History Characters / BlackLagoonHotelMoscow

* BaitTheDog: She ''is'' a mob boss, but throughout most of the first two seasons she's so [[MagnificentBastard stylish]] and badass that it's [[EvilIsCool hard not]] [[EvilIsSexy to like her.]] Then the Yakuza Arc comes, [[spoiler: and she ruthlessly destroys not only the entire Washimine clan but the relatively fresh-faced young woman, Yukio Washimine, who found herself their unwilling heir, just because [[ForTheEvulz they were weak and she could]], before sending Rock [[KickTheDog a picture of Yukio's face with a giant red X over it]]]], and we realize that no, Balalaika is ''not'' a good person or a hero, not by any stretch of the imagination.

* GutturalGrowler: In the English dub, the already-intimidating Boris has a voice that sounds like he drinks gravel smoothies for breakfast.

->Voiced by: Creator/TaitenKusunoki (JP), Mark Acheson (EN)

->Voiced by: Creator/KentaMiyake (JP), Richard Newman (EN)

* {{Bishounen}}: According [[http://manga.animea.net/black-lagoon-chapter-55-page-24.html to one of the omakes]], he used to be a scrawny and incredibly androgynous-looking boy in his teenage years (the ShoutOut to ''Manga/TheRoseOfVersailles'' is very obvious), so to fix this, he joined the Army and [[TookALevelInBadass took 20 levels in badass]]. Even more hilarious is that everyone, even Balalaika, told him he was an idiot for doing such a thing.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Sometimes, she’ll give karma to someone who deserves it.
** When Mr. Chen sends the Lagoon company on a wild goose chase that’ll end with them dead [[BigBadWannabe (or so he believes)]], she catches him running away and has him killed.
** When another Russian leader insults her, she wastes no time slamming him on the table. Said leader did not earn his spot through his own skill.
** Arguably, her murder of Hansel [[spoiler: or Gretel, depending on interpretation]] counts as this. Yes, he’s a TragicVillain, but he killed ([[SpeakIllOfTheDead and insulted]]) two of her men, and would’ve continued to murder people had he not been stopped.

** When Mr. Chin sends the Lagoon company to get killed, she catches him running away and has him killed.

** Arguably, her murder of Hansel [[spoiler: or Gretel, depending on interpretation]] counts as this. Yes, he’s a TragicVillain, but he killed (and insulted) two of her men and would’ve continued to murder people had he not been stopped.

** Arguably, her murder of Hansel [[spoiler: or Gretel]] counts as this. Yes, he’s a TragicVillain, but he killed two of her men and would’ve continued had he not been stopped.

%%* DeadpanSnarker:

** [[spoiler:[[IndenturedServitude Her sentence]] to La Majeur might seem exceptionally cruel from an outsider's perspective, especially in that while she is forced to work with Hotel Moscow, she is to receive ''no'' benefits from Hotel Moscow and has to find her own way to live, is surprisingly merciful compared to her [[KillEmAll usual policy]] towards people who cross her. Despite her justified anger towards Le Cinq Doigts, it's implied that she ''does'' [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal sympathize with her motivations to turncoat]] and respects her willingness to survive, even at the cost of her own freedom, enough to stay her hand.]]

* TheDreaded: Balalaika is rightfully one of the most feared crime bosses in the series. Her actions with Chin and the Washimine family prove this.

* ShesGotLegs: Wears black tights with her business suit, and there's several shots that emphasize them.

* BenevolentBoss: Fiercely protective of her underlings that prove their worth, so much so that one of the few things that [[BerserkButton truly sets her off]] is killing one of her loyal EliteMooks.

* AMotherToHerMen: Balalaika's concern for her subordinates are her a large source of her PetTheDog moments. If you attack ''any'' of her men, [[MamaBear you will DIE]]. Note this extends to her part-time employees as well, most notably the Lagoon Company. She might be utterly ruthless, but her recurring trait is her unswerving loyalty to her comrades, regardless of duration.

* ProperTightsWithASkirt: "Professional" would be a better word but she wears black tights under her long business skirt.

* WellDoneDaughterGirl: As a young girl she takes on the challenge of becoming an Olympic shooter as her success would restore her father's honor, though it's not said what he did wrong (given the Communist-era setting, it's possible he was disgraced for political unreliability).

* TheCaptain: "Kapitan."

* DullEyesOfUnhappiness: Given what she saw in Afghanistan, it's not a shock she has this.

** Her confrontation with Hansel she proves that she is both more ruthless and more cruel.

* {{Touche}}: She admitted that Yukio's van trick was an "effective counter-measure" which means Yukio had to be crushed absolutely.

* PowerHair: Inverted. She is powerful, feared and a strategist but she has RapunzelHair instead of short hair.

* RapunzelHair: She has hip-length hair.

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/balalaika_black_lagoon.jpg]]

* CoatCape: She wears her Soviet military coat like this.

* BeautyMark: To side of her left eye.

* {{Asexuality}}: Even though she can get flirtatious with guys like Rock or Mr. Chang, she finds sex boring and uninteresting, and has no real sex life to speak of. There's also her completely bored-to-death look when she edits porn videos (although anyone who edits videos for a living can tell you that after the first 30 minutes even porn gets boring when you're editing them).
** She does seem turned on by Rock's capacity for manipulation during the Yakuza arc, as well as Revy mentioning she'd give up sex for more war, implying she does have some interest in sex, just not as much as she craves violence and domination. Not to mention she remarks her bell hop in the Tokyo hotel is "adorable."

* SacrificialLamb: His introduction to the show is brutally cut short to show that Hansel and Gretel are DeadSerious.
* StuffedInTheFridge: His death was what [[spoiler:triggers Hotel Moscow's revenge on Hansel and Gretel]].

%%* RedOniBlueOni: Red to Mr. Chang's Blue.

* BenevolentBoss: Fiercely protective of her underlings that prove their worth, so much so that one of the few things that [[BerserkButton truly sets her off]] is killing one of her loyal {{Mooks}}.