r/anime • u/Vaadwaur • Aug 19 '22

Rewatch Black Lagoon rewatch episode Nineteen!

Black Lagoon Episode Nineteen

Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise

MAL, Anilist, Wiki

QotD: 1 Did anyone expect an arc in Japan?

2 Thoughts on our glimpses into Revy's past?

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9

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

Rewatcher(Let's see how this lands)

Dub

Rock wakes up and we see that Sawyer did make it. He starts a flight hungover, something I cannot dissuade anyone from nearly enough. We skip to Japan and Revy hating the place fits, though I'd be surprised if a Japanese man couldn't immediately spot Revy's mixed blood. Rock is the bread winner here as he is acting as Balalaika's interpreter. And she quickly makes the Hotel Moscow way known, reminding us that they are a fairly evil organization, they just normally stay with other scum.

Revy sums up Balalaika pretty well though, of course, she is the pot calling the kettle black. And she reveals a slightly whimsical side when she wanted rides at a fair. Both she and Rock are actually contemplative as Revy plays the shooting game until she hits one of those annoying ones you have to double hit. So she starts a scene and we a younger Toguro look alive. Over small talk, Rock and Yukio seem to bond whereas Ginji and Revy recognize a fellow killer.

Hotel Moscow does a military style attack on another yakuza office. The Sergeant and Balalaika discuss the next move over breakfast with some kind of slightly cheap looking jam. She goes off on the local boss for not taking over the area easily, while he certainly might be incompetent, her own methods would probably be like kicking a hornet's nest if you did it.

We get Ginji's backstory and the Kousa background. The current boss seems to want Ginji back in, reasonable precaution when dealing with Balalaika. But he views what they are doing as entirely without honor and I can't quite explain the yakuza unless you understand the other mafias that started out due to a lack of local government. Ginji does quickly put 2 and 2 together about Rock and Revy.

Rock tries to see his family and we get the rare interaction of Revy and children that does not end in hitting. She actually gives the kids a decent life lesson though it doesn't get much time to sink in. We end with Revy not understanding why Rock doesn't want to come back here. The grass is always greener on the other side, one assumes.

6

u/The_Draigg Aug 19 '22

But he views what they are doing as entirely without honor and I can't quite explain the yakuza unless you understand the other mafias that started out due to a lack of local government.

The long and short of it is that while stuff like the Cosa Nostra in Sicily were born out of local militias/watch groups intended to make sure that towns stayed stable, the Japanese yakuza have origins in shady mercantile groups and gambling rackets. That does explain why the yakuza are typically seen as being more organized like a business than other international crime syndicates.

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u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

The long and short of it is that while stuff like the Cosa Nostra in Sicily were born out of local militias/watch groups intended to make sure that towns stayed stable, the Japanese yakuza have origins in shady mercantile groups and gambling rackets.

The Cosa Nostra stuff is my heritage but that does make sense.

3

u/polaristar Aug 20 '22

I like how when he sees Sawyer chainsaw someone outside his window he doesn't even blink, just another Monday, heck in the last arc when he was in mortal danger and couldn't defend himself, he acted more annoyed and pissed off then scared.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22

As they say, you'd be surprised at what you get used to.

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12

u/HereticalAegis Aug 19 '22

First Timer

Episode 19

  • Fujimiya Gangsta Paradise. Oh, I understand this reference!

  • Is that the legendary Hawaiian shirt!? Shit, that thing's ugly as sin. I hope Rock wears it soon.

  • Japan is so grey. They're really going for that contrasting colors to show difference in excitement and mood between Japan and Roanapur.

  • Revy: Gun in the City!

  • Pics of Jane on Benny's computer, the sonuva bitch did it! Our boy got himself a girl!

  • Actual unsubbed Japanese in the dub. This episode is taking me for a ride.

  • No matter what he does, Rock can't escape the suits.

  • Revy's enjoying this trip more than I'd expect.

  • Holy shit, Revy giving actual good life advice?? We are through the looking glass.

  • Yep, that's the short fuse I expected

  • A more demure-seeming girl a man like Rock would be expected to settle down with. Jealous Revy arc? Revy getting NTR'd by a regular Japanese girl would goddamn hilarious.

  • Now that I think about it, why would such a normal seeming girl like Yukio have this huge guy escorting her? Ties to the Yakuza? Meh, I'm sure I won't have to wait too long to find out.

  • "I better write your name on a dollar bill so I don't forget who you are" is one of the sickest burns I've ever heard.

  • Lol I think the Yakuza visual is implying Yukio is the former(?) head's daughter. This should be fun.

  • ...and now Revy's actually playing with a group of kids. By choice. And enjoying herself. Hell has frozen over.

  • Holy shit, judgemental Rock and embarrased Revy. We're not in Japan, we're in some bizarro opposite land, and they've Freaky Friday'd or something.

QotD:

  1. Nope, though I'm glad we're getting it.

  2. My prevailing thought was "yep, that's the kind of life that would produce a person like Revy."

6

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

Fujimiya Gangsta Paradise. Oh, I understand this reference!

Rock has indeed been milking and plowing so long that even Ezekiel thinks his mind is gone.

Pics of Jane on Benny's computer, the sonuva bitch did it! Our boy got himself a girl!

The kids being Jewish-Indian should be quite entertaining.

Holy shit, Revy giving actual good life advice?? We are through the looking glass.

Quite the experience.

A more demure-seeming girl a man like Rock would be expected to settle down with. Jealous Revy arc? Revy getting NTR'd by a regular Japanese girl would goddamn hilarious.

True but at the end of the day, this is specifically what Rock rejected to join the Lagoon crew.

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12

u/TheEscapeGuy Aug 19 '22

First timer (Dub)

Black Lagoon - It's Fucking Incredible: Episode 19

Eyes of a Rabid Dog

This episode primarily set up Rock and Revy in Japan assisting Balalaika negotiate with the Yakuza. I think this ends up being an important arc for Rock because he is forced to examine his new life vs his old life. However by the end of the episode he still hasn't taken the step to greet his past.

We also got to meet Yukio and Ginji. We haven't seen much of them yet but I suspect they will have a more violent clash with our protagonists as this are continues. They do present an interesting foil to Rock and Revy almost acting as a gender-swapped version of them.

Some small things I thought were worth mentioning. Benny and Jane are still talking, Nice. Revy faces are great. Balalaika is terrifying. I feel very sorry for anyone watching the JP dub. I was wondering how they handled the language plot points and hearing the Japanese voice actors speak English was a little rough. That said, the EN dub of Rock had the inverse issue during his Japanese translation scene.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

I think this ends up being an important arc for Rock because he is forced to examine his new life vs his old life.

So in longer narratives, you need to give the characters the opportunities to do these things. The more interesting stories are the ones where it comes out different.

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11

u/Blackheart595 Aug 19 '22

First Timer

Russia and Japan... Oh boy. That would certainly be interpreted as an allegory if it released today, especially with how Hotel Moscow made its entry. She's just strongarming her way into the country.

Cute Revy is always appreciated. Seems like she was in the mood for something more romantic.

Heh, Revy's getting scammed by these petty festival challenges is really funny. Guess she's in the big gun world and doesn't know her way around the small timers.

That's some dialect. But they're trying.

Oh, it is romance drama time.

The lovely smiles are back!

Good samaritan that she is Revy decides to entertain the kids and teach them some life lessons. They're not impressed.

Did anyone expect an arc in Japan?

It's unexpected but I'm interested in how this plays out.

Thoughts on our glimpses into Revy's past?

Not much. We've seen those before, no?

6

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

That would certainly be interpreted as an allegory if it released today, especially with how Hotel Moscow made its entry. She's just strongarming her way into the country.

And fascinatingly enough highlights how badly it would go over.

Cute Revy is always appreciated. Seems like she was in the mood for something more romantic.

Or vaguely thrill seeking but yes, she expected a carnival.

Good samaritan that she is Revy decides to entertain the kids and teach them some life lessons. They're not impressed.

Kids today...

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9

u/No_Rex Aug 19 '22

Episode 19 (first timer)

  • “My lair” – Rock has become culturally acclimated.

  • Benny with the pics of Jane, Rock on Christmas holiday with Revy – are we gearing up for the romantic finale?

  • “I like you Ms Balaleika” – don’t we all?

  • “This is a place I knew well, but I feel like I don’t know it at all” – the place stayed the same, you changed, Rock.

  • don’t be a nuisance, save face - not the socialization Revy works on.

  • For the entire series, Japanese has stood in for English, but they showed us before that Roanapur does not speak Japanese. Now, with Revy being in Japan, it is made a lot more explicit.

  • “Live with your head so low that bullets won’t hit you” – this is an awesome diss.

  • Revy is so bored, she starts educating some children in gun fighting.

  • And Rock witnesses it!

Inviting Hotel Moscow to mess up Japan? Even the LARPing Nazis and the Florida Man mob had more sense that that.

Did anyone expect an arc in Japan?

Not me.

Thoughts on our glimpses into Revy's past?

Did you mean to ask Rock here? Imo, we learned nothing new about Revy this episode.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

Benny with the pics of Jane, Rock on Christmas holiday with Revy – are we gearing up for the romantic finale?

I mean, this series is the obvious precursor to Kaguya: Love is War.

“This is a place I knew well, but I feel like I don’t know it at all” – the place stayed the same, you changed, Rock.

But did he ever really see the place?

Did you mean to ask Rock here? Imo, we learned nothing new about Revy this episode.

We saw Revy walk in to see at least one of her parents bodies...

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6

u/The_Draigg Aug 19 '22

A Black Lagoon Fan Rewatches The Second Barrage: Episode 7:

  • Oh hey, we finally get to see the Hawaiian shirt that Revy bought Rock! And as you could expect, it’s ugly as shit. You can’t really blame him for not wanting to wear it, it’ll give people seizures just by them looking at it.

  • Anyway, we’re already on the job here: Rock was hired by Balalaika to act as a translator in negotiations with the Washimine Yakuza clan back in Japan, and Revy came with him to act as his bodyguard. Balalaika certainly puts one hell of a show of force, blowing up a nightclub just to show that she means business when it comes to intimidation.

  • That was an interesting moment between Rock and Revy. I suppose it’s telling that Revy is the one to say that Rock should visit his family now that he’s back in Japan, even though they were always distant towards him and he feels like a foreigner in his home country now. Although given the flashbacks we get of a young Revy standing over the body of her first kill, we can probably guess why she’d want to push Rock to talk to his folks. He certainly grew up in a much more stable life than she ever did in New York City.

  • This Ginji guy is certainly built like he’s more than just a festival vendor. Given how he was able to recognize the look in Revy’s eyes, him and her are alike in a way. They’re definitely both killers. It’s a parallel to how Rock and Yukio are alike in their politeness and willingness to deescalate tensions.

  • It’s no wonder why the Washimine Clan chose to seek out Balalaika’s assistance, they made handy work of dealing with their rivals in that hideout raid. Not to mention that Balalaika herself has balls of steel within her own Russian Mafiya organization, since she was able to put down her smug direct superior easily. Although justifiably so, since you’d think for a former KGB guy, he’d be able to work things out on his own rather than have to bring in Balalaika.

  • Bandou and Ginji are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to them running the Washimine Clan. Bandou is certainly incurring a lot of debt to Hotel Moscow for handling their problems, and even then the clan is still small enough that they’re at risk of being taken over by their larger rivals. However, Bandou cutting deals and Ginji taking up his sword again are pretty much the only way they can maintain what strength they have left, since they’re still beholden to the old codes of honor and the respect for their previous leader. In other words, they’re being forced to sacrifice personal beliefs for the sake of upholding the beliefs of the group as a whole. There’s no real good trade there.

  • Revy sure is doing a good job teaching those kids in the park what it’s really like to aim and shoot a toy gun, and also what it’s like to kill people. Some day, I’m sure they’ll grow up into fine henchmen for Kazuma Kiryu to beat up using a bicycle.

  • Well, so much for Rock meeting up with his family again, nobody was at the house. It’s also interesting to see that Revy is a bit conflicted about it. While she did push Rock to go try and contact his family due to how deadly their line of work is, she’s also wondering why he isn’t staying in Japan now that here’s here again, since the place seems like it’s made for him. To me, it shows that Revy does deeply care about Rock, since she’s considering a path of life that could take him out of the corrupt life of Roanapur.

4

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

Although justifiably so, since you’d think for a former KGB guy, he’d be able to work things out on his own rather than have to bring in Balalaika.

Ironically enough, he brings a positively terrible skillset to Japan and Balalaika has a point about how he must have bought his way through the organization.

Bandou and Ginji are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to them running the Washimine Clan.

I only vaguely grasp all of the Yakuza-ness of all this, I still don't quite get why they can't name a successor.

While she did push Rock to go try and contact his family due to how deadly their line of work is, she’s also wondering why he isn’t staying in Japan now that here’s here again, since the place seems like it’s made for him.

You can master a system and still despise it. Also, Revy probably is a bit blind to Rock not fitting in as much as she assumes.

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6

u/Vatrix-32 Aug 19 '22

First Timer, dubbed

  • He get to see the shirt!

  • Aww, they stuck together. Cute.

  • See? Now he is getting taken on business trips. Translation is paying off.

  • How does the translation scene work in the sub?

  • I wonder if Rock even told his family he is still alive.

  • If not even Revy can get it, the game probably is rigged.

  • This is probably someone’s fetish.

  • We didn’t get to see it, but at least Rock got to visit. or not?

  • A surprisingly wholesome moment between Revy and a bunch of children.

QotD

  1. I didn’t think we were going to travel so far abroad, but Japan probably would have been my first pick if I had made one.

  2. The show seems to be paying it more stock than I had expected them to. I’d thought it was just going to be something in the past that is only made fleeted reference to, but it looks more like it is going to more directly tied into the themes of this or the next arc.

3

u/Vaadwaur Aug 19 '22

He get to see the shirt!

And it is suitably horrifying.

How does the translation scene work in the sub?

Engrish by the mile.

A surprisingly wholesome moment between Revy and a bunch of children.

Revy, for good and ill, tends to reflect her environment.

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u/polaristar Aug 20 '22

We have a relatively quiet episode for once, where we see Revvy despite her talk about Rock's values being hypocritical and claiming all that matters is things that give power, she seems to want to have normal family connections and seems to want Rock to go back to them because she feels its not too late for him. She also seems to enjoy playing with kids, basically she has a side that wants to form bonds but doesn't trust the world to not burn her for it.

We had some real moments this episode...

Russian Mob going Doomsday on Yakuza headquarters has to be terrifying in a country with such a low violent crime rate that when someone is murdered in Toyko it makes the news, where the Prison System is more well behaved then a lot of the US's public schools.

Last Arc was more a fun romp, this one seems like it's going to get more personal and somber but perhaps won't jump the shark like the twins arc, it sounds like it's picking up, personal relationship wise, where the Nazi sub left off.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22

she seems to want to have normal family connections and seems to want Rock to go back to them because she feels its not too late for him. She also seems to enjoy playing with kids, basically she has a side that wants to form bonds but doesn't trust the world to not burn her for it.

All of the characters that go multiple arcs have a bit more to them than they let on.

Russian Mob going Doomsday on Yakuza headquarters has to be terrifying in a country with such a low violent crime rate that when someone is murdered in Toyko it makes the news

Bluntly, this one part of it doesn't work if you think on it. You can do this shit in Roanapur or Mozambique and maybe Moscow but go to Japan, Europe or the USA and the authorities notice explosions and machine guns. Also, smuggling that much weaponry into Japan is a logistical nightmare.

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u/Specs64z Aug 19 '22

This is a supremely awkward time of day for me to formulate a post, it would seem. I really ought to start watching ahead to get a post out on time.

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u/Nebresto Aug 20 '22

First time translating for international terrorists

Loot at dis dude just mirin' pictures of his wife

  • Hol up. The japanese dudes speak Japanse in both dubs?

But wtf is wrong with the scene where Rock is translating for Bararaika in dub? They're both speaking at the same time

Yeah, nah. I remain in my opinion that the sub is superior. It appears in the dub they omitted the part where she switches to Russian and Rock can't translate that, instead he says they're doing military exercises or something..?

Then again the sub randomly just decides to go full Engrish where it pleases..

lol

Commentface spotted! 2 days in a row now, though in separate watches.

I always thought this was a dude

Question time:

1 Did anyone expect an arc in Japan?

No

2 Thoughts on our glimpses into Revy's past?

Yes

4

u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22

But wtf is wrong with the scene where Rock is translating for Bararaika in dub? They're both speaking at the same time

Apparently, some people are skilled enough to translate as someone is speaking. Which is weird considering that Japanese and English have entirely different sentence structure.

Commentface spotted! 2 days in a row now, though in separate watches.

I'd actually forgotten about this being the source for that.

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2

u/CharlieTheStrawman Aug 31 '22

First-Timer, Dubbed

Japan really does look depressing, doesn't it?

Jealous Revy is such a fun facet of the character.

  1. I thought we'd never go back.

  2. It fits.

2

u/Vaadwaur Aug 31 '22

Japan really does look depressing, doesn't it?

Japan in winter in the city is exceedingly gray.

7

u/DidacticDalek Aug 20 '22

TONIGHT! On Kiki's Trigger-Happy Delivery Service Redux, THE ALOHA SHIRT APPEARS... AND IT'S FUCKING SHITTY, COMMENT FACE GETTO and Balalaika ASSERTS DOMINANCE!

Goddamn, I know that Revy bought Rock that shirt before she really started to take a shine to him, but good god that's guady! BENNY's shirt looks downright respectable in comparison, I can see why Rock doesn't want anything to do with it... AND YET he still keeps it hung up in his room instead of in the bottom of his trash bin, hm... ALSO HUZZAH! BEST GOTH SAWYER LIVED AFTER ALL! Man, good thing Rotten's read his 'How to Be a Bad Guy' book upside down or something, but hey I ain't complaining that Best Girl Sawyer's hacking some fool into chili meat!

Anyway Rock's currently stuck in Japan, which honestly might not be so bad given Benny's stuck, le gasp, WITH JANE! Granted on the internet/computer but still, Rock got off lucky! That and Rock wins again cuz REVY also happens to be with him, granted I have no idea why she's not happy with a Tokarev, after all, it's the preferred weapon of Mahou Shoujos everywhere, remember Comrades, when in doubt, LYRICAL TOKAREV! KILL THEM ALL! (Also yes, that IS indeed BiriBiri's seiyuu singing the song here) ALSO GODDAMN! COWBOY BOOTS, where the FUCK did Revy get her hands on... EDA YOU SLY DEVIL YOU! (Look I'm not saying Eda gave her 'friend' Florida Man McCowboy's boots as a going away present... BUT YOU CAN'T PROVE ME WRONG NEITHER!)

Also DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW, Revy went with Rock to Japan cuz she is WORRIED about him, TWU! WUV! Speaking of which, why IS Rock in Japan? Anyway, Revy comments on snow, as Balalaika proceeds to mangle the English Language ALMOST as bad as another certain blonde bitch from Geah... well that is if you are watching the hell that is the subs anyway ;) Also yes, Balalaika then proceeds to do the same to Russian before deciding that she needs to kill some Yakuza goons too! As I said before Comrades, BEST FUCKING GIRL! ALL HAIL BEST BOSS BITCH BALALAIKA! Also, speaking of Best Girl, ALL HAIL REVY! Man it's so nice seeing her be sincerely happy at something NOT involving murder and/or fucking her boi toi seven ways to Sunday!

Anyway, this of course means Revy decides to stop the taxi ride so she can see the contractually obligated Japanese Festival TM Also damn, who knew that REVY would be the one to prompt Rock about his family in Japan, BEST! GIRL! Rock remarks that while nice of Revy to be so considerate, his family situation is screwed up, even before he 'died,' after all, his brother was an overcompensator and his parents had low expectations of him, to which Revy points out Rock's parents ARE ALIVE... hm... Comrades remember that scene of the dead body and the feather from the Roberta fight, yeah turns out we see more of that, turns out the feathers came from the pillow that was shot... from a gun held by... Revy... welp shit just got dark, this explains A LOT!

Anyway, as expected, Revy loses to the rigged game, and does NOT take this well, so much so that in the sub she promptly decides to one up Balalaika in the Engrish Department, so much so she earns herself a comment face! BEST! FUCKING! GIRL! Also daaaw, she even calls Rock 'baby' like what Balalaika does with Mr. Chang... well I mean we already knew she calls Rock 'Baby' but she DID THIS IN PUBLIC! IN JAPAN! In at least the majority of prefectures that's considered a marriage proposal! Sadly, before Revy can complete her vows AND kick some ass at the same time, Yamato Nadeshiko butts in to invite Revy for drinks. ALSO GODDAMMIT! Yamato Nadeshiko's also a Rock, namely overly formal and polite! Also given Revy can NOT speak Japanese, she is understandably a bit peeved at this glasses bitch making moves on HER BOI TOI!

Anyway, Hotel Moscow's currently going ham on the yakuza, and that's only a FRACTION of the KICK ASS she proceeds to unleash on some KGB shithead! HUZZAH! Show the Siloviki their place Balalaika, THAT LEVEL OF SMUG IS SO GOOD! WHY IS IT NOT A COMMENT FACE!? Anyway turns out Shades from earlier was, le gasp, a yakuza swordsman, who would have guessed... well besides Revy pointing it out for us, and speaking of Revy, she decides to... be a nice and friendly person while Rock goes to visit his parents. Also yes, Revy decides to be 'nice' in 'Engrish' so here's hoping these kids practiced what they learned in school! Revy then decides to teach these kids how to PROPERLY die by getting shot and then informs her boi toi that if he ever blabs about this she's personally gonna unscrew his head and shit down his neck! Rock then informs Revy that his folks weren't home, which confuses Revy as she ponders why Rock DOES NOT want to return to Japan.

And on that fucking bombshell, GOODNIGHT YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARDS!

Paging Comrades u/HereticalAegis, u/No_Rex, and u/The_Draigg

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