person to reflect on their choices.
Rock's discomfiture is palpable, as is Revy's uncharacteristic desire to see him happy, even if it means letting him go. Revy's indulgence of Rock's wishes in this volume shows a rather poignant aspect of her personality that reveals some tidbits about her motives and what she might have liked to have had for herself, if life had dealt her a different hand.
Touchy-feely bits aside, this volume is far from reaching out to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya." It's bloody and violent, and there's plenty of salty language to spice up our anti-heroes. Parts of this volume make me cringe in sympathy for whichever poor fool just bit or nearly bit the big one. There are, however, some pretty cool animated tricks that are impressive even as ink and paint. Just the idea that maybe it could be done is enough for a second or two of awed contemplation before the reality of physics comes crashing down. The action is fast and fun, and there are enough opportunities to laugh and enough character development to keep the violence from dragging the story down a path too dark to be enjoyable.
All in all, the final volume of Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage nicely rounds out the series. Focusing the final story arc on Rock's indecision amidst a particularly bloody confrontation between Hotel Moscow and the Yakuza, and his horror over seeing such violence brought into his outwardly peaceful home is cleverly done. The audience gets to enjoy some action as well as some character insights. The second season is as neatly resolved as Black Lagoon ever manages, leaving some questions and an opening for a third season as well as providing a satisfying ending for the time being.
A note: I've mentioned this before, but Black Lagoon is not, in any way, shape, or form, for children. The language alone is enough to provide a whole new and unwanted vocabulary for your child. And the violence? It's, well, violent. Send the kids outside to play before watching, yes?
Details: Runtime 100 minutes, contains episodes 21-24. Extras include Geneon trailers and dvd credits. The cover is reversible, depending on if you'd rather look at Rock and Revy or Balalaika in all her Soviet glory.
After a year with the Lagoon Company, Rock finds himself at a crossroads when he and Revy accompany Balalaika and her Hotel Moscow contingency to Japan. Upheaval within several Yakuza clans creates an opportunity the Russian mafia doesn't want to miss, and Rock puts his language skills to use as an interpreter. Convinced that Rock is incapable of taking care of himself, Revy acts as his gunslinging babysitter. When Rock learns that a young Yakuza boss is in trouble, he goes against Balalaika's wishes and Revy's better judgement to try and save her. His actions, however, bring up some uncomfortable questions regarding where is own life might be headed.
Returning to his home forces Rock into some serious self-reflection, and he must decide whether to return to his old life or continue forward into the underworld. If he decides to stay on his current path, just how far does he plan to go into the darkness? And if he decides to stay in Japan, can he just forget the Lagoon Company and settle back into a normal life? Which is the reality and which is the illusion? He receives unsolicited input from both Revy and Balalaika, as well as the young Yakuza boss, which leads to some interesting character insights all around; his indecision touches the others, causing more than one person to reflect on their choices.
Touchy-feely bits aside, this volume is far from reaching out to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya." It's bloody and violent, and there's plenty of salty language to spice up our anti-heroes. Parts of this volume make me cringe in sympathy for whichever poor fool just bit or nearly bit the big one. There are, however, some pretty cool animated tricks that are impressive even as ink and paint. Just the idea that maybe it could be done is enough for a second or two of awed contemplation before the reality of physics comes crashing down. The action is fast and fun, and there are enough opportunities to laugh and enough character development to keep the violence from dragging the story down a path too dark to be enjoyable.
All in all, the final volume of Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage nicely rounds out the series. Focusing the final story arc on Rock's indecision amidst a particularly bloody confrontation between Hotel Moscow and the Yakuza, and his horror over seeing such violence brought into his outwardly peaceful home is cleverly done. The audience gets to enjoy some action as well as some character insights. The second season is as neatly resolved as Black Lagoon ever manages, leaving some questions and an opening for a third season as well as providing a satisfying ending for the time being.
A note: I've mentioned this before, but Black Lagoon is not, in any way, shape, or form, for children. The language alone is enough to provide a whole new and unwanted vocabulary for your child. And the violence? It's, well, violent. Send the kids outside to play before watching, yes?
Details: Runtime 100 minutes, contains episodes 21-24. Extras include Geneon trailers and dvd credits. The cover is reversible, depending on if you'd rather look at Rock and Revy or Balalaika in all her Soviet glory.