Black Lagoon - Vol. 13 Ch. 114 - New Girl in the Hood Pt.1

[MangaDex]

 

[GodsTheGuy]

I'm repeating my question here, but yea, are Rock and Levi banging??? Just asking as I'm confused as why the author doesn't show us their relationship...

 

[chojinra]

Holy snickers, I had no idea the lack of CAPITALS would be so jarring in a translation…

Nice little slice of life chapter, in that no one was brutally maimed or murdered. It was also fun to see how life operates there.

 

[THE_Maverick]

Rei seems to be prone to just picking anything that sounds impressive.
There is no reason at all that someone would need an ATF Form 4473 outside of the US, or even outside of a firearms retailer in the US. It is only for use by a Federally licensed dealer of firearms for the purpose of documentation. It's to be filled out on-site at the time of purchase and has no value at all as identity documentation.
And honestly, I'm amazed that in a story taking place in the mid to late 1980's that no one in this story has had a CZ-75. La Mujere's suggestion of an Auto-Mag was moronic. As impressive as the various AMT guns were in style and chamberings (c'mon, a 30 Carbine auto pistol??!?), they really weren't anything approaching reliable and everyone with knowledge of guns knew it.

 

[TheLagooner]

Rei seems to be prone to just picking anything that sounds impressive.
There is no reason at all that someone would need an ATF Form 4473 outside of the US, or even outside of a firearms retailer in the US. It is only for use by a Federally licensed dealer of firearms for the purpose of documentation. It's to be filled out on-site at the time of purchase and has no value at all as identity documentation.
And honestly, I'm amazed that in a story taking place in the mid to late 1980's that no one in this story has had a CZ-75. La Mujere's suggestion of an Auto-Mag was moronic. As impressive as the various AMT guns were in style and chamberings (c'mon, a 30 Carbine auto pistol??!?), they really weren't anything approaching reliable and everyone with knowledge of guns knew it.

Black Lagoon's story begins in early 1995 and is currently set in 1997. A wide range of sidearms are represented throughout the series, including CZ-75s. While I am personally also a huge fan of the AMT Automag III, I believe Majeur (or rather, Rei Hiroe) was most likely referring to the original .44 Auto Mag which is far more famous due to its association with Dirty Harry (I referenced this in my alternative translation which you can see on the menu). That's interesting to know about the ATF form though, I wasn't aware of that (but then, I'm not American or a firearm owner). You may be right that Hiroe just references things to sound impressive, but generally he does seem to be pretty thorough in his research.

 

[Missi]

Woo, new arc ! God I missed this.

 

[CZ]

I'm repeating my question here, but yea, are Rock and Levi banging??? Just asking as I'm confused as why the author doesn't show us their relationship...

The author is showing us, as Rock seems to let himself in at one point, and he's present early mornings. Factor in Revy being very comfortable around Rock. If you mean why haven't we seen them going at it? There's probably a limited page count to consider, and there's not really been any point where Revy's jiggle physics advance the plot.

My personal theory is that Rock/Revy relationship stuff will become more prominent as the manga draws to a close. Specifically, Dutch and Benny die or leave causing the Lagoon Company to struggle or even fold. As Revy and Rock make their way in Roanapur they'll cross someone (Sister Eda and the CIA), and Rock winds up dead. We'll get a scene of Revy trying to walk away (bug out bag) and realising what she's lost something important to her (Fabiola calling her on nihilism and Revy's talk about being able to walk away from things) she'll catch "Wittman Fever" and burn down half of Roanapur triggering the gang war that seems to get hinted at. Eventually Balalaika will put Revy down in a manner similar to how they dealt with Hansel. If my idea that it's the CIA is right, black ops team will then take out the remaining Vystoniki. Sister Eda goes home mission accomplished with various criminal syndicates destroyed and what little remains is at war with each other.

 

[TheLagooner]

The author is showing us, as Rock seems to let himself in at one point, and he's present early mornings. Factor in Revy being very comfortable around Rock. If you mean why haven't we seen them going at it? There's probably a limited page count to consider, and there's not really been any point where Revy's jiggle physics advance the plot.

My personal theory is that Rock/Revy relationship stuff will become more prominent as the manga draws to a close. Specifically, Dutch and Benny die or leave causing the Lagoon Company to struggle or even fold. As Revy and Rock make their way in Roanapur they'll cross someone (Sister Eda and the CIA), and Rock winds up dead. We'll get a scene of Revy trying to walk away (bug out bag) and realising what she's lost something important to her (Fabiola calling her on nihilism and Revy's talk about being able to walk away from things) she'll catch "Wittman Fever" and burn down half of Roanapur triggering the gang war that seems to get hinted at. Eventually Balalaika will put Revy down in a manner similar to how they dealt with Hansel. If my idea that it's the CIA is right, black ops team will then take out the remaining Vystoniki. Sister Eda goes home mission accomplished with various criminal syndicates destroyed and what little remains is at war with each other.

That's a whole lot of fanfic, I'm afraid. There's absolutely no evidence to support any of that happening. Eda's job in Roanapur is not to take down the other syndicates, she's just there to monitor the city and protect the CIA's illicit interests (namely, the drug trade via their puppet Chang).

 

[CZ]

That's a whole lot of fanfic, I'm afraid. There's absolutely no evidence to support any of that happening. Eda's job in Roanapur is not to take down the other syndicates, she's just there to monitor the city and protect the CIA's illicit interests (namely, the drug trade via their puppet Chang).

Of course it's fanfic, it's a theory. As of the interview he gave in Vol 12, Rei Hiroe said he didn't have an ending planned but needed to start to working towards one. I think we both agree that any ending to Black Lagoon will need to be an bloody and bleak.

Personally, I don't think that the gangs tearing each other apart would make a satisfactory finale. One thing we've seen time and again is that outsiders mess up Roanpur's balance. The idea that the CIA might tip that scale for whatever reason, could even be to strengthen Chang, isn't unthinkable. Meaning that Eda's mission can easily change with new orders from Langley.

Ultimately, I don't care if I'm right or wrong. All I care is that the series gets a hell of a send off, and doesn't drag on and then fizzle out like Roberta's second arc.

 

[TheLagooner]

Of course it's fanfic, it's a theory. As of the interview he gave in Vol 12, Rei Hiroe said he didn't have an ending planned but needed to start to working towards one. I think we both agree that any ending to Black Lagoon will need to be an bloody and bleak.

Personally, I don't think that the gangs tearing each other apart would make a satisfactory finale. One thing we've seen time and again is that outsiders mess up Roanpur's balance. The idea that the CIA might tip that scale for whatever reason, could even be to strengthen Chang, isn't unthinkable. Meaning that Eda's mission can easily change with new orders from Langley.

Ultimately, I don't care if I'm right or wrong. All I care is that the series gets a hell of a send off, and doesn't drag on and then fizzle out like Roberta's second arc.

I actually don't agree that Black Lagoon needs a bloody and bleak ending- I see the series as an escapist fantasy more than anything else. It could just as easily have a happy ending as a sad one. However, that doesn't mean I don't EXPECT it to end badly, which I do. I also don't believe Hiroe when he says he hadn't planned an ending yet. I think he has, and he's been setting up the dominoes under our nose for a long time. It's really come into focus in the last two chapters, though. Here's my theory, if you want to hear it: Revy will get attached to Le Majeur while training her up as her protege and develop maternal feelings towards her. Eventually, Le Majeur will be summoned by Hotel Moscow and killed in action. This will drive Revy mad with grief and set her on a path of vengeance against Balalaika for sending Majeur to her death. Everyone will get caught up in the shitstorm and multiple main characters will likely die. Rock will probably survive due to him being the protag, pick up the pieces with Feng and they'll leave Roanapur together. I think Feng was probably introduced for that reason- to be Rock's Plan B if Revy dies, which I think she will. It's hard to imagine a more devastating possible end to the series than that.

 

[IDontWearARubber]

I actually don't agree that Black Lagoon needs a bloody and bleak ending- I see the series as an escapist fantasy more than anything else. It could just as easily have a happy ending as a sad one. However, that doesn't mean I don't EXPECT it to end badly, which I do. I also don't believe Hiroe when he says he hadn't planned an ending yet. I think he has, and he's been setting up the dominoes under our nose for a long time. It's really come into focus in the last two chapters, though. Here's my theory, if you want to hear it: Revy will get attached to Le Majeur while training her up as her protege and develop maternal feelings towards her. Eventually, Le Majeur will be summoned by Hotel Moscow and killed in action. This will drive Revy mad with grief and set her on a path of vengeance against Balalaika for sending Majeur to her death. Everyone will get caught up in the shitstorm and multiple main characters will likely die. Rock will probably survive due to him being the protag, pick up the pieces with Feng and they'll leave Roanapur together. I think Feng was probably introduced for that reason- to be Rock's Plan B if Revy dies, which I think she will. It's hard to imagine a more devastating possible end to the series than that.

Interesting theory. I was starting to expect that the ending might be coming soon with the purposeful focus on the escape bag in this chapter, after seeing it at the forefront at the end of the chapter made me think of a theory I had a while back about:

Spoiler

The CIA pulling operations out of Roanapur to focus on the operations during the Gulf War, thereby removing protections against the Thai government that the CIA might've provided. The gangs would be at each others throat, with Lagoon Co. in the middle of all that i can see the need for all of them to leave and split up. I could see the final surprise being that Rock chose the same passports and ID's in order to be next to Revy again, but that seems almost too sweet.

 

[TheLagooner]

Interesting theory. I was starting to expect that the ending might be coming soon with the purposeful focus on the escape bag in this chapter, after seeing it at the forefront at the end of the chapter made me think of a theory I had a while back about:

Spoiler

The CIA pulling operations out of Roanapur to focus on the operations during the Gulf War, thereby removing protections against the Thai government that the CIA might've provided. The gangs would be at each others throat, with Lagoon Co. in the middle of all that i can see the need for all of them to leave and split up. I could see the final surprise being that Rock chose the same passports and ID's in order to be next to Revy again, but that seems almost too sweet.

I'm not sure I understand your theory. Black Lagoon's story starts in early 1995 and is currently set around late 1996/early 1997. The Gulf War ended in 1991. Even if the timelines overlapped, it seems that Eda is basically the only CIA field officer in Roanapur, so there are no other "operations" to pull out from, so to speak.

 

[CZ]

I actually don't agree that Black Lagoon needs a bloody and bleak ending- I see the series as an escapist fantasy more than anything else. It could just as easily have a happy ending as a sad one. However, that doesn't mean I don't EXPECT it to end badly, which I do. I also don't believe Hiroe when he says he hadn't planned an ending yet. I think he has, and he's been setting up the dominoes under our nose for a long time. It's really come into focus in the last two chapters, though. Here's my theory, if you want to hear it: Revy will get attached to Le Majeur while training her up as her protege and develop maternal feelings towards her. Eventually, Le Majeur will be summoned by Hotel Moscow and killed in action. This will drive Revy mad with grief and set her on a path of vengeance against Balalaika for sending Majeur to her death. Everyone will get caught up in the shitstorm and multiple main characters will likely die. Rock will probably survive due to him being the protag, pick up the pieces with Feng and they'll leave Roanapur together. I think Feng was probably introduced for that reason- to be Rock's Plan B if Revy dies, which I think she will. It's hard to imagine a more devastating possible end to the series than that.

Fair enough, always fun to see how people take the same story in different ways. That's a cool theory and certainly a plausible ending. Just seems too cheerful for what I've taken away from Black Lagoon. There's an air of inescapable nihilism to the setting and 90% of the characters. The Rock that comforted Gretel feels long gone, imo dying when Yukio killed herself, and the manipulator we've seen more recently is likely to get consumed in Roanapur. (Again, my opinion)

I actually do believe him in that interview. They're not mutually exclusive as we've had another volume, and I agree that we're getting the seeds of the end in this latest arc.