Very nice episode
Showed some of Balalaikas past, only thing i got annoyed at was her voice as a little girl sounded just like her present self
And finally got to see Ginji in action with his katana, not as much action as you've gotten used to but seems like the next episode will make up to that more than enough, cant wait to see how that works out
Aye, an excellent episode. Rock keeps thinking quite unpractically, but at least that means he hasn't given up hope of still having some control of his own life and whatever short term goals he can come up with. I doubt he has planned his future ahead that much. Why Revy agreed is a more interesting question. Maybe it's because she realized being the senior (criminal) and always keep telling Rock what to do and what not might not actually cultivate any understanding between them. Or maybe it's because she just wanted some action. She hasn't had too much of that in Japan so far.
But I wonder what Rock is going to do in the next ep. I doubt he has even a pocket knife with him, much less a more solid piece.
I really wonder why Revy told Rock to back them up... I don't remember him having any weapon, so what can he possibly do? I was hoping Revy would hand him one of her guns right after she said that.
I guess she just wanted him to feel like he mattered. However from her last line and they way she and Ginji walked into that place I strongly doubt there will be any need for him at all.
The Balilaika flashback was a nice touch, it showed that she wasn't always a ruthless bloodthirsty queen, even her morose right before she went to that funeral made me appreciate her charachter more.
Question though...can someone explain to me what is going on between the Russians and the Washimines? My understanding was that the guy who is now dead was the leader of the Washimine Gang and got in bed with the Russians to take over or at least raise their standing amoung the gangs, but then the Russians did something and somehow the Russians are fighting them. But that doesn't make much sense to me so can someone please clarify.
Another good episode, as other people mentioned it's nice to go into Balalaika's past, and to see how she was before now.
The Washimines wanted to up their standing with the gangs in Japan and Balalaika wanted to start a base of operations there, but the Washimines thought there way was to extreme, they didn't mind them going on a simple rampage, but the Washimines didn't like the idea of abduction, and I think that's where it all went sour.Originally Posted by Yukimura
Balalaika's motivation from her past was a nice touch, but I agree, her voice as a little girl was definitely wrong. Some people have complained that there's not enough development on the Lagoon members, and a lot more on Balalaika. I think she's as much a part of their life as the Lagoon members are to each other. They seem to work for her the most often, and Dutch seems to have the closest business relationship with her.
I think the point of Revy's speech in the taxi was if Rock goes out and kills someone in Japan and crosses Balalaika while he's working for her, he'll lose any place he has to go back to. Crossing her, he'd end up murdering someone or preventing her from doing so resulting in a bloodbath, and he'd be a criminal in Japan and lose his home. Roanapur will be off limits because Balalaika controls that city, and everyone there knows it. He'd lose the only other home he's ever had. A quick look of sadness on her face before she agreed to go along.
That tied in with her disappointment that he didn't want to go to his parent's house leads me to only one conclusion. Revy has a sore spot, and it's finally revealed. She can't ever go back to her home. Either her parents are gone, she's been banned from the US, or both. More importantly, she probably wishes she could.
What Revy said, for me, translated to something like "we'll go in and kill the bad guys and while they're getting distracted you go in and save the girl"
Or maybe Rock will crash the car in...?
A very nice episode. Excellent fights at the beginning, and another person told Rock to his face he's not where he belongs. Yukio told him off really bad. Black Lagoon has really come into it's own during Second Barrage. The plots are a little deeper, they go into moral dilemmas, and carve out a fairly believable view of the criminal underworld. At least the cocky bastard got it in one of the most brutal ways possible, drowned while bleeding out in a pool.
Is it just me, or did Megumi Toyoguchi's (Revy's seiyuu) english get better in this episode? Her pronunciations seemed a lot clearer at certain parts. I gotta admit though, I had to go back and see if she really said "gook." There it was, plain as day at 5:38.
Another excellent bloodbath, and the comments Yukio made to Rock were in many ways just as good as the fighting. Revy's VA did sound a lot more clear this ep, several of her lines reminded me of Black Lotus from Command and Conquer: Generals, go figure.
Some really good fighting indeed. I liked this fight more than many earlier ones, because people actually got hit and killed, and not just hundreds of rounds flying with hardly anybody getting shot. The swordsman was also pretty bad ass, even with the 1/100 chance (if even that) of cutting the bullet.
And like already has been said, Rock certainly had that one coming. I guess it makes sense it was somebody like Yukio, who is, or was, in a somewhat similar situation, yet seems to grasp it far better than Rock. But on the other hand, Yukio had been, potentially, in that situation since her birth, Rock only for a short while and rather suddenly.
It'll be interesting to see how Rock will view and perhaps change his opinions after having thought about things. It seems to me like the rest of the Lagoon company people are quite liking and enjoying what they are doing, so in the long run it wouldn't do any good for the crew if one person feels he doesn't belong there. Even if they don't actually rely on Rock in battle situations or for other really critical tasks.
Christ. Pure uncensored ownage.One of the best if not best ep ever. Sword man ownZ. Even with the .000000000000001% possibility of cutting the bullet, the ep owned.
And as always, just quote Kracos thoughts into my post. Loved the ep.
I hope this doesn't turn into a Naruto where Yukio finally "sees the light" because of Rock. The whole "your were forced into this" opposed to "I chose it" was a little vague since she had to think she chose it in order to confirm her resolve, meaning she was kind of forced to do it... Rock seemed quite taken aback, well who wouldn't I suppose. Fighting was good, nothing spectacular of course. After all, all they fought were stupid goons.
Awesome episode, great action and that slick bastard got wasted good in the pool by Ginji.
I disliked Yukio's explanation of why she was involved, saying she has to do all she can to protect her people. These people are ruthless gangsters and killers. They definitely need her to lead them back to power. I was thinking during the entire "strip-bowling" scene that she would realized she didn't have the stomach for this kind of life, but she shows how demented and obstinate she can be, telling off Rock and even convincing herself of the "nobility" of her cause. Let's hope she dies, along with her entire crew and all the Russians too.
I think you are missing something here. Yukio didn't decide to become the leader of barbarians like the people who kidnapped her, but old school yakuza. They are, at least in stories, quite ritualistic and have a strict code of honor (like Dictionary.com describes it). The Russians and the gang of the bastard drowning in the pool were nothing like the people she's supposed to lead. I deem that's also the reason why they are faring so bad against the Russians. They seemingly aren't used to such open, anarchistic Russian way of fighting (which isn't strange considering the differences between the Russian and Japanese societies).
Oh, and don't forget that the Russians are military, as these Japanese are just street thugs.
Nice episode, great action all round. Love Revy tormenting these goons and them being afraid, it was good to see Ginja in some more action, loved the way he killed the other guy. It was funny seeing him so pissed off from Revy walking away from his, and he was so suprised that she made a run at him and took him down.
I hope Rock will wake up to himself some more and think about what he is now and stick with the Lagoon company.
This arc has a theme almost the same as the last one. There are villains, and then there are villains in a city of villains. The Cowboy and his boss didn't know what they were getting in to, and it's pretty much the same here. Balalaika and Revy are from that kind of place, so they can devastate the enemies here. The Yakuza have a sense of honor, but compared to Balalaika's militaristic and brutal methods, they don't stand a chance. Honor is nothing on the battlefield.
In the case of Revy and the Punk, he thought she'd play fair and he'd be able to kill her, but that's not how a true villain fights. Kicked right in the face and then didn't even bother killing him herself.
Are there any subbers that arn't shinsen that are past 22?
Unfortunately, Bakakozou & Conclave are the only other ones doing BL, and they aren't even close to where Shinsen is.
just caught up. i'm liking this Yakuza story quite a bit, even though I never thought it would last this many episodes. Balalaika's past is interesting too, though I do hope we get the same for Dutch as well...
I was so upset when that Yoshida guy (Washahime yakuza with the striped suit) got killed by Chaka. I really liked that guy, even though he was just a two-bit minor character. Fucking idiot should have had a gun though, could have taken at least one of them with him...
Rock's "backup" is like Macauley Kulkin's idea of home security in Home Alone... Slippery floor, knock to the noggin, a mop... One day it's going to catch up with him though.
I really did not like Yukio's bitching out of Rock. She acts like she knows all about him, but she doesn't. She is right, he's still trying to retain his moral dignity and meddle in the criminal underworld, but there's a reason for that: Revy. Rock might have started off being "oh, this criminal shit is badass, let me give it a shot", but if he hadn't fallen for Revy he'd have been out of there a long time ago. He's not cut out for it, he's way too upstanding and "in the sunlight" to actually want to take part in these bad things. He's attracted to the danger, the taboo of it all, but most importantly he does it because that's the only way he can be close to Revy.
Humans are different from animals. We must die for a reason. Now is the time for us to regulate ourselves and reclaim our dignity. The one who holds endless potential and displays his strength and kindness to the world. Only mankind has God, a power that allows us to go above and beyond what we are now, a God that we call "possibility".
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