The Big O is Great [Anime]

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05/20/24

CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY! RAHHHH

A show I have had the pleasure of watching lately is The Big O. Man, this show is so peak, and I'll explain why. Surprisingly, this show has a simple outline. Roger Smith is a negotiator for Paradigm City, a city without memories. With his android companion Dorothy and his butler Norman, he helps settle disputes.

First off the bat, the art style. This aspect really drew me into the show. Although an anime, The Big O is heavily inspired by Western Cartoons from the 60s, with a dark noir aesthetic, similar to Batman. In fact, I really feel like I could've mistaken this anime for an American cartoon if it weren't for Rodger's eyebrows and haircut. The linework in this show is almost always so clean. There is something so geometric about it, shape language is used, just not exaggerated to the extent commonly seen. If you like pretty things, you'll like this. Speaking of, Roger is so fine, though I feel like that's like saying the sky is blue XD

Second, the characters! Roger serves as a nice protagonist since he stands out in his goals. Other characters want to use or obtain the memories while Roger seeks to simply leave them alone, or outright avoid them altogether. My favorite character is probably Dorothy though. She is a good contrast to Roger and has that dry android humor. In addition, she also serves as an allegory for what makes someone human. Roger and Dorothy's relationship is something I find myself to be on the fence about sometimes. Their teamwork and growing closeness are amicable. However, I don't know how I feel about them being paired up. They don't end up together at the end of the series, and it becomes clear that they love each other (not necessarily romantically). However, I think the best character is Angel as she remains the most mysterious character and has an arc that ends in a way I wasn't expecting. Introduced as a femme fatale, she becomes much, much, more than that by the end of the series. Also somewhat of a character is the megadeus Big O, which Roger Pilots. Big O and the other megadeuses introduced are enormous robots. They also can act on their own at times, typically shutting off or restricting access when either they or their pilot are in danger. 

Third, the soundtrack! It slaps, naturally. The most memorable song is the one that plays almost once an episode when Roger monologues, typically at the beginning of an episode. My favorite track is probably Sure Promise, triumphant and loud. Also, the ending to that song? Impeccable, so much suspense!

Finally, I want to talk just a bit about the symbolism. Christian and theistic imagery pops up a lot in this series. Characters refer to piloting the megadeuses (literally meaning large gods) as wielding god-like power. Roger is put in a crucifix-like restraint during an episode. Of course, we have Angel, who is self-explanatory. Then, we have the cockpit of Rosewater's Big Fau, which, when, he obtains the memory needed, is placed in a cross above his head to symbolize his idea of god-like status. I hate to compare, but The Big O and Evangelion are somewhat similar. They're both of the mecha genre and use religious symbolism. Both also call into question why the main character pilots the giant robot. However, they do so differently. I would make a more thorough comparison, but I haven't watched Evangelion in a while. In addition, The Big O is less graphic compared to Evangelion. The Big O has its episodes, sure, but it's pretty tame in terms of graphic imagery. I like that to a degree, as many shows nowadays tend to be more gratuitous. Although gratuity isn't always bad, and Evangelion uses graphic content to tell its story brilliantly. 

The interesting thing about The Big O is that it was done in two halves. Theoretically, you could watch the first twelve and be satisfied. They are more episodic, and although the show would leave on a cliffhanger this way, it's not one that necessarily begs for more questions to be answered. If you like a more serialized story, I recommend watching the entire series. The second half still has some episodes that are contained and can be watched in isolation, but many tie into the larger story.

Some of my favorite episodes are A Legacy of Amadeus (Episode 6), Beck Comes Back (Episode 9), Daemonseed (Episode 11), and The Greatest Villian (Episode 18). Also, I should say this show is directed by the same person who directed Serial Experiments Lain, so if you liked that, you may like this. Give it a chance!

"It's alright for someone to sleep past noon every once in a while; that's what it means to be a free human being." - Roger Smith

(And to this image, I do want him there!)

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