Dutch deliberately sends Revy and Rock on errands together despite/because of their simmering tension from the submarine episode. We get more impressions of the Black Lagoon underworld with Pimp Daddy Blaxploitation, Larry Flint Balalaika and the Sisters of Battle. Rock skillfully salvages the negotiations with the nuns but the tension boils over during dinner. Revy nearly kills Rock but he fights back effectively and gives her a piece of his mind. Revy finally realizes that she’s been too harsh on him and has a certain responsibility towards him as she was the one who forcibly dragged him into her world. They smoke the peace pipe, quite romantically, in the back of a police car.
A GREAT episode IMHO. Rock displays the quick thinking that saved the Lagoon crew in Ep 2, tactful diplomacy and negotiation skills (in addition to general administration) thus adding real value to the gang and plenty of spine without spite to stand up to Revy’s constant bullying. So many anime series feature whiny male leads (the classic example being Shinji Ikari; current numba wan irritant, Vincent Law, who is totally ruining Ergo Proxy for me) who would not even warrant an episode of time if not for the fact they have some kind of special ability. Sometimes I wonder if the anime studios are creating self-inserts that the audience can empathise with, thus perpetuating the stereotype that (male) anime fans are all losers? It is *so* good to see an ordinary-type male lead not being pathetic, making useful contributions to his group and standing up for himself. About 70 large screencaps and specific scene comments follow: Continue reading ‘Black Lagoon 7′
Revy and Dutch rampage through the enemy ship, slaughtering the neo Nazis. However Revy gets carried away and has to be reined in by “Big Boss” Dutch. It turns out their employer is also the neo Nazi patron, a former SS officer who wants to the painting to be recovered because it contains the final piece of a puzzle. The neo Nazi leader realizes that he’s been used as the former SS officer is merely after wealth and no intention of reviving the Third Reich [edit after watching subs: considers that the American neo-Nazis have failed their test of admission into the Nazi inner circles. Alfred and Dutch have frank exchange of views before] Dutch tells the ex-Gestapo to go to hell before smashing the phone; he and Revy then blow the neo Nazi chief away. As they await their pickup by Benny and Rock, Revy tells Dutch that she doesn’t hate Rock but that she can’t, afterall, partner with him.
There was plenty of action but two scenes in the ship battle really stretched my suspension of disbelief to the point it made me grumpy about the whole episode. But I didn’t feel so cross the second time round especially since Ep 7 has really raised my impression of this series. Over 30 large screencaps and specific scene comments follow: Continue reading ‘Black Lagoon 6′
Yuuko is asked by a housewife to grant a wish: to be able to quit the internet. Said housewife kinda gets molested by Yuuko in the process and, in the end, it’s really up to her. In the manga, this story moved me deeply and I’m glad that the anime conveys the meaning and atmosphere very well. It’s also becoming clearer to me that I enjoy xxxHOLiC episodes much more when Yuuko has a lot of screentime as (1) Watanuki is really irritating, especially when shouting at Doumeki and fawning over Himawari and (2) Yuuko is very oneesama. (;^_^) Continue reading ‘XXXHOLiC 6′
