Title: Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail
Genre: Action, Seinen
Publisher: Madhouse Studios
Original Creator: Rei Hiroe
Director: Sunao Katabuchi
Series Composition: Sunao Katabuchi
Music Composer: Jun Nishimura
Original Release Date: August 6, 2013
Review Copy Provided by Funimation
Black Lagoon is a series that I enjoyed immensely. It was violent and dark, but it also had a lot of substance to it. Not to mention, the cast was full of characters that injected the story with an explosive amount of energy and life. I loved, or at least really liked, almost everything about the series and remember eagerly marathoning both seasons. Probably because the OVA came out a year after I had finished Second Barrage and took almost as long to finish airing, but I never quite got around to watching Roberta’s Blood Trail. Now, having finally found some time to watch it, I’m pleased to say that the OVA encompasses much of what made its predecessors so entertaining to watch, from the brutality of the violence to its exciting gun fights to its interesting character interactions. Roberta’s Blood Trail, though not an instant favorite, is a thoroughly entertaining and exciting watch.
The basic story revolves around a returning character, Roberta, and her vendetta against those who killed her kind master, the patriarch of the Lovelace family, and orphaned his son, Garcia. Her killing spree quickly becomes a bloodbath and threatens to upset the delicate balance of Roanapur, our favorite scum haven, which is temporarily hosting her American targets. Garcia and another Lovelace maid, Fabiola, set out to bring Roberta home and enlist the help of Rock (and the people who help Rock out) in a race against time as the three attempt to save Roberta and the city from an all consuming war that would inevitably destroy it. The story also incorporates several familiar aspects like Rock’s ongoing inner struggle and a healthy dose of politics both revolving around Roanapur and foreign affairs (most America and South America).
One of the best things about the story is that it’s pretty compact in the sense that it doesn’t waste a lot time dilly dallying and tends to get straight to the point. Sure there are the occasional moments where the anime seems to be a bit lost, more-so at the beginning and when all the political mumbo jumbo is going on, but, for the most part, Roberta’s Blood Trail knew how to catch and keep your attention. Part of the reason for this can probably be attributed to the snappy pacing which forces you to pay attention to what is going on, as well as keep you interested in what is going on from the fights to the more “philosophical” talks that went on during lulls in the action. One of my only problems with the pacing is that it sometimes created a slightly rushed feeling, especially at the beginning when Rock is formulating out his game plan, and at the end which I thought was a bit abrupt, though it did fit in nicely and gave the OVA’s main story a nice close.
Though I like the “deep” stuff as much as the next discerning person, I have to say, Roberta’s Blood Trail is one of the more exciting series I’ve watched in a while; it really knows how to do an entertaining fight. Sure the choreography isn’t too spectacular, but Black Lagoon fights have always sort of relied more on the brutality of the fights to keep you entertained rather than the movement, and, boy, do they step it up a notch here. Probably because the OVA didn’t have to tone things down in order to be aired on television, but the amount of blood per fight undergoes a noticeable increase from the last two seasons, some of which does cross into mildly gross territory (hello, completely caved in face). Though the amount may put some off, I didn’t find it particularly distracting. I mean, the title tells you that you’re in for a bloodbath. Not only that, but the violence also has a purpose of sorts.
That leads me into my other favorite aspect of the OVA, and the Black Lagoon series in general: the more serious, moral questions and ideas that are brought up. Roberta’s Blood Trail, for all it’s blood and gore, actually has some thought provoking stuff going on that, at times, beats out the adrenaline rush of the fights. Though Roberta is seeking revenge, she’s also seeking a sort of redemption, or forgiveness, for the horrors she committed in her past now that she has become the victim of a crime that she had often committed. Though the Americans don’t give a second thought about Lovelace’s loved ones when they blow him sky high, they are portrayed as okay people with families and with hearts, reinforcing the idea that no one is truly good. People also die; they die brutally and painfully, which is important because rarely do we see this, and it gives the fights a greater sense of importance (especially at the end in terms of the Americans), unlike a certain other show about a group of people doing illegal things. Not everyone is saved; happy endings are usually but wistful thinking. However, as ugly a picture of the world that is painted, the OVA also tempers it with goodness. Roberta is saved (barely). Though she can never erase her sins, she has someone who will share the burden with her, who will support her no matter what. We see the beauty of the love Fabiola and Garcia have for Roberta and their resolve to take her back and live happily again has an almost pure quality to it that makes you really root for them and hope they will be able to accomplish their goal. Even the odd bond between Rock and Revy, despite often leading to conflict, presents a more sentimental side of the show as we see how the two rely on each other.
Speaking of Rock and Revy, Roberta’s Blood Trail, as you’d expect is full of many of the same, lively characters that populated previous seasons. Additionally, each of the main characters, besides having an interesting personality, also has a bit a depth to him or her, though some receive a bit more attention than others. Since the OVA is a direct continuation from Second Barrage, Rock’s development picks up right where it left off. He initially plans on turning down Garcia’s plea for help because he doesn’t want to get involved in trying to save someone now that experience has now taught him he won’t be able to. But he eventually does, in part, because he’s still walking in the “twilight,” unable to really forsake the “nicer” part of himself that compels him to want to help others. As Revy says, he’s probably better suited on a beach drinking coffee than he is in Roanapur; however, I think we see a meaner side to Rock here that debunks that idea a bit. By the time the end rolls around, though, we finally see Rock reaching a final decision in regards to his position in the “twilight” which serves as a nice way to round out the OVA since Rock’s struggle fit into this dark world he’s a part of have always been a major aspect of the show.
Another neat character that popped up a bit unexpectedly is Garcia. Going in I didn’t think he was going to play that big of role and would just sort of hang out in the background not doing much. Boy was I wrong. I think one of the most interesting things about Garcia is that he’s a kid who, through the course of the OVA, really grows up a bit. That’s not to say he didn’t start out mature, because he did, perhaps a bit overly so for someone his age as a result of what’s happened to him. When I say grow up, I mean he learned how to face the harshness of his world and how to bear its burdens without breaking.
There’s a point in the OVA where he accidentally stumbles upon Roberta, though she doesn’t know it, and within the next few minutes his image of her is completely and utterly destroyed as he hears what she says and what’s she doing; the poor kid literally goes into a kind of shock and is almost killed right there and then by the person he wants to save. That moment, as brutal as it was for him (and the audience), is one of his major turning points. It was probably then that he truly understood how far gone Roberta is and that he would have to truly dedicate himself to the task at hand, regardless of what sacrifices he may have to make along the way. This idea really comes into play at the end when he “dirties” his hands a bit to show that he is willing to share Roberta’s burden with her and that he has what it takes to support her now. Though Garcia is still sort of a child and believes in some ideals that Revy and other grown-ups have long abandoned, he’s also someone who realizes this and will try to come up with the determination and ability to sacrifice that he needs to see that way of life out.
As for Roberta…my feelings are a bit mixed. The OVA focuses a lot on trying to “humanize” her by showing her pain and grief over the loss of her master, as well as emphasizing the intense guilt she now feels in regards to her sins of the past. And, to an extent, that’s all fine and dandy; I genuinely pitied her at moments, but for the most part, she wasn’t easy to empathize with I think because her emotions tended to be so overblown. Her most powerful moments come, when she was at her weakest like during a particularly intense drug-induced hallucination or at the end with her leg almost incapable of use, two fingers blown clear off, and several other serious injuries. These moments are really good, but there aren’t that many of them and they aren’t relying that much on her wild mood swings, but rather focusing on the broken person Roberta has become. The OVA is fond of dropping little details that create a more sympathetic picture, but even with those I couldn’t quite get behind Roberta; I only really wanted her to be saved because I liked Garcia and Fabiola. Roberta was still the terminator maid, albeit a bit more understandable. In the end my dissatisfaction probably just comes down to personal preference because it isn’t like Roberta was particularly flat as a character or even uninteresting; she did have a few really good moments and is a major reason for why the fights were as fun to watch as they were.
So, what about everyone else? Well, they were pretty fun to watch as usual. Fabiola, the new maid, in particular is an interesting character in how strangely noble she is despite what she does a living. Her conversation with Revy at the end regarding Rock, especially, was really interesting and is one of my favorite scenes in the anime. As for Revy, she is the only other member of the Black Lagoon team to make regular appearances and she’s as lovely as she was in previous seasons. In all seriousness, probably because it’s been a while since I’ve watched any Black Lagoon, but I found myself enjoying her character a lot. Though she doesn’t give a thought to killing someone she promised to save a few minutes ago, she has a certain sensitivity, I suppose you could say, to her that makes her more than someone who just gets a kick out of killing — her relationship with Rock and her advice to Fabiola probably showcase this hidden side best. We also get a neat look into her past, making it easier to see how she became the person she currently is. Aside from the Americans who were a surprisingly interesting group, the only other people making somewhat important appearances were Balalaika and Chang, and they were as entertaining to watch as they always have been. I mean, who doesn’t love Balalaika?
In terms of animation, the OVA looks pretty good from the start, though I think it looks slightly better at the end in comparison to the beginning. From the get go, the backgrounds are one of the most eye-catching and detailed aspects of the animation. Considering how the show likes to jump from location to location, this was definitely a plus, especially at the end during the final fight in the forest which was really nice to look at. The water animation, strangely enough, also stood out quite a bit at the end and was really beautiful to look at. My biggest complaint would probably be that a lot of the blood was iffy looking, save for when it was actually dripping off of people like it was Roberta for much of the OVA. It’s hard to describe what exactly was wrong with it but it constantly felt off and sometimes looked a bit silly, though the general brutality of the scenes made up for that.
If you couldn’t tell yet, I really enjoyed Roberta’s Blood Trail. I loved the story. I loved most of the characters. I even loved the ending as odd as it was in terms of Garcia and Roberta. It’s exciting, but also goes beyond a shoot-em-up show. My complaints about the anime are few in number, and I’ll definitely be re-watching this in the future along with its predecessors. As a direct sequel to the second season of Black Lagoon, you would definitely get more out of the OVA if you watched Black Lagoon and Second Barrage. Both are great series and if you’re considering watching this, then you would definitely enjoy watching them. A word of warning, though – if lots of blood makes you a bit queasy, you may want to brace yourself when it comes to this series, and the OVA in particular, as there are a few cringe-worthy moments in terms of what you see. I wouldn’t let that stop you, necessarily, from watching this or any of Black Lagoon because all the other stuff going on lessens the impact of seeing people sawed in half and whatnot. For those who have watched both seasons and liked them, this is more of the same, albeit a bit bloodier, so you’ll probably enjoy this addition to the franchise as well. In short, just give the OVA (and its prequels) a shot (haha!).
