Black Lagoon Season 3?

[_Tri-edge_]

I've been hearing it a lot lately. It's been said that a third season of Black Lagoon was confirmed in July 2008, in the Light novel of the series. I for one, am happy with this news, yet worried at the same time. It's about to be one full year since they annouced this saying, and no updates have been added yet. If it's true, hopefully, my morale for "girls-with-guns" animes will rise back up again. Thoughts?

[Kuukai]

I'm only a fan of "girls-with-guns" shows if they're really good. Believe it or not, I'm not actually a big Koichi Mashimo fan. That said, I love Black Lagoon, so I hope this doesn't die. The obi only said that planning on the new season was about to start though, so it still might be a while. They also need to wait for enough source material to make a full season. I haven't been following the "El Baile de la muerte" story arc, but unless it's twice as long as Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise, which was itself twice as long as every other arc, they don't have enough for a full season yet.

In the meanwhile, you might want to watch Michiko e Hatchin...

[_Tri-edge_]

I see. I guess a year's not enough to make a full, decent season compared to the previous ones. I just had a feeling though, because situations like this have happened before, where they just drop the project all together and throw it on the backburner. Hopefully, this isn't one of those cases, since so many things were left open after the last remaining arcs of season 2. Then there's the problem about "surpassing" already great work. To most anime creators, such a challenge has ruined some very decent anime, such as Dragonball. Now Naruto, Bleach, and Pokemon are following that very same path. I doubt Black Lagoon will go on THAT long, but there's still a chance of this new season not being very, "new" if you know what I mean.

And your not a Kiochi Mashimo fan? Hmm. That's surprising.
Michiko e Hachin.....Sounds interesting.

[Kuukai]

Unless they decide to totally do their own thing a la Udeden (very unusual for Madhouse but still possible if they need to fill vacant episodes), the next arc, "El Baile de la muerte", will be about Roberta. I don't think the series will have a problem with running too long, but even if it does I think they can keep it fresh due to the very rigid three-episode arc style. There's no single-episode "filler", episodes are connected, but nothing drags on too long, and I like that a lot. "Fujiyama Gansta Paradise" was a little long at six episodes in my opinion, but they wanted to end the season with a psychological bang and it worked (it actually happened before "Greenback Jane" in the original manga, from what I hear pretty much the only change they've made so far was moving it to the end).

What was left open after the second season? I don't really remember...

Not really, I'm not a huge fan of the Noir/Madlax single-episode/subcharacter story format, or the way he handles action. I liked it at the time but I think more over-the-top and sexier shows like Black Lagoon or even Najica do it better. I don't really hate him either, he has a lot of cool, unique ideas, but that can make watching a little less "smooth" for me... (and this is from a guy who considers watching Gankutsuou to be an easy task)

[_Tri-edge_]

Well, the only major thing that I remember basically that wasn't answered in the last season, was the deal with the chinese lady, or Revy's rival, aside from Eda. After she was shot during the conclusion of the warehouse gunfight, she survived as one of the hitmen found her and took her along his shoulder. She then whispered something to him, hinting a return. They also found the gothic lady who welded that chainsaw, who was still alive after the warehouse collaspe. That's as clear as I can remember, and I was hoping they would return after Rock and Revy finished up at Tokyo. You think some familiar faces will return, like Boss Chang, in the new story arcs planned for season 3?

[Kuukai]

All the characters you mentioned (Shenhua, Sawyer, and Chang) are apparently in the "El Baile de la muerte" plot arc. I agree that this is a good thing, "Greenback Jane" was my favorite arc so far. It sounds like everyone in the town is in this one except Hotel Moscow...