Big O: Season 1

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Overwhelming dislike based on 6 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

Cartoon Network | Season Premiere Date: April 2, 2001

Starring: Richard Barnes, Peter Lurie, Lia Sargent

Summary: Roger Smith is Paradigm City's top negotiator; he is called upon in times of conflict to try to negotiate through an ordeal. However, Paradigm City isn't like most normal cities. Forty years ago, an event occurred that caused all living individuals to completely lose their memories. People continued to struggle with their existence, despiteRoger Smith is Paradigm City's top negotiator; he is called upon in times of conflict to try to negotiate through an ordeal. However, Paradigm City isn't like most normal cities. Forty years ago, an event occurred that caused all living individuals to completely lose their memories. People continued to struggle with their existence, despite this fact, though the search for memories still drives mankind to the brink of insanity. That event also caused a few people to gain some special abilities, such as the right to be a Dominus of a MegaDeus. Roger is capable of calling upon the power of Big O, his own MegaDeus, which he decides to use to defend the city from other MegaDeuses. He continues to live by his ideal, that "people are not ruled by their memories!"

This is the guide to the Adult Swim version and the dub. For the WOWOW and original Japanese version, go here. Note: Both guides are the same in terms of episodes and summaries (although what is actually currently submitted is different), just the airdates and cast differ.

Airdates:
The Big O began airing on Japanese television on October 13, 1999. It lasted through January 13, 2000 running 13 episodes. It was canceled, due to only average ratings. On April 2, 2001 it was dubbed and aired on Cartoon Network's Toonami Block. It ran all 13 episodes, but was edited. Due to the fact that the demographic watching the series was older than the one Toonami hoped to aim for, it was taken off Toonami and aired on Adult Swim. On AS, it was a huge success. On August 3, 2003, a second season was co-produced by Cartoon Network and debuted on Adult Swim. This second season, sometimes called The Big O II or simply Big O II, continues the storyline beginning with the last part of the first season's last episode. However, there are some obvious differences in the and narrative. The Adult Swim airing lasted until November 2, 2003. The Japanese airing of Season 2 lasted from January 2, 2003 to March 27, 2003. The producers wanted a third Season, but one was never created. Season 3?
Due to a large amount of mysteries left unsolved by the finale of the second season, the production crew wanted to create a third season to tie up the loose ends and finish the series, as per an option on the contract between Cartoon Network and Sunrise. However, the network determined that the show lacked the marketability and numbers to continue airing new episodes on Adult Swim.

There is a great deal of controversy over this decision, however nothing is known for sure. For example, the show's ratings were not nearly as bad as Adult Swim had stated. They weren't high, but they weren't low. The reason why Adul Swim said they were bad nd if this fact is 100% true is still unknown for sure. A petition is still available here. The creators behind it are still seeking a certain number of signatures required by Time Warner for consideration of a third season.… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy, Animation, Drama, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction

Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E13. RD
Air Date: April 18, 2001
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S1:E12. Enemy Is Another Big
Air Date: April 17, 2001
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S1:E11. Daemonseed
Air Date: April 16, 2001

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User Reviews

ryohji

Feb 21, 2015

Take a city with an architecture heavily influenced by neo gothism and art deco. Take a dapper, tall and dark main protagonist with detective skills and two aliases, driving a huge and powerful weaponized black car and with pockets full of gadget. But this it is not Batman the animatedTake a city with an architecture heavily influenced by neo gothism and art deco. Take a dapper, tall and dark main protagonist with detective skills and two aliases, driving a huge and powerful weaponized black car and with pockets full of gadget. But this it is not Batman the animated series.
Take a giant robot with a retro design, take a pilot who summon it by talking to his **** who yell the name of the attack he uses. But this is not Giant Robot.
Take an emotionless young women, a conflicted hero looking for his past, a city shrouded is mysteries and strange gigantic metal beasts attacking civilization. But his is not Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Big O is at the confluent of these three monuments but manages to have a very personal style and approach and not changing tropes into cliches.
Aesthetically it is very close to the Batman TAS first seasons, partially as an homage and partially because Sunrise, the studio behind Big O, was patronized by WB to work on the monument that is the early 90s' Batman series. That means also that it might help the more allergic to the "Anime style" to enjoy that show. The episodes are mostly stand alone but are still linked to the main plot of this animated series: why all of the inhabitant of Paradygm City lost their memories 40 years ago and what other wonderful technology from the past is the cause of this.? The overall quality of the scenario is good and really hooking thanks to Paradygm City and its mysteries.
The main character, Roger Smith, the best negociator of the city, and R Dorothy, the snarky android who accompany him, are a wonderful duo. The conflict of their divergent point of view and behavior is the main fuel of the show's humor. The rest of the cast is also worth mentioning too, a series of well used tropes like Dan Dastun (the commissioner and Roger Smith's "friend" who doesn't know about him piloting Big O), Angel (The vixen/spy who allegiance isn't clear), Norman Burg (Roger's Butler/cook/mechanic) and Alex Roseberg (the main antagonist, a megalomaniac billionaire who owns most of Paradygm City).

Technically, and for an anime from the late 90s' early 00s', the animation is really good. There is a great used of really cinematic shots and plans. The background are full of wonderful details and personality despite the dominant grayish colours.
Aside of the first opening song, a very pale copy of "Flash Gordon" by "Queen" that doesn't really suit the show, the score is mainly composed of Jazz and electronic jazz music during the exploration or inquiry parts of one episode with a much more dramatic classic score during the robot fight. It works rather well and the soothing Jazz adds another touch of coolness.

To sum up my feeling over Big O it a gem that is a bit too much overlooked, mainly because it doesn't look like an anime and because it doesn't feel like a 90s' US animated show but that would be a mistake. Big O is simply a good show, no more, no less and should be seen as this… Expand

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Seasons & Episodes

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Series Overview
Season 2

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- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: August 3, 2003
Season 1

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- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 2, 2001
- tbd
  S1:E13. RD
  Air Date: April 18, 2001
- tbd
  S1:E12. Enemy Is Another Big
  Air Date: April 17, 2001
- tbd
  S1:E11. Daemonseed
  Air Date: April 16, 2001
- tbd
  S1:E10. Winter Night Phantom
  Air Date: April 13, 2001
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  S1:E9. Beck Comes Back
  Air Date: April 12, 2001
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  S1:E8. Missing Cat
  Air Date: April 11, 2001
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  S1:E7. The Call from the Past
  Air Date: April 10, 2001
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  S1:E6. A Legacy of Amadeus
  Air Date: April 9, 2001
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  S1:E5. Bring Back My Ghost
  Air Date: April 6, 2001
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  S1:E4. Underground Terror
  Air Date: April 5, 2001
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  S1:E3. Electric City
  Air Date: April 4, 2001
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  S1:E2. Dorothy, Dorothy
  Air Date: April 3, 2001
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  S1:E1. Roger the Negotiator
  Air Date: April 2, 2001