The Big O Is The Perfect Mecha Anime for Fans of Batman: The Animated Series

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1999 brought a mix of successes and failures to the world of animation, with some shows becoming instant hits, others developing a dedicated fanbase, and still others being overlooked. One standout was The Big O, a unique take on the giant robot (mecha) genre. It quickly became a popular and defining program for Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. The show centers around Roger Smith, an enigmatic character who pilots a massive robot to save his city from danger whenever trouble arises.

While The Big O uses familiar ideas from the giant robot genre, it’s surprisingly more similar to Batman: The Animated Series than to other popular mecha shows like Mobile Suit Gundam or Mazinger. If you enjoyed the style and feel of Batman: The Animated Series, you’ll likely be captivated by The Big O.

The Big O GaveThe Giant Robot Mecha Genre an American Makeover

Ever since it first appeared in the 1950s, the mecha genre – giant robots in anime and manga – has been incredibly popular. By the late 1990s, mecha stories had become very sophisticated and constantly reinvented themselves. The Big O, while still a classic giant robot show in many ways, deliberately mixes together a wide range of influences, making it a truly unique blend of pop culture references. The show openly celebrates its inspirations, paying homage to both Japan’s history and popular Western genres from the 1960s and 70s.

The Big O draws heavily from the giant monster and mecha shows of the 1950s and 60s, but it blends those elements with the style of film noir and detective stories. The creators, Keiichi Sato and Kazuyoshi Katayama, were also directly inspired by Batman: The Animated Series, and even designed the city of Paradigm to reflect it. Interestingly, the animation studio behind The Big O, Sunrise, previously worked on Batman: The Animated Series for Warner Bros., giving them a strong understanding of its visual and thematic style, which they seamlessly integrated into their own work.

There’s a strong connection between The Big O and Batman: The Animated Series, to the point where The Big O almost feels like a mecha anime version of Batman, complete with a similar tone, setting, and characters. Toonami even promoted The Big O as a blend of James Bond, Bruce Wayne, and giant robot action. The main character, Roger Smith, shares a lot in common with Batman – he’s a wealthy playboy with a cool vehicle reminiscent of the Batmobile, and he generally avoids using guns. In fact, Roger’s giant robot, the Big O, is presented as an extension of himself and his mission, much like Batman is Bruce Wayne’s alter ego.

Toshihiko Sahashi’s soundtrack for Big O is a unique blend of musical styles, drawing from jazz, electronic music, and classical symphonies. It deliberately echoes American sounds found in film noir, spy shows, and science fiction. Big O was, in part, designed to promote related toys, similar to how Batman: The Animated Series coincided with a large amount of Batman merchandise.

The Big O Made a Bigger Impression in North America Than Japan

I remember watching Toonami as a kid and realizing how much it shaped what anime North Americans knew. It didn’t just show the popular stuff, but also introduced us to some hidden gems. Looking back, it’s clear Toonami played a huge role in making many anime into the classics we still love today. It really expanded the fanbase for certain series, and sometimes even saved shows that weren’t doing well elsewhere. A great example is The Big O – it actually found more success here in North America thanks to Toonami and its viewers, and that’s what kept it going.

The fact that both The Big O and Batman: The Animated Series aired on Toonami at the same time was really important. It was natural for fans of Batman to give The Big O a try, but even better that the network could promote both shows to each other’s audiences. This created a strong connection between the series, something that wasn’t as possible in Japan, and allowed Toonami to emphasize what they had in common and why they worked well together.

The second season of The Big O happened thanks to strong ratings from its first season on Toonami. Cartoon Network co-produced The Big O II, making its continuation possible. Not only did the show’s success in America lead to another season, but Cartoon Network also influenced the production, pushing for more action and answers to the show’s mysteries. While Cartoon Network could have ordered 26 more episodes, declining ratings and poor sales of DVDs and Blu-rays in both North America and Japan ultimately led to the show’s cancellation.

There’s Still Time For A Big O & Batman Reunion

It’s been over 20 years since the second season of The Big O aired, and many fans no longer expect a third season. A complete reboot of the series seems more likely now, especially since reboots of older anime are very popular. However, we’re seeing more and more forgotten shows make unexpected returns. Even Batman: The Animated Series has continued its story through official comics and similar shows.

Fans seem ready for more content related to both The Big O and Batman: The Animated Series. While these shows have inspired fan-made combinations before, it would be exciting to see an official crossover. A project similar to Across the Spider-Verse could establish that Roger from The Big O is actually an alternate universe version of Batman. It’s even possible to envision The Big O evolving so that Roger’s giant robot becomes a powered suit, much like the relationship between Bruce Wayne and the suit in Batman Beyond.

Surprisingly, Batman has a long history with giant robots, or mechs, that goes beyond what you might expect from something like the show Big O. We see this in stories like Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, which features a Bat-Mech, and in Batman Unlimited: Mechs vs. Mutants, where the Bat-Mech returns to battle huge, monstrous versions of classic villains. There’s even an entire alternate universe called DC: Mech that’s filled with robotic versions of DC’s heroes. While a proper Big O return or crossover with Batman seems unlikely, these various Batman projects definitely capture the same exciting, large-scale spirit.

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2026-03-23 05:40