Black Lagoon - The Second Barrage

This "second salvo" came across like the proper afterparty of a ladies' night out somewhere in Thailand. A lot of them are drinking, most of them have a cigarette in their mouths at all times, and all of them have some kind of Colt on their hips... or in their armpits. I was surprised how much the male characters were faded to the background (except for the heavily sentimental Rock) and how the stories were "shortened" into 3 arcs, but most of the time I didn't complain because it was a blast. Season 2 is here to throw as many live targets as possible to those sharpened lilies Revy, Balalaika, and Eda, for them to empty their magazines at with the requisite swearing, clearing a path for the next scoundrels. One day it's a wide-eyed pair from Transylvania, then a hired gang of Jack the Rippers and Jason Voorheeses, and throw in some Yakuza. That's all we want or need. As long as it went along to the rhythm of endless hyperbole and moralizing light-hearted catchphrases, it was great, but by the end we got to the insanely overwrought philosophy lecture and no, darlings, you shouldn't have done that. Gin tried really hard, but the duo of good-looking Rock + wannabe gangster Yukio successfully bombed and destroyed everything that was good about the show with torpedo-like efficiency. Morons; after all, it must be obvious to everyone that Black Lagoon isn't even remotely built for this, and the whole mission statement rings as hollow in the finale as the Venezuelan treasury. Because of this, I am once again giving it a weak 4 stars. However, I would very much pray (preferably in that rip-off church) for the sadistic Balalaika and the eccentric Eda to join forces together in something, because Roanapur could never handle it. (2020.08.08)