I'd be all in if you did an Eda vid. What impresses me about her character is the false light/dark narrative and how she shows that as a farce, self delusional protection Rock gives himself to say 'I'm better than that' even though he isn't. In a way Eda is what Revy might well have become if she were raised in the 'light', an unabused suburban middle class white girl. And that sweet dichotomy their actions being just about the same; both violent unapologetic killers who do not consider means but outcomes, and yet one sees herself as a force of darkness and the other an agent of light. But that's an oft missed theme of the show; the only difference between Roanapur and Tokyo is a layer of dirt, the only difference between Hotel Moscow and the CIA is an air of respectability, the only difference between Chang and Eda is one has a more powerful boss than the other. One thing I'd point out about your Rock&Revy essays is that in the end Revy kind of saves Rock. Beautiful irony that in the end it's Revy that gave Rock a meaning. It is kind of Steinbeck'ian, circular to a point where the characters end at the same metaphorical point but wiser/world worn/shed of any nativity. While there are great Character arcs and great backstories that fills them in I'd argue at the end they are still fundamentally the same in the last episode as the first. Rock is still Rokuro more wiser/world worn/shed of any nativity. At any rate I like your Black Lagoon essays. It isn't that I agree with every point which only points out why it is such fantastic story telling, you look from just a slightly different prospective or slightly deeper layer of subtext and different facets shine out. It is great story writing when in the end it isn't just 'this' and two conflicting takes can both be 100% spot on. For example, you can look at Revy and say she wants to be saved; or that she doesn't want to be saved yet knows on some deep level she needs to be saved almost as a survival instinct. I think both are true yet you can only hold on of those in your mind at a time. Like the song 'Tangled Up in Blue', Dylan is obviously sing about multiple women and Dylan is obviously singing about the same woman whom he met at meany times. I love it when story tellers in their subtext say perhaps more than they know. Thank you for your good and interesting work. I agree that Revy isn't a badass but a weak emotionally vulnerable angry girl, but filed under 'you are what you do' she does some pretty badarse things from time to time.
Badassery isn't related to character depth or trauma. It's about their capabilities during fights and various situations where they come out on top by besting the other party. Revy and Roberta are badass because they chew through mercenaries and legitimate military personnel like termites through wood. Their flaws and stories are what gives them context for acting like they do. Take The Punisher for example. Frank is emotionally and mentally damaged, traumatized, and always approaches situations with the "Imma air out this joint" mentality... And he is still the poster-boy for the word "badass". People can use the word to describe these characters without putting that much interest in arcs, personalities and depth because... They have no obligation to if they don't want. What attracted people the most towards BL was the action and good looking female characters, and the series is very self-aware of it, especially through it's camerawork.
@@misulincu Not really. Google "anime BL" and you'll see what I mean. I had to think about it to realise you meant something different. The common interpretation is what comes to mind first obviously. Not trying to be mean, just pointing out what I thought was funny. Much like BBC has two meanings, but one is more common.
>people aren't allowed to like or call someone badass or be motivated by the action and cool characters of an action series unless they also understand and appreciate their depth as people ...Okaaaaay? Like I'm not saying there isn't depth to these characters, nobody outside of entry level goons would, but I am pretty sure given the...general episodic format of Black Lagoon due to it's releases schedule as a manga that outside of the arcs introducing these concepts and backstories that...literally they don't matter and won't come up again. Cause they haven't. You can like the depth of a character and a series' quality but it's just as reasonable to be interested primarily in the guns, violence, and titties. This isn't like having your favorite character be the villain so you have to come up with reasons to think they're good due to a weird morality complex people have where they can't just accept shit for what it is...people are accepting shit for what it is and you're expecting dialogue wrapped around shit that when it came out in the manga happened 20 years ago and hasn't been touched on since. Last ting Revy did of significant plot importance was be a dominatrix in a cabaret show to help a burn noticed Chinese spy not get merced because of Johnny's indian hacker girlfriend who's turned into a bitchy nympho, just saying.
You can be extremely flawed, emotionally disturbed, and mentally unstable while still also being a badass. All the girls here are badasses, their defining characteristics are what contextualizes the way they are and gives a reason for most of those badass brutal moments.
Revy blurts out "that's all I know how to do!" when criticized about her violent behaviour. She has no restraint and violence isn't a choice, but her only way to solve any conflict, with friend or foe. Out of context her violence against enemies looks badass, but with context, seeing how she tries to kill both Dutch and Rock, she's just unhinged.
This video makes it seem like you are really held up by semantics. I can only speak for myself, but I believe most people don't say these women are badass and then proceed to ignore all those traits you praise their character writing for. You use the word badass as a holistic descriptor, when that's not how others use it. I can say that Revy is badass because she does cool things on screen, but I wouldn't actually like her character unless she had these flaws that make her interesting.
I think that, for an Eda video, a little more content could come from the latest finished arc from the manga. The Wired Red Wild Card. In there she gives a little more hints of her work as a CIA agent, how Rock can work AND negotiate with her and still not figure out what kind of force she is in Rouanapur. Basically, its almost like what happened in the OVA, but she has much more "screen time". Both "wild girl" Eda and as a nun doing business. Its not a long read, but if you're ever willing to read the manga, it has much more Eda. Also Rock and Revy's relationship, the "hints" continue, but this time just as we had Fabiola being the one between them and seeing the whole thing, now we have Feng, the Chinese spy, who goes into a much more philosophical path to try to "fix" Rock's POV. It has some awesome dialog, its an underrated arc, and I can't wait to see it animated.
I think this cleared up a lot. Good stuff. What I get from this, is that "bad-ass" is ultimately a superficial term that often falls down once you get to know them. Google may have a different definition (Google: Bad-ass: a tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person. / impressive/ formidable) but I've always thought of "Bad-Ass" being a description of someone that has got their life sorted and has a sort of wisdom to them. Closest thing I can think of is the typical "mentor" character like Uncle Iroh. Someone who understands the world and themselves, and can handle others by themselves. Ultimately, someone who is "Bad-ass" is in control. Not of just other people, but of themselves. But maybe that's just me. The women of black lagoon may seem tough, uncompromising and very intimating, but they are vulnerable, petty and pathetic once you get to know them. And that's the point I think Kyle is making. They don't have their life together, and aren't something you should aspire to be. They are just as broken and unsure of themselves just like the rest of us. The "bad-assery" is just a veneer.
Often enough being known as a "bad ass" often gets you called an "edgelord" or just "edgy", which is a very immature and silly stance to take on things to begin with since that word seems to be labelled towards anything not perceived as immaturity or childish, but hell most people don't even know what that term even means now since it's so ridiculously overused to point of parody that it becomes cringe in itself to even mention it tbh lol.
@@The-Black-Death Yeah that is pretty true. I mean, I remember Nigihiga making a video on "How to be Bad-ass" around 7 years ago. When a term is being parodied on the internet 7 years ago, you know its eons past its hay day.
No badass is more a vive, that balalaika , revy and roberta have. An al are intimitating, and honestly become more th more depth we see. And i agree its superficial, but black lagoon clarly has badass vibes too contrasted by the whole tragic traumas.
I think there is a massive semantic problem here over the term "badass" I dunno about Australian ( ? ) vernacular, but in American vernacular "badass" simply means don't mess with them. In that sense Revy, Roberta, and Balalaika are all indisputably badass.
Thats the point though. If they did the story would be over. Some characters in order to tell the full story need to go through the story before they learn the life lesson.
@@ericjohnson7234 You don't make sense. The story on Black Lagoon isn't just about Rock and Revy, it's everyone in Roanapur. If Rock and Revy were more clear on how they feel about each other, there would be less speculations. The romance is just like 1/4 of the story. Besides the story has been stagnant because Rei Hiroe is in a writing slump.
@@owainkanaway8345 Nah. He is just busying himslef with his manga. Which I completely understand. Also, Mad House isnt a studio anymore. It got bought out. Which makes me sad. But the guys who made it can always come back. If their not dead.
@@ericjohnson7234 Well that's besides the point. You're an asshole for responding to a post that is a year old, a post that I completely forgot about, just to start an argument. On top of that, your opinion on what is the appropriate way how characters should be written isn't in anyway correct.
HI man I dont know if you read this. But I watched all the black lagoon videos you made. And I jsut wanna thank you for that I know how hard it is as a content creater. But you man you have my depest respekt of all ive ever seen. I love black lagoon as much as you do becasause it changed my mind I was 17 when I first watched it and than later at 22 again it had influence on me like nothing ever before. And thank you man that you made videos. My true respekt for you. You also changed my life for better and i really wanna tahnk you for that. Just a big THANK YOU!.
They have a depth, but perhaps it is not as philosophycal as in Evangelion, for instance, where their own anxieties match the end of the world. They are complex characters, but confused. They live on their past, show a facade to make them seem as tough people, but yet can't truly get the life they wanted. They are "weak", and thus relatable, as we all are. Also, the dialog has layers and layers of subtext, like a good real-life series. Sometimes we know what they want deep down, but they fail to communicate that. Which makes them more relatable to us.
@@megashark1013 ... what? I'm not a Evangelion fanboy, watched like three or four episodes in total. This is my take from curiously watching reviews and analysis. I'm talking about Black Lagoon's characters here. For BL however, I'm an absolute fanboy.
They haven't cancelled the show yet or announced that it's over.. I'm guessing Rei wants to complete the Manga series first before continuing with the Anime. Let's just hope that would be his plan..
The videos weren't bad. I didn't watch em for no reason lol. The content in them is good regardless of whether it's structured or not. At least you talked about it in chronological order from s1 to 2 to the OVA's. I said it before but since TH-cam deleted it, ill say it again. "Keep it up, Great video" Pretty much everything you said is plausible or true. Some of it might be opinion but its at least a common outlook on the show, or at least i think its common. I feel like you might not be able to explain the content in Black Lagoon to someone who thinks its just an action flick, no matter how much you simplify it. but anyways, im gonna go re-watch the show again lol.
It doesn't really ring true with real life though does it, it's sort of a comic book contrivance, you can understand why an audience might get mixed messages.
Dude what? Everyone has already said this but you really do make it sound like you think that just because I think they are badass I can't apreciate their depth and flaws, also you seem to view these characters in such a narrow way, which is obviously rather ironic, but you're not able to appreciate all of their sides and how they are still "badass" through all their suffering and pain "I don't think that these girls, if you agree that they are self hating, fit the definition (badass)" lol what? They are dynamic characters and they are still badass You are the only person I have ever heard that seem to think that describing someone as badass implies that you only like them because you think they're badass, which couldn't be further from the truth
Male action heroes have been called badass for decades, despite most if not all having flaws. And some even having complexities or rich backstories that led them to being who they are. And nobody is trying to take their title of badass away just because there might be more to them. That if we call them badass, we don’t appreciate their character depth or nuances. But when it comes to female action heroes considered badass, some seem to be more fickle and contradictory. And then someone feels the need to make several videos about how the female characters from Black Lagoon who are known by all to be badasses, totally aren’t actually. Except your reasoning is nonsensical. You made up a definition of the term that doesn’t fit what the actual term means, just so you can draw a line in the sand that somehow makes these women not badass. If you have to be disingenuous to make a point, you don’t have a point. Others have already pointed out that your notion that characters can’t be both badass and damaged people is untrue, and based in semantics. But it’s even further past semantics, considering you’ve made up your own definition, and doubled down on it when people provided the reasons why your argument holds no weight, instead of considering you might be wrong. That’s not a way to grow as a creator. Either way, even if you think that the similarly damaged but badass men of the show don’t count as badasses by your own definition either, that’s not what you titled your videos. You specifically brought attention to the women. Both to have an eye catching title, but also because of double standards. You may not have been doing it intentionally, but trying to make the case that women known for being badass specifically actually aren’t, even though they fit all the parameters badass men get automatic passes to(and no video essays trying to prove otherwise), is a double standard. Video essays can be just people’s opinions, and there’s no right or wrong opinions. But when you go into arguments of objectivity, and act intellectually dishonest about subjects just because you don’t like or agree with it, it’s no longer just an opinion. Since this was 3 years ago, hopefully your videos have improved.
Cringe.
Cringically cringeful indeed.
Yeh
Armin Arlert: Hold my balls- oh, wait.
I'd be all in if you did an Eda vid. What impresses me about her character is the false light/dark narrative and how she shows that as a farce, self delusional protection Rock gives himself to say 'I'm better than that' even though he isn't. In a way Eda is what Revy might well have become if she were raised in the 'light', an unabused suburban middle class white girl. And that sweet dichotomy their actions being just about the same; both violent unapologetic killers who do not consider means but outcomes, and yet one sees herself as a force of darkness and the other an agent of light.
But that's an oft missed theme of the show; the only difference between Roanapur and Tokyo is a layer of dirt, the only difference between Hotel Moscow and the CIA is an air of respectability, the only difference between Chang and Eda is one has a more powerful boss than the other.
One thing I'd point out about your Rock&Revy essays is that in the end Revy kind of saves Rock. Beautiful irony that in the end it's Revy that gave Rock a meaning. It is kind of Steinbeck'ian, circular to a point where the characters end at the same metaphorical point but wiser/world worn/shed of any nativity. While there are great Character arcs and great backstories that fills them in I'd argue at the end they are still fundamentally the same in the last episode as the first. Rock is still Rokuro more wiser/world worn/shed of any nativity.
At any rate I like your Black Lagoon essays. It isn't that I agree with every point which only points out why it is such fantastic story telling, you look from just a slightly different prospective or slightly deeper layer of subtext and different facets shine out. It is great story writing when in the end it isn't just 'this' and two conflicting takes can both be 100% spot on. For example, you can look at Revy and say she wants to be saved; or that she doesn't want to be saved yet knows on some deep level she needs to be saved almost as a survival instinct. I think both are true yet you can only hold on of those in your mind at a time. Like the song 'Tangled Up in Blue', Dylan is obviously sing about multiple women and Dylan is obviously singing about the same woman whom he met at meany times. I love it when story tellers in their subtext say perhaps more than they know.
Thank you for your good and interesting work. I agree that Revy isn't a badass but a weak emotionally vulnerable angry girl, but filed under 'you are what you do' she does some pretty badarse things from time to time.
Hey so I can't find season 3 of black lagoon anywhere, any suggestions on where to look
Badassery isn't related to character depth or trauma. It's about their capabilities during fights and various situations where they come out on top by besting the other party. Revy and Roberta are badass because they chew through mercenaries and legitimate military personnel like termites through wood. Their flaws and stories are what gives them context for acting like they do.
Take The Punisher for example. Frank is emotionally and mentally damaged, traumatized, and always approaches situations with the "Imma air out this joint" mentality... And he is still the poster-boy for the word "badass". People can use the word to describe these characters without putting that much interest in arcs, personalities and depth because... They have no obligation to if they don't want. What attracted people the most towards BL was the action and good looking female characters, and the series is very self-aware of it, especially through it's camerawork.
Good point, except shorting Black Lagoon to BL was a mistake imo.
In anime/manga BL has a different meaning, though it does envolve asses. XD
@@YourLocalCopiumDealer .... You literally have to think about it to see it as something else, you know.
@@misulincu Not really. Google "anime BL" and you'll see what I mean. I had to think about it to realise you meant something different. The common interpretation is what comes to mind first obviously. Not trying to be mean, just pointing out what I thought was funny. Much like BBC has two meanings, but one is more common.
I like the description of Rock as “a Japanese businessman with half a moral conscience”
We need more black lagoon content, dude eda’s video must be out its your Christmas gift for us loyal followers 😆
update , Christmas is over still no video out ! 😭
i feel you buddy
>people aren't allowed to like or call someone badass or be motivated by the action and cool characters of an action series unless they also understand and appreciate their depth as people
...Okaaaaay?
Like I'm not saying there isn't depth to these characters, nobody outside of entry level goons would, but I am pretty sure given the...general episodic format of Black Lagoon due to it's releases schedule as a manga that outside of the arcs introducing these concepts and backstories that...literally they don't matter and won't come up again. Cause they haven't. You can like the depth of a character and a series' quality but it's just as reasonable to be interested primarily in the guns, violence, and titties. This isn't like having your favorite character be the villain so you have to come up with reasons to think they're good due to a weird morality complex people have where they can't just accept shit for what it is...people are accepting shit for what it is and you're expecting dialogue wrapped around shit that when it came out in the manga happened 20 years ago and hasn't been touched on since. Last ting Revy did of significant plot importance was be a dominatrix in a cabaret show to help a burn noticed Chinese spy not get merced because of Johnny's indian hacker girlfriend who's turned into a bitchy nympho, just saying.
You can be extremely flawed, emotionally disturbed, and mentally unstable while still also being a badass. All the girls here are badasses, their defining characteristics are what contextualizes the way they are and gives a reason for most of those badass brutal moments.
Exactly
Revy blurts out "that's all I know how to do!" when criticized about her violent behaviour. She has no restraint and violence isn't a choice, but her only way to solve any conflict, with friend or foe. Out of context her violence against enemies looks badass, but with context, seeing how she tries to kill both Dutch and Rock, she's just unhinged.
This video makes it seem like you are really held up by semantics. I can only speak for myself, but I believe most people don't say these women are badass and then proceed to ignore all those traits you praise their character writing for. You use the word badass as a holistic descriptor, when that's not how others use it. I can say that Revy is badass because she does cool things on screen, but I wouldn't actually like her character unless she had these flaws that make her interesting.
Yeah this seems to be in tgs same vain as the griffith did nothing wrong meme
He......he STILL never defined "badass" twice!! Wow.....
againstmalice
niece
It’s 2022 and we STILL don’t have an Eda video. I NEED THE EDA VIDEO PLEASE! NOBODY APPRECIATES HER LIKE YOU AND I NEED TO HEAR IT!
I think that, for an Eda video, a little more content could come from the latest finished arc from the manga. The Wired Red Wild Card. In there she gives a little more hints of her work as a CIA agent, how Rock can work AND negotiate with her and still not figure out what kind of force she is in Rouanapur. Basically, its almost like what happened in the OVA, but she has much more "screen time". Both "wild girl" Eda and as a nun doing business.
Its not a long read, but if you're ever willing to read the manga, it has much more Eda. Also Rock and Revy's relationship, the "hints" continue, but this time just as we had Fabiola being the one between them and seeing the whole thing, now we have Feng, the Chinese spy, who goes into a much more philosophical path to try to "fix" Rock's POV. It has some awesome dialog, its an underrated arc, and I can't wait to see it animated.
I think this cleared up a lot. Good stuff.
What I get from this, is that "bad-ass" is ultimately a superficial term that often falls down once you get to know them. Google may have a different definition (Google: Bad-ass: a tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person. / impressive/ formidable) but I've always thought of "Bad-Ass" being a description of someone that has got their life sorted and has a sort of wisdom to them. Closest thing I can think of is the typical "mentor" character like Uncle Iroh. Someone who understands the world and themselves, and can handle others by themselves.
Ultimately, someone who is "Bad-ass" is in control. Not of just other people, but of themselves. But maybe that's just me.
The women of black lagoon may seem tough, uncompromising and very intimating, but they are vulnerable, petty and pathetic once you get to know them. And that's the point I think Kyle is making. They don't have their life together, and aren't something you should aspire to be. They are just as broken and unsure of themselves just like the rest of us.
The "bad-assery" is just a veneer.
Often enough being known as a "bad ass" often gets you called an "edgelord" or just "edgy", which is a very immature and silly stance to take on things to begin with since that word seems to be labelled towards anything not perceived as immaturity or childish, but hell most people don't even know what that term even means now since it's so ridiculously overused to point of parody that it becomes cringe in itself to even mention it tbh lol.
@@The-Black-Death Yeah that is pretty true. I mean, I remember Nigihiga making a video on "How to be Bad-ass" around 7 years ago. When a term is being parodied on the internet 7 years ago, you know its eons past its hay day.
No badass is more a vive, that balalaika , revy and roberta have.
An al are intimitating, and honestly become more th more depth we see.
And i agree its superficial, but black lagoon clarly has badass vibes too contrasted by the whole tragic traumas.
I think there is a massive semantic problem here over the term "badass" I dunno about Australian ( ? ) vernacular, but in American vernacular "badass" simply means don't mess with them. In that sense Revy, Roberta, and Balalaika are all indisputably badass.
I really appreciate you making black lagoon videos
I enjoyed these videos quite a lot since I get what you were trying to do.
Who wouldn't want to cuddle with Revy? 😄😄Rock and Revy just needs to be more upfront on how they feel about each other.
Thats the point though. If they did the story would be over. Some characters in order to tell the full story need to go through the story before they learn the life lesson.
@@ericjohnson7234 You don't make sense. The story on Black Lagoon isn't just about Rock and Revy, it's everyone in Roanapur. If Rock and Revy were more clear on how they feel about each other, there would be less speculations. The romance is just like 1/4 of the story.
Besides the story has been stagnant because Rei Hiroe is in a writing slump.
@@owainkanaway8345 Nah. He is just busying himslef with his manga. Which I completely understand. Also, Mad House isnt a studio anymore. It got bought out. Which makes me sad. But the guys who made it can always come back. If their not dead.
@@ericjohnson7234 Well that's besides the point. You're an asshole for responding to a post that is a year old, a post that I completely forgot about, just to start an argument.
On top of that, your opinion on what is the appropriate way how characters should be written isn't in anyway correct.
I like your Works and find you way to go over these Characters on Point.
The older I grow , the more i like anime like Black lagoon. It was well written. I enjoyed gangsta too
The flaws of character can form a badass unlike anything else with the special formula but sadly you seem to reject that kyle as is typical.of you
HI man I dont know if you read this. But I watched all the black lagoon videos you made. And I jsut wanna thank you for that I know how hard it is as a content creater. But you man you have my depest respekt of all ive ever seen. I love black lagoon as much as you do becasause it changed my mind I was 17 when I first watched it and than later at 22 again it had influence on me like nothing ever before. And thank you man that you made videos. My true respekt for you. You also changed my life for better and i really wanna tahnk you for that. Just a big THANK YOU!.
well that's cute!
we need more black lagoon content+ if you are ok with reading the manga we need you to make manga reviews videos >
I get it but their still badass tho but with character depth
They have a depth, but perhaps it is not as philosophycal as in Evangelion, for instance, where their own anxieties match the end of the world. They are complex characters, but confused. They live on their past, show a facade to make them seem as tough people, but yet can't truly get the life they wanted. They are "weak", and thus relatable, as we all are.
Also, the dialog has layers and layers of subtext, like a good real-life series. Sometimes we know what they want deep down, but they fail to communicate that. Which makes them more relatable to us.
@@Rafagafanhotobra I like how you completely changed the topic to NGE just so you could fanboy about it for two chapters.
@@megashark1013 ... what? I'm not a Evangelion fanboy, watched like three or four episodes in total. This is my take from curiously watching reviews and analysis. I'm talking about Black Lagoon's characters here. For BL however, I'm an absolute fanboy.
Don't know you'll ever see this but you always outdo yourself with these types of videos Chef kisses hats off to you good sir
wheres your video on eda?
Will they ever make a new season? I NEED MORE REVY I cant live without her
Go read the manga's arcs after the OVA ended. Its not that far from what you might find on a future anime.
@@Rafagafanhotobra I am reading it but its just not the same man
They haven't cancelled the show yet or announced that it's over.. I'm guessing Rei wants to complete the Manga series first before continuing with the Anime. Let's just hope that would be his plan..
The videos weren't bad. I didn't watch em for no reason lol. The content in them is good regardless of whether it's structured or not. At least you talked about it in chronological order from s1 to 2 to the OVA's.
I said it before but since TH-cam deleted it, ill say it again. "Keep it up, Great video"
Pretty much everything you said is plausible or true. Some of it might be opinion but its at least a common outlook on the show, or at least i think its common. I feel like you might not be able to explain the content in Black Lagoon to someone who thinks its just an action flick, no matter how much you simplify it.
but anyways, im gonna go re-watch the show again lol.
Yeah, they’re pretty bad ass😳
Eda video tho
It doesn't really ring true with real life though does it, it's sort of a comic book contrivance, you can understand why an audience might get mixed messages.
Nothing but FACTS.
Dude what? Everyone has already said this but you really do make it sound like you think that just because I think they are badass I can't apreciate their depth and flaws, also you seem to view these characters in such a narrow way, which is obviously rather ironic, but you're not able to appreciate all of their sides and how they are still "badass" through all their suffering and pain
"I don't think that these girls, if you agree that they are self hating, fit the definition (badass)" lol what? They are dynamic characters and they are still badass
You are the only person I have ever heard that seem to think that describing someone as badass implies that you only like them because you think they're badass, which couldn't be further from the truth
Do you read the manga of black lagoon chapter
Male action heroes have been called badass for decades, despite most if not all having flaws. And some even having complexities or rich backstories that led them to being who they are. And nobody is trying to take their title of badass away just because there might be more to them. That if we call them badass, we don’t appreciate their character depth or nuances. But when it comes to female action heroes considered badass, some seem to be more fickle and contradictory. And then someone feels the need to make several videos about how the female characters from Black Lagoon who are known by all to be badasses, totally aren’t actually. Except your reasoning is nonsensical. You made up a definition of the term that doesn’t fit what the actual term means, just so you can draw a line in the sand that somehow makes these women not badass. If you have to be disingenuous to make a point, you don’t have a point. Others have already pointed out that your notion that characters can’t be both badass and damaged people is untrue, and based in semantics. But it’s even further past semantics, considering you’ve made up your own definition, and doubled down on it when people provided the reasons why your argument holds no weight, instead of considering you might be wrong. That’s not a way to grow as a creator.
Either way, even if you think that the similarly damaged but badass men of the show don’t count as badasses by your own definition either, that’s not what you titled your videos. You specifically brought attention to the women. Both to have an eye catching title, but also because of double standards. You may not have been doing it intentionally, but trying to make the case that women known for being badass specifically actually aren’t, even though they fit all the parameters badass men get automatic passes to(and no video essays trying to prove otherwise), is a double standard. Video essays can be just people’s opinions, and there’s no right or wrong opinions. But when you go into arguments of objectivity, and act intellectually dishonest about subjects just because you don’t like or agree with it, it’s no longer just an opinion. Since this was 3 years ago, hopefully your videos have improved.
Cringe.
*Guitar solo.*
Cringe.