Big 0 2 Volume 2: Missing Pieces

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What the box says:

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. Roger Smith's self-proclaimed greatest nemesis, Beck, is back for revenge again. This time, however, he has enlisted the help of a Japanese company to help him in his quest to destroy Roger. His only hope of rescue? Dorothy, Negotiator-in-training.

Haunted by his strange flashbacks, Roger continues his search for answers. And while Angel can offer none, she does provide a friendly ear.

But there's more trouble brewing in this town without Memories. A serial killer seems to be targeting androids, and the Paradigm Corporation responds by assigning an uniquely qualified individual to assist Dastun with this case. Meanwhile, in the underground, a clandestine meeting is held. But, Dorothy's seen tham and must now make her escape. A new Megadeus has arisen to terrorize the citizens of Paradigm City. In the midst of this fierce battle, Roger is forced to make a terrible choice.

Plot:

Episode 18

In prison, a couple of goons plan to knock out the security system and escape according to the brilliant plan of their boss, Beck.

Roger heads to meet with his newest client, the largest construction company in the city.

At home, Dorothy is sure than Roger won’t be back tonight. Dastun learns that Roger has been kidnapped.

Roger is tied up and has to contend with the insane and inane rambling of Beck about megadeuses.

Why I didn't stick my finger in a light socket...

The kidnappers contact Dorothy who will handle the negotiations.

Elsewhere, Roger awakens and finds an android duplicate of him from the waist up beside him. Beck and his goons make their plans. Roger almost frees himself when Beck confiscates his watch. Using the radio watch, Beck has his robo-Roger summon Big O.

Dastun follows Dorothy when learns that Big O is on the loose.

Beck plans to have the robo-Roger keep calling Big O who will follow him into falling into the ocean ala lemmings. However, Big O doesn’t take the final step into that watery plunge.

Dorothy arrives to make the payoff and claims to love Roger as a joke. She gives Beck 500 radio watches and frees Roger from the tube he’s imprisoned in. Beck is trapped on a giant electromagnet, and his goons free him…

Beck and his 2 goons drive away in some futuristic vehicles before they merge and form megadeus Voltron. The new plan is to take care of Big O permanently.

Roger calls for Big O. Voltron megadeus versus Big O. The Gatling gun finishes Voltron off quicker than Pidge with Lunk.

Beck is hauled back to prison in the paddy wagon.

Episode 19

In a junkyard, an android is hit with explosive bolt from a crossbow. Dastun is on the scene when he learns that the Paradigm Corporation sent an android investigator, Fred, to be involved. Needless to say, Dastun isn’t impressed with having to baby-sit the android.

Elsewhere, Dorothy runs an errand to get some more oil.

Roger meets with the android’s owner.

Dastun and Fred check with the other people whose androids have been killed.

Near home, Dorothy gets shot with a crossbow bolt. She gets away from Norman and pulls it out before it explodes.

At the military police station, he’s angry that the police are keeping Dorothy as a witness and won’t release her. Fred copies Dorothy’s memories.

Roger tries to find Alex Rosewater to no avail. However, he does find the thoroughly 2dimensional babeliscious Angel. He learns that Alex and the pseudo-Joker clone Alan Gabriel are on vacation far out of Paradigm City. Roger learns that the android destroyer has been identified. He is at the oil bar. The killer targets high grade androids. Fred heads into the bar and gets shot with a bolt which he throws back at the killer.

Dorothy is still at the military police headquarters.

Dastun learns the killer is an android. Fred takes the killer android’s memories to find why he snapped.

A construction mecha attacks the police headquarters.

Roger calls for Big O.

The mecha chases Norman and Dorothy until Big O arrives to deliver a beatdown. Roger is sure that the mecha isn’t his real enemy?

Angel is suddenly shocked by what she sees.

Later, the Paradigm Corporation will police malfunctioning androids. Dastun realizes Fred was just put on the case as a target for the killer. Well, he respects the android investigator.

Episode 20

Roger awakens from a nightmare. He later passes by Alex Rosewater and pseudo-Joker, Alan Gabriel, to meet with a farmer, Gordon Rosewater. Trying to find his memories and why can he pilot Big O, who chose him. Farmer Gordon mentions that was part of his contract with Roger.

Angel finds Roger. She tells him that apparently Alex has been trying to contact foreign powers and is obsessed with megadeuses. Roger can’t recall how he met Big O, hopefully not with Kirstie Alley.

A strange song is heard throughout the city and numerous people follow the melody.

Dastun is working when learns of a megadeus appearing.

Roger and Angel have another relationship fu discussion. She hears the song and follows the tune. Roger is radioed about the new megadeus.

The military police is on scene when another megadeus appears.

At the Paradigm Corporation, Alex is sure that the Union robots have a plan. However, Fau isn’t ready yet…

Dorothy follows the song and discovers a group of people meeting in a ramshackle building. Angel meets with the most deliberate French accent this side of Normandy, Vera. Dorothy spots Alan Gabriel who starts to hunt her.

Big O versus the megadeus. Roger claims he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

Angel tries convincing Vera to stop Alan Gabriel from hurting Dorothy. However, the android is caught.

Big O is about to finish the megadeus off when freezing up. Roger has some flashback about being a clone, etc…The megadeus attacks him.

Alan Gabriel has Dorothy at the palm of his hand and about to finish her off when to be continued assaults us.

What I say:

Welcome to week 2, or Big Duo week, of Mecha Month. Feeble sttempts at humor may not be funny but at least self-depreciating...For my attempt at explaining the first Big O series and the first DVD of season 2, click away on Big O 2: Volume 1. I did enough comparisons between Roger Smith and Bruce Wayne in that review to keep from mentioning this week to keep from waving my batarang around anymore... Mainly because of the complaints about any batarang waving would drive my loyal ten of fans away.

Anime. A French term for animation for the Japanese style of animation which is subbed or dubbed and watched in the USA. I would never dare to actually try to academically explain anime. I'm not qualified enough. Another reason, most people who would consider them qualified love to revel in terms like "critic" or "expert". The past few years has at least removed the vision that Sailor Moon was the only type of anime. Well, news shows loved to mention hentai especially Legend of the Overfiend. Cartoons that have adult situations are great pieces to mention for teasers to get people to watch news. "You won't believe what is featured in this Japanese 'cartoon'."

Big O 2 started by bringing in the villains whether they're from season 1or brand new. It has been quite a while since I watched the first season and missed Big O 2 until stumbled across it few months back. To be honest, I don't remember Beck from the original series. If he hadn't have popped up in the alternate history segment of episode 13, Big O 2: Volume 1 where Roger recognized him, I would have had no idea of who he was. Alex Rosewater just keeps getting more and more insidious and maniacal in that "rich guy who is sure that gives him a greater grasp of controlling those he feels are insignificant" way.

From what I've seen so far of this season, the dangling plot points which try to tie the episodes into some closer continuity seems to do more harm than good. Fusing everything together into some sort of giant continuity web works in some cases, but when every episode ends with a giant mecha fight sort of demolishes the giant web of continuity. Giant robots beating each other into scrap metal shouldn't have a contiunuity that would confuse a Babylon 5 fan. However, not every element should be the missing key which reveals the shocking secret. Big O 2 plays every clue as the MacGuffin to the mystery of what happened to Paradigm City 40 years before...

Cliffhangers may draw in viewers which isn't a secret that only some shows use. I've lost track of the number of anime series that get about halfway into the show they have the key element of the story about to be concluded when suddenly, that story somehow disappears until appearing about episode 26. I've seen it used from Gundam Wing to Tenchi in Tokyo which shows the variety of genres that use it.

The flashbacks are throwing more monkey wrenches into the continuity bandwagon than a babboon tossing pipe-cutters at the marching band. The Flashbacks are just so aggrivating after so many times scattered throughout. Roger freezes up and has the same flashbacks of barcodes, kids, etc...He then shakes his head and gets back to what he was doing before zoning out. I guess cutting the annoying flashbacks out would have given more time to maybe explain what was going on but that would mean the writers would have had to know what they were doing. I've seen what happens when using mecha to question reality and to tie vast philosphical ideas together. You can get Neon Genesis Eangelion which is good series but should have a warning for all viewers to watch something light-hearted after every couple of episodes. Maybe, I'm just too immature to appreciate the last couple episodes of it. Well, I recommend Vandread for something to take the serious edge off after Evangelion.

The last episode on this DVD with the Union spies had me break out into a wide grin and start laughing hysterically. Yes, I mean Vera, the obviously French spyleader. Finally, I have found an accent more incongrous than the Brooklyn accented dockworkers in Gamera Versus Monster X. She could only have been more French had she been wearing a beret standing next to the Maginot Line and the Eiffel tower eating a croissant. I'm leaving out the Groundskeeper Willie, "bon'jour, ya cheazzzzzzzzzzze eating surrender monkeyz" to someone with a better Scottish accent.

Angel who has been a complete engima with references to be from outside of Paradigm City and a growing attraction to Roger. Finally, we start getting some idea of her background being a Union spy. Though, this "union" seems awfully mysterious even with so many others that are connected to it including psycho-pseduo Joker-Scarecrow wannabee, Alan Gabriel.

The Roger-Dorothy-Angel triangle is just something that never should have been started. Angel thinks Roger loves Dorothy who professes her love for Roger several times and then claims they were jokes. Angel is never around to hear the claims. Emotionally, it is hard to figure out when you've got an android that acts more emotionally stunted than a Vulcan watching Scary Movie 2. So Joker-boy is able to almost convince Angel to let him send Dorothy to that big micro-processor in the sky.

The second disc is sure to not be like the first which starts revealing the main storyline. The characters begin to weave the plot points together leading until the final episode which should have a tapestry of the plot points that allow how everything is connected. After several paragraphs of my rambling, even I'm starting to get confused. Next week, delving into more of the complexities of Big O 2. So remember to fire up your mecha because it is always "Showtime!!!"

Quotable Dialogue
"This is the Dominus of the Megadeus."
"You're not as tortured as I expected, Roger."
"Even if I was one of the tomatoes."
"I'm one of the tomatoes."
Morals of the Story
Manners require you to say "you're welcome" to kidnappers.
Androids wear coveralls.
Androids need oil.
Motorcycles have built in missile launchers.
The futre no longer has helmet laws.
Rotary phones are commonly used in the future.