Print Review: Big O Volumes 1-4

Review Big O Volumes 1-4Written by WarpshadowRating fair/ good

Often times people will say that the manga is better compared to an anime show but that it is because it usually comes first. When it doesn't the comment usually ceases to apply.

no one knows exactly what happened forty years ago in Paradigm city because everyone lost all memory of what happened or anything that happened before. All that was left were amnesiacs and machines of unknown origin. In this city Roger Smith works as a negotiator for anyone that will hire him although he does have a preference for beautiful female clients. When peaceful negotiation turns violent Roger Smith has an ace up his sleeve, the megadeaus known only as Big O.

Unlike many manga series that inspire anime shows this is manga that was based on an anime show of the same name. Thus like in many anime shows there is noticeable adaptation creep. This is particularly apparent in Roger's character design which shows him with a silly round head in the first couple of volumes. Overall though there is a lack of the ambiance that carried the television series as it is replaced with a lighter, more cartoony atmosphere. The episodic format is retained with most cases are resolved in forty to fifty pages. The plot does differ from the anime show although this is comparable to filler episodes in anime. This is something that I would not recommend to anyone except for the most hard core of Big O fans and even then they may be disappointed.