Product Details

• Actors: Mitsuru Miyamoto, Steve Blum, Akiko Yajima, Lia Sargent, Motomu Kiyokawa
• Directors: Kazuyoshi Katayama
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Digital Sound, NTSC
• Language: English, Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Bandai
• DVD Release Date: January 20, 2004
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000Z050A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,990 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Start for the Big O Season II, October 23, 2003

By 

Benjamin Waber (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Big O II, Vol. 1: Paradigm Lost (DVD)

Big O season II picks up exactly where the first season left off. The style of the show, however, has noticably changed. Gone are the one episode stories that focused on aspects of the main characters, and a direct storyline is followed for the entire second season. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, however the inherent reliance on the first season episodes will make it hard for someone not acquainted with the Big O to follow (if you are interested in the plot of the first season, please consult the various Amazon.com pages for a summary).

The actual depth of storyline has also decreased with the second season. Granted, the first season of the Big O contains some extremely thought provoking episodes, but the second season just cannot compare. All that said, it is great that we were all given some closure (for those of you who don't know, the first season ended in a cliffhanger a few years ago) on the situation in Paradigm City, with all the original Japanese voice talent intact. Those of you who have never seen the Big O before are still in for a treat, and hardened Big O veterans will get enjoyment from seeing their favorite Negotiator back in action.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Back in business, back in action, and BACK IN BLACK..., September 2, 2004

By 

Strategos "The Guardian of Time" (In Space above Planet Earth) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Big O II, Vol. 1: Paradigm Lost (DVD)

Fans of the modern anime masterpiece The Big O can finally stop holding their breaths, as the long-awaited sequel to everyone's favorite new giant robot series arrives...

When the last series left off, our hero Rodger was wounded, in the pilot seat, outgunned, and outnumbered. Things were just about to start to get interesting... Amazingly, unlike the first Big O where mystery followed mystery and plot points and characters were developed slowly, this series gives you a one-two punch from the get-go and never slows down.

The change of pace will delight some, confuse others, and perhaps irritate those unwilling to adapt, but at no time does it fail to entertain. In the past Rodger Smith was always a cool, calm, collected individual that was always in command of the situation. The first episode shows us right into the heart of what makes up his world and how he relates to it, giving more character devlopment and introspection in that one episode than perhaps the entire first series did. And from there things just get crazier.

Watching the first few dvds, it almost seems like the creators of this show decided "To heck with style, let's just tell people what's going on already!" Characters who before just talked in riddles (remember Dorothy and Rodger and Angel and Rodger's conversations from Big O?) now S-P-E-L-L things out for you. In a way, the new directness of the show is very appealing, as the relationships of the characters evolve and they open-up to each other and become more honest and straight-forward.

And while the old style isn't quite there in terms of animation and music (the dark noir-style is replaced by a more pastel-looking universe and more uptempo versions of the old themes are present from time to time), there are moments of sheer brilliance to be found. Some people found the music of the first Big O overly repetitive, and I agree (although the score was most excellent). The new Big O has some music that's so dramatic and so moving, that it made me IMMEDIATELY purchase the soundtrack (a new version of the main theme which can only be called a "love theme" really takes the cake). The action sequences are also flashier, prettier, and in general, a bit cooler than before.

If you wanted your questions answered (How do Dorothy and Rodger really feel about each other? What is Rosewater after? Who is Angel REALLY working for? What's OUTSIDE of Paradigm city?) then this series will probably be most satisfying to you. The plot really thickens this time around, with things getting more and more dramatic as the show progreses (to say nothing of more profound {get a load of all the religous references, and the questions on the nature of what makes a person human, what a person's place is in the universe, and can a person change their destiny}). Big O II really is what a sequel should be. It's not just more of the same, but an entirely new perspective on a universe and characters that we have grown to love. HIGHLY recommended.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic new start, January 29, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Big O II, Vol. 1: Paradigm Lost (DVD)

Along with Gundam Wing and Dragonball Z, The Big O helped pave the way for the current anime explosion in the US. It combined Western noir-ish design (owing more than a little to the Batman animated series) and giant robots (courtesy of Giant Robo alumnus Keiichi Sato) into something very unique. The only problem with the show was that it ended after 13 episodes without any resolution.

This travesty has finally been rectified. A cooperative effort between Cartoon Network, Sunrise, and Bandai has brought us the second season of the Big O. All of the good things about the first season are back, along with a few extras. The plot really picks up in the second season, as Roger and company get closer to the truth of what really happened 40 years ago. The stand alone episodes of the first season are gone; almost every episode from season two ends with "To be continued." Also, the animation is much improved. There is a great deal of computer animation in the second season which seamlessly integrates with the traditional cell animation (which itself seems to have a wonderful digital sheen).

For returning fans: If you enjoyed the first season of the Big O, you will adore the second season. It's everything you could possibly want and more.

For other interested parties: If you liked the Batman animated series (the older episodes, not the new ones with the Justice League or Superman), or you though Cowboy Bebop would have been a lot better with some giant robots, then I can't recommend this show enough. Heck, even if you don't like those things I recommend the Big O. I suggest checking out Volume 1 of the Big O. There's a lot to digest here and you don't want to start in the middle.