I'm ok with a typical tough anime girl. I'm ok with a tough anime girl with a gun. I am not ok with a tough anime girl with a gun killing dozens of enemies at a time. Black Lagoon attempts to come of as a realistic anime about mercenaries, but many things in the anime detract from this attempt.
But before I rant, I'll talk a little about the 4 man crew.
We have Rock (protagonist): Japanese business man who is tired of being pushed around and so becomes a mercenary.
Dutch: Strong black guy with a deep voice. (Pretty much everything you'd expect from a black guy in an anime so no need to go into detail)
Benny: The blonde haired wiz with glasses (again no need to describe since he fits the sterotype)
And then there's Revy: You're typical tough girl with a bandanna who "takes shit from no one". She is very fond of vulgar language and likes to shoot people more than anything else it seems. However, her constant drivel became annoying and boring amazingly fast and I couldn't help but hate her.
The show's man problem is its storyline because there basically isn't one. It just shows the crew doing a job, shooting people, and then relaxing with a cigaratte. The character development is poor and Black Lagoon fails miserably in making you feel anything for them.
And now to the realism aspect. Since I do not wish to spoil anything, though you can pretty much play this anime in its entirety out in your head without watching it, I'll give to examples of how unrealistic this anime is at times.
First we have Revy cartwheeling and leaping ship to ship, massacring the entire crew of the ships methodically. If this scene appeals to you, then well, ... I really don't know what to say.
And lastly we have the most hilarious scene of all. Imagine the huge, muscular, and tough black man stereotype mentioned above. And now imagine that black man being overpowered by a woman in a maid's outfit.
yea.....
This anime was actually a struggle to watch, but I gave it a 6 because the music and art are both incredible and I like the vulgarism and bloodiness at times.
