Vasili Laptev (Russian: Василий Лаптев; Japanese: ヴァシリー・ラプチェフ Vashirī Rapuchefu) was an ex-KGB agent[1] and a high-ranking thief in law[2] in Hotel Moscow. He was the former boss of Hotel Moscow's Japanese branch, and he was known to have climbed up the ranks of the Russian mafia through money and status rather than by personal capability or merit.
Appearance[]
Vasili was an adult man of Russian nationality. He had a skinny build, pale skin, a circle beard, and short blond hair curved to his right temple. He wore a grayish-brown suit with a light-colored dress shirt and maroon necktie.
History[]
Before joining the Russian mafia, Laptev was a member of the KGB (specifically the 7th Department according to the 1st light novel).[3] Upon the fall of the USSR, Laptev and many Soviet citizens affiliated with the USSR's intelligence agencies used their organizational influence and power to form their positions in the Russian mafias. Due to his high rank in Hotel Moscow, Laptev had the title of vor (Russian: вор). In Tokyo, he uses the restaurant Strelkovaya Yacheyka as a front business.
Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise[]
Balalaika met with Laptev in Japan during her campaign to strengthen Hotel Moscow's declining influence in Japan by allying with the Washimine Group to weaken the Kosa Council. Laptev had briefed Balalaika on the Washimine Group's request to ally with Hotel Moscow, so Balalaika had a meeting with Tsugio Bando and secured the alliance.[1] At a restaurant, Boris kept her up to date on the Vysotniki's recent actions while she talked with Laptev, who admitted that he was impressed with her work under Hotel Moscow's Thai branch. Despite his compliment, Balalaika insulted him for his inability to take over Japan's underworld on behalf of the mafia, adding that she needed to return to Roanapur after the campaign. Annoyed, Laptev responded that although she hated him, he had a high-ranking position in the Russian mafia back in Moscow. Not fazed, Balalaika smilingly insulted him as a weakling who attained his high criminal rank using money and status rather than by skill. When he insulted her back as a weak ex-military dog, Balalaika grabbed his head and slammed him onto the table, telling him that she did not like cold blintzes or ex-KGB agents like himself, warning him to stay out of her way.[4]
Later, Boris asked Balalaika if they needed permission from Laptev to continue their campaign against the Kosa Council in spite of the increase in police security. Balalaika replied that she had approval from Slevinin to wage violence, joking that she needed Laptev to die a more useful death.[2] On another night at his front restaurant, Strelkovaya Yacheyka, Laptev and his men tried to get a hold of Balalaika at her hotel, but their phone calls did not work. When Makarushka suggested that they should ask Moscow, Laptev used his steak knife to stab his left hand, angrily responding that his authority should have been good enough. He reprimanded the men for not working hard enough, mentioning that Balalaika hated anyone who was formerly affiliated with Soviet and Russian intelligence agencies as well as all the nomenklatura. As he wondered why Slevinin would betray them, Laptev noticed cars with several gunmen outside the window, reflexively ducking onto the ground.[5]
After the enemy gunfire quickly ceased, Ginji Matsuzaki of the Washimine Group entered the building and asked for the Russians' leader. Laptev frantically ordered his men to shoot since Ginji only had a sword, but the latter easily evaded their gunfire and sliced the men apart with his sword. Freaking out, Laptev stumbled onto the floor to escape the building, but Ginji held his sword to the side of Laptev's neck, telling the Russian that he was not going anywhere.[6] When Laptev tried to claim that he was framed, Ginji did not understand his Russian words and consequently beheaded and killed him for not providing any useful information. In the end, Laptev's death was part of Balalaika's plan to replace him with someone more capable of leading Hotel Moscow's Japanese branch, with Monk Burgashvili succeeding him.[7]
Shaitane Badi[]
In the light novel Shaitane Badi, Laptev conspired with Tatiana Yakovleva to sack and kill Balalaika. At midnight in Japan after her first plan failed, he called Yakovleva and spoke to her in Russian, asking her if the plan to sack Balalaika was going well. Yakovleva confirmed but asked him if it was okay to go through with Plan Б instead of Plan А (have Balalaika use KGB connections to escort Stanislav Kandinsky out of Roanapur) and Plan В (the original plan to blame the Triad tanker assault on Balalaika due to the Nefrit being used as a getaway ship), and although he preferred the other two plans, he agreed to her request. Specifically, Plan Б was to let Stanislav kill Mister Chang and put the blame on Balalaika to reignite confrontation between the Hong Kong Triad and Hotel Moscow, with Laptev knowing that Hotel Moscow's influence in Roanapur would be crushed but it also meant Balalaika would no longer be around.[8]
Later after Yakovleva's team failed to kill Mister Chang and when Boris captured and killed Yakovleva at a Japanese airport, Laptev learned about her murder and subsequently called Balalaika to urgently inform her about Yakovleva's murder, stating that their boss Slevinin called him a minute ago about the matter. He asked Balalaika if it was true that Yakovleva stole money from her office and attempted to flee Roanapur, with Balalaika sighing a confirmation that the story was true while hiding the real events from Laptev. When Balalaika asked Laptev why she planned to flee to Japan, he anxiously responded that he had no idea why she wanted to go to his territory. He then asked her if her story was actually true since it was quite coincidental, with Balalaika nonchalantly asking if he suspected that she was behind Yakovleva's murder. When she added that they could get a third party from Moscow to investigate her murder, Laptev insulted her, but Balalaika calmly threatened him that he would disappear if he did not deal with the Chinese waging war against him in Japan, coldly hanging up the phone.[3]
Trivia[]
- In a popularity contest during the 10th manga collection release, Vasili Laptev ranked 65th (tying with Verrocchio and Elvis) with 0 votes.[9]
- In a popularity contest during the 12th manga collection release, Vasili Laptev ranked 76th (tying with several characters) with 0 votes.[10] He is the only character to be featured in two or more character contests and not receive any votes.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Episode 19: Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chapter 26: Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise Part 5
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Black Lagoon: Shaitane Badi (Chapter 5)
- ↑ Chapter 23: Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise Part 2
- ↑ Episode 21: Two Father's Little Soldier Girls
- ↑ Chapter 28: Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise Part 7
- ↑ Chapter 29: Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise Part 8
- ↑ Black Lagoon: Shaitane Badi (Chapter 4)
- ↑ http://sundaygx.info/blacklagoon_contest/
- ↑ http://sundaygx.info/blacklagoon_contest_12/