Cartoon Sunday: Black Lagoon Roberta Vs. The Columbian Cartel

How's it going lurkers? As of last week, I have been watching Black Lagoon, before Adult Swim's Toonami block premieres it on March 22nd. You might be asking yourselves, "What's the point of watching it so early, when it will be on TV, soon?" 

I have been watching Black Lagoon early because I am impatient, want to see everything before it gets censored, and because I was curious about this Seinen Anime being any good. 

So far, Black Lagoon is a decent acquisition, that Swimnami Toonami has acquired. It is a Seinen Crime Action Anime, which means it is meant for men. The female audience can also watch it, if there are females interested in Crime Action Anime. This is especially when REVY is the leading female character. 

If viewers didn't know any better, they would assume that she was the protagonist. Black Lagoon must be the only Action Anime meant for the adult demographic within these last 2 years worth watching. 

Don't get me wrong. As much as I like Bleach and Naruto Shippuden, they are stereotypical Shounen Action Anime with teenage boys as their protagonists, which are oblivious to girls being attracted to them. That's not including the protagonists are always super/anti-heroes, that always get their asses handed to them in fight scenes, while being on some kind of never ending quest.

Black Lagoon is a nice change of pace from the usual Shounen Jump Action Anime. By this series being meant for men, they don't have to sit through watching the stereotypical Anime meant for teenage boys. 

Considering that the network is called "Adult Swim," shouldn't it always be airing more ADULT animation including Anime? This is only food for thought. 

Adult Swim mostly panders to teenage boys, when it comes to their "adult" programming (especially on Saturday nights).

Anyway, Black Lagoon started as a Manga created by Rei Hiroe. He based Black Lagoon on actual piracy cases in the East China Sea, during the mid to late '90s, and was inspired by the works of James Ellroy, John Woo, Quentin Tarantino, and Stephen King. 

The Crime Action Anime begins with the protagonist, Rokuro Okajima (also known as "Rock."). Rock is a businessman (who would also be labeled a "salary man" in Japan) for Asahi Industries in Tokyo. 

The protagonist is sent by his company to deliver a disc in the East China Sea. In the process, his boat gets hijacked by pirates/mercenaries known as the Lagoon Company, who were hired to steal it. Revy, who happens to be the only Chinese American female mercenary in Lagoon Company, chooses to hold Rock hostage in hopes of him being ransom worthy. 

Eventually, the disc is no longer worth the headache to them. Rock's Department Chief, Kageyama, declares him "dead" and abandons Rock, in order to hide the smuggling operation. 

Because Rock no longer works for Asahi Industries, he works for the Lagoon Company as their negotiator/translator by choice and claims to suffer from "Stockholm Syndrome." Gotta love it.

I watched the entire Black Lagoon Anime and recently began streaming the OVA's, which are mostly about the Columbian maid, Roberta. OMG! Roberta is by far, my favorite Black Lagoon character. She is a bad ass, motherfucker with some tricks up her sleeves (no pun necessarily intended).  

Roberta has a history of being a guerrilla trained assassin from Cuba and an internationally wanted criminal, while posing as a housemaid for a rich family in South America. 

In addition, she is referred to as being a "hardcore terrorist." Roberta gives Revy a run for her money, when it comes to packing heat. She is introduced in Season 1: Episode 8 of Black Lagoon. This Cartoon Sunday, I chose to share scenes from Season 1: Episode 9 of Black Lagoon. 

In these scenes, Roberta faces off with Revy and the Columbian Cartel, when she is in the middle of trying to search and rescue the heir, Garcia Lovelace.

1) Black Lagoon Roberta Vs The Columbian Cartel: (2006) 

2) Black Lagoon Roberta Vs. Revy (2006)