Customer Reviews

The Big O, Vol. 3

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Big O" volume 3 contains acts 8-10 of this (far too short) 13-episode series. In my opinion, these three episodes are some of the best in the series, including "Missing Cat" which gives some of the best insight into the Roger-Dorothy relationship. It's annoying that Bandai couldn't put more than 3 episodes on this disc considering that there's not much in the way of extras, but the series is worth it anyway.

The overall plot concerns Roger Smith, a freelance negotiator who settles disputes for a fee. His ace in the hole is Big O, a giant "megadeus" robot he pilots when his wits alone aren't enough. The setting is Paradigm City, the last civilized place left in the world after a planetwide catastrophe 40 years in the past that left the earth in ruin and caused all the citizens of Paradigm to lose their memory. Since no one really knows what happened, the city lacks any history, and people get by merely by trying not to think about it. It's a fascinating plot device that Roger ponders many times throughout the series.

If you haven't picked up the first two volumes of this series, I definitely recommend giving them a try.

The third dvd in the Big O's first season is quite possibly the best of the four, and it's easy to see why. While the first two discs have us action, style, and mystery, the character development didn't really kick in fully. Now we finally get some REAL insight into the characters of Roger and Dorothy... and a certain Military Policeman who's caught in the stuggle to keep order in a city constantly under attack.

The first episode starts with Dorothy finding a stray cat (a rare and valuable creature in Paradigm City), and it seemingly unlocks memories from inside of her. She starts showing affectionate behavior toward the cat, and starts whistling a tune and speculating about what her life means. The great thing is that both her and Roger start thinking about whether the memories that seem to be surfacing are hers... or come from the dead girl she was modeled after. All that is just preparation for another mystery to be solved and another maniac to stop however, as it is revealed that the cat was created by a gene-manipulating madman psychopath (who proceeds to kidnap Dorothy). A great episode overall, if only because of the increased character development, interaction (chemistry) between Roger and Dorothy, and some exquisite dialog.

The second episode is all about everyone's favorite greedy kidnapper, Beck. This time he's after the millions of a rich old man who loves his son dearly (and has a few secrets to hide). The cat and mouse game between Beck and Roger is great stuff, but the story really moves up a notch when we discover the reason why the rich old man wanted to keep everything so hush-hush. There's also a great scene where Beck tries to use Dorothy to kill Roger, and it both had my eyes watering up and my brain trying frantically to figure out what just happened (did Dorothy say that she loved Roger because she was under mind control, or because she was trying to escape it?). There's great action in this one (I love Dorothy and Roger jumping out the window into the moving car together), great storyline (would you fall in love with someone if you just happened to be in the same room with them when you lost your memory?), and some truly inspired dialog (Dorothy's questions to Roger are fantastic).

The third episode though, really takes the cake. When good old Dastun finds his reoccuring dream of a foreign film scene in black and white linked to a series of mysterious bombings, it's film noir at its absolute best. Dastun starts questioning his own sanity, and as the series keeps jumping into and out of his dreams, we start to wonder just what is real and what is imagined. What makes this episode a true work of art (aside from perfect direction, artwork, character usage, music and dialog) is the way that reality starts to mimic reality. The progression of events keeps you guessing as to WHY everything is happening the way it is, right until the final shot which reveals everything to the viewer and answers the question. BRILLIANT.

If you're a fan of The Big O, there is absolutely no excuse not to buy this volume. Arguably, if you only buy one volume it should be this one. Great interaction between Dorothy and Roger, great plot, great music, and superb direction and dialog to develop characters and tell tight stories that stand on their own. This show is anime/sci-fi/noir nostalgia at its best. Look forward to the final volume in the first series.

This volume is one that I like the most and if the cover art, which is personal think it best out of the series, this volume is full with action. This one has some of the best writting and give you a little insight in one of the characters, but I won't tell you because that is a major spolier.

It goes without saying that pretty much everyone who sees the Big O series adores it...so on to the content!

This DVD had some of my favorites on it. "Winter Night Phantom" is on the same par of excellence as the Cowboy Bebop episode "Ballad of Fallen Angels". Characters that would be clumsy and tripping in other anime resonate with a fierceness that reaches out and gives you chills as you stare it straight in the eye.

Dorothy reminds me of a snarky version of Data. Her other side is express more vibrantly, more beautifully, in "Missing Cat". Dorothy reminds me very much of the Asimov stories indeed. The same human without being human is there. The point is not unobserved that, in many ways, she is in fact more human than Roger.

The episode with Beck didn't do as much for me, but it was still very good. All in all, a great collection indeed.

The DVD was nice too; crisp images and sound, even on my relatively "old" (going on 2 years now) player. The music is elegant and haunting, and the voices are simply marvelous and lend worlds to the characters. This occurs both on the Japanese track as well as the English version -- the latter being no small miracle in and of itself.

So if you're a fan of the show, pick this baby up. If you're not, give disc one a whirl and you'll be rushing back here in no time, I guarantee it.

Big O vol. 3 is definatly the best of the 4 DVDs simply because it contains three of the best episodes. Missing Cat is the most twisted episode in the series, featuring a level of violence previously unseen and a villian that brags about how he has become God. Overall quite a disturbing episode, but thats the charm of it. Next is Beck Returns. I only thought it was average but most other Big O fans like it because Beck is in it and he's a psychopath. Then comes Winter Night Phantom, the most emotional episode of the series in my opinion. Stars Major Dan Dastun, for a change, and his attempt to stop a terrorist bomber as he has flash backs of a movie(which turns out to be a very crutial to the plot). A tear jerking episode filled with plot twists, especially the last sceen.

In volume 3 of the big o beck comes back, dorothy finds a catboy, and daustan faces a ghost!!!! This dvd rocks buy it today!!!!!!!!

you're already to disc 3, so you know whether you love or hate the show. so i'm jsut gonna give my thoughts on this trio of episodes. Audio, picture still good, same as first 2 discs. Extras slim a few sketches and an interview. THhese 3 episodes really lend little to the series as a whole. Perhaps if a second season were made these would matter, but as it stands only theast one really has anything to do with anything.
-the first one dorothy gets a cat and finds out its part of a genetic experiment. I suppose this kinda relates to teh series, but only the final episode and its a long stretch. A pretty ood ep, but the villain is way goofy, he' got huge ... hair. But the mosnter is cool lookin'
- Beck is back in the second episode, dorky as ever. Once again if the series had been longer this would have made a difference, but as it stands it's just a quicky ep. with no real point. THere's a standard bigo/ other robot fight in the end. it's real short, and not to exciting.
-The most informative of the 3 this episode shows datson ,remembering an old movie. It also provides evidence that paradigm is not the only city remaining on earth.

If obnly this series had been longer then all these episodes could have all been little pieces to a larger puzzle. But as it stands, the disc provides no new info. I liked it but not as much as the other 3. SO once again if your eally into the series and liked disc 1 and 2 then buy this and it'll help bring together everyone in paradigm. Tells alot about datson and, explores dorthy and roger's "relationship". worth (the money) t oa big o fan.