The Big O

Big O 2001 by Sunrise and Bandai Entertainment who brought Gundam Wing, and who made the Macross and Gundam games is one of the greatest cartoons I've seen in the year 2000.

This is a great series, one of the newest Japan Anime in 2001 and surely one of the best cartoons out there.

American animators cannot emulate the Japan Anime cartoons and Big O is proof.

It's gritty, romantic, touching, action packed and full of stories, and that is in every episode!!

The star is Roger Smith who is the head negotiator in breaking or sealing criminal cases or any cases where the police or military is afraid to get involved in.

He lives in Paradigm city, a dark city that has been torn by crime, military action and corruption.

In only his first days on the job, he catches the idea of an attractive and elegant young lady called "Dorothy".

Dorothy is not you're average woman, she is a whiz on the piano and has a certain way with people. Oh yeah Dorothy is a robot.

She is virtually indestructible,yet her softness in characters reveals she is not made entirely of metal.

Dorothy is cared for by her Grandfather. The Grandfather knows Dorothy is a robot but he protects her like his own daughter.

A hoodlum by the name of Beck Gold plots to steal Dorothy and Smith (having suspicions about Dorothy) tries to intervene. Dorothy's Grandfather is shot and Beck kidnaps Dorothy .

Smith rescues her eventually and they develop a mutual friendship between man and machine.

The series works because of it's likeable characters, musical soundtrack which uses the piano to produce a feeling of what's going on in a scene,and above all incredible animation. The musical scences with the piano also convey a soothing feeling to a long day.

Smith controls an undercover machine knows as "Megadeus" which is Big O.

The series reminds me of Voltron because Megadeus fights many bosses in every episode in spectacular fashion.

The series has been dubbed in English and currently showing in Cartoon Network's lineup.

The dubbing is amazingly good. It's one of the best dubbing jobs, I've seen so far. David Lucas (Roger Smith), Lia Sargent(Dorothy) lend their great voices to this anime.

Made through Bandai and Sunrise which produced Gundam Wing and Macross, these guys just keep making the hits.

Take it from this great critic, Big O is a big success.

This series is extremely well crafted. They have commented on Cartoon Network that this show is mix of Batman: The Animated Series and Blade Runner.

It is, but more. This show showcases true hardcore Science Fiction world, with mysteries, drama and element of imagination that hasn't been seen in rather long time. Dark look on the future, what may happen.

Also resurrects old Giant Robot theme, which has virtually disappeared from American Television.

However, the show as it show now, in April, is lacking in only one thing.

A ending.

The show was released without any additional episodes. Only 13 and blunt and sudden ending. We can only hope that more episodes will released soon.

I am a fan of the Cartoon Network anime lineup, and by far this is the best show out of them all.

Unlike the other, more 'famous' anime shows (hence the Dragonball series), this show actually has realism in it. It isn't all action-packed. The show mostly surrounds negotiator Roger Smith uncovering information related to the jobs that his clients often give him or uncovering deep secrets about the forgotten past, in which an event forty years ago erased everyones' memory. It's pretty much talk, but it's interesting talk, because the talk that goes on throughout the show really relates to real-life situations--political corruption, the love for lost ones, and the desire to know the truth. Though this would bore an adrenaline-junkie, it would catch interest to those that I'd like to call 'down-to-Earthers', especially with the most wonderful music that is just too good to be put in a cartoon series.

But that doesn't mean that there isn't action. The battles that premiere in the series have enough action to supply that adrenaline junkie with all the sweat he needs (and all within just about five minutes, too).

Big O is by far the most successful amongst the dying robot-themed shows. Though the Transformers series seems to be long-lasting, it too is dying out as animators grow tired of constantly putting in the details of machinery and head to using computers as a way to 'build' the robots and give them movement. This type of animation doesn't blend in with the rest of the animation, thus fails (as seen in Transformers Energon).

Which brings up another point. Notice how the animation throughout the entire series remains constant. Sure the lighting changed, but the animation overall has remained the same. It shows that the people who drew up the series were determined to have the animation remain constant and nearly flawless (unlike in the Dragonball series when different animators draw separate episodes). This (especially when having giant robots battling) requires a lot of patience and loyalty.

And let me assure you that they have not gone unappreciated for their loyalty to the animation. Kudos, animators!

Overall: life-like characters that grow throughout the series; life-like situations; incredible animation; dazzling battles; and (most importantly), the most wonderful music for a cartoon ever.

Rating: 10 out of 10. The battle music still makes my neck hair stand up...

Thru pure determination, Big O has lived up to its catch phrase... "Big O, its Showtime!"

Second Season of Big O (Which should be considered a second series) has arisen due to the efforts of Cartoon Network in the United States.

The series was re-edited to be more a Big Robot show than the more sophisticated show it original was for Japanese audience.

However, despite it being changed, it still a winner of series with Season 2 coming out swinging (literally) as first episode of season 2 starts off with the battle which had begun at very end of Season 1's last episode.

However, due to Time (1998-99) Now it was redone in (2002) the series has been made bit more clearer for the American audience which is made for. Sadly the old future or direction of the show which it was going in season 1 is without a doubt has been changed radically. I believe,this is due to the limitation of 13 additional episodes for Big O. The series' timeless one off episodes which leaves a clue on what world is about and where series is going has been put into OVERDRIVE, sped up to resolve rest of the series.

(2003) Series, deals with Roger dealing with fact his life maybe not his own but of someone else, elaborate stage to relive the live of original Roger Smith and his giant Robot, Big O. Whom for some reason has been given to him to resolve the cities biggest problems.

Without spoiling anything, the series resolves itself in way that will throw a long time viewer off their rocker or throw away any ideas they've been given on what has been going on for entire 2 seasons.

The show is still a fantastic ride, even if its Americanized. It is a down right well put together. The series is a nicely done mystery/action series that will suck you in and makes you think.

If you are able to get this series on DVD, I'd grab it. Please don't let the fact original first season being re-done for American Audience scare you off. Its still down right very good show.

"The Big O" returns with all-new episodes on August 31, 2003. In the meantime, you can enjoy re-runs of Season 1, now showing on Cartoon Network. It's gonna be a long, hot summer; let "The Big O" cool you down! Check your local listings.