Alternative TitlesEnglish: Black Lagoon Japanese: ブラック・ラグーン
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 9, 2006 to Jun 25, 2006
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.331 (scored by 55896 users)
Ranked: #1802
Popularity: #48
Members: 87,548
Favorites: 3,050 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
action comedy drama guns |
SynopsisOkajima Rokuro is a Japanese businessman in a town full of Japanese businessmen. His normal day consists of social drinking with clients and being kicked around by his bosses. He finally gets a break though, as he's sent by his company to the tropical seas of Eastern China to deliver a disc. But his boat gets hijacked by a band of mercenaries hired to retrieve the disc. Rock (as he is newly dubbed by his captors) catches the interest of the only female merc Revy as she thinks he's worth a ransom, taking him hostage. However, the disc that was stolen has a terrible secret that's unknown to Rock, which causes massive confusion and chaos for both him and his kidnappers. |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Black Lagoon
Sequel: Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage
Alternative setting: Black Lagoon Omake
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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artist-retired
29 of 41 people found this review helpful
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12 of 12 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
"This is way more entertaining than Hollywood is ever going going to be!" truer words like that have barely been spoken in anime in my opinion, and with the shit that's out now, I'm inclined to believe them.
STORY: Enter Rokuro Okajima, a typical meek japanese office worker of a large corperation who's the epitome of ordinary with a life so boring, bland, and not so envious with complains such as his boss kicking his ass, but his bleak life style comes to an end when a business trip cruise to South East Asia turns into hell as a group of modern day pirates take him hostage and gives him much more to complain about than just a kick to the bum.
After a wild couple of bullet-filled days with said pirates, he decides to join up out of the feeling of excitement he experienced and the way his company has treated him like a worthless throw away and takes up the name, "Rock".
Rock's fellow crewmates include Benny the mechanic, computer specialist, and researcher, Dutch the calm, easygoing leader, and Revy the merciless, sadistic, foul mouthed gunner who's skill is almost unparalleled, she also goes by the name of "Two hands" cause of how she normally uses two guns in gun fights, heck any kind of fight.
The story of Black Lagoon is mostly episodic with a few arcs that normally last about three to four episodes, but the lack of on ongoing plot continues on towards the second season, yet it's no problem at all, though it would've been nice if there were some that involved more development of the main characters (Besides just Revy and Rock).
The anime follows the gang as they try to complete jobs so they can earn a living, just like the main cast in Cowboy Bebop except these outlaws usually get their jobs done.
And during their jobs they face against a wide array of foes including gangs, nazis, and several eccentric foes such as a nearly unstoppable maid, and allies like a taiwanese assassin, with the main cast in nearly endless gun fights. With most of their requests coming from Balalaika, a leader of a russian crime syndicate "Hotel Moscow."
The anime has a some what crude and black sense of humor, with mostly excessive cursing and yells and screams such as "I'll rip you a new asshole!"
But probably the funniest stuff is the insults, especially when Revy meets a certain assassin near the end of the anime, the insults bounce back at each other like a well written conversation.
Truthfully the anime might have ended up becoming a mindless bullet hungry action anime, and ultimately making it another waste of potential along with many others that have stacked up in the pile, if not for the characters, specificly the interaction between them.
Especially between Rock and Revy, through the daily dangers and learning about Revy's past that was full of unbearable hardships that bulids up to her character, Rock learns that his partners are almost the complete opposite of him, especially during one episode where the tension between he and Revy becomes so deadly guns are involved.
These interactions are tense, nerve wrecking, and may just be much more entertaining to watch than the fights, which is unique for a heavy action such as this.
But slowly and surely, Rock starts to become used to this new way of life he chose, and begins to fit in, yet still is faced with his decision, and is constantly asked, Is this world right for him? or is he simply just an outsider and nothing more?
ANIMATION: Great animation, displaying exciting gun fights, and little still frames with an overall dark feel to the series.
Good character designs being very diversed. The anime sometimes uses CG animation. but only during chase scenes in the vehicles, which thankfully doesn't look out of place that only the whiniest of nit pickers would complain about.
SOUND: Noticeable background music that fits in with most of what's going on at the moment, especially with the ending theme which starts playing during the anime and it helps to indicate whenever an episode comes to an end, and really feels a perfect song that will make you think back to the episode you've watched, and it has like a mysterious yet calm feeling to it, then ending with a rock conclusion that reminds you what the anime is (mostly) about.
The opening theme, Red faction, is an awesome theme, despite it being in engrish.
The english dub is by Ocean (Known for the dub of Death Note and Inuyasha), and is a one of a kind dub where it would feel weird to listen to in japanese, all due to the overall setting of the series.
But the stand out performance (Among a cast of great voice actors) is the voice actor of Revy, giving that crude attitude of Revy a great convincing performance and just makes every scene with her just entertaining to even just listen to.
OVERALL:
The Good:
+ Excellent characters and character interaction.
+ An incredible english dub that even makes the japanese audio seem out of place.
+ Good opening and ending theme music, good back ground music.
Mixed:
+/- Very violent and action oriented. / May be too violent for some.
The Bad:
- Lack of a continuing plot.
- Not too much of character development.
This anime just barely shy's away from getting a nine overall.
Each form of media entertainment has their crap, with more so than others, but it's anime like this is the reason way I choose to stick with this media.
And I guarantee you'll feel like a pansy if you watch something moe or fluffy after leaving the lagoon.
*Quick word on season two*
Season two is pretty much what I feared what Black Lagoon would mostly be about, absurdness with a penchant for wasting so many bullets that I'd feel sorry for the janitor who would try to clean it all up, but ends up getting killed by a stray bullet fired for no reason.
Not that I'm trying to say that it isn't entertaining, but just not more of the same gun and smoke. 7/10 for season two. read more
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Washi
89 of 125 people found this review helpful
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12 of 12 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
One word that keeps propelling itself to the forefront of my head when I go to describe this show is: ‘refreshing’. Generally, I tend to avoid those anime which are blatantly action-oriented, because an action anime series so often means that it will be generically shounen, or be some kind of absurd mecha-combat series; very rarely can I find an action series which does not fall to those and other traps, and Black Lagoon is one of them. From its premise to its execution, the show provides thrilling action sequences, from boat and car chases, to messy fisticuffs and bullet-spamming gunfights, the show covers all typical action bases you could expect from hollywood, but which, for one reason or another, anime rarely delivers. Although its depiction of battle features the usual problems of character shielding and the Stormtrooper effect, overall the show is very much grounded in reality, with no magic or science-fiction elements whatsoever. I found this refreshing because, typically, the only anime you are likely to find set in present-time reality are slice-of-life, revolving around dramatic or romantic themes. So Black Lagoon was a great change of pace; a hollywood style action/adventure shoot ‘em up but with a darker and more thoughtful approach to themes and characters (as is often found in mature anime) - it’s a splendid mix.
The production values for the show are certainly excellent, some of the best to have come out of 2006. It shines during the action scenes, which are very fluid and detailed, but overall has no real flaws other than the occasional lapse in consistency. The character designs are all attractive and original. The music is not something that impressed me; there isn’t a lot of score music in the show (which is slightly refreshing given anime’s habbit of blasting violin and choir over every scene), and what it has is fitting, but not really memorable.
The characters are well defined, although I felt the focus given to the characters was rather strangely distributed; Revy and Rock (the two main characters) aside, the rest of the Black Lagoon barely garnered any attention, and their involvement was so greatly reduced by the end of the series that you had to wonder why the show was even named after the group. I am not kidding that the majority of the villains the group encountered received considerably more character exploration than either Benny or Dutch (the other two Black Lagoon members). I understand the importance of giving depth to the antagonist perspective, but I got the feeling that the original creator just kept falling in love with the antagonists he introduced, and neglected the protagonists in order to delve indulgently into the villain’s pasts and characters. The best example would be Hanzel and Gretel, the goth-loli twins and their arc. They were given so much background, and such a poignant send-off yet had so little effect on any continuing plot, or on the characters.
Revy was certainly an interesting character. I’ve seen the hardened, indifferent criminal stereotype before, but Black Lagoon takes Revy to the next level and actually glorifies her as colourfully maniacal. It makes the show fun to watch because you never know how to feel about Revy; sometimes you’ll side with her and cheer her on, or feel sorry for her, but then the next moment she’s slaughtering innocent people for enjoyment. Essentially she’s a juxtaposition of ‘cool’ and ‘reprehensible’. Rock is a character who is much easier to make a connection with, in fact I like to see him as being the representative for the audiences perspective on the show as it traverses the challenging lands of immorality. He is described in the show as being ‘in the twilight’, neither living under explicitly righteous terms, nor wholly endorsing the injustice of the underworld. This allows him to be constantly critical of the actions of those around him, but from an intelligent objective position (ie he does not decry their actions through blind morality). His criticisms of the actions Revy and others around him take make for the most profound and thematically crucial dialogue in the show, and despite his outwardly plain personality, also make him a fascinating and important presence in the show.
This brings me to the real crux of the matter: the show is really about the criminal mind, and the life of crime in all its forms. It paints an alluring portrait of the attraction to such a life, but never forgets to challenge that attraction by showing the kind of sacrifices one has to make of their humanity. It shows crime as a dangerously beautiful thing, and also shows it at its most sickening. All the exciting action is secondary to this. In conclusion, Black Lagoon should be watched by all action fans, but is a step above most shounen series due to its challenging and, at times, risqué foray into the heart of the criminal world. It is for mature audiences, because, despite having such character and being so colourful about murder, it is also very dark at times. There are flaws in the way it is paced, and the way some of the characters are neglected, but it has some very sharp dialogue, and is regardlessly entertaining thrill read more
Recommendations
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both have some great gun fights,the dark backgrounds of the main characters
bounty hunting, guns, great characters
Pretty laid back, lots of fighting. All in all very similar to Bebop.
Black Lagoon is just a down to earth copy of the true classic Cowboy Bebop.
Lot's of high energy action. The cast are pirates instead of bounty hunters.
Similarities are overwhelming. Crude comedy, a bald leader of the group who used to be in the civil service, a hot girl with a bad attitude, a technical genius, and a ship hideaway. Also similar are the violent scenes, and guns, guns, guns.
Its pretty obvious at times that Black Lagoon had gotten some inspiration from Cowboy Bebop, BL even has a similar feel to CB as well.
So if you seen CB or BL and you are looking for more some the same action awesomeness, this series is a great pick. Highly recommended!
Same gun-toting badassery, same motley-crew antics, same moments of, "holy crap, that's actually well-done characterization."
The similarities between these two anime are not so apparent, however they do share quite a bit in common. Both shows are about a rag tag bunch of pirates (or bounty hunters, same thing, right?) who make their living dong dangerous things. Both shows are episodic in nature, and are very character driven. While not on the same par as Bebop, Black Lagoon is no slouch when it comes to character development, which is a bit of a surprise from a show whose immediate goal is to deliver as much blood, action, and gunplay as possible (which Bebop also has quite a bit of). Revy, BL's resident badass, has her own distinctive charm, much like Spike. While Bebop is easily the better show (well, it's better than most anime, so it's not really fair to compare), Black Lagoon is entertaining in its own right and is worth a look from Bebop fans.
Stylish and gritty violence. Both share a lot of gunfight.
Amazing, exciting, and gritty anime which focus on a crew composed of 4 people (bounty hunters in CB, modern pirates in BL) and their adventures and jobs at the edge of legality.
The main characters are quite similar: there’s the hot and dangerous beauty (Faye/Revy), the computer genius (Ed/Benny), and the ship’s owner/leader (Jet/Dutch).
Both anime have large amounts of action, badassery, guns, violence, black humour, mafia, plus awesome characters, great animation, and good music.
Also, both anime have an episodic nature: most of the episodes have a different story with several characters joining it, but without forgetting the protagonists' past and troubles.
If you love one, you’ll adore the other.
Both anime are about "delivery company" that isn't exactly legal and employes a batch of mismatched characters.
Both have interesting episodic plots and doing jobs for money with guns and action.
Both shows feature a lot of great action
Black Lagoon is a story about a band of modern pirates who do their dirty jobs to survive in a very harsh world. The characters in this series are amazing and just like in Cowboy Bebop, they are rich with both positive and negative traits which make them so alive. The story is also laid out in a similar way: the series is split into short adventures which are gently connected by the main storyline and you find out more about the main characters as you go along.
very similar feel... bounty hunters, syndicates, armed half-dressed women, lots guns, violence, and blood.. if you just finished one series and you are looking for more of the same goodness, watch the other
Both anime has a dark atmosphere with tons of cussing and good gunfights. Their episodes are episodic; each and every episode telling a different story. Both anime are about hunters trying to get bounties in order to get more money. Both anime has an (almost) useless character (Cowboy Bebop - Edward, Black Lagoon - Rock) as well as a charming but badass + crude-mouthed girl that fights pretty well. (Black Lagoon - Revy, Cowboy Bebop - Faye) Plus, gunfights!
Black Lagoon is similar to Cowboy Bebop in that both series have a crew of characters who go from job to job trying to make ends meet, they both have at least 1 or more characters who come to terms with their past in some way shape or form and they both are full of action packed gun blasting fun that will leave you saying "Wow, how awesome was that!"
A little bit of a warning though, there is ALOT of swearing in Black Lagoon so watch with care. Go ahead and give it a shot.
Similar tag team of charismatic bad-asses working in society's underbelly. Lots of action and violence.
Two great show's about freelancer's. The character's are rich and contrast well. And both are filled with great stories and ton's of action. You'll be curious about each event episode by episode while trying to figure out the character's involved over the entire show.
Gun fights, Supporting female character is dangerous yet sexy. And did I mention more gunfights?
Guns, Bounties, Mercenaries, Hot Chicks, Bad Ass Buff Guys, what else do you look for in shonen Anime?
Bounty hunter themed with action, comedy, and seriousness.
If you like Cowboy Bebop then you would enjoy Black Lagoon also. Both shows contain and lot of action and gun-slinging. Whereas Cowboy Bebop's main obsjective is bounty hunting Black Lagoon is more of a guns for hire.
Same cybern-western atmosphere and action.
Both have some crazy-#*%$ bounty hunters that are AWESOME! Also have some great action scenes and well-fleshed out characters in both.
Gunfights and humour. Cowboy Bebop is about a bounty hunting in the future and space and Black Lagoon is about illegal business and stuff.
the story has the same type of feel although BL is a little more realistic where as CB is more sci-fi both animes where really well done
Cowboy Bebop minus good music and deep characters
Cowboy bebop and Black Lagoon are 2 of my top animes that I have watched. Both feature cold blooded protagonists who take no crap from anyone! (Literally, Spike doesn't eat food that is qualified as "Crap.") Black Lagoon has more action, while Bebop has more depth to story while the action happens! Black Lagoon's action can be best described as a zesty gangsta twist. Cowboy bebop's action can best be described as fluid motion with a hint of gunplay. (Ok, maybe more than a hint!) Both animes are excellent! I would watch Bebop before Lagoon to get a real sense for the action that lies ahead.
Both have some intense action scenes and the main characters and overall formula feel very similar. Cowboy Bebop is sci-fi while Black Lagoon is present day
-Each episode has its own small story.
-Interesting cast of main characters, all having a generally vague backstory.
-Side characters are very interesting as well.
-Stylistic action with subtle humor mixed in (not mostly slapstick)
They are more or less the same type of show, except Black Lagoon has story arcs that span multiple episodes unlike Cowboy Bebop in which each episode has its own little story. There are a lot of similar characters too. Revy=Faye, Dutch=Jet, and Benny=Edward(Mainly how they are both computer savvy). They also have the two best English dubs I have ever heard. Overall they are both very good action shows.
Spike is very similar to Rock; they both like to use problems to produce effects for bypassing harm.
These anime also like to have people team up with each other, and they have problems shunned.
Both Cowboy Bebop and Black Lagoon have mercenaries working hard to get some money, but usually end up with their pockets empty. Bebop's crew is a happy bunch of good guys who chase criminals in space, and Lagoon's crew is a happy bunch of bad guys sailing through the south Asian seas. Besides that difference and some minor crew member differences, these series are pretty much the same.
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The similarities between these two great series are evident.
Average Japanese guy gets involved with a not exactly legal organization and sees his life changing completely. His initial innocence also fades more and more.
Both anime are mature, dark, violent, with a rotten and outlaw feeling, and have great animation and music. Add guns, mafia, action, and you'll get some really good entertainment.
Mafia, assassins, outlaws, guns and a lot of action
Both anime are about a rather nice and innocent person drawn into a world of crime. Both anime are rather heavy with little sugarcoating.
Both are about killers trapped in the middle of a war of interest between criminal organizations. Both have a dark theme, cold hearted, and awesome gunfights.
These series both series have a very dark feeling to them. There is plenty of blood and violence and great action to keep you entertained in both series.
Innocent Japanese guy betrayed by superiors and becomes mercenary outlaw. Gun toting asian hottie works with him. Different from Phantom because you get more of the sense the Black Lagoon crew have some moral standards. Still, fun, violent romp through the darkness.
very similar with the gangs and gunfighting
The atmoshere is really close. Both are realistic. Those are great manga. There is no question of superpower or surnatural, but about choises of life.
Both are great anime. I really enjoyed to follow them
if you like action, mafia and gangs than they're both the nice choice
Guns, mafia, crime and a guy who has nothing to do with that getting involved.
Normal Japanese guy meets gun-crazy world of crime, and excels. Black Lagoon is mostly excuses to blow shit up, and Phantom has a bigger story with action interspersed.
Black Lagoon and Phantom have a lot of similarities. Although Black Lagoon seems a lot more light hearted at times with more humor and some awesome action, Phantom has a special kind of story. Both are pretty mature, but they are incredible in their own ways.
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Opening Theme"Red Fraction" by MELL
Ending Theme"Don't Look Behind" by EDISON
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