Snow White's Payback is the twenty-third episode of the Black Lagoon anime and the eleventh episode of Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage. It originally aired in Japan on December 12, 2006.
Summary[]
Yukio takes action to stop the destruction of the Washimine Group. Later, when Rock confronts Balalaika about her ruthless campaign of violence against Yukio, he suddenly finds himself at gunpoint.
Plot[]
In the morning, several vans containing Vysotniki depart from the Marya Zaleska and disperse themselves throughout Tokyo. At different Washimine Group offices and hideouts, the soldiers strike all at once and kill various members and enforcers, including Kudō, Takeshi Ogami, and Shigeru Itō. Driving for Yukio Washimine, Inoue hears his call being abruptly ended and informs his boss that he cannot get a hold of the Sagamihara office, adding that he has not heard from Taguchi since last night. Nonchalantly, she tells him and Ginji Matsuzaki that Taguchi and his men are dead, clarifying that the police told her that they found the men dead at their lumber yard. Yukio adds that she will head to the police station tomorrow for questioning and assures them that she will do her best to avoid charges under the Anti-Organized Crime Law. Thinking about their enemy, she deduces that Hotel Moscow acts more like a military than a mafia.
On the Marya Zaleska, Boris and Polanski report to Balalaika concerning the final stages of eliminating the Washimine Group hideouts. Calling the former of the men, Jodorowsky confirms that his team has completed their objective within the planned time and will withdraw. Commending her men for their duties, Balalaika remarks that the "princess" Yukio will be completely stripped of power in three more moves. Meanwhile, at a yakitori restaurant, Revy returns to her booth and happily tells the gloomy Rock that they are done for the day but will have another job for Balalaika tomorrow. She asks the ex-salaryman why he is sad, but he only notes that she is quite delighted. Smirking, Revy jokes that meeting a swordsman like Ginji makes any gunslinger happy, admitting that she is still awed about Ginji's ability to cut speeding bullets in half. Hearing her claim that she cannot wait to duel Ginji at some point, Rock grumpily asks her what good it will do to rush to her death. Rejecting his framing, Revy reminds him that they are already the walking dead, stating that Balalaika, Dutch, Mister Chang and other people in Roanapur.
She says that the only difference between themselves and the actual dead that the former are unconcerned with living and dying, claiming that those who focus on being alive develop fear. Sternly, Rock coldly asks her if she prefers to die in the gutter. Annoyed, Revy asks what is up with him because he has snapped back at her a lot today. Apologizing, he responds that binge drinking has brought out the worst in him today. Accepting his apology, she smiles and assures him not to worry about it. Elsewhere, at a different restaurant, Masami Kōsa, the head of the Kōsa Council, smokes a cigarette and advises Yukio not to tease him. Sitting across from him, she reminds him that he was the one who enforced the direct descendant rule. Sneering at her, Masami repeats that he will not let her succeed and asks what she will do about the Russians that she brought in. Admitting that it was an error on the Washimine Group's part, Yukio answers that she is doing everything to expel the Russians, to which he elaborates that he is asking how she will repay him. Unfazed, she tells him that Tsugio Bandō hired the Russians in the first place because of the Kōsa Council's actions against them.
Masami in turn reminds her that he sent a replacement head for the Washimine Group, which they turned down. Accepting his conditions, Yukio asserts that she will bring up the matter to the Peacekeeping Council, infuriating Masami's guard Morozumi enough to push food at her, but Ginji blocks it. Declaring that she has enough evidence for her case, she and Ginji leave. That night, while sitting in the backseat of her car, Yukio confesses that disputing the manner via the Peacekeeping Council is likely useless because of their greed. While the Japanese police and Yasuzawa have investigated the murders, Ginji reminds Yukio that their own forces have been reduced to a third of their original size. Despite her enforcers having been murdered, the latter proclaims that she and Ginji are still alive, and she orders Inoue to pull over. Hearing her next order, the driver is shocked that she wants him to send the message to anyone who is still alive. He urges her to reconsider her plan for all Washimine gangsters to cease fighting and let her and Ginji do the fighting, but Yukio replies that she cannot allow any more men to be eliminated. Exiting the car, Inoue bows to Yukio and tries to hide his tears as he walks away.
Taking over as driver, Ginji drives Yukio back home, pointing out that they have security cameras inside. Although all of the cameras were destroyed, Yukio plays a heavily damaged tape that she grabbed from a raided hideout before the police arrived, realizing that the Russians have traveled around using electric repair shop vans. The following morning, the two of them wear ski masks and rob a bank and quickly head back to their van, which has a spade symbol matching the Russians' vans. As they speed off, Yukio removes the spade symbol, and the police report to other units that the vehicle leaving the credit union is a white van with a red spade. Thinking about earlier, she remembers that Mr. Okajima is from a city where gangsters live and thrive. Agreeing with the idea, Ginji admits that it would be a good place for their yakuza to rebuild. Having some regret, Yukio professes that she wished her life in Takamachi lasted forever, causing her to think about all of the stores and musical bands. Nonetheless, she admits that their criminal life is more fun, with Ginji reminding her that they have to deal with Balalaka first before settling in Roanapur.
On the highway, a Japanese police car has spotted Jodorowsky's white van, so a chase begins. Per Boris's order, the Russian man evades the police by throwing a smoke grenade at their car. On the side of the road, Yukio posits that Balalaika must be traveling via watercraft since an airport would be difficult to transport firearms through. Back on their ship, Boris informs Balalaika that Jodorowsky escaped the chase and will ditch the van. Smoking a cigar, Balalaika wonders how the police knew what car they were using. Looking at a picture of Yukio, she commends the former student for her countermeasure and proclaims that Hotel Moscow will have to crush her thoroughly. Far away, in Roanapur, gang violence has escalated during Balalaika's absence, and Benny returns to the Lagoon Company office. Greeting Dutch, he tells him that the Hong Kong Triad seems to have done a good job of quelling the recent violence. Smiling, Dutch says that Roanapur's true appearance is a gun paradise. Getting a drink from the fridge, Benny remarks that he is glad Rock is not in town because he is not into firearms. Dutch responds that they are actually blessed that Rock has not held a firearm, assessing that his bullets would ricochet back at them. Though Benny laughs, he asserts that he is serious.
Back in Japan, in a parking garage, Revy and Rock wait for Balalaika, who has arrived with Boris and apologizes to the pirates for making them wait. The Russian boss explains that their next job is another meeting with the yakuza, which should be their last one before they can return to Roanapur. Hearing that she means the Kōsa Council, Rock remembers Yukio's comment about how he could not save her. Addressing Balalaika, he states that she has no reason to ally with the Kōsa Council, which he asks her to destroy instead, much to Revy's shock. Cutting him off, she warns him that he is only her interpreter and not her comrade. When Rock pleads with her to consider his idea since Yukio is still a young woman, Balalaika becomes infuriated at him asking for justice, so she slams him onto the adjacent car hood and points a gun in his face. In response, Revy pulls a gun on Balalaika and Boris, the latter of whom aims his pistol at Revy in the standoff. Anxious, the female pirate suggests that Balalaika calm down so that all three of them do not reenact a scene from My Bloody Valentine.
Ordering Rock to look at her, Balalaika comments that "justice" is a word loved by most people, but she glaringly tells him that he seeks the deaths of others by not exercising his own strength. She insults Rock's idea of justice as rotten, assuring him that she is not upset but rather, intrigued that he uttered such words. Revy urges her to let him go, to which Balalaika replies that all of their lives are insignificant in the end run. The latter admits she is baffled as to why Revy possibly wants the same way of life as Rock. Speaking up, the ex-salaryman reasons that Balalaika's victory is assured and she has nothing left to lose. The Russian woman retorts that it is not enough and claims that there are two successful ways to beg for one's life: entertain the person holding the gun to one's head or give a persuasive reason to remain alive. Shouting at him, Balalaika asks what his reason is. Grinning, Rock answers that she is misunderstanding because justice is merely a convenient word, repeating that his reason is that saving people is his hobby. Hearing him conclude that he and her are not different at all, Balalaika bursts into laughter and puts away her pistol, prompting Boris to do the same.
Departing, she tells Rock that things will pick up the next day, tossing him the car keys and then advising him not to waste his life on playing foolish games. Grabbing him by his jacket, Revy berates him for his actions, yelling that she can protect him through all kinds of sieges and shootouts but cannot protect a man who is trying to get himself killed. Calm, Rock rhetorically asks if she is mad, to which she retorts that she is furious and would have killed him herself if he was not who he was. Unconcerned, he asks her if she will come with him to his town one more time. At the park bench near his parents' house, Rock listens to Revy claim that she has forgotten how to live in places that are not Roanapur. Smoking a cigarette, she advises Rock to go to his house and finally leave behind his criminal life. Rhetorically asking her if she forgot, he answers that he died the day he met her, contrasting Roanapur as a city of the dead to his town as the city of the living. He specifies that he did not come to his old residence not to return to his former life but to cut ties with it and keep watching what will happen to it.
Though Revy remarks that he will likely regret it, Rock posits that he stopped regretting a year ago but now has the resolve. As she accepts his answer, four Japanese children see Revy, recognizing her from days ago. They ask her to show them the can-shooting trick again, laying three cans next to each other. Revy asks Rock what she should do, so he tells her to put on a show for them. Seeing her pull out her Sword Cutlass pistol, the children become worried upon thinking that it is a real gun. Revy introduces her pistol as a Beretta M92 Custom and the Praiyachat Sword Cutlass Special. She shoots all three cans with ease, scaring the children and leaving them speechless as the two pirates subsequently leave. At the Washimine residence, Yukio asks Ginji for a more powerful gun so that she can handle herself due to perceiving herself as a burden. Pulling out a boxed firearm from a drawer, the swordsman states that he is not familiar with firearms but explains that the pistol inside is a Russian Stechkin. Examining the weapon, Yukio declares that the Stechkin will do nicely.
Characters and cast[]
- Rokurō "Rock" Okajima — Daisuke Namikawa (Japanese), Brad Swaile (English)
- Revy — Megumi Toyoguchi (Japanese), Maryke Hendrikse (English)
- Benny — Hiroaki Hirata (Japanese), Brian Drummond (English)
- Dutch — Tsutomu Isobe (Japanese), Dean Redman (English)
- Balalaika — Mami Koyama (Japanese), Patricia Drake (English)
- Boris — Taiten Kusunoki (Japanese), Mark Acheson (English)
- Ginji Matsuzaki — Kiyoyuki Yanada (Japanese), Michael Adamthwaite (English)
- Yukio Washimine — Houko Kuwashima (Japanese), Lalainia Lindbjerg (English)
- Inoue — Yōichi Nishijima (Japanese), Trevor Devall (English)
- Masami Kōsa — Masahiko Tanaka (Japanese), Andrew Kavadas (English)
- Morozumi — Masayuki Nakata (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- Jodorowsky — Yūichi Nakamura (Japanese), Eli Gabay (English)
- Polanski — Tōru Nara (Japanese), Mark Oliver (English)
- Kudō — Kenta Miyake (Japanese), John Novak (English)
- Takeshi Ogami — Uncredited
- Shigeru Itō — Yūichi Nakamura (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English)
- Daniil — Non-speaking role
- Lazar — Non-speaking role
- Rabochek — Non-speaking role
- Eugene — Non-speaking role
- Yasuzawa — Non-speaking role
Songs used[]
- Opening Theme — Red Fraction (by Mell)
- Vysotniki attacks Yakuza offices — Unreleased #4 (fast bassline)
- Revy says Roanapur is for the "walking dead" (at Yakitori restaurant) — A Cold Wind in My Mind
- Conversation between Yukio Washimine and Masami Kōsa — Unknown
- Ginji and Yukio rob a bank — Unreleased #4 (fast bassline)
- Benny and Dutch talk — Tadpole Dance
- Revy and Rock on a bench — Father's Chest
- Ending Theme — Don't Look Behind (ending version)
Differences from the manga[]
- The Vysotniki entering their vans and driving away from the Marya Zaleska is only shown in the anime.
- Right before Ogami is killed in the anime, he asks how the other caller knows about the hideout's suspicious aura and is confused that the info apparently came from a fax. In the manga, he only expresses frustration about the hideout's emptiness.
- In the manga, when the Vysotniki attack one of the offices at the front door, the Russians barge in using a shotgun and grenades. In the anime, a Vysotnik pretends to be a deliveryman at the door and then tosses grenades inside the hideout.
- The scene in the war room on the ship between Balalaika, Boris, and other Hotel Moscow soldiers planning their next attacks is anime-exclusive.
- Masami Kōsa telling his bodyguard Morozumi in Chapter 33 to let Yukio continue her plan (after the meeting) since they have an upcoming meeting with Balalaika is only in the manga.
- The brief scene of Yasuzawa and the Japanese police investigating the aftermath of an attacked Washimine Group base is anime-exclusive.
- Yukio's desire to rebuild the Washimine Group in Roanapur with Ginji is anime-only. Furthermore, the second Inoue scene where Yukio orders him to tell all Washimine gangsters to stop fighting until she summons them to Roanapur is only in the anime.
- In the anime, Yukio and Ginji had the gangsters cease fighting so that she could kill Balalaika and then summon the men to Roanapur. In the manga, Yukio decides that she would merely kill Balalaika to maintain the members' loyalty rather than leaving the country.
- Yukio and Ginji visiting one of their destroyed offices and then robbing a bank and pinning the crime on Hotel Moscow is exclusive to the anime adaptation. Moreover, Jodorowsky evading the police and then Boris and Balalaika discussing the action on their ship is anime-only.
- The scene of Benny and Dutch talking to each other at their office in Roanapur is only in the anime. Additionally, the scene beforehand of Ginji in the house and Yukio thinking about Roanapur is anime-exclusive.
- The scene in Chapter 34 of Ginji informing Yukio about their decreased followers and Yukio and Ginji briefly checking out the festival stands is only in the manga. Nonetheless, Ginji does mentioned the decreased membership in this episode.
- Yukio deciding to arm herself with a weapon (a Stechkin pistol in particular) is only in the anime.
Trivia[]
- This episode marks the first appearance of the 1965 Pontiac GTO after Benny's 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner got destroyed in Episode 17.
- The Cyrillic script on Balalaika's ship is a typo, as the ship's name "Мария Залеска" is misspelled "Мария Зейрска."