Big O is really one of those shows that will really surprise you if you just give it a chance to work its magic. Set in a post-apocalyptic future in which the population of the Earth suffers from collective amnesia for some unknown reason, Big O is an anime that will challenge not only your thinking skills but your patience for pointless mecha as well.

First, though, a little history on Big O. It was created in 1999 but only lasted for thirteen episodes before its run on television ended. However, it became so popular in America (it didn't do so well in Japan) that the support for it pretty much forced its creators (also with a little help from a U.S. company named Cartoon Network) to create a second season that tied up the millions of loose ends leftover from the first season. Now if only that would happen with Hellsing or Berserk, eh?

Of course, nobody can really discuss Big O without mentioning two of its greatest points: mood and atmosphere. The mood, unlike many books that are written the same throughout, varies from episode two episode. One episode may be loaded with comedy, while another might depressingly exhibit how far a corrupt government will go to maintain its power. This is all well complemented by just how immersive the series was; it felt almost as if the city, characters, and everything else was real. Though the environments are mostly dark cityscapes, a surprisingly large amount of detail is paid to making everything look perfect. The streets are always bustling with activity, but it doesn't seem fake. Not only that, but each individual person walking the streets and inhabiting the bars and so on is completely unique. Buildings and skyscrapers, even during fight scenes during the night, are very detailed as well.

Then the robot battles happen and kills everything amazing about the series. Yes, some of them are quite nice, but until the second season have almost no reason to exist whatsoever. For instance, Roger might just randomly be talking to somebody when all of a sudden Norman (his butler) rings him up and says, "Master Roger, there seems to be a Giant Robot attacking the west side dome..." or something to that effect. Thankfully, although the battles seem to be pretty much useless and stupid in the first season, things really start to pick up in the second season and they not only become story-driven but fast-paced as well. Thankfully, there is one element that I liked about the fights in Big O: they take place on a grand scale. What I mean by that is that the fights are long, detailed, and they take place all over the city. Unlike many action series with fight scenes in every episode, Roger's giant mecha (the Big O) is not equipped with many weapons that Roger can actually use. Though that may seem boring, it's really interesting how he is forced to think of new, strategic ways to use what he's given rather than resort to the Super Weapon of the Day.

Another selling point for Big O is its style. Many fans and haters alike would agree with it being like a cross between the U.S. Batman cartoons and Giant Robo. This is helped immensely by the great vocal cast for both japanese and english languages alike. In fact, Big O is one of the very few anime series which I would recommend the english audio over the japanese audio; the man that plays Roger just sounds so much more authentic. Though the opening and ending music leave a LOT to be desired in the audio department, the background music in Big O is truly intense. From the saxophone solos to the orchestra playing during the fight scenes, the background music is just another fact that adds to the unique atmosphere in every episode of Big O. The character designs are equally unique, though they may alienate a few people that prefer the standard art styles in anime. Each character is drawn with normal proportions, with the only bizarre quirk in the designs being Roger's pointy eyebrows.

The story in Big O, however, is easily its best feature. With each episode's passing, more and more of the world's fascinating history is given to us in the forms of both revelations and flashbacks. As the story continued rolling forward, the pace quickened, leaving me at the edge of my seat by the end of each episode in a perpetual state of wanting more. Unfortunately, though, the first season is made up of a whole lot of filler material, and the story progresses at a snail's pace. Also, and this is my biggest complaint with the series, everything is completely episodic. Though what happens in one episode is remembered in later episodes, there is absolutely no connection between them; no transition is made between episodes. For instance, the end of one episode will close with the character Dorothy playing on a piano while the next episode starts off with Roger and another character trapped in a building underwater. Even series like Inuyasha, which is over 150 episodes long, manage to proceed from episode to episode very smoothly.

In the end, though, Big O was a very delightful series to watch. The story, similar to a cross between Fahrenheit 451 (book and movie) and The Truman Show (movie), entertained me for hours and hours. It may not be everybody's cup of tea (it's an acquired taste), but people that are interested in either mecha or mysteries will probably love it.