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Legendary Cartoon Network Anime Officially Returns With 26 Episodes
Discotek Media has released the complete 26-episode run of *The Big O* on Blu-ray, bringing back a series that was among Toonami’s early anime offerings in the US. The noir-inspired mecha show, first broadcast in 1999, gained a stronger following in the West than in Japan and became a cult favourite.
The collection includes both the Japanese version with English subtitles and the English dub in high definition, priced at $49.95. It spans the series’ two seasons, which follow negotiator Roger Smith as he investigates the mysteries of a dystopian city alongside his mech Big O, android Dorothy and butler Norman; initial copies appear to have sold out.
In short
- *The Big O* is back in a 26-episode Blu-ray collection.
- The set includes the Japanese version and English dub in HD.
- Initial copies have sold out amid strong demand.
Explained simply
The Big O is a Japanese animated series first shown in 1999. It mixes noir crime stories with mecha, a genre featuring large piloted robots, and is set in a dystopian city whose residents have lost much of their memory of the past.
The story follows Roger Smith, a negotiator who uses his giant robot, Big O, while investigating the city’s mysteries. His companions include Dorothy, an android, and Norman, his butler; the series was also shown on the US anime block Toonami and developed a following among Western viewers.