Big O II

Publisher
Bandai
Director
Kazuyoshi Katayama
Production
Bandai, Sunrise
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
13 episodes
Year
2003

BIG O II V. 1

By David Rasmussen
9th Nov 04

Company - BANDAI
Rated - 13 and Older
Japanese/English dialogue
Optional Extras? - Production Art Gallery
Time - 100 Minutes
Subtitles - Off, set to English
Created by Hajime Yatate
Written by Chiaki J. Konaka & Kazuyoshi Katayama
Character Designs/Mechanical Designs by Keiichi Sato
Music by Toshihiko Sahashi
Produced by Sunrise Inc. & Bandai Visual Co. Ltd.
Web site - www.paradigmcity.com

BIG O II
Vol. 1 - Paradigm Lost
Before We Begin
Once again, as with last week, we have two more titles that (as I've been told) has yet to make the leap to Region 2... But still that doesn't mean it shouldn't make the leap.
Read the review, head over to the voting thread I put up in the forums concerning BANDAI, and vote.
Okay, nuff said. Let's review Big O II.

Previously...
For the full story on Big O be sure to check out the Collector's Set.
Or you can check the review already on this site about Big O. That's good too.

Anyway there's nothing like watching the first 13 episodes to get you caught up to speed on what's going on.... But since it probably hasn't been translated to Region 2 yet I'll briefly recap.

This is Paradigm City, a city that (40 years ago) lost its memories.
People lost their memories of who they were, but apparently not the memory of how to make things or to work technology since civilization didn't collapse. However, for the longest time everyone thought that they (the people in Paradigm) were alone on the Earth. It seems they were mistaken.

As for the lead of our tale? Paradigm City's top negotiator, the man known as Roger Smith? He's been having a bad time lately. After his seemingly final confrontation with the madman named Schwarzwald (formerly a reporter named Michael Zeebach before he went mad) in the greatest battle of the first "season" of Big O, Roger was investigating a series of grisly murders of young senators with the cryptic message, "Cast in the name of God, ye not guilty," (which is the same thing that appears on Big O's screen when he brings the giant black MegaDeus into action) scrawled near the murder victims.

The killer turns out to be an android called RD, who is an evil version of R Dorothy (the android who has been staying at Roger's place since Episode 2). Before RD can kill Roger, though, Big O comes through the floor and destroys her — apparently coming to Roger of its own free will (not summoned). And, apparently for the ride, is the real R Dorothy (just to prove to you that the other was a fake).

But there's no time for questions now, three foreign MegaDeuses have risen from the ocean and are attacking the city — and that's where Season 1 ended, in a cliffhanger. And now...

Volume 1
NOTE - Each episode will feature "Linkers," which will tell you what corresponding episodes from the first season you'll need to watch which relates to the episode at hand.

Episode 14 - Roger the Wanderer
Linkers
Episodes 1-2 (R Dorothy and Beck arrives)
Episode 4 (the origin of Schwarzwald)
Episode 8 (Angel is in this episode)
Episode 9 (Beck returns and pivotal episode with R Dorothy)
Episode 12 (big confrontation between Roger and Schwarzwald)
Episode 13 (the episode before this one with evil RD).

The battle for Paradigm City is now underway, and Big O is having a hard time of it against his three opponents — but why is Roger suddenly beginning to doubt his very identity?

Suddenly, in the middle of battle, he finds himself in a Paradigm City BEFORE 40 years ago — where he's nothing more than a homeless vagrant forgotten by a city that has its memories. His home? It's once again a bank now run by — Beck? So he was an honest man — well, actually he seems crooked even as a bank manager so I guess some things never change (even if he was more defined and snobbish in this "world").

R Dorothy is now her living counterpart, she the android was modeled after who doesn't remember Roger, and Michael Zeebach is once again a reporter. As for Roger and where he fits? That you'll have to see for yourself. But before the end of the episode he'll pull it together, and dispatch of the three foreign MegaDeuses — but that in itself only will open the door to something else.

In the "Fashionably Dressed Wannabes" section we have Beck, who is a bank manager in this "world" that Roger (who is apparently a homeless vagrant — or is he) finds himself in. Yup. He's dressed very fashionably and stylish now — if he was the Joker!

What's with that purple suit, anyway?!? Get his fashion tips from Mr. J? But then again it does kind of make sense if you think about it, since he's kinda a Joker-wannabe though Schwarzwald and the newest villain, Alan Gabriel, are the only two that really measure up to Roger Smith's "Batman" side.

(Oh, that's in reference to the series promos which pitch the series style as being 1/3rd giant robots, 1/3rd James Bond and 1/3rd Batman).

Episode 15 - Negotiations with the dead.
Linker
Episode 1 & 2 - R Dorothy and her "creator(s)"
Episode 10 - Senators were being killed by someone, who turned out to possibly be a person not from Paradigm city (but that wasn't certain until now). Episode in question was a big one for Major Datsun.
Episode 13 - Young people were being killed, and for the same reason as the Senators from Episode 10 (memories from before 40 years ago) — but it can't be — can it? How could young people have memories from before they were born?

This episode ties up all the loose ends from Episodes 10 and 13 and answers some of them.
You see, Roger has been hired by the wife of the last surviving old senator (who hasn't been killed in Episode 10). It looks like he wants Roger to look into the killings of the young people (who needlessly died because of those memories from over 40 years ago). But why were they killed? What was so important about those memories that they were worth killing for?

Roger and R Dorothy end up looking into this, investigating the origins of the 2nd killer (RD, the killer android who looked just like R Dorothy). To this end they visit the old Wayneright mansion and discover information that their client never forgot his memories of over 40 years ago (and was the one who was passing that information onto those young people which is why they had to be killed). But how could he remember, when everyone else have forgotten those memories? Who was the one behind RD, and the killings before?

This will shed some light on those episode, cast new shadows, introduce a new foe into the series (the cyborg named Alan Gabriel) and — well, you best see it for yourself.

Oh, and while we're at it, this episode also features a major MegaDeus battle between Big O and a fast, agile MegaDeus that likes to fight with sharp things — like its sharp hands and gold collapsible sword.

Episode 16 - Day of the Advent
Linkers
Episode 9

What does this episode and the movie "Signs" have in common?
Both seem to have something to do with otherworldly threats but really has something to do with faith.

One night a bright object that lit up the sky fell to Paradigm City and blasted a giant crater into the streets. Before the Military Police could respond it was scooped up by Paradigm Corp.'s retrieval team and spirited south towards the ruins on the sea. Some say an angel fell to Earth from the heavens above the thick clouds covering the sky. But the thing that fell to Paradigm City was only a small sample of the larger threat looming above, and is presently headed for impact in the heart of the city outside the domes itself!

Far more deadly than any herald angel, it may mean the death of thousands if Roger isn't on the ball today!
First he has to discover this threat, then he has stop what's coming down. Great big episode, one of my favorites of the second season. Big finale (pun intended)!

Episode 17 - Leviathan
"Wake up! Don't be afraid of knowledge!" (Schwarzwald)

Linkers
Episode 4 - Origin of Schwarzwald (Michael Saebach)
Episode 12 - Big O Vs. Big Duo.
BONUS LINK - For a bonus, link with Episode 6 for the first appearance of R Instro, the android who is teaching R Dorothy how to play the piano in this episode.

We'll stop here since it's the last episode of the DVD.
But have you wondered what happened to Schwarzwald?
Last time we saw him he and his giant MegaDeus, Big Duo, were defeated by Roger Smith and Big O.
But since then he's wandered into the wasteland beyond Paradigm City, and into the shattered husk of the city that existed 40 years ago, buried in the sands forgotten. But, from that shattered wasteland — can a madman return?

As leaflets are spread throughout the city on the wind, seemingly signed by Schwarzwald — can this mean that the mad former reporter turned psychopath is making a comeback? And what of the strange beast that roams the sands that cover the once and former proud city that's now a skeleton of its former glory just outside of Paradigm?

With more revelations, and a shocker ending, this is a perfect cliffhanger to end the DVD with — and leave you wanting more! Perfect way to end the DVD! (Oh, and of course you must watch all the episodes before seeing this one since all those episodes get you warmed up for this one.) Now onto the optional extras.

Optional Extras
Production Art Gallery - Speaks for itself, doesn't it. Very nice!
Double-Sided Mini poster - Booklet is a mini poster with two posters (one on each side). The last time we saw a poster addition was with Please Teacher and Love Hina, so it's nice to have it again.

BIG O II Breakdown the 1st (of 4)
What's Hot? - I've been waiting for this one since I first saw how Big O ended some time back, and I wasn't disappointed at all with the start of the 2nd Season! Kicks off strong, and powers through the four episodes quite well. This is a great start-off of Season 2 and leaves you with some big questions as you wait patiently for V. 2 to come in February!

What's Not? - I guess a little more extras would have been icing on the cake, but I'm happy with the extra this one got. Nicely done.

Moments to Remember? - Quite a bit. The four episodes are quite memorable all about and well done. I don't think you'll have any problems remembering these fine episodes.

What to Ignore? - Nothing — well, maybe Beck dressed up in that outfit that screams "Joker" in Episode 14 — other than that — nothing.

Oh, and Roger's insistence on telling everyone that characters who "died" (in one sense or another) in the past (Roger Saebach who "died" and became Schwarzwald, RD who was crushed by Big O, etc.) "no longer live in Paradigm City"... uh, yeah.

Technically if you're "dead", or something like it, then you have "left the city"... so to speak.
What's up with that line anyway? "(name) no longer lives in Paradigm City..." (?)

Overall? - One of the series I promote to you as being highly recommended, and one of the essentials of your anime/manga experience. Great animation, great music — it's one of the series I like in English since the dubbing cast did an excellent job of it (another Anime with Wendee Lee in it) — and it's all-around perfect. Excellent series, and something you should be getting into.

-- David Rasmussen 9th Nov 04

Big O II Images