The children of Ceaucesk are a real example of one of the most unfortunate social phenomena in dictatorship Romania. To be honest, I was ignorant of these historical events before this anime. This sad and disgusting story has bothered me for a long time, but I want to applaud you for making such a bold attempt through animation.
I heard there is a lot of history regarding the kids and the life of Romania, but I still haven't gotten to it yet. I really need to watch that video from Professor Viral regarding Hansel and Gretal.
In the Manga, it`s implied and later confirmed in an omake the twins are both female .In the anime and OVAs however, it`s left ambiguous which I`d argue adds to their eerie and tragic nature as the trauma from their abuse has left them so mutilated and dissociated that they`re not really sure which of them was actually born which sex or if they`re both actually the same sex anymore.
Oh, there both female! I thought it was a male and female dynamic. I think it explains a lot regarding the wig. It’s really messed up what they had to deal with.
@@iamdoublerr Ya,in the Manga their hair was pulled on in the orphanages(Where they were chained to eachother and forced to beat the other children to death with baseball bats and fuck eachother to entertain their perverted captors) until it stopped growing past boy`s length and their abusers kept their old hair as a wig which the twins stole when they killed the orphanage heads in self-defense(Amongst the few victims aside from Verrochio and his men we can say with confidence deserved the twins` brutality.)
I like how they used gender neutral pronouns at the end of the episode, leaving it ambigious. Its interesting but a powerfull message to leave it open ended IMO like it doesnt really matter what their real sex was
It's really sad the Twins were abused mentally and physically they were taught to be killing machines being forced to kill other kids for amusement. And for the first time they connect it with an adult they sense right away that rock was different he was innocent and he showed them compassion. I believe that if somehow they managed to stay with the Lagoon company and they saw how Rock acted and interacted with people they would have slowly started to change in personality. Of course Revy wouldn't like it especially how close the sister got with rock I think she just viewed him as a positive role model that she can connect with.
Yea it was sad for the twins but I think this was probably the best outcome. Who knows, if they might have changed since they have been living with killing for the majority of their life. I think the ending was different but welcomed but that's just my opinion.
Intense episode huh? This was by far the darkest Lagoon arc and maybe even one of the darkest anime stories in general. Gretel's death is often considered one of the most shocking moments in anime. If you watch the credits for this episode, instead of seeing Revy walking into the ocean at night, you see Hansel and Gretel holding hands in the sea during the day, which I guess maybe implies that they've gone to heaven (despite everything). So so sad. Anyway, it's all uphill from here. The next arc is the funniest in the series IMO. Good reactions as always man!
I think this is the darkest an anime has ever gone, regarding this type of situation. In a way, I'm glad it was covered. I honestly felt a little queasy after watching this episode I never really thought about this in my daily life but just watching this episode made me think of all the kids who have to go through this situation. We need to do better as a society. Gretel's death just happened so fast. I thought she was going to live but BAM, she ended up dead. Yea, I saw the credit(i edited it out). It caught my curiosity when I saw the different feet. Glad to know the next episodes are uphill and the next arc is the funniest!
@@iamdoublerr our use of "human trafficking" doesn't even begin to express what actually is really going on... but, it's so easy to ignore it... "ignorance is bliss" once you learn what was really going on with them... it's really hard to see them as murderous monsters... this was all they were taught and knew, and it was the only thing that enabled them to "survive" (if you even call it surviving) the girl's death was really horrible, as you got just a glimpse of her as a normal sweet girl thanks to rock, really really sad... such a heart warming moment (yes, she offering her body was cringe, but to what she knew, it was truly an act of "thank you" by her to rock, sad, but that's what it was to her, as that's what she had ever known/taught)... and then... BANG.... dead... at least she got to "lay forever, seeing the beautiful sky that she always loved so much"....
@@iamdoublerr The manga`s version is even darker. Although paradoxically, Balalaika is more sympathetic to the twins in The Manga albeit still vengeful for Sakharov and Menshov`s deaths.Chang,however, is cold as a stone in both versions.That good ol` Hong Kong cop training is quite somethin`,ain`t it?
Just discovering this anime and as a historian I love how this series explores dark exampels and concepts in history. Especially Bellalaika the soviet union empowered women in many positions including ESPECIALLY scientists and also military so I love the strong women in this series and that connection to post-soviet collapse
Yea, this is the first anime that really went into this topic. It’s pretty dark. It makes me like it even more that. This arc grossed me out and just left me speechless.
Yea, Black Lagoon is definitely underrated as a show. I've always wanted to watch it but put it off. Making this channel gave me a good excuse to watch it. I'm glad I did. I'm a guy who likes dub. I watch both honestly. Some animes sound better in dub and vice versa. I grew up watching dubs I hate when people trash it to be honest. One of the reasons I watched it dub was because of Brad Swaile, he voiced Light Yagami in Death Note and I love him in it. Also, it's highly recommended in dub as well. Plus the dialogue is to GOLD. I just love how explicit it is. It reminds me of "the boys". I agree the English actors deserve a 10/10. I've been really enjoying the show!
@@iamdoublerr usually, any time there's especially profanity/vulgarity, primary language dub is better (well, at least with english dub, lol), laughs there are some really good dubs, but (generally) they're some of the older anime now, sighs: Gundam Wing Blood+ Hellsing Ultimate Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Berserk Gantz Black Lagoon Claymore (both sub and dub are good, hard to decide which is better, personal preference and/or it differs with each character/VA too) The Big O Soul Eater Spice and Wolf Samurai Champloo Shimoneta Highschool of the Dead and a lot more...
Black Lagoon wasn't under-rated... well, maybe now it is, as it's being forgotten and not known by younger generations, but when it was still pretty "fresh/new" back then, everyone loved it, extremely popular anime, definitely not under-rated at all back then, anyways
I wouldn't say underrated. If you ask anyone who watched the show, they'd most likely say they liked if not loved it. It's more an issue of the show not being as popular as it deserves. At least not anymore. But that's fine to me, I like me some underground works, rather than it going mainstream and being ruined by the typical mainstream fandoms. Besides I liked the idea that when you want good shiet, you gotta search for it.
@@Niitroxyde Was it popular when it aired? I think it should have more popularity equivalent to Death Note. The underground animes do tend to be fire. There's always that one. Vivy Fluorite Eye's Song was one.
Man it has been ages since I watched this masterpiece. Has been so long it almost feels like it was in another life. I remember some things here and there, but one thing that definitely stuck in my mind like a splinter was this episode.
This 3 episode arc is some of the darkest things I've ever seen in an anime. It's the first anime that talks about this issue but takes it up a notch visually. It disgusted me a few times watching it. It also made me feel queasy after watching the peisode. If it can make me feel like that. I think the anime did a good job. A really dark arc but enjoyable at the same time.
You should continue. This arc was dark but the other arc are pretty light hearted to normal. This arc really messed with me as well. Depicting children like that would make anybody feel uncomfortable. I should look up the Liebert twins I never heard about them.
Just want to share some things I just know In the manga twin was confirmed to be both girl by the writer I just feel like I need to share it with someone (that’s why 15:53 rock call *her* she) oh wait someone already said that sorry I lonely I need to talk about it to someone 🥲 sorry still i feel messed up
It's cool. I love it when people comment, espcially about stuff I don't know about. It's been a while since I see the anime but it's nice to have a reminder of these things.
What separates the twins from the other antagonists of "Black Lagoon" is they`re never really vulgar in their speech aside from the casual references to sex,incest,necrophilia,sleeping around blood and shit and cannibalism which all make sense in light of their backstory,contrary to Rebecca/Revy`s claims did not appear to be motivated by revenge,greed or hatred(Indeed, their enemies were motivated by these things and they were happily willing to exploit them if need be, they were ,after all,raised by snuff filmmakers and mafiosi who took out their frustrations and twisted desires on them after the Ceausescu government, the last communist government in Eastern Europe fell and abortion was banned many Romanian children were confined to orphanages that were in reality poorly-managed,unventilated work camps where they were tied to beds, forced to beat eachother for complaining and naturally their cognitive capacities suffered from neglect, to the point most of the children could not raise their spoons to their mouths unassisted,the two also appear to be albinos and albinos are discriminated against in much of Eastern Europe,Africa and Asia so it`s likely their vampiric traits were developed out of necessity to cope with said discrimination because as Romanians and albinos, they were treated as vampires regardless of what they did so they embraced the aesthetic in full just to survive the abuse and neglect they endured.They were surrounded by nothing but crime,blood,corruption,death and perverts for most of their lives so they deluded themselves into believing that`s just how the world is when in reality as Rock said those things are just small parts of life often overemphasized by the media for ratings and moral posturing.)Unlike most of the other assassins in the series(Save Ginji and Roberta pre-"Roberta`s Blood Trail"), they were nearly always polite,addressing elders as "Mister" and "Miss" although occasionally they`d address women they did not respect as much like Revy and Balalaika as "lady",as sadistic as they were they clearly weren`t entirely without empathy as demonstrated when Gretel- Hänsel said she felt sorry for the Japanese schoolboy they killed because he,like them,was an orphan and Hänsel-Gretel reassured her with a smile that it wasn`t "their fault" because "kill or be kill is what this world is all about" and she smiled back and agreed.)Also, their delusion of immortality through mass murder was likely instilled in them by their abusers to make them more pliant.(Remember, they were about 13 and most likely groomed from about the age of 9-10 to be so desensitized to pain and death at such a young age). The few times we see their sadistic smiles crack, we see hints of the traumatized children they are deep down for instance when Moretti scolds them and Gretel remarks with a smile she doesn`t like "being hit and scolded" and Hänsel looks dejected and forlorn ,this shows that whilst the children have developed a degree of sadomasochism from all the abuse, the sad,rebellious children they initially were still exist deep down.This is further emphasized when Gretel`s face grows dark and her usual cheerful,lively voice becomes a sad monotone.Even the way they refer to each other demonstrates they view each other not as distinct individuals but relatives and possessions because that is how they have always been treated.Also note how their expression was with their Italian employers,like kittens nuzzling up against their human masters in submission and offering a dead fish or bird as if to say "Look what we got you.Please love us,master.". As Balalaika put it in the Manga,"Marionettes for perverts and pigs" . "Fratele meu"("My brother") and Sora mea("My sister.")Also, their names come from a German fairy tale about children cannibalized by a witch living in a gingerbread house so in their final moments, they must have thought of Balalaika as a witch yet as much as they liked to kill deep down they wanted to be killed by a worthy opponent as well so they could enjoy what was left of the innocence stolen from them in Heaven.Also, the twins are often described as psychopaths, however considering they were innocent children twisted into bloodthirsty monsters who cheerfully committed horrific acts of carnage with the beatific smiles and beautiful singing voices of choir children at Sunday school the more accurate description would be tragic high-functioning sociopaths.
I never thought about it this deep before. I know I was told the creator of the show did a lot research on when creating the story. Also, you look like you know your stuff as well. Especially, with the history. I always found that interesting.
as far as I can tell... the boy was the boy and the girl was the girl (though they can/do switch clothes, but I don't think that was occurring for this moment/period/event of time), but they both can act and talk like the other, as was seen by both of them only Rock would know though... am I hugging a girl or a boy, when they "she/he" was sitting on my lap, did it feel like a girl's body or a boy's body, and when "he/she" undressed offering themselves as a reward for Rock's kindness, was it a boy or a girl, laughs, but we as viewers will never know for sure, lol (it's also possible, that they actually both boys or both girls too, not sure if its confirmed/stated ever in that they're brother/boy and sister/girl, or not)
PS maybe the boy could act "all girly", but for me, all that stuff she was doing and talking about and etc... that was a girl... as males just aren't like that... lol also, with Balalaika, that was a boy, especially I think by his dying breaths/breathing, that was a male/boy, and not a girl/female, males and females just breath differently, having different lung/diaphram/body/etc sizes and voices too (nothing more raw/primal/direct than one's dying breaths/gasps for air, you're hearing their natural breaths and voices, their sex, male or female)
In The Manga,it`s confirmed they`re both girls in an omake(Hiroe actually had two German teen models fit for the twins,they`ve grown up since then). The anime and OVAs leave it ambiguous which I`d argue adds to their eeriness and tragedy.
I noticed they used gender neutral pronouns calling them "they" from the crew at the end which is super interesting and honestly very progressive for 2006
The children of Ceaucesk are a real example
of one of the most unfortunate social phenomena in dictatorship Romania.
To be honest, I was ignorant of these historical events before this anime.
This sad and disgusting story has bothered me for a long time,
but I want to applaud you for making such a bold attempt through animation.
I heard there is a lot of history regarding the kids and the life of Romania, but I still haven't gotten to it yet. I really need to watch that video from Professor Viral regarding Hansel and Gretal.
In the Manga, it`s implied and later confirmed in an omake the twins are both female .In the anime and OVAs however, it`s left ambiguous which I`d argue adds to their eerie and tragic nature as the trauma from their abuse has left them so mutilated and dissociated that they`re not really sure which of them was actually born which sex or if they`re both actually the same sex anymore.
Oh, there both female! I thought it was a male and female dynamic. I think it explains a lot regarding the wig.
It’s really messed up what they had to deal with.
@@iamdoublerr Ya,in the Manga their hair was pulled on in the orphanages(Where they were chained to eachother and forced to beat the other children to death with baseball bats and fuck eachother to entertain their perverted captors) until it stopped growing past boy`s length and their abusers kept their old hair as a wig which the twins stole when they killed the orphanage heads in self-defense(Amongst the few victims aside from Verrochio and his men we can say with confidence deserved the twins` brutality.)
the omake only stated that in the actor au the twins are both played as girls, not meaning two of them are the same gender in show
I like how they used gender neutral pronouns at the end of the episode, leaving it ambigious. Its interesting but a powerfull message to leave it open ended IMO like it doesnt really matter what their real sex was
It's really sad the Twins were abused mentally and physically they were taught to be killing machines being forced to kill other kids for amusement.
And for the first time they connect it with an adult they sense right away that rock was different he was innocent and he showed them compassion.
I believe that if somehow they managed to stay with the Lagoon company and they saw how Rock acted and interacted with people they would have slowly started to change in personality.
Of course Revy wouldn't like it especially how close the sister got with rock I think she just viewed him as a positive role model that she can connect with.
Yea it was sad for the twins but I think this was probably the best outcome. Who knows, if they might have changed since they have been living with killing for the majority of their life.
I think the ending was different but welcomed but that's just my opinion.
Intense episode huh? This was by far the darkest Lagoon arc and maybe even one of the darkest anime stories in general. Gretel's death is often considered one of the most shocking moments in anime. If you watch the credits for this episode, instead of seeing Revy walking into the ocean at night, you see Hansel and Gretel holding hands in the sea during the day, which I guess maybe implies that they've gone to heaven (despite everything). So so sad. Anyway, it's all uphill from here. The next arc is the funniest in the series IMO. Good reactions as always man!
I think this is the darkest an anime has ever gone, regarding this type of situation. In a way, I'm glad it was covered. I honestly felt a little queasy after watching this episode
I never really thought about this in my daily life but just watching this episode made me think of all the kids who have to go through this situation. We need to do better as a society.
Gretel's death just happened so fast. I thought she was going to live but BAM, she ended up dead.
Yea, I saw the credit(i edited it out). It caught my curiosity when I saw the different feet.
Glad to know the next episodes are uphill and the next arc is the funniest!
@@iamdoublerr our use of "human trafficking" doesn't even begin to express what actually is really going on... but, it's so easy to ignore it... "ignorance is bliss"
once you learn what was really going on with them... it's really hard to see them as murderous monsters... this was all they were taught and knew, and it was the only thing that enabled them to "survive" (if you even call it surviving)
the girl's death was really horrible, as you got just a glimpse of her as a normal sweet girl thanks to rock, really really sad... such a heart warming moment (yes, she offering her body was cringe, but to what she knew, it was truly an act of "thank you" by her to rock, sad, but that's what it was to her, as that's what she had ever known/taught)... and then... BANG.... dead... at least she got to "lay forever, seeing the beautiful sky that she always loved so much"....
@@iamdoublerr The manga`s version is even darker. Although paradoxically, Balalaika is more sympathetic to the twins in The Manga albeit still vengeful for Sakharov and Menshov`s deaths.Chang,however, is cold as a stone in both versions.That good ol` Hong Kong cop training is quite somethin`,ain`t it?
Just discovering this anime and as a historian I love how this series explores dark exampels and concepts in history. Especially Bellalaika the soviet union empowered women in many positions including ESPECIALLY scientists and also military so I love the strong women in this series and that connection to post-soviet collapse
It really is a very special anime I've never seen an anime deal with a topic in such a dark and emotional way at the same time.
Yea, this is the first anime that really went into this topic.
It’s pretty dark. It makes me like it even more that.
This arc grossed me out and just left me speechless.
I keep saying this Black Lagoon is highly underrated anime English voice actor 10/10.
Yea, Black Lagoon is definitely underrated as a show. I've always wanted to watch it but put it off. Making this channel gave me a good excuse to watch it. I'm glad I did.
I'm a guy who likes dub. I watch both honestly. Some animes sound better in dub and vice versa. I grew up watching dubs I hate when people trash it to be honest.
One of the reasons I watched it dub was because of Brad Swaile, he voiced Light Yagami in Death Note and I love him in it. Also, it's highly recommended in dub as well.
Plus the dialogue is to GOLD. I just love how explicit it is. It reminds me of "the boys".
I agree the English actors deserve a 10/10. I've been really enjoying the show!
@@iamdoublerr usually, any time there's especially profanity/vulgarity, primary language dub is better (well, at least with english dub, lol), laughs
there are some really good dubs, but (generally) they're some of the older anime now, sighs:
Gundam Wing
Blood+
Hellsing Ultimate
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Berserk
Gantz
Black Lagoon
Claymore (both sub and dub are good, hard to decide which is better, personal preference and/or it differs with each character/VA too)
The Big O
Soul Eater
Spice and Wolf
Samurai Champloo
Shimoneta
Highschool of the Dead
and a lot more...
Black Lagoon wasn't under-rated... well, maybe now it is, as it's being forgotten and not known by younger generations, but when it was still pretty "fresh/new" back then, everyone loved it, extremely popular anime, definitely not under-rated at all back then, anyways
I wouldn't say underrated. If you ask anyone who watched the show, they'd most likely say they liked if not loved it.
It's more an issue of the show not being as popular as it deserves. At least not anymore. But that's fine to me, I like me some underground works, rather than it going mainstream and being ruined by the typical mainstream fandoms.
Besides I liked the idea that when you want good shiet, you gotta search for it.
@@Niitroxyde Was it popular when it aired? I think it should have more popularity equivalent to Death Note.
The underground animes do tend to be fire. There's always that one. Vivy Fluorite Eye's Song was one.
Man it has been ages since I watched this masterpiece. Has been so long it almost feels like it was in another life. I remember some things here and there, but one thing that definitely stuck in my mind like a splinter was this episode.
This 3 episode arc is some of the darkest things I've ever seen in an anime.
It's the first anime that talks about this issue but takes it up a notch visually. It disgusted me a few times watching it. It also made me feel queasy after watching the peisode.
If it can make me feel like that. I think the anime did a good job. A really dark arc but enjoyable at the same time.
oh man, i have yet to continue this Anime after this episode. this arc broke me.
its like the Liebert Twins but both got screwed so bad in the head.
You should continue. This arc was dark but the other arc are pretty light hearted to normal.
This arc really messed with me as well. Depicting children like that would make anybody feel uncomfortable.
I should look up the Liebert twins I never heard about them.
Just want to share some things I just know
In the manga twin was confirmed to be both girl by the writer
I just feel like I need to share it with someone (that’s why 15:53 rock call *her* she) oh wait someone already said that sorry I lonely I need to talk about it to someone 🥲 sorry still i feel messed up
It's cool. I love it when people comment, espcially about stuff I don't know about. It's been a while since I see the anime but it's nice to have a reminder of these things.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks man, I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed the reaction!
What separates the twins from the other antagonists of "Black Lagoon" is they`re never really vulgar in their speech aside from the casual references to sex,incest,necrophilia,sleeping around blood and shit and cannibalism which all make sense in light of their backstory,contrary to Rebecca/Revy`s claims did not appear to be motivated by revenge,greed or hatred(Indeed, their enemies were motivated by these things and they were happily willing to exploit them if need be, they were ,after all,raised by snuff filmmakers and mafiosi who took out their frustrations and twisted desires on them after the Ceausescu government, the last communist government in Eastern Europe fell and abortion was banned many Romanian children were confined to orphanages that were in reality poorly-managed,unventilated work camps where they were tied to beds, forced to beat eachother for complaining and naturally their cognitive capacities suffered from neglect, to the point most of the children could not raise their spoons to their mouths unassisted,the two also appear to be albinos and albinos are discriminated against in much of Eastern Europe,Africa and Asia so it`s likely their vampiric traits were developed out of necessity to cope with said discrimination because as Romanians and albinos, they were treated as vampires regardless of what they did so they embraced the aesthetic in full just to survive the abuse and neglect they endured.They were surrounded by nothing but crime,blood,corruption,death and perverts for most of their lives so they deluded themselves into believing that`s just how the world is when in reality as Rock said those things are just small parts of life often overemphasized by the media for ratings and moral posturing.)Unlike most of the other assassins in the series(Save Ginji and Roberta pre-"Roberta`s Blood Trail"), they were nearly always polite,addressing elders as "Mister" and "Miss" although occasionally they`d address women they did not respect as much like Revy and Balalaika as "lady",as sadistic as they were they clearly weren`t entirely without empathy as demonstrated when Gretel- Hänsel said she felt sorry for the Japanese schoolboy they killed because he,like them,was an orphan and Hänsel-Gretel reassured her with a smile that it wasn`t "their fault" because "kill or be kill is what this world is all about" and she smiled back and agreed.)Also, their delusion of immortality through mass murder was likely instilled in them by their abusers to make them more pliant.(Remember, they were about 13 and most likely groomed from about the age of 9-10 to be so desensitized to pain and death at such a young age). The few times we see their sadistic smiles crack, we see hints of the traumatized children they are deep down for instance when Moretti scolds them and Gretel remarks with a smile she doesn`t like "being hit and scolded" and Hänsel looks dejected and forlorn ,this shows that whilst the children have developed a degree of sadomasochism from all the abuse, the sad,rebellious children they initially were still exist deep down.This is further emphasized when Gretel`s face grows dark and her usual cheerful,lively voice becomes a sad monotone.Even the way they refer to each other demonstrates they view each other not as distinct individuals but relatives and possessions because that is how they have always been treated.Also note how their expression was with their Italian employers,like kittens nuzzling up against their human masters in submission and offering a dead fish or bird as if to say "Look what we got you.Please love us,master.". As Balalaika put it in the Manga,"Marionettes for perverts and pigs" . "Fratele meu"("My brother") and Sora mea("My sister.")Also, their names come from a German fairy tale about children cannibalized by a witch living in a gingerbread house so in their final moments, they must have thought of Balalaika as a witch yet as much as they liked to kill deep down they wanted to be killed by a worthy opponent as well so they could enjoy what was left of the innocence stolen from them in Heaven.Also, the twins are often described as psychopaths, however considering they were innocent children twisted into bloodthirsty monsters who cheerfully committed horrific acts of carnage with the beatific smiles and beautiful singing voices of choir children at Sunday school the more accurate description would be tragic high-functioning sociopaths.
I never thought about it this deep before. I know I was told the creator of the show did a lot research on when creating the story.
Also, you look like you know your stuff as well. Especially, with the history. I always found that interesting.
@@iamdoublerr It`s especially weird to think that most of the VAs in this series would go on to "My Little Pony:Friendship is Magic" of all things.
10:50 not at all. It will always be "Just business" between those two. Never any hard feelings.
as far as I can tell... the boy was the boy and the girl was the girl (though they can/do switch clothes, but I don't think that was occurring for this moment/period/event of time), but they both can act and talk like the other, as was seen by both of them
only Rock would know though... am I hugging a girl or a boy, when they "she/he" was sitting on my lap, did it feel like a girl's body or a boy's body, and when "he/she" undressed offering themselves as a reward for Rock's kindness, was it a boy or a girl, laughs, but we as viewers will never know for sure, lol
(it's also possible, that they actually both boys or both girls too, not sure if its confirmed/stated ever in that they're brother/boy and sister/girl, or not)
PS
maybe the boy could act "all girly", but for me, all that stuff she was doing and talking about and etc... that was a girl... as males just aren't like that... lol
also, with Balalaika, that was a boy, especially I think by his dying breaths/breathing, that was a male/boy, and not a girl/female, males and females just breath differently, having different lung/diaphram/body/etc sizes and voices too (nothing more raw/primal/direct than one's dying breaths/gasps for air, you're hearing their natural breaths and voices, their sex, male or female)
Honestly the switch up, while I get it confused me a little when I watched it. Just weird in general.
In The Manga,it`s confirmed they`re both girls in an omake(Hiroe actually had two German teen models fit for the twins,they`ve grown up since then). The anime and OVAs leave it ambiguous which I`d argue adds to their eeriness and tragedy.
I noticed they used gender neutral pronouns calling them "they" from the crew at the end which is super interesting and honestly very progressive for 2006
ひざまずけ！！