This series sets itself apart from every action based anime I've ever seen, with incredibly detailed animation to support every fight scene. They are not afraid to use crude language or display gory violence, and it's one of the most refreshing things about this series - a great change of pace. The anime itself doesn't really have a plot, but rather each episode is a short story in itself, that feels like its moving in the right direction. Basically, if your a fan of Cowboy Bebop, then this series will make you think less of it :P It is generally played out in the same manner, but I found Lagoon to be a lot more intense. The fight scenes do not fail to impress. Whats even more impressive, is their use of humor in a lot of moments you wouldn't expect any.
Each of the main characters are given good character development, but most of the focus lies on Revy and Rock. If you like the bad boy types, like Spike Spiegel, then you haven't met his evil twin sister, Revy. She makes other villains look like fairy's frollicking in the grassy meadows. Her personality is dominitive, crude, brash, violent, and just downright scary, but she does show a softer side - roughly 15 seconds per episode! She can go from the cute girl you want to get to know, to the nightmare you wish did not exist in the blink of an eye. Revy makes this series what it is and then some.
If you aren't a big fan of gunfights, I think this series would change your attitude towards them. Each scene is brilliantly animated, with a large attention to detail. Despite its lack of a real plot, they do an excellent job with each episode in terms of their story. Although it is heavy on the action scenes, they do an excellent job of giving you plenty of interesting conversations, and oh so much humor in a one of a kind form. Hope you enjoy japanese curse words, because you will surely pick them up after this series!
I found the music in this series to be a great fit for each scene, keeping the momentum high - especially the opening and ending themes, which compliment the feel of the series well. The cuing of the soft music at the end of each episode, rolling into the credits, seemed like something simple, but it really brought out an interesting feel that I haven't seen used anywhere else.
In the end, I was simply blown away. If you want something to wake you out of the normal tear jerking, emotion filled anime, this one will propel you onto the battlefield in style. As mentioned, if you are a fan of Cowboy Bebop, I can guarantee your attachment to this series. I think the only thing I didn't enjoy about this series was the number next to the word "Episodes". Good old number twelve, inferior to thirteen, superior to eleven, just wasn't enough in my book. Even with a series devoted to no real plot, you can't help but demand more out of it - the episodes are too damn interesting.
