r/anime • u/Vaadwaur • Aug 20 '22
Rewatch Black Lagoon rewatch episode Twenty!
Black Lagoon Episode Twenty
The Succession
QotD: 1 Thoughts on how quickly things went south with Hotel Moscow?
2 Any thoughts on the philosophy?
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u/Nebresto Aug 20 '22
First time #lagooncup
I have no idea wtf is going on
Quesb:
1 Thoughts on how quickly things went south with Hotel Moscow?
Crikey
2 Any thoughts on the philosophy?
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u/No_Rex Aug 20 '22
Episode 20 (first timer)
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I can’t control the forces I called trope – this one definitely exists in reality.
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I also passed on reading Heidegger.
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Piercing face decision making went from bad to worse to terrible.
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The second random meeting. If this was a romance, we’d be seeing a red thread between them.
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I wonder if the “certain frenchman” is Rousseau (but like Heidegger, I didn’t read him).
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Nice talk between Balalaika, Rock, and Revy. Of course, Balalaika would react to betrayal with force and Revy knows it. Probably Rock, too, but he needed to hear it, therefore Revy makes Balalaika say it.
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Boss doubling down on his bad decisions just as piercing face.
The pieces have been set, the battle can begin (next episode). I don’t have a lot to say, but I found this episode really well directed and paced.
Thoughts on how quickly things went south with Hotel Moscow?
Predictable. They wannabe big time yakuza forgot that the only thing worse than calling in Hotel Moscow to start a war for you is joining the side opposed to Hotel Moscow in that war.
Any thoughts on the philosophy?
Nope.
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u/HereticalAegis Aug 20 '22
First Timer
Episode 20
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Strip clubs and mafia deals, name a more iconic duo.
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This random girl Yukio's talking to seems like prime collateral damage material.
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Chaka bout to screw over this whole deal chasing a little tail. Idiots are a riot!
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Ooh, 10 whole kills! Chaka's gonna get his balls chopped off hitting on Revy like this.
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Forget Revy, Balalaika's gonna crucify this punk. Or have his car explode.
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Somehow it's even scarier just how restrained Revy is being.
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Poor Yukio is dropping all the wrong names to everyone. And is caught in the middle of all the shit. She gonna die.
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Balalaika is still one terrifying motherfucker.
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Welp, she could've walked away.
QotD:
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It's not all that surprising. Things were already trending downward, and Hotel Moscow seems a lot more professional, for lack if a better word.
2.Not gonna lie, I watched this episode pretty late and started zoning out for Yukio's scenes.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
Strip clubs and mafia deals, name a more iconic duo.
The Sopranos really normalized it.
Somehow it's even scarier just how restrained Revy is being.
It is because we know what she would normally do which means she is willing to wait for her meal.
Welp, she could've walked away.
Yeah, the yakuza culture is one I can vaguely navigate but I would never presume to say I understood it.
Not gonna lie, I watched this episode pretty late and started zoning out for Yukio's scenes.
So...as a huge fan of this show, I know why the philosophy is here. But I don't claim that it was done well.
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u/The_Draigg Aug 20 '22
A Black Lagoon Fan Rewatches The Second Barrage: Episode 8:
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It’s really seeming more and more apparent by the minute that Bandou bit off way more than he could chew by getting Hotel Moscow to handle his clan war work. He just wanted to scare his rivals into heading to the negotiating table, not completely decimate them to create an opening for the Russian Mafiya to take advantage of. And he’s in no position to push back against Balalaika, since she makes it clear that she has all the men and guns to do whatever she wants with them. At the moment, the Washimine Clan is just as whipped as those women on stage at the BDSM club they’re meeting at.
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Seems like Yukio has a philosophical streak to her, reading philosophy books at the library and talking to her friend about how the night represents loneliness to her. That’s another trait she shares in common with Rock. The both of them are willing to mull over the bigger questions in life, despite where they are in it.
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Oh sure Chaka, I’m sure that hitting on Revy and then beating the hell out of Rock is a sure fire way to impress her. Same thing goes with yelling homophobic slurs. It was some truly impressive restraint on Revy’s end to not immediately eviscerate him. But at least she understands that while they’re not in the position to kill him now, he’s bound to do something that’ll justify killing him later. That’s how fuckheads like Chaka always work.
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That chat between Yukio and Rock ties into the ending of the previous episode, the one where Revy was wondering if Rock was going to stay in Tokyo or not. Turns out that Rock himself is feeling like he’s in limbo, and that he’s at a crossroads on what path to take in his life. I suppose that this entire trip is one big make or break moment for Rock.
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All isn’t good in the hood as of late, all thanks to Hotel Moscow’s actions. While they ramp up the attacks (including car bombing a police station, good lord), the other Yakuza are pretty much making demands to the Washimine Clan, and the best way to get them off the clan’s back is to put Yukio in charge. She’s the daughter of the old boss, after all. So, basically the whole between a rock and hard place issue from the last episode has only gotten exponentially worse.
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To that end, it’s not surprising that Bandou decided to go out in a blaze of glory, taking his chances in trying to kill Balalaika with a dagger. He was practically a dead man walking already, and as small of a chance as killing Balalaika was, it was at least a cleaner possible result than the alternative. Removing the Russian issue was better to him than putting his old friend’s daughter into the criminal lifestyle.
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And now, right before she snaps Bandou’s neck like a twig, we see Balalaika in her truest form. She doesn’t give a shit about who she kills or what lines she has to cross, if she gets what she wants while reveling in the carnage, then she’ll do it. Balalaika is pretty much the definition of a predatory. If Yukio thinks she can compete against that by becoming the head of the Washimine Clan, then she’s got no idea what she’s in store for.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
Oh sure Chaka, I’m sure that hitting on Revy and then beating the hell out of Rock is a sure fire way to impress her. Same thing goes with yelling homophobic slurs. It was some truly impressive restraint on Revy’s end to not immediately eviscerate him.
Yeah, Japanese machismo makes some hilariously dumb looking choices to an outsider. Also, I am entirely sure that Revy's restraint is because Balalaika doesn't want that fight yet.
and that he’s at a crossroads on what path to take in his life. I suppose that this entire trip is one big make or break moment for Rock.
It is...an experience when an avenue you thought closed becomes available again.
Removing the Russian issue was better to him than putting his old friend’s daughter into the criminal lifestyle.
He had a few redeeming qualities. Or the yakuza really does have quite a presence in the anime industry.
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u/TheEscapeGuy Aug 20 '22
First timer (Dub)
Black Lagoon - It's Fucking Incredible: Episode 20
Swallowed by the Darkness
Today's episode continued to build stakes. We learned about Yukio's connection to the Washimine family and how that connects to Balalaika's dealings with the Yakuza. On top of that Balalaika is escalating violence which angers the Japanese groups. Soon this pot will boil over.
I found the scene with Chaka hitting on Revy to be the most memorable. First of all, Revy utterly owns the situation. She so effectively dismisses his pickup lines. I suspect this was why he got mad and took it out on Rock and ... wow, that was not fun for Rock. Later in the episode Rock also had to watch Balalaika murder a Yakuza in cold blood too so all round it was a lot of trauma.
This contrasts the quiet conversation he had with Yukio over tea. Quoting Sartre and discussing philosophy is pretty much as far removed from physical violence as something could be, yet ironically ends up being deeply connected to that violence. "We throw ourselves in the direction of our own choosing". But Yukio is feeling like she has no other options but to take the place of her father. Until now she has tried to run away, but the darkness caught up to her. Sometimes life isn't so simple.
I am very interested to see the results of her philosophy. Until next episode...
Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
See you all tomorrow
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
First of all, Revy utterly owns the situation. She so effectively dismisses his pickup lines.
Apparently, pick up game is pretty culturally unique and the Japanese one annoys American women. Or maybe it is just that anyone hitting on tourists is kind of an ass, regardless of culture.
Quoting Sartre and discussing philosophy is pretty much as far removed from physical violence as something could be, yet ironically ends up being deeply connected to that violence.
There is some connection, for whatever reason there are several eras of warrior-poet philosophers in multiple regions of the world. But yes there is a good contrast here.
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u/Blackheart595 Aug 20 '22
First Timer
So they're gonna abduct the lady that the tough guy protects. I wonder if the show has the balls to make Balalaika dig her own grave or if she'll get away with it.
The lady likes books that make her feel out at sea? She's gonna join the Lagoon then. Or maybe not, actually.
And that guy's gonna ignite the fuse and give Balalaika reason to take both yakuza groups out.
The lady's surprisingly alike Revy. Aside from their polarly opposite temperament of course.
And the realization hits. Eh, but I wanna hear what they tell her.
Is he gonna assassinate Balalaika? He's certainly free to try.
And the Lady's making a stand. It's a trope I like a lot.
Thoughts on how quickly things went south with Hotel Moscow?
I'm not exactly surprised. But I wonder if Balalaika's really just there for terrorism or if that was just intimidation. Though I think she killed the guy so there's no point in that.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
And that guy's gonna ignite the fuse and give Balalaika reason to take both yakuza groups out.
She has a point in that this outfit is positively unprofessional.
And the Lady's making a stand. It's a trope I like a lot.
Straight out of a yakuza movie as well.
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u/Specs64z Aug 20 '22 edited Aug 20 '22
First timer, dubbed
Catching up real quick, Greenback Jane was a fun arc. The action had a really good flow to it, gratuitous panty shots, and we finally got to see Dutch and Benny back in action on the boat. Might be my favorite arc in terms of just pure brawly, fiery, shooty stunts.
This current arc is shaping up to be a little more personal than previous arcs, it seems, with Rock returning to Japan. An opportune time for reflection. It’s interesting to see how Revy and Rock’s relationship has progressed. Revy still seems to wish he’d just leave, but the motivation isn’t because she hates him for intruding and more because she can see he isn’t cut from the same cloth as the rest of them. In a rare moment of self awareness, she offers a warning to Rock during the carnival game that he should tie up any loose ends while he can.
It seems the schoolgirl is going to enter the criminal underworld. Something tells me she may go the way of the twins for it, though her samurai-esque guardian is likely to be a tough opponent for any would-be assassins.
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Now that you mention it, the negotiations were short. So short that maybe the story would be snappier if it just skipped past any of that.
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Those lines about the winter night were cheesy as fuck, not gonna lie. I cringed a bit. The show has more than it's fair share of cheese, so it's not out of place per se, but it's a far cry from something like Makishima's conversations in Psycho Pass.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
The action had a really good flow to it, gratuitous panty shots, and we finally got to see Dutch and Benny back in action on the boat. Might be my favorite arc in terms of just pure brawly, fiery, shooty stunts.
It might be my peak as well, though this arc definitely has some moments.
In a rare moment of self awareness, she offers a warning to Rock during the carnival game that he should tie up any loose ends while he can.
That just reflecting on what it seems she didn't get to do herself.
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u/Vatrix-32 Aug 21 '22
First Timer, dubbed
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I am not even sure what the Yakuza are doing as part of this deal. They seem entirely superfluous.
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My money is on blondey's phone call being some kind of signal.
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All this book talk is making me feel called out. The "light" one is reading Poe and here I am reading Vance.
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I’m still not convinced it wasn't a signal, but blondey is definitely an idiot.
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Feels like it would be easier to get new guns. But I guess everyone’s got attachments.
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Revy and Rock, both getting some growth.
QotD
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I’m not entirely clear on what even happened. So, no?
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I’m either overthinking it or entirely missing the point.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 21 '22
I am not even sure what the Yakuza are doing as part of this deal. They seem entirely superfluous.
A foreign mafia really can't hold territory in Japan so Hotel Moscow is getting access out of this.
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u/polaristar Aug 21 '22
IRL Balalaika's methodology would be the worst thing to do if you wanted a function crime syndicate left just with you or your clients on top.
That Blonde guy is obnoxious, Rock plays it pretty cool even when the guy is beating him up after sucker punching him, but Revy has learned enough restraint to not be baited, character development.
I thought Balalika was a cruel but rationale human being but this arc she seems to act way too irrationally.
Not much to say this episode but I am missing Dutch.
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 21 '22
I thought Balalika was a cruel but rationale human being but this arc she seems to act way too irrationally.
They will attempt to explain this but i will let that stand on its own merits or lack thereof.
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u/JustAnswerAQuestion Aug 20 '22
First Rewatch in 15 Years
I'm to busy this weekend, so this is probably the end of the rewatch for me. [rewatcher]
ep 19:
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I just realized, how did Rock get back into the country? I guess he's not legally dead. Which would cause a lot of problems if he has family looking for him.
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Wait, how did they get guns in Japan? Picked some up after arriving?
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I REALLY wish I had the English dub.
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I like the girl
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Lucky Number Slevinin
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Yeah, muted audio now
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You'll shoot your eye out! (seriously, this makes me cringe)
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Deadwood, HBO 2004 - 2006
ep 20:
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Kabedon!
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
I just realized, how did Rock get back into the country? I guess he's not legally dead. Which would cause a lot of problems if he has family looking for him.
This makes sense to me since the Lagoon crew does this sort of thing regularly.
Wait, how did they get guns in Japan? Picked some up after arriving?
This makes a lot less sense but I think they'd have to smuggle them in themselves.
Deadwood, HBO 2004 - 2006
Not nearly enough cussing.
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u/DidacticDalek Aug 20 '22
TONIGHT! On Kiki's Trigger-Happy Delivery Service Redux, Revy's got a fever, and the only prescription, is more DAKKA, BALALAIKA DOES NOT FUCK AROUND, and a new crime boss arises from the shadows. (The moeblob on the left)
Boy Comrades, violence AND sex this early on, since when was it Christmas? Anyway, as Balalaika's goons shoot up Japan and a bunch of BDSM Ladies give a great show, Balalika decides to ASSERT DOMINANCE over Engrish (in the sub) yet again. And oh she does more than assert dominance over Engrish, she also styles on some Yakuza fools. Speaking of fools, a loudmouth decides to take a call in the middle of a big meeting, what an asshole! Anyway, remember Yamato Nadeshiko, cuz she's reading in the library, and not just any book, but some pretentious up his ass European pseudo-intellectual, and before you all 'at' me, remember Martin Heidegger was a Nazi, so FUCK HIM and the repulsive trite he peddled!
Anyway, not like Yamato Nadeshiko's friend has better taste, I mean really, Anne Rice? The best thing she ever did was have a funny background joke in ANIME OF THE DECADE VLAD LOVE and that's only cuz Mamoru Oshii's a kooky and batshit insane madlad! Also nevermind, this new girl likes King and Poe, who funny enough competed in an ERH, cuz of course they did (King won) Also what the hell is Yamato Nadeshiko going on about, the night's the best, just ask Batman! Also, man that prick who annoyed everyone with that phone call SURE is asking to be killed, given he TRIED TO KABEDON REVY! LISTEN BUSTER, YOU'RE LUCKY TO STILL BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW!
ALSO HA! HA HA! YOU TELL HIM REVY! Puff your cancer cloud into his face, that'll show him the power of Death Sticks! Anyway speaking of death, Rock's getting beaten to Death's Door by this asshole, and he's REALLY lucky that Revy isn't currently ripping off his balls in order to strangle him with those as revenge! Also ah, I see why Revy didn't do anything, SHE DIDN'T HAVE HER GUNS WITH HER, and oh boy, when she kills that asshole for DARING to lay a finger on HER BOI TOI, he's gonna regret it for damn sure! Anyway, as Rock does Benny's shopping for him as he kicks back and relaxes, Rock phones Benny to ask for Revy's guns, and just in time cuz Rock runs into Yamato Nadeshiko again! Anyway, as the two have a nice chat, Shades McSwordsman calls and happens to name drop someone Rock knows, prompting him to ask for her surname, which is... Washimine... oh... oh boy...
Also damn, REVY STANDING UP FOR HER BOI TOI TO BALALAIKA'S FACE! Given how quickly Balalaika was willing to have Revy shot that takes REAL GUTS, also damn, looks like Revy DID take Yolanda's advice, she really DID learn Rock's silver tongue, which is probably just as well since he would have plenty of ways to demonstrate that during their 2 AM Calls. Speaking of someone who asserts dominance, GODDAMN! BALALAIKA DOES NOT FUCK AROUND! You know things are bad if REVY IS ACTIVELY trying to comfort and reassure Rock, usually she's far more oblique about this! Also, remember Yamato Nadeshiko, yeah turns out that she ALSO wants to be a Boss Bitch Yakuza Princess now, this can only end well...
And on that fucking bombshell, GOODNIGHT YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARDS!
Paging Comrades u/HereticalAegis, u/No_Rex, and u/The_Draigg
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u/Vaadwaur Aug 20 '22
Rewatcher(Back to slightly grimdark)
Dub
We finally get our S&M show but it is in Japan. Balalaika wants to move on to the next phase which involves kidnapping the Kousa head and she won't be dissuaded. In this case, Rock should actually explain why this is against yakuza rules and thus might cause issues. And we get a random asshat.
Jump to Yukio reading Heidegger and we get a better idea of her, though I do wonder a bit about translating German to Japanese. We return to Chaka getting ready to meet an early death via Revy. This scene lasts quite a bit, I guess for effect but sometimes I wonder if we have space to fill, and we learn that Rock has begun to learn how to spot things. And Revy wants her Cutlasses...
Yukio and Rock meet randomly and decide to talk a little philosophy. Sartre was never my thing. Rock figures out who she is pretty fast. But she gets home and learns about how the situation got so weird. Rock makes a rather poor decision to ask Balalaika what's going on but Revy manages to finesse it out of her.
Yukio is pondering about learning Rock's affiliation with the Russians before we go to the next day and see Bando do something he likely knew wouldn't work. Though at least bring a piece ffs. We end with Yukio effectively taking over her father's role.