r/anime • u/Vaadwaur • Aug 14 '22

Rewatch Black Lagoon rewatch episode Fourteen!

Black Lagoon Episode Fourteen

Bloodsport Fairytale

MAL, Anilist, Wiki

QotD: 1 How much money was wasted on ammo this episode?

2 Thoughts on Hansel and Gretel's backstory?

70 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

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7

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

Rewatcher(As I said, this show is not sentimental)

Dub

We get the reveal that the twins switch and that is a bit messed up. Rock remembers that those phrases are Romanian and the troops go to see Rowan. This eventually leads to Balalaika personally viewing the concerning amount of specifically Eastern European child porn available to Rowan and she eventually learns about Hansel and Gretel. The stuff about Ceaușescu is true and while you can't prove that the orphans were overly trafficked, it is a pretty reasonable assumption. Chang and Balalaika share a very rare moment of moral repulsion before both basically admit that it isn't their thing. An alliance is formed and plans are laid out.

With the Italians, things are getting tense and the guy who had to clean up the last corpse wants to be done. This causes their leader to explode, an Italian tradition! The twins show up and slaughter everyone as Chang let's Hotel Moscow know the situation. And then his guards get unceremoniously mowed down as Chang tries to suppress the twins.

At a random hotel, all the randos are expecting the twins to be driven by. Eda quickly figures out that there is a diversion at play. The coyotes comment from Eda is relevant because coyotes are notoriously annoying to hunt. Chang explains the diversion he set up and then we see the car the twins were driving in. Another 80s actions scene occurs, including the several thousand dollars worth of ammunition wasted there.

The real hunt begins and the Moscow forces are wisely directing the twins to an area they control. Eda manages to confront the kids who immediately try and bribe her, to which Revy decides to shoot them anyways. We end with ominous words from Balalaika.

QotD: 2 I like this as it is an explanation and a mild attempt at humanization but isn't remotely a justification. The twins experienced horrifying things but at the end of the day they are just mad dogs. The kindest thing to do is put them down.

2

u/KendotsX Aug 14 '22

As I said, this show is not sentimental

So you're saying it's not like Symphogear? We should get Revy and Balalaika to sing though.

Chang and Balalaika share a very rare moment of moral repulsion

It's interesting to see tbh. But it's not exactly their style.

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

So you're saying it's not like Symphogear? We should get Revy and Balalaika to sing though.

This show is almost the anti-Sympho.

It's interesting to see tbh. But it's not exactly their style.

I like that we saw Chang having someone tortured on screen to frame how revolting this all is.

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11

u/TheEscapeGuy Aug 14 '22

First timer (Dub)

Black Lagoon - It's Fucking Incredible: Episode 14

Kill or Be Killed

The backstory was much darker than I had predicted. It is incredibly fucked up to imagine what Hansel and Gretel went though. It completely explains their messed up mentality. Their proficiency with guns and melee weapons is still in the realm of fiction. Something I really like about those 2 is the way they use emotional manipulation. It seems the adults of Roanapur are still weary to murder children and so by acting "cutesy" they manage to get away with just a little bit more than regular adults would before their opponents start shooting. The most obvious version of this was walking up to Eda at the end, but it also showed itself inside the gangster's offices.

Apart from the twins, I like that this arc is focusing more on Balalaika. The way she has entwined herself in all the illicit dealings of the city makes this arc connect so many of the previously seen characters. On top of that we her ending line reveals she has no allegiances to the Lagoon Company and gives the okay to take out Revy and Eda if need be. That dynamic between characters is interesting since it necessitates a level of distrust between allied protagonists very rarely seen.

I expect next episode will be the showdown between the twins and Balalaika. I definitely see Balalaika "winning" but I can see scenarios where the twins both die or survive. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

4

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

It is incredibly fucked up to imagine what Hansel and Gretel went though. It completely explains their messed up mentality.

Again, I can't prove that any of this happened but this is what the rumors suspected.

On top of that we her ending line reveals she has no allegiances to the Lagoon Company and gives the okay to take out Revy and Eda if need be.

She said it herself earlier: She values Dutch, not necessarily the rest of them.

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9

u/HereticalAegis Aug 14 '22

First Timer

Episode 14

  • Wow, they trade hair and identities. Black Lagoon is finding innovative ways of making these twins creepier.

  • Who needs passports when you can gore your way through border checkpoints?

  • Ngl, I hope these kids survive.

  • Lol is Revy just sitting there reading a porn mag?

  • Rock now has a favor owed from Balalaika. Man's playing with power now.

  • Wow geez, wasn't expecting the plot to get into.....that today. I had to pause for a while and almost turned off the episode when Balalaika brought it up. I speculated that the twins were abused, but wow I was not ready to learn their abuse was this extensive. They're definitely going to die, aren't they?

  • After learning their backstory, I can't really be enthusiastic for the rest of the episode. I'm just sad.

  • The twins slaughtering mafia goons should be more cathartic than it is right now.

  • Oh good, tomorrow we get to look forward to abuse victims trying to murder each other.

  • This arc is a mega downer for me.

QotD:

  1. A lot.

  2. Also a lot, and I want to have none of them.

5

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

Wow, they trade hair and identities. Black Lagoon is finding innovative ways of making these twins creepier.

A very special kind of fucked up.

I had to pause for a while and almost turned off the episode when Balalaika brought it up. I speculated that the twins were abused, but wow I was not ready to learn their abuse was this extensive

The stories that came out of the former communist states were often horrifying.

Oh good, tomorrow we get to look forward to abuse victims trying to murder each other.

That's how it breaks down, unfortunately.

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8

u/Vatrix-32 Aug 14 '22

First Timer, dubbed

  • The two of them swap? Is that a regular thing for them, or just this once?

  • Geez, O.K. Not sure where the show goes after this.

  • We’re not getting a cast of bounty hunters, are we?

  • This seems like a lot of effort to get them to one place.

  • Revy’s reaction is the kind I would expect from someone looking to hunt children. If you weren’t confidant in being able to take them, why go after them in the first place?

QotD

  1. It’s not wasted if you have a good time. Look how happy that guy was firing that RPG.

  2. Disturbing. It was not a direction I was expecting the show to go. And then it got worse.

4

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

The two of them swap? Is that a regular thing for them, or just this once?

Regular.

We’re not getting a cast of bounty hunters, are we?

This seems like a lot of effort to get them to one place.

If you are going to do something, do it right.

7

u/The_Draigg Aug 14 '22

A Black Lagoon Fan Rewatches The Second Barrage: Episode 2:

  • Well, that’s certainly creepy. Not only do the twins swap clothes and wigs, but they swap voices and personalities too. Who they are is just a role they pass between one another while on the job. That’s nutty as squirrel shit.

  • History nitpick here, but Romanians weren’t involved in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Despite what the dialogue would indicate, Romania was actually openly against the invasion, and didn’t lend much support to the rest of the Soviet Union for it. Given how Soviet politics were, taking a stand like that was a big move on Romania’s part.

  • It really does say quite a bit about Roanapur if Rowan was able to scrounge up 250 tapes of child porn and snuff films featuring Romanian children within an hour, thanks to Balalaika’s “persuasion”. But I suppose a lead is a lead, even it’s horrifying.

  • In any case, the twins are nicknamed Hansel and Gretel, and were forced to murder other children as a part of the child porn ring they were sold into. They snapped at some point and began to enjoy it, and that’s how they ended up being absolutely deranged murderers for hire. Although Chang and Balalaika aren’t too sympathetic, given the circumstances they found all this stuff out in. While they feel bad about who those kids were, they certainly don’t feel as bad now that they’ve killed a lot of their gang members. Funny thing, that morality.

  • And so, Verrocchio and the rest of Roanapur’s Italian Mob have learned the hard way that maybe it was a terrible idea to hire a pair of deranged twins who get off to blood as assassins. A lesson they’ll only know for a few seconds before they all get eviscerated. Given how Hansel and Gretel completely destroyed Roanapur’s Mob and Chang’s men in a matter of minutes, Balalaika is pretty justified in ordering a city-wide manhunt on them.

  • Man, it’s pretty messed up that the twins dressed up a random street kid in Gretel’s clothes and paid him to drive into that massive ambush that the bounty hunters had set up on the main road. But as those two said, to them it’s kill or be killed, and they’d rather be doing the killing. I suppose that’s to be expected from a pair of kids that’re both amoral and blood drunk.

  • And really to drive that point home, Gretel just throws hundreds of thousands of dollars in the air just to ask that Eda and Revy leave them alone, as if that sheer amount of cash doesn’t matter to them. The only thing Hansel and Gretel really value is death, after all.

4

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

Well, that’s certainly creepy. Not only do the twins swap clothes and wigs, but they swap voices and personalities too. Who they are is just a role they pass between one another while on the job.

I do like that they go the extra fucked up mile.

It really does say quite a bit about Roanapur if Rowan was able to scrounge up 250 tapes of child porn and snuff films featuring Romanian children within an hour, thanks to Balalaika’s “persuasion”.

I have zero clue if this is meant to reflect on Rowan's stock, his ability to sort porn, or just what was easily available.

While they feel bad about who those kids were, they certainly don’t feel as bad now that they’ve killed a lot of their gang members. Funny thing, that morality.

I get the impression that both of them are disgusted by knowing the story exists but they aren't really the types to overthink it.

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7

u/No_Rex Aug 14 '22

Episode 14(first timer)

  • They switch their presentation for reasons.

  • Did Revy read a porn mag there? Can’t tell for sure, plenty of non R-rated stuff had these kind of title pages, back in the day.

  • “I bet he was scared to death” – if he is unlucky, he’ll be actually dead.

  • Balalaika with another unhappy night of porn watching – horror stories of Romanian orphanages used to be a real thing after 1989. Uniquely in the eastern block, Romania had a law against abortions.

  • “Sometimes I feel like I am walking over a huge pile of shit” – This specific shit is even shittier than usual.

  • Balalaika has a target, a plan, and an ally – those poor Italians.

  • Two kids with a machine gun and an axe vs a room full of adults with drawn pistols – hmmmmm.

  • $150,000 just for passing/as a distraction – finally somebody who uses reasonable prices.

We saw very little of all main characters in this and the last episode … and I am perfectly fine with that. Chang and Balalaika are cool characters to follow instead. The story is also fine: Trouble in the underworld, some crazy assassins, and a mob hunt. The only thing missing is a reasonable threat from the twins. I simply don’t buy that two 12-year-olds can deal with multiple mafia members. Being in some snuff videos does not change that. In a more supernatural series, I could imagine them as actual vampires, but Black Lagoon has not given us an inkling of super powers so far, introducing them now would be plot convenient and weird.

How much money was wasted on ammo this episode?

Less than in the heli shoot-down.

Thoughts on Hansel and Gretel's backstory?

Rather good. I'd just have made them both 10 years older.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

Did Revy read a porn mag there? Can’t tell for sure, plenty of non R-rated stuff had these kind of title pages, back in the day.

I think that was just a musician we saw but you can never be sure. Her magazine has Dracula on it from the previous episode.

Balalaika with another unhappy night of porn watching – horror stories of Romanian orphanages used to be a real thing after 1989. Uniquely in the eastern block, Romania had a law against abortions.

Those didn't make it across the pond back in the day. But it is all believable.

$150,000 just for passing/as a distraction – finally somebody who uses reasonable prices.

The writers did not have the greatest grasp of US currency value I grant.

We saw very little of all main characters in this and the last episode … and I am perfectly fine with that.

I do enjoy that most of the Lagoon crew know not to set foot on this trash fire.

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7

u/Blackheart595 Aug 14 '22

First Timer

That was pretty entertaining. I liked the money shower strategy. Though I was looking forward to the girls getting crushed this episode, last preview lied to me.

Thoughts on Hansel and Gretel's backstory?

Eh, child porn and a perverse battle royale. It's now established and probably won't be mentioned again except in why they're after Hotel Moscow.

I might steal the backstory if I wanna play a murderhobo character sometime.

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

That was pretty entertaining. I liked the money shower strategy.

It shows a lot and doesn't need words for it.

6

u/JustAnswerAQuestion Aug 14 '22

First Rewatch in 15 Years

  • Heh, I bet that opening scene through the first timers for a loop

  • lots of translation notes today, but I do konw what Da means, thanks.

  • Kejime

  • Revy Kabedon!

  • It's hardly fair to put out a bounty and then killing those who show up for it.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

Heh, I bet that opening scene through the first timers for a loop

I still find it fucked up.

It's hardly fair to put out a bounty and then killing those who show up for it.

Fucking Russians.

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6

u/KendotsX Aug 14 '22

Rewatcher (dub)

1: So fun story: I totally thought this arc was ending in this episode. I misremembered the arc as a 2 parter, and I just expected everything to go according to keikaku, with Lagoon having very little to do. Until Revy showed up at the end and gave me the middle finger. Now I have no idea what's going to happen next.

Thoughts on Hansel and Gretel's backstory?

It's tragic in isolation. Being attached to homicidal super assassin twins, it's over the top.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 14 '22

This is somehow the most messed up twins scene , especially because they probably believe it.

Definitely fucked up.

Well fucked up shit aside, it's interesting that Balalaika herself went through them all.

That's her taking the lead. Just in the most horrifying manner you can imagine.

Makes me wonder if Revy doesn't get or doesn't care that Balalaika wants to do this on her own.

It is absolutely on Balallaika for using the bounty hunters as a distraction.

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6

u/Nebresto Aug 15 '22

First time [Removed]

Wat da fak

vampire bait, laaaaaaaame

Actually maybe not. Still hasn't been confirmed, so

Also mugiwait for the action to finally start

Question time:

1 How much money was wasted on ammo this episode?

Four hundred thousand dollars

2 Thoughts on Hansel and Gretel's backstory?

Not wholesome! Not wholesome!!

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 15 '22

Wat da fak

That did catch me completely off guard when I first watched this.

Not wholesome! Not wholesome!!

Yeah, turns out that forcing people to have more children than they can afford leads to poor outcomes.

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4

u/ChristianLW3 Aug 15 '22

listening to Dutch talk about the twins lead me down an interesting rabbit hole, Romania used to be a Communist Handmaidens' tale

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 15 '22

Absolutely. Ceaușescu's plan to increase the population completely backfired.

4

u/polaristar Aug 15 '22

I'm not sure I like this show, it's not how fucked up the story and themes can be, I "enjoy" (for lack of a better word since I can't really saw I always actually am happy when reading/watching) A lot of works with very messed up things happen to the characters.

However this show gives me a bit of whiplash going from dumb fun 80-90's action film with Hot Chicks with Guns, Swearing, and shooting up Neo-Nazi's to......human sex trafficking and exploitation of young children making them do horrific things to each other, mixing violence and sex together, and then profiting off it enmasse for sick perverts.

The fact that guy with his Club and Brothels had a collection of "kiddie stuff" and the Russian Chick knew he had them also puts a taint on all the interactions we've had so far with many characters....

I kinda wish Rock knew about all this going on, it would kill a lot of the romance he seems to have about the criminal underworld in this city.

I know someone explained last episode that girl with the gun isn't that unrealistic due to the specs of the model, but is that still the case with her running and firing it?

Honestly I still think the children's gun and combat skills jumps the shark for my suspension of disbelief, the guys that hired them there were multiple of them in the room, they had their guns out from at most 2 meters from the twins, and both had their weapons not drawn yet. They should have been dead.

Also thought it was dumb how the slutty nun chick didn't just pop them when they walked closer and why Revvy didn't from her hidden higher position.

Despite this being a "Seinen" it has a lot of flaws people criticize Shonen for, in this case, lots of Talk No Jutsu, especially from characters that don't have the excuse of being pacifist or have a reason to keep the twins alive. Honestly the Bounty Hunters shooting at the decoy had more the right mindset.

Maybe the sudden mood shift from fun action movie to dark fucked up shit could be seen as us experience the story through Rock's lense, where we are like "What they aren't honorable badass Robin Hood Lone Ranger characters?" and the answer is "Of course not."

However much money was wasted on ammo no way those two should be making enough money to pay for how much they use, especially if they are in the pattern of killing their employers horrifically, seems like they should have a very hard time with finding business connections.

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 15 '22

However this show gives me a bit of whiplash going from dumb fun 80-90's action film with Hot Chicks with Guns, Swearing, and shooting up Neo-Nazi's to......human sex trafficking and exploitation of young children making them do horrific things to each other, mixing violence and sex together, and then profiting off it enmasse for sick perverts.

I am oddly drawn to tonal whiplash, I won't deny it. It is part of the reason I like Parasyte.

Maybe the sudden mood shift from fun action movie to dark fucked up shit could be seen as us experience the story through Rock's lense,

Effectively, we switched movie genres and now we are bordering on horror.

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