Character Profile: Rokuro Okajima

Rokuro Okajima's life was not exactly ideal. Having graduated from college (after passing the entrance exam the second time around), he became an average salaryman working for Asahi Heavy Industries, forced to kowtow to his superiors – meaning having to attend parties with them and covering-up for their messes - and generally being abused by his managers. He figured that getting an assignment in the South China Sea, his first solo assignment, would prove to be his breakout.

What REALLY happened was the ship he was riding in was hijacked by the Lagoon Company, and the disc he was carrying stolen. Then Revy had an idea (which Dutch didn't particularly like), which was to take Okajima hostage, in the hopes of gaining a ransom as a bonus to the $20,000 Balalaika was promising for the disc. Feeling his dreams and hopes fading away, Okajima resigned himself to even more misery.

Although he was at first abused by Revy (she emptied an entire clip in his direction in a heated argument with Dutch), the Lagoon Company's boss took a liking to the forlorn young man... even giving the nickname 'Rock', and invited him to join the others in a drink at the Yellow Flag Bar in Roanapur. Believing himself from suffering from 'Stockholm Syndrome', where hostages often find themselves identifying with their captors, Rock agreed.

It wasn't until later when mercenaries from Extra Order attacked the bar and the Lagoon Company escaped that Rock found out a horrible fact – the disc he was carrying contained plans for nuclear weapons that Asahi was delivering to a certain third-world nation. In order to protect their reputations, higher-ups in Asahi hired Extra Order to eliminate the Lagoon Company... with Rock along with them!

However, Rock was able to help his captors by formulating a rather risky strategy – taking advantage of a half-sunken navy vessel, the Black Lagoon used it as a ramp by running at full power, then when the boat was launched into the air, two of the Lagoon's torpedoes were launched at the E.O. helicopter gunship pursuing it, and bringing said gunship down. Afterward, the disc Rock was charged with was delivered to Balalaika, then returned to executives of Asahi almost immediately. But when Rock was asked to return with them, he refused. Now no longer a hostage, Rock stayed with his former captors as an employee.

Rock brings a lot of advantages to the Lagoon Company that they didn't have previously. First of all, his calm business sense makes him an ideal negotiator, which was better than their previous method – namely Revy's method of threatening the clients with death by gunshot! Also, many of Roanapur's residents – Balalaika, Rowan "Jackpot" Pigeon, Chief Watsup and Sister Yolanda – seen to think that Rock's innocence is a breath of fresh air from the corrupted surroundings of the island. And even Revy, although she will never admit it, is warming up to him, and will often feel jealous when Rock's attention is with another pretty face. Also, because of his college days and his tenure with Asahi, Rock had developed a tolerance for large quantities of alcohol, and can even be a match for Revy in a drinking match.

Interestingly, even though he's become a south seas pirate, Rock still insists on wearing his shirt and tie, especially when he's on the job. To him, just because he's relocated to a boat in the Pacific doesn't mean he's lost his businessman's propriety.