Retsgip’s Anime Blog

Darkshaunz does some hustling in Tokyo

Score: 8.5/10

This episode was still excellent in it’s own way. Obviously it was a gear down after the “Tsunderevy” excitement, but it is obviously more of a background episode or a preparation episode for the main action bulk of the arc. Save a Spetznaz raid on a Yakuza office, nothing explosive happened in this episode, but the animation quality, Revy’s badassery and Balalaika’s insane Engrish skills managed to keep my interest.

“…He says use Rice Wine, not Vodka”

The episode begins with a Balalaika and Rock doing their negotiation thing with the Yakuza, apparently Balalaika totally needs to know how make a mean Sushi and called for this emergency meeting. I wasn’t really concentrating because they were meeting in a Bondage-Strip club, where delicious women wearing leather were whipping each other and bending over. I refuse to post pictures of that because I’d be too distracted to finish the rest of the entry. Bando, the guy in charge of Washimimimimine Group wants the Ruskies to slow down, especially with the killing and their proposal to abduct another head’s daughter. This was a big honour thing amongst the Yakuza, and Hotel Moscow scoffed at their supposed honour code, even though they were nothing more than lowly thugs.

Balalaika lol’d.

Our attention is then turned to some random loser guy who apparently receives a call from his girlfriend. Obviously, his colleagues were pissed with this. Who the hell talks loudly to their girlfriend during high level talks with Hotel Moscow? He does. I am surprised Balalaika didn’t give the order to have him castrated after that outburst. I knew immediately that I should keep an eye on him, considering his character was basically screaming, “Yo! Its my Screentime now!”. Then we are shifted to Glasses Girl again, she’s all about Philosophical books, I can tell because I’ve read many philosophical/deep thought books in my time. No, not really, it was at the end of the episode that Shinsen subs did a plug for the various authors. Did you know that in the most basic form of existensialism, we roll ourselves like Dice? I want to a roll a 20 for Awesomeness.

Apparently, the guy who wrote this book became a Nazi.

This next bit gets “special” attention because its the only real big deal of an event int he episode. The Blonde-Haired dumbass we saw earlier spotted Revy and totally wanted to hit on her. He’s your typical brawn over brains type of guy (See: Henchman Requirements), and just could not believe that such a babe like Revy could even come close to being a Gunmen. Thing is, Revy’s probrably killed more people than the amount of testosterone in his body.

Quite Possibly the coollest Revy pose this episode, or only one.

Revy escorts Rock to the bathroom, you know, because Bathrooms just aren’t safe for guys in this day and age. This is where that Blondie Henchman comes in, lets call him “BlondeHench”. So BlondeHench sees Revy and hits on her, adopting the “Dominant” stance with the one hand palming the side of her face and the other in his pocket (Clasping a 6 shooter as we find out later). In Martial Arts, the guy has already lost all his initiative for ANY strike, that is, with his face that close to the defender, and exposing all his pressure points and vitals near his chest and lower abdominal area. There’s enough openings there for my Aikido instructor to disable him and make both his upper and lower body turn into the next wholesale vegetable.

A Defending Martial Artist’s Wet Dream. His stance that is, Revy kinda counts too.

Revy’s unshaken, she was probrably dreaming about what gun she should buy next in order to keep her from being bored. She told off BlondeHench for hitting on her in Japanese, and asked her to speak English instead (Or American, for all you Abridged fans out there). To my surprise, his VA does a pretty decent job at the Engrish, though he sounded like a Drunken Turkey towards the end of his phrase.

Second Hand Smoke = Serious Business.

Rock’s done with his man-business. He spots BlondeHench and knows that he is trouble. He can know this because he has Jedi Mind Powers, revealed to us some two episodes ago. Like any true Hero, he wants to avoid any bloodshed or violence altogether. Diplomacy and Negotiations are beyond people of BlondeHench I am afraid. As far as I know, the only way to settle things with him were via some form of physical owning. Rock tried to do the gentlemanly thing (with good reason) and got served by a swift punch to the gut. After which he was kicked when he was down. I never wanted a guy to die more in Black Lagoon, than this guy, not because he could land a swift punch, but because he kicked a man while he was down. I think the first punch to the gut, should have sent the message. Being the douche he is, he decided to act doubly tough in front of Revy even though he had his hand on his 6-shooter. Revy and Rock both knew this, which is why they did nothing throughout the whole event (so called “Strategic and Tactical thinking”, or it could be just pure street smarts).

Heimlich Manouver, XTREME version.

Revy can’t do anything, but she’ll get her revenge.

The past couple of episodes has seen nothing but Rock and Revy developing their relationship, and I think its vital for the series to end successfully, they have a pretty unique dynamic and synergy together. As you might have guessed, people step in before Rock can be killed whilst getting beaten to death (Plot Armour, not even Haruhi can pierce it). Revy’s cool and understands why she couldn’t act, It was a trap. This doesn’t mean she can’t go berserk on his ass for harming her Rock. In fact, Im counting on it.

He was already Dead the moment his character came on.

After the whole toilet ordeal (It really isn’t safe for guys to go to toilets anymore, without carrying a Goddamned Uzi or Katana with them). Rock meets with Glasses girl and decides to have a nice cup of tea. After some conversation on how she’s led a beautifully sheltered life and how Rock lost basically everything to join the lagoon company (basically the conversation), Rock realizes that she’s the girl that the Ruskies are out to nab. He tries to give her a small hint without jeapordizing the Russian Operation. After overhearing some babbling by Gin and Bando, she realizes that she may no longer indulge herself in books anymore, and may actually have to play a part in the Yakuza games, she does have a proud gangster lineage after all. Bando gets your typical foreshadowy-type of fade out scene, walking alone with an umbrella through some snowy alley on a Godforsaken night. During this time, everyone’s DEATH-O-METER should be in “Red Alert”.

This is a future Yakuza Leader. It’s always the Quiet Ones.

If this isn’t symbolic of death, I don’t know what is.

In a Breakfast meet, Rock was concerned for Glasses girl, and decided to work up the courage to ask Balalaika what would happen if the Washamine group pulled out. Balalaika refused to enlighten him, but Revy decided to back rock up and convinve her to divulge. Even Balalaika is noticing Revy’s one sidedness to Rock, how this hidden affection will play out, will no doubt be interesting. I fear the Hedgehog’s Dilemma however (Yes, Evangelion fans, I’m sure you know what it is already), the closer the get to each other, they are more afraid of hurting each other. The plan is simple, Hotel Moscow has decided to control the Tokyo underground regardless of ANY Yakuza support.

Balalaika-Aneeko, even a blind man could see that.

Bando prepares for what would be his last thug meeting ever. He even wears this solid gold watch (which he later gives away). He brings like a shortsword to the meeting (maybe he needs to go to a public toilet, and with no escort, he has to defend himself). Yoshida, his close friend, knows that the guy is walking to an imminent death, and starts crying manly tears. Bando does this walk during the rising sun and waves peacefully. Captain, we have a Code Blue on the DEATH-O-METER. Maybe I should start a small wager with Retsgip on who is going to die and when, if any anime is suitable for it, it’d be Black Lagoon (don’t worry we have agreed on the perfect ending for BL:2nd Barrage, more on that in future entries). Rock has a bad nightmare as he remembers the killing of Bando (wow, we weren’t Expecting that one!). Basically, after the meeting, he turns on Balalaika and charges with his shortsword. A Yakuza thug against a Russian Ex Special Forces Captain. Balalaika does some Spetznaz Martial Arts and stabs him in the neck…with his own shortsword. Revy gets concerned and decides to wake him up from his nightmare.

Voted character MOST LIKELY to Die, in any anime episode.

Revy would beat any wake up call I would ever get.

Things close off with Gin and GlassesGirl having an intimate exchange about World-Breaking Issues, Her future as a Criminal Mastermind, Sarah Conner (and where is she) and also where in the damn hell did she leave her iPod. Gin has teeth-clenching moment, I suspected that he wanted to power up to Super Saiyan II or at least Kaio-Ken. Turns out he was just Very enthusiastic to serve his beloved young princess as the new boss of the Washamine group.

“….Are you talking about K-Kuririn!!?”

Things finish with Revy making a prophetic statement that War is approaching Tokyo. It was going to be Tornado of Crazy Demons and Flying Tanks (Note: This might not actually be what she said, but it is a close approximation). Reflecting on it, Tokyo should be awwright, they have Godzilla and Gundams after all, oh and they have Haruhi watching over them. Haha. yeah Right, these are Russian Commandos we are talking about, nobody is safe. In the meantime make sure you bring a Sherman Tank with you before visitng a toilet alone, or a Hot Gunwoman.

Cheers,

Darkshaunz