Big O...
I took the opportunity to watch Big O...
I first encountered Big O on Cartoon Network a few years ago. I'm not a real big fan of giant robot shows, but, I'll make an exception for Patlabor and perhaps, Big O as well. I've seen almost all of the series, including the second season. The first season ended rather abruptly and left a lot of unanswered questions. My guess is that the producers never really had much more than a vague concept for a possible second season. As a result, the second season, which appears to have been created by committee, suffers from a definite lack of focus.
As a whole, the series does tend to delve into variations of the "monster of the week" scenarios that allow Big O to showcase its talents. But, the series also has a very unique appearance. Much of the decor has an "old world" feel -- it's worn and well used -- as if has been around for centuries.
Big O is a decade old at the time of this writing and its animation is showing some signs of age. The animation is not as highly polished as more recent anime, but, the story-telling is very good. The series has a nice balance of action and drama. There are no naughty bits and very little gore in the series. The battle sequences are fast-paced, engaging and very well executed.
I enjoyed the first season and even if it didn't really have an ending, I would be pleased if it hadn't been extended to a second season. The second season didn't seem to capture the same "magic" that the first season had. I enjoyed the first season enough, that even when there was no "second season" in sight, I purchased the "complete 13-episode series". After the second season debuted in the U.S., the series was re-released as season one and two box sets. I'm grateful to have seen more Big O, but, I still have some reservations about the second season. Overall, I was, for the most part, pleased with the series, but, not so much that I would want to buy the second season. I gave Big O a 3 out of 5.
According to Wikipedia...Paradigm City. A City of Amnesia. Forty years ago everyone lost their memory, but humanity continues to survive. They've learned to operate machinery, produce electricity, and go on living each day at a time. Still, there's something missing in a town with no past and no history of what has come before.
Roger Smith is a Negotiator, hired to negotiate disputes between parties, and Roger enjoys a reputation for being the best at his job. But he has an ace up his sleeve... a rather big ace. He controls a Megadeus called the Big O, a wondrous piece of technology from before the age of Amnesia. Occasionally, fragments of memories appear, and with them often comes trouble. The Big O comes in handy for subduing such dangers, but does it serve some greater purpose? Together with the unusual R. Dorothy Wayneright and his loyal butler Norman, Roger Smith keeps Paradigm City safe from the nightmare of memories.
The television series is designed as a tribute to Japanese and Western shows from the 1960s and 1970s. The series is done in the style of film noir and combines the feel of a detective show with the mecha genre of anime. The setpieces are reminiscent of Toho monster movies and the score is an eclectic mix of styles and musical homages...
...The English language version premiered on the Cartoon Network on 2 April 2001. Originally a thirteen-episode series, positive fan response internationally resulted in a second season co-produced by Cartoon Network, Sunrise, and Bandai Visual. Season two premiered on Japan's SUN-TV on January 2003, with the American premiere taking place seven months later.
I first encountered Big O on Cartoon Network a few years ago. I'm not a real big fan of giant robot shows, but, I'll make an exception for Patlabor and perhaps, Big O as well. I've seen almost all of the series, including the second season. The first season ended rather abruptly and left a lot of unanswered questions. My guess is that the producers never really had much more than a vague concept for a possible second season. As a result, the second season, which appears to have been created by committee, suffers from a definite lack of focus.As a whole, the series does tend to delve into variations of the "monster of the week" scenarios that allow Big O to showcase its talents. But, the series also has a very unique appearance. Much of the decor has an "old world" feel -- it's worn and well used -- as if has been around for centuries.
Big O is a decade old at the time of this writing and its animation is showing some signs of age. The animation is not as highly polished as more recent anime, but, the story-telling is very good. The series has a nice balance of action and drama. There are no naughty bits and very little gore in the series. The battle sequences are fast-paced, engaging and very well executed.
I enjoyed the first season and even if it didn't really have an ending, I would be pleased if it hadn't been extended to a second season. The second season didn't seem to capture the same "magic" that the first season had. I enjoyed the first season enough, that even when there was no "second season" in sight, I purchased the "complete 13-episode series". After the second season debuted in the U.S., the series was re-released as season one and two box sets. I'm grateful to have seen more Big O, but, I still have some reservations about the second season. Overall, I was, for the most part, pleased with the series, but, not so much that I would want to buy the second season. I gave Big O a 3 out of 5.
