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The Big O

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This article is about The Big O anime series. For Big O, see The Big O (disambiguation).
The Big O
left to right: Norman Burg, Roger Smith, R. Dorothy Wayneright. back: The Big O
GenreFilm noir, Science fiction, Action adventure, Psychological thriller
Anime
Directed byKazuyoshi Katayama
StudioSunrise
Anime
The Big O 2
Directed byKazuyoshi Katayama
StudioSunrise

The Big O (THE ビッグオー, Za Biggu Ō) is an anime TV series produced by Sunrise, Inc. It was directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama (animation director, Giant Robo), with character and mecha designs by Keiichi Sato (original concept, Karas), and script by Chiaki J. Konaka (Serial Experiments Lain).

Forty years prior to the events of the series, a mysterious occurrence caused the residents of Paradigm City to lose their memories. The series follows Roger Smith, Paradigm City's top Negotiator. He provides this much needed service with the help of an android named R. Dorothy Wayneright and his butler Norman Burg. When the need arises, Roger calls upon The Big O, a giant relic from the city's history that may hold the key to its future.

The Big O 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 series premiered on October 13, 1999 on WOWOW satellite television. It finished its run on January 19, 2000. The English language version premiered on the American Cartoon Network on April 2, 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.

Plot

Aerial shot of Paradigm City. The town is based on the island of Manhattan.[1]

Forty years prior to the events of the series, disaster struck.[2] The world was turned into a vast desert wasteland and the survivors were left without memories. The story takes place in Paradigm City, a corporate police state run by the Paradigm Corporation.[3] The town is recognized for its geodesic domes, a giant structure that houses the richer citizens and segregates the poor to living outside the domes.

The Big O deals with the nature of memories. A memory is a record stored in the brain of an organism, but in Paradigm City memories can mean so much more.[4] "Memories" (メモリー, Memorii) embody the lost knowledge of its residents, and can take the form of records from before the Event,[5] forgotten artifacts from the previous era or manifest themselves as recollection, hallucinations or recurring dreams.[6]

The first half of the series is episodic. Each Act revolves around different citizens of Paradigm dealing with the resurgence of lost Memories and how they manage to go on living without knowledge of what did or did not happen. The final episodes introduce elements that come into play during season two like the existence of people outside of Paradigm City, the nature of the Cataclysm that destroyed the world and the "Power of God wielded by the hand of man."

The second season takes an arc-based approach. Instead of self-contained stories like in season one, season two features a continuous storyline. This season makes Alex Rosewater, CEO of the Paradigm Corporation, a direct antagonist to The Negotiator and introduces The Union, agents of a foreign power working within Paradigm.

Characters

Main article: Characters of The Big O
File:Roger Smith (Big O).JPG
The Negotiator

Roger Smith is the series protagonist. As a Negotiator, his job entails finding a resolution for the troubles of the City of Amnesia. He'd negotiate almost anything for anyone, but he is a professional and expects the parts to behave professionally. When memories betray the people and force them to reawaken monstrosities of the city's past, Roger's only option is to fight back with a monstrosity of his own, the black megadeus Big O.

Voiced by: Mitsuru Miyamoto (Japanese); Steven Blum (English)

File:R. Dorothy (Big O).JPG
The Android

R. Dorothy Wayneright is Roger's assistant. Introduced in Act:01 as Dorothy Soldano, daughter of rich industrialist Miguel Soldano, she is later revealed to be an android constructed by him. Her actual "father" would be Timothy Wayneright, the man who commissioned her construction and father of the real Dorothy Wayneright. To show her gratitude, and as a form of payment for Roger's help, she decides to move in with him and help out Norman with the chores.

Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese); Lia Sargent (English)

File:Norman Burg (Big O).JPG
The Butler

Norman Burg is Roger's butler. Forty years before the commencement of the story, Norman, like the rest of Paradigm, lost all memories from before that day, but he would not think twice before going once more unto the breach for his master. Resourceful and talented, he is also caretaker of the Big O. Norman's skills give him a purpose and a mission to accomplish for Roger.

Voiced by: Motomu Kiyokawa (Japanese), Milton James (English) in season one, Alan Oppenheimer (English) in season two

File:Dan Dastun (Big O).JPG
The Officer

Dan Dastun is the middle-aged Chief of the Military Police, introduced in Act:01. He is Roger's former commander, but they still maintain contact with each other. Dastun resents the opinion some have of his job, calling him a "lapdog" of the Paradigm Corporation, but is proud of what he does. No matter how big the threat, the Military Police are needed in Paradigm.

Voiced by: Tesshou Genda (Japanese); Peter Lurie (English)

File:Angel (Big O).JPG
The Enigma

Angel is the beautiful woman Roger encounters throughout the series. Introduced in Act:03 as Casey Jenkins, investigator for Paradigm Power Management, then again in Act:04 as Patricia Lovejoy, secretary for the publisher of Paradigm Press. Angel's true identity is a mystery, her motives questionable and her allegiance to no one but herself.

Voiced by: Emi Shinohara (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)

Production

See also: List of The Big O media

Development of the retro-styled series began in 1996. Keiichi Sato came up with the concept of The Big O: a giant city-smashing robot, piloted by a man in black, in a Gotham-like environment.[7] He later met up with Kazuyoshi Katayama, who had just finished directing Those Who Hunt Elves, and started work on the layouts and character designs. But when things "were about to really start moving," production on Katayama's Sentimental Journey began, putting plans on-hold. Sato was also heavily involved with his work on City Hunter.

Sato admits it all started as "a gimmick for a toy" but the representatives at Bandai Hobby Division did not see the same potential.[7] From there on, the dealings would be with Bandai Visual, but Sunrise still needed some safeguards and requested more robots be designed to increase prospective toy sales. In 1999, with the designs complete, Chiaki J. Konaka was brought on as head writer. Among other things, Konaka came up with the idea of "a town without memory" and his writing staff put together the outline for a 26-episodes series.[8]

The Big O premiered on October 13, 1999 on WOWOW. When the production staff was informed the series would be shortened to thirteen episodes, the writers decided to end it with a cliffhanger, hoping the next 13 episodes would be picked up.[9] In 2001, The Big O premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami lineup.

Second season

The series garnered positive fan response internationally which resulted in a second season co-produced by Cartoon Network, Sunrise, and Bandai Visual.[9] Season two premiered on Japan's SUN-TV on January 2003, with the American premiere taking place seven months later in the adult swim lineup.[10] All the scripts for season two were written by Konaka.

Along with the 13-episodes of season two, Cartoon Network had an option for 26 additional episodes to be written by Konaka.[11] According to Jason DeMarco, executive producer for season two, the middling ratings and DVD sales in the United States and Japan have made it impossible for further episodes to be produced.[12]

Music

The Big O was scored by Geidai alumnus Toshihiko Sahashi. His composition is richly symphonic and classical, with a number of pieces delving into electronica and jazz.[13] Chosen because of his "frightening amount of musical knowledge about TV dramas overseas,"[14] Sahashi integrates musical homages into the soundtrack. The background music draws from film noir, spy films and sci-fi television series like The Twilight Zone. The battle themes are reminiscent of Akira Ifukube's compositions for the Godzilla series.[15]

The first opening theme is the Queen-inspired "Big-O!"[16] Composed, arranged and performed by Rui Nagai, the song resembles the theme to the Flash Gordon film.[17] The second opening theme is "Respect," composed by Sahashi. The track is an homage to the music of Gerry Anderson's UFO, composed by Barry Gray.[18] In 2007, Rui Nagai composed "Big-O! Show Must Go On," a 1960s hard rock piece, for Animax's reruns of the show. The closing theme is the slow love ballad "And Forever," written by Chie and composed by Ken Shima. The duet is performed by Robbie Danzie and Naoki Takao.

Along with Sahashi's original compositions, the soundtrack features Chopin's Prelude No. 15 and a jazz saxophone rendition of “Jingle Bells.” The complete score was released in two volumes by Victor Entertainment.

Adaptations

The Big O was conceived as a media franchise. To this effect, Sunrise requested a manga be produced along with the animated series. The Big O manga started serialization in Kodansha's Magazine Z on July 1999, three months before the anime premiere. Authored by Hitoshi Ariga, the manga uses Keiichi Sato's concept designs in an all-new story. The series ended on October 2001. The issues were later collected in six volumes. The English version of the manga is published by VIZ Media.

In anticipation to the broadcast of the second season, a new manga series was published. Lost Memory, authored by Hitoshi Ariga, takes place between volumes five and six of the original manga. The issues, serialized in Magazine Z from November 2002 to September 2003, were collected in two volumes. As of May 2007, no English translation is available.

Paradigm Noise (パラダイム・ノイズ, Paradaimu Noizu), a novel by Hiroki Taniguchi, was released July 16, 2003 (Tokuma Shoten: ISBN 4-19-861708-2).

Design

The Big O is the brainchild of Keiichi Sato and Kazuyoshi Katayama,[14] an homage to the shows they grew up with. The show references the works of Gerry Anderson and ITC Entertainment, the superhero shows produced by the Toei Company and "old school" super robots. The series is done in the style of film noir and pulp fiction and combines the feel of a detective show with the giant robot genre.[19]

Style

Film noir is a stylistic approach to genre films forged in Depression-era detective and gangster films and hard-boiled detective stories which were a staple of pulp fiction.[20] The Big O shares much of its themes, diction, archetypes and visual iconography with the film noirs of the 1940s.[21]

The shadows of Venetian blinds cast upon the hero, a signature visual of film noir.

Low-key lighting schemes marks most noirs.[20] The series incorporates the use of long dark shadows in the tradition of chiaroscuro and tenebrism.[21] Film noir is also known for its use of odd angles, such as Roger's low shot introduction in the first episode. Noir cinematographers favoured this angle because it made characters almost rise from the ground, giving them dramatic girth and symbolic overtones. Other disorientating devices like dutch angles, mirror reflection and distorting shots are employed throughout the series.

The characters of The Big O fit the noir and pulp fiction archetypes.[20] Roger Smith is a protagonist in the mold of Chandler's Philip Marlowe or Hammett's Sam Spade.[22] He is canny and cynical,[23] a disillusioned cop-turned-negotiator whose job has more in common with detective-style work than negotiating.[19] Big Ear is Roger's street informant and Dan Dastun is his friend on the police force. The recurring Beck is the imaginative thug compelled by delusions of grandeur while the lovely Angel fills the role of the femme fatale. Minor characters include crooked cops, corrupt business men and deranged scientists.[15]

Noir characters often "crack wise" and speak in double entendres.[20] The dialogue in the series is recognized for its witty, wry sense of humor.[24][25] The characters come off as charming and exchange banter not often heard in anime dialogue, which tends to be straightforward.[14] The plot is moved along by Roger's voice-over narration, putting the viewer into the mind of the protagonist so it can intimately experience the character's angst and partly identify with the narrator.

The urban landscape, Paradigm City, is the perfect noir milieu.[20] The tall buildings and giant domes create a sense of claustrophobia and paranoia characteristic of the style.[26][27] The rural landscape, Ailesberry Farm, contrasts Paradigm City. Noir protagonists often look for sanctuary in such settings but, as seen in Act:23, they just as likely end up becoming a killing ground.[15] The series score is representative of its setting. While no classic noir possesses a jazz score, the music could be heard in nightclubs within the films.[28] The recurring Audio file "Roger's Theme (Big O).ogg" not found, a lone saxophone accompaniment to the protagonist's narration, best exemplifies the noir stylings of the series.[21]

Amnesia is a common plot device in film noir.[29] Because most of these stories focused on a character proving his innocence, authors up the ante by making him an amnesiac, unable to prove his innocence even to himself. The Big O goes further, by removing the memories of the whole population. The convoluted past is told through the use of flashbacks. Like most noirs, the past in The Big O is tangible and menacing.[20] The characters are often trying to escape some trauma or a crime committed going as far as the Event that changed the world. But the citizens of Paradigm cannot escaped their past, whether they know it or not, and confronting it is their only chance of redemption.

Influences

Further information: [[:List of allusions in The Big O]]

The Big O's most commented upon influence is DC Comics' Batman.[14][15][24] Sunrise, the series production studio, was a subcontractor for Warner Bros. Animation's Batman: The Animated Series,[30][31] and Toonami promos acknowledged the Dark Knight's influence on Roger Smith.[32]

Roger Smith is a pastiche of the Bruce Wayne persona and the Dark Knight Batman. The character design is pure Wayne, complete with slicked-back hair and double-breasted business suit. Like Bruce, Roger prides himself in being a rich playboy to the extent that one of his household's rules is only women may be let into his mansion without his permission.[25] Like Batman, Roger Smith carries a no-gun policy, albeit more flexible. Unlike the personal motives of the Batman, Roger enforces this rule for "it's all part of being a gentleman."[33] Among Roger's gadgetry is the Griffon, a large, black hi-tech sedan comparable to the Batmobile, a grappling cable that shoots out his wristwatch and the giant robot Angel calls "Roger's alter-ego."

The Big O's cast of supporting characters includes Norman, Roger's faithful mechanically-inclined butler who fills the role of Alfred Pennyworth; R. Dorothy Wayneright, who plays the role of the sidekick; and Dan Dastun, a good honest cop who, like Jim Gordon, is a friend to the hero.

File:Showtime (Big O).JPG
"Showtime!" In an homage to Giant Robo, Roger uses his wristwatch to summon Big O.

The other major influence is Mitsuteru Yokoyama's Giant Robo.[24][30][34] Before working on The Big O, Kazuyoshi Katayama and other animators were staffers on the Giant Robo OVA. The feature, a "retro chic" homage to Yokoyama's career, took seven years to produce and suffered suffered low sales and high running costs. Frustrated with the experience, the staff looked to make The Big O the series they hoped Giant Robo would be.[18]

Like Giant Robo, the megadeuses of Big O are metal behemoths. The designs are strange and "more macho than practical,"[35] sporting big stovepipe arms and exposed rivets. Unlike the giants of other robot anime, the megadeuses do not exhibit ninja-like speed nor grace. Instead, the robots are armed with "old school" weaponry such as missiles, piston powered punches, machine guns and laser cannons.[36]

Reception

The Big O premiered on October 13, 1999. The show was not a hit in its native Japan, rather it was reduced from an outlined 26 episodes to 13 episodes. Western audiences were more receptive and the series achieved the success its creators were looking for.[37][9] In an interview with AnimePlay Magazine, Keiichi Sato said "This is exactly as we had planned", referring to the success overseas.[14]

Several words appear constantly in the English-language reviews; adjectives like "hip,"[27] "sleek,"[38] "stylish," [39] "classy,"[35] and, above all, "cool"[40][39][37] serve to describe the artwork, the concept, and the series itself. Reviewers have pointed out references and homages to various works of fiction, namely Batman,[24][41] Giant Robo,[23][35] the works of Isaac Asimov,[26][27] Fritz Lang's Metropolis,[23] James Bond,[42][43] and Cowboy Bebop.[44][45] But "while saying that may cause one to think the show is completely derivative", reads an article at Anime on DVD, "The Big O still manages to stand out as something original amongst the other numerous cookie-cutter anime shows." One reviewer cites the extensive homages as one of the series problems and calls to unoriginality on the creators part.[46]

The first season's reception was positive. Anime on DVD recommends it as an essential series.[42] Chris Beveridge of the aforementioned site gave an A- to Vols. 1 and 2, and a B+ to Vols. 3 and 4.[47] The review at the Anime Academy gave it a grade of 83, listing the series high points being "unique", the "interesting characters" and the "nice action."[19] Mike Toole of Anime Jump, who gave it a 4.5 (out of a possible 5) stars writes "The Big O is a thoroughly excellent series."[23] Reviewers,[23][48][42] and fans alike,[9][10] agree the season's downfall was the ending, or its lack thereof. The dangling plot threads frustrated the viewers and prompted Cartoon Network's involvement in the production of further episodes.[10]

The look and feel of the show received a big enhancement in the second season.[49] This time around, the animation is "near OVA quality"[50] and the artwork "far more lush and detailed."[37] Also enhanced are the troubles of the first season. The giant robot battles still seem out of place to some,[46][51] while others praise the "over-the-top-ness" of their execution.[19][40]

For some reviewers, the second season "doesn't quite match the first"[52] addressing to "something" missing in these episodes.[46] Andy Patrizio of IGN points out changes in Roger Smith's character, who "lost some of his cool and his very funny side in the second season." Like a repeat of season one, this season's ending is considered its downfall.[53][54] Chris Beveridge of Anime on DVD wonders if this was head writer "Konaka's attempt to throw his hat into the ring for creating one of the most confusing and oblique endings of any series." Patrizio states "the creators watched The Truman Show and The Matrix a few times too many." The reviewer at Japan Hero does not think the payoff was worth it, writing "the audience had been waiting on pins and needles for so long, and practically every episode upped the tension and suspense at least a little bit, if not a whole lot, and then we come to the big IT-moment, and... well, there it is. For me, it was honestly a little of a disappointment."

References

  1. ^ The Big O Visual: Official Companion to "The Big-O" TV series (ISBN 4-57-529579-5), p. 39.
  2. ^ Roger Smith (voice-over): This place, Paradigm City, is a town of forgetfulness. One day forty years ago, every person here lost all memory of everything which had occurred before that day. But humans are adaptable creatures, they make do and go on with life. If they're smart enough to figure out how to operate machinery and get electricity, they can still have something of civilization even without a history. (Act:01, "Roger the Negotiator")
  3. ^ Thug: Negotiator... // Roger Smith: My work here is done. // Thug: This is about a new job. I hear my parent company is interested in hiring you. // Roger: Your parent company? // Roger (voice-over): Whether you're a bread store or a real estate agency, or even the Military Police for that matter, it doesn't make a bit of difference. When you say "parent company", it always means the same place. In this city, the firm called Paradigm is considered both God and State. (Act:04)
  4. ^ Note the series uses the spelling "Memory" (メモリー, Memorii) instead of "memory" (記憶, kioku).
  5. ^ Schwarzwald: Forty years ago, something happened, and we all lost our memory! We even forgot the untold power we once possessed! // Roger Smith (about a megadeus archetype): You call this power? // Schwarzwald: A Megadeus was nothing special, Negotiator. I could possess power like that if I could only regain those Memories. (Act:04)
  6. ^ Dan Dastun (over scenes from a black-and white movie): I don't remember when I first saw it, but I know that the dream is based on a scene from an old movie I watched when I was a kid. It's bone-chilling cold as snow falls softly onto a winter sea. The woman is shot. Presumably by the man she loves. // Roger Smith: "Vous etes si gentil"? // Dastun: Sounds like a language from some other country, probably where the movie was made. (Act:10, "Winter Night Phantom")
  7. ^ a b "Birth of the Big O". The Big O DVD Volume 1. Bandai Entertainment.
  8. ^ "THE BIG O! Chiaki J. Konaka Interview (Archive)". Anime Jump. 2001. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Chiaki J. Konaka. "The Big O (production notes)" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  10. ^ a b c "Comic-con Adult Swim News". Anime News Network. 2002-08-04. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  11. ^ "More Big O". Anime News Network. 2003-06-09. Retrieved 2006-12-03.
  12. ^ "Ask Kim Manning -- And what is up with Big O Season 3?". adult swim. Retrieved 2006-12-03. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ McCarter, Charles. "The Big-O Original Sound Score". EX: The Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  14. ^ a b c d e Shimura, Shinichi. (2004). Anime rebel with a cause: The Big O's Keiichi Sato. AnimePlay, 5, 22-26.
  15. ^ a b c d Penedo, Nicolas. "The Big O, un animé sous influence". AnimeLand. Retrieved 2006-12-16. Template:Fr icon
  16. ^ McCarter, Charles. "The Big O! CD Single". EX: The Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
  17. ^ On his website, Rui Nagai names Queen as one of this favorites bands.Template:Ja icon
  18. ^ a b "Anime Central 2003 Panel". A Fan's View. Retrieved 2006-11-23.
  19. ^ a b c d "Big O Review". Anime Academy. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Silver, A. & Ursini, J. "What is 'Noir'?" In Film Noir. Los Angeles, CA: Taschen Books. ISBN 3-8228-2261-2
  21. ^ a b c "The Big O". anime and manga for Australia. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  22. ^ The series name resembles The Big Sleep (1946). Other "Big" film noirs include The Big Clock (1948), The Big Steal (1949), The Big Heat (1953), and The Big Combo (1955).
  23. ^ a b c d e Toole, Mike (2003-09-24). "The Big O vols. 1-4". Anime Jump. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  24. ^ a b c d "The Big O Preview". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  25. ^ a b Roger Smith (meeting Dorothy): I have a special house rule that only lovely young women can unconditionally enter this mansion. Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Roger Smith. How may I be of service, Miss... // Roger (Dorothy turns to face him): What's going? You're Miss Wayneright? // R. Dorothy Wayneright: How do you do? // Roger: Norman must be senile. How else could he confuse an android for a woman? // Dorothy: You couldn't tell the difference at first, either. // Roger: It was dark! I couldn't see in that dump! (Act:01)
  26. ^ a b Beveridge, Chris (2001-06-19). "Anime on DVD Reviews: The Big O Vol. #1". Anime on DVD. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  27. ^ a b c "The Big O Complete Collection DVD Review". DVD Vision Japan. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  28. ^ "Interview with Eddie Muller". SFJAZZ. 2006-05-17. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  29. ^ Rafferty, T. (November 2, 2003) The Last Word in Alienation: I Just Don't Remember. The New York Times.
  30. ^ a b Clements, J. & McCarthy, H. (2001). The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917. Berkley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1-88-065664-7.
  31. ^ For detail on which episodes Sunrise worked on, see The World's Finest.
  32. ^ For the Batman: The Animated Series promo "Like a Shadow", Toonami used the tagline "Good guys wear black." The Big O promo was named "Good Guys Still Wear Black" as a reference to Batman. Available for download at Toonami Digital Arsenal.
  33. ^ Angel (hands Roger a gun): Try this! // Roger Smith (under heavy-fire): Goes against my principles... but I don't have a choice! // Angel (after Roger shoots the water pipes behind the soldiers): So no matter what, you won't shoot people? // Roger: It's all part of being a gentleman. (Act:08, "Missing Cat")
  34. ^ Patten, Fred (2001-06-15). "New from Japan: The Big O Volumes 1 - 4". Animation World Magazine. Retrieved 2006-11-23.
  35. ^ a b c Rhee, Keith (2000-02-03). "The Big O". EX: The Online World of Anime & Manga. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  36. ^ Hayward, Keith. "Super Robot Review: The Big O". Japan Hero. Retrieved 2006-11-23.
  37. ^ a b c Arseneau, Adam (2004-03-05). "The Big O II: Paradigm Lost (Volume 1) Review". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  38. ^ Byun, Bryan (2004-09-30). "The Big O II: Missing Pieces (Volume 2) Review". DVD Verdict. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  39. ^ a b Shelton, Andrew. "Big O Review". Anime Meta-Review. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  40. ^ a b Shepard, Chris. "Big O Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  41. ^ Forbes, Jake (2001). "The Big-O". Animefringe. Retrieved 2006-11-11. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  42. ^ a b c "Anime on DVD Recommends: The Big O". Anime on DVD. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  43. ^ The Toonami promo "Recipe of Justice" calls the series "one part Bond." It is available for download at Toonami Digital Arsenal.
  44. ^ Robinson, Tasha (2001-04-02). "Big O". SCI FI Weekly. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  45. ^ Steven Blum voices Spike Spiegel in the English-language version of Cowboy Bebop. Wendee Lee voices Faye Valentine.
  46. ^ a b c "The Big O/The Big O II". The Anime Review. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  47. ^ "The Big-O (Meta Review)". Meta Anime Review Project. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  48. ^ Beveridge, Chris (2001-12-18). "Anime on DVD Reviews: The Big O Vol. #4". Anime on DVD. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  49. ^ Beveridge, Chris (2003-11-03). "Anime on DVD Reviews: The Big O II Vol. #1". Anime on DVD. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  50. ^ Divers, Allen (2004-01-20). "The Big O II DVD 1: Paradigm Lost". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  51. ^ Robinson, Tasha (2004-01-12). "The Big O II". SCI FI Weekly. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  52. ^ Patrizio, Andy (2004-06-25). "The Big O II - Aggressive Negotiations Review". IGN. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  53. ^ "Super Robot Reviews: The Big O II: 2nd Season". Japan Hero. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  54. ^ Beveridge, Chris. "Big O II Vol. #4 (of 4)". AnimeOnDVD.com. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
Official sites
Miscellaneous

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