Was looking forward to “Gangsta.”, the anime based on the “ギャングスタ” manga by Koshke, it has been a while since I got to watch a solid crime anime, one that is not only action packed with bullets flying and blood splattering, but also dark and gritty, showing the lesser side of humanity.
Taking place in a crime infested town where corruption, drugs, prostitution and mob violence are the usual daily life for its wretched citizens, the anime focuses on freelance enforcers Worick and Nicolas, whose impressive abilities seem surpassed only by their taste for violence.
The first episode of “Gangsta.” immediately drew me in and delivered what I expected of it. Besides the abundance of action, the show has a dark and brooding atmosphere, the various characters are all clearly damaged or even deranged to some extent. The main characters however do seem to have more depth to them, making me curious to discover their backgrounds and to see how they will evolve.
Am hoping that “Gangsta.” will excel at moral ambiguity like “Black Lagoon”, which painted an enthralling, blood soaked picture of people in the criminal underground, and the bond between its main characters Rock and Revy was complex, realistic and engaging. Hope we will see some of the same in “Gangsta.” with Nicolas, Worick and Alex.
For those of you who like crime anime filled with violence, blood and misery like “Black Lagoon” and “Jormungand” which show humans at their worst, you will undauntedly like “Gangsta.”
