Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Rokurou Okajima is arguably the main character in the Black Lagoon Anime series that first aired in 2006, and was adapted from the Manga of the same name. In this article, we will discuss the main character from the Anime. We will not discuss his character in the Manga and only cover the Rock Character Profile in the Anime that has been released (2 seasons + an OVA). Here is everything you need to know about Rock from Black Lagoon.
Table of contents
Overview of Rock (Rokuro Okajima)
So what else should I know about the Rock Character Profile? Well, in the Anime, Rock is an average office worker, who works for a company known as Asahi Industries in Tokyo. Later he is kidnapped by Pirates in the South China Sea while he is transporting sensitive material for the company.
In Black Lagoon, Rock is your average man. He’s calm, polite and kind. There’s not really a lot about him to go over. I think this is mainly the point of Rock and I’ll explain later. One day, his boss tasks him with transporting a sensitive disk which contains important information about the company.
While doing this, the boat he is travelling on is taken over by modern pirates. These pirates turn out to be members of the Lagoon Company, a gang of three who take Rock onboard their torpedo boat to try and ransom him. These pirates make a vital impact on Rock’s Character Profile.
Later on, Rock helps the group evade capture and Rock finds out that the company he was working for actually sent out hired mercenaries to destroy the boat and retrieve the disk they were carrying, regardless of Rock’s safety. After this encounter, he takes his chances with the pirates and joins them, becoming the 4th member of their group.
Appearance and Aura
Rock is just over average height, with smooth black hair which he mostly tries to comb over to the side. he wears his normal work uniform which consists of trousers, a shirt and a tie. This gives him a very smart and even professional look at times.
In Roanapur, he does not fit in, this isn’t just evident in the way he looks, but also in the way he carries and presents himself. Rock is of average build, not really very muscular and has brown eyes.
He’s moderately attractive and sometimes even gets hit on by other characters in the series like Eda. From what we saw from the Anime, Revy is also interested in Rock, so he must be doing something right about himself.
He’s polite, kind and reserved, as well as well-spoken and eloquent. He hardly ever swears or talks badly about anyone. And this means he has a generally nice feel about him.
I think this is the point of his character. He’s supposed to be relatable and likeable because he’s the main character these traits and appearance are warranted and fitting.
Personality
So what is Rock like? He’s nice, that, to say the least. He’s also pretty calm as well but not cool. He’s not someone who you would think would be into Roanapur, and this is amplified whenever they get into tricky situations or gun fights, as Rock doesn’t normally know what to do.
Speaking of this kind of situation, it’s great having Rock because he gives the audience someone to sympathise with and get on your side with because his thoughts are normally your thoughts.
The Rock Character Profile helps convey any questions we may have about current situations in Anime because he says what we are thinking.
Revy and Dutch aren’t like him, or us. When Rock objects to their immoral actions, it’s giving the audience a way to do that too, and Rock’s personality helps emulate the conventional feelings we get from some of the scenes.
That’s why Rocks personality is key, It cant be dull and normal, but it also can’t be unbearable for us the viewers. I really do like Rock as an MC, and this is why.
History in Black Lagoon
Rock starts off in Black Lagoon as an office worker when he is captured on the boat. This is where the first scene of him is. On that boat. Like we said before after he is captured, he becomes friends and a member of the Lagoon Company when he helps them evade capture by the mercenaries.
After this, Rock and the Lagoon Company will go on a number of missions/jobs of varying natures. Rock is used to help in all of these and effectively provides his skills and knowledge to assist them in every way he can.
Over time he grows to be respected and trusted by the Lagoon Company, in particular, Revy, who pretends to dislike him, even though it’s quietly made apparent that she likes him.
For example, there’s a scene where Eda and Revy are in Dutch’s car, with Rock as the driver. Eda tries to hit on Rock, saying he’s handsome whilst blowing softly into his ear, Revy gets annoyed and threatens her to basically back off.
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It can’t really be argued that Revy had Rock’s normal interest at heart and obviously wanted him for herself, with Eda taking note of this and saying she liked him.
In Roberta’s Blood Trail OVA, this fact is made even more clear when Revy emerges from the showers with just underwear on and a towel covering her breasts. Rock leaves to get water and after Revy wonders to herself what she is doing wrong.
This is where Rock and Revy’s strange relationship ends and it can be said that we don’t get to see much more until she actually assaults him because in the final episode of the Anime he says that he understands how she feels in life. This angers Revy and she high-kicks him to the floor.
The reason for this is mostly due to the fact that as a child, Revy was raped, something which Rock can not understand at all since not only has this not happened to him but he’s never been through all the others things she has. It’s a great way to illustrate the difference between the characters.
Rock’s Character Arc in Black Lagoon
Now, one of the main things I love about Rock in the Black Lagoon Anime from season 1 to the OVA is his character arc. It’s very visible and in my opinion very well done.
Let me explain how it starts, how it’s important to the Rock Character Profile and where it is currently (in the Anime) during the final episode of Roberta’s Blood Trail OVA.
Rock starts off as the relatable main character that we can get on board with because the unusual and chaotic scenes that follow are something most of the viewers will not be accustomed to.
So that makes Rock the perfect character to be the main character he can raise the concerns that we the viewers have when the other character steps out of line, or when something seems totally immoral or illogical.
In other words, Rock is the friendly barrier between our real and safe world and the corrupt and hellish landscape that is the City of Roanapur.
This first impression is how Rock starts out. However, little by little he is exposed to the worst kind of violence and corruption that the city has to offer. After a while, with help from Revy, these events start to take their toll on him.
In the episode Eagle Hunting and Hunting Eagles, Revy and Rock are tasked with recovering (or stealing if you like) an expensive painting from a downed submarine.
During this job, Revy and Rock have a conversation about the job and the task at hand, with Rock voicing his concerns. The conversation ends with Revy saying “and when that happens, I’m going to kill you”.
I’ve never been under a threat like that, but having that relayed to you by your own “partner” isn’t going to be very encouraging, and would be demoralising at the least.
Now, moving on, I would say the turning point of Rock’s character from the kind, innocent and genuine person to the cold, calculating and almost scary one in the final episode is in episode 3 (Swan Song at Dawn) in Black Lagoon, The Second Barrage.
The scene I’m referring to is when Rock witnesses the death of one of the Romanian twins. (Prior to this, he becomes fond of one of them, when they start sitting on his lap and talking to him.)
They are just shot in the head in front of him and it obviously it causes a huge shift in his mental state. Just as witnessing the death of anyone, particularly a child would.
If you ask me, this is directly where he starts to change, losing most of the traits that were visible in the first season, and by Roberta’s OVA, it’s obvious that he’s changed. You could certainly say he’s one of them now (the Lagoon Company).
During Roberta’s Blood Trail OVA, it’s Rock who plans out the finale between the Americans and Roberta and him alone. He stays up all night figuring out what to do, and how everyone can win (sort of). This shows his incredibly cunning side, whilst also showing us how clever and useful he can be to everyone.
As I remember it (it’s been years since I’ve watched Black Lagoon), even Dutch is surprised at how Rock has changed and I know that he or Revy says “after this is done, don’t ever come back”.
This illustrates that even Rock’s partners view his change and thus his character shift is cemented in the mind of the viewers.
Character significance in Black Lagoon
Rock is an incredibly important and liked character in the Black Lagoon Anime, without him we would have no way of connecting with the character as they would not be relatable.
Rock provides that bridge, leaving him out of the story would have been a huge mistake and I’m pleased that Rei Hiroe decided to include & create this character.
If Black Lagoon ever gets a season 4 Rock will certainly play an important part in it. I’m on volume 5 of the Manga and I honestly can’t wait to see where his story goes.
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