Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be embarking on an entirely new journey, as I explore the first episode of the widely acclaimed The Big O. Though The Big O enjoys a generally positive reputation among western fans, I’ve never actually seen the property before now, which might not be a surprise if you know me particularly well. Giant robots aren’t really a draw for me in anime – you might as well tell me “this show’s characters wear a lot of sweatshirts” for all it’ll grab my attention. Additionally, “this show is like a western superhero story” is a pretty strong anti-draw for me, and I’m far from enamored with Batman’s “billionaire decides the route to societal justice is to individually punch muggers until they stop committing crimes” mythology, which is often the first reference point people highlight when trying to pitch The Big O.
But as I’ve since learned, those pitches are more a product of their typical resonance in the wider fan community than an accurate reflection of The Big O itself. More recent pitches, coming from people who actually know me, have seized on much more alluring details – like how director Kazuyoshi Katayama was an animation director on Giant Robo, or how it’s written by Chiaki Konaka, a veteran of both Princess Tutu and Serial Experiments Lain. And visual echoes of Batman: The Animated Series (a very good show, my antipathy for Batman himself notwithstanding) aside, The Big O’s gothic arches and lumbering beasts feel naturally evocative, and clearly reflective of Katayama’s Giant Robo past. I enter The Big O with as few preconceptions as possible, and simply hope to have an interesting time. Let’s get to work!