Black Lagoon

Initial rating: 3/10

Later Rating: 6/10

Rating explanation: Ger dub wasn't nearly as good as the English one. Plus another reason below.

I initially was pretty disappointed, knowing nothing about this anime at all beforehand. I think the animation style could have been so much better, and it also stroke me as boring plotwise. There isn't really a red plot line at all, it is just some episodes put together, with barely having much consequences or continuity. Instead of thinking of a single anime where the plot evolves much think of it of anime movies of a single anime. It is like 3-4 episodes an arc, and then having almost nothing to do or continuing from any before. At same time, I rather put these arcs as stories, which are only relevant within themselves, like in Sin City. And when I say Sin City, the anime is pretty much like that movie/comics; stories about the utmost evil criminals and not caring for what they do. Changing my view to the story-model made me enjoy this much more.

Yet despite that, it felt kinda lackluster to me. I mean, I think they could have totally put more tension into scenes, and more thrilling moments. Having seen anime like Death Note, even the (seemingly) most boring plots without action can come up with excitement, fear and other emotions for the viewer. This anime? I barely cared about what happened with the characters, especially with the stories repeating to quite some degree.

Having watched the final episodes in the OVA, the ending is like...what the hell? Completely random, just like switching from one arc to another was to me. They barely talked about what happened before even, and the ending making sense only half-wise.

It is OK to watch once you accept these arcs as stories, but is far from being an anime that I would recommend for someone not being into anime yet, and I am not sure I'd even recommend it much to fellow weebz.