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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big O! Showtime!, September 16, 2003
This review is from: The Big O: Complete Collection (DVD)
When The Big O first premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami, I dismissed it as being "just another mecha show". It wasn't until it aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim that I actually sat down and watched the entire series, realizing how great the series truly is. At first glance, Big O seems like just another giant robot show. However, if you dismiss it, like I did, you will be missing out on one of the greatest animes I have seen in a long time. In fact, it is very different from many mecha series in that each episode plays out as a sort of mystery, making it popular to compare this series to the animated Batman series. The story of the series is very dark, telling of Paradigm City, a metropolis much like a run-down New York, where every inhabitant lost their memories 40 years prior to the events of the series. "Memories" have become precious commodities in the "city of amnesia". Fragments of these memories are the Megadeus's, giant robots that seem to have minds of their own. Roger Smith, the show's protagonist, pilots one such Megadeus, the powerful Big O. The story may be dark, but the characters are certainly colorful. Roger Smith is a negotiator (think private investigator) who pilots the Big O. R. Dorothy is a female android who becomes Roger's sidekick and maid. Beck is a small-time criminal who seeks vengeance for Roger humiliating him. Many more characters appear and play important roles in the series. The animation, voice acting, and musical score are supurb. The animation is very fluid, but the colors are often drab but help to convey the mood of the series. The voice actors all do an excellent job, and they may be familiar to the avid anime viewer. The music is epic and helps to draw you into the show. The opening theme is somewhat strange, but I grew to like it over time. All in all, Big O is one of my favorite series ever. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys giant robot anime or just anime in general.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Performing a Much-Needed Duty in the City of Amnesia, August 4, 2003
This review is from: The Big O: Complete Collection (DVD)
If you were at all familiar with Cartoon Network's Toonami block or its late night Adult Swim in the past few years, it's likely that you have at least heard of The Big O. This Japanese anime series flopped in Japan but was quite well recieved stateside. So after its first 13 episode edited run on Toonami a few years back, fans were left hungry for more, and the cliffhanger ending didn't help either. Enter Cartoon Network Japan. U.S. fan response was so great that the cable network entered into a co-production deal with Sunrise Inc and Bandai visual. So now Big O has returned for a second uncut run on Adult Swim, in addition, the new season is airing Sundays at 11 pm starting August 3rd. This DVD set is a compilatiion of all 13 first-season episodes, which was brought fourth due the show's new beginning. Big O tells the story of Roger Smith, also known as "The Negotiator." He lives in a large mansion accompanied by his butler Norman, who aids not only in housekeeping, but also in keeping Roger prepared for action. He resides in the mysterious Paradigm City, a city where all of its citizens lost their memories 40 years ago. In addition to being Paradigm's best negotiator, he is the owner of the Big O, a gigantic robot, which he uses the protect the city from various threats. However, through his adventures, Roger is digging ever deeper into Paradigm's dark history. The Big O is a stylish show which mixes noir style and mecha action, with a Batman-like hero all while presenting a mystery into human existance that resembles the Matrix in some ways. The Big O has a visual style that is more American in nature, but is well animated. The voice acting is excellent, coming from the people who dubbed Cowboy Bebop. The music is good, accompanying the noir slyle and action scenes well. The mech fight scenes are not particularly amazing, but they still manage to excite you and hold interest well. Big O is a modern work of art that will interest you to no end with an exciting story and style to match.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big O's Great: Don't rely on the official Amazon Review, November 7, 2003
This review is from: The Big O: Complete Collection (DVD)
Charles in the above review was completely wrong. Big O is much more deep than he make it out to be. At times it can be so complex that its confusing and begs to be watched again to understand it.(thats not a bad thing) As the members of the Adult Swim show blok on Cartoon Network will attest to on their message board. But Charles says "the stories lack plot depth and characterization" but then later says the plot is complex. He nneds to take a side and stick with it. The reason that most of the characters are not imediatly understandable is because You see more of them as the show goes on and additional information is revealed. In a city shrouded in mystery, it only makes sense for the characters to have the same qualitites and not just be readily apparent. It is a show that is worth watching and now that season 2 is out, more is explained and the show is pretty much resolved.
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