Copyright © Victor

4 Tracks; 14:00

1.		Big O!	3:13
		Vocal: Nagai Rui
2.		And Forever	3:48
		Vocal: Robbie Danzie with Takao Naoki
3.		Big O! (karaoke version)	3:12
4.		And Forever (karaoke version)	3:45

Sunrise's latest big show is THE BIG O, something of a hybrid between BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES and GIANT ROBO. It got a suave, retro style that's different from most everything out there. So it should come as no surprise that the opening and ending themes are unique among anime songs as well.
The opening song is the obviously-named "Big O!" Beginning a quiet piano introduction, the show swings into a frantic bass line, and quickly explodes into a lot of synthesizer melodies. But there's also an electric guitar in the mix as well. The song sounds something like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" with the guitars, the unusual harmonies, and the varying tempos of the song. It's a bit over the top, especially when you factor in all the sound effects they've included—sirens, screeching tires and the like. While the song works well as an introduction to the show, on its own, it's a little on the cheesy side, especially with the constant choir-like repetitions of "Big O! Big O Big O Big O!" It's fun, but it's not recommended for extensive repeated listening or you will find it stuck in your head, like the old campy BATMAN TV song.
The ending is a totally different change of pace. While the opening was all flash and brilliance, the ending is a slow love ballad. A duet even. Unfortunately though, it sounds a lot like those duets that seemed to litter Hollywood film soundtracks in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While the song itself is very solid, with good vocals and lyrics in correct English, its sentimentality is a little over the top, and I couldn't help myself from feeling that the next song to pop up on the player would be "Somewhere Out There." That's not to say that I didn't like it—on the contrary. But those who have had their fill of love ballads will probably find this to be yet another in a long list of songs that they could really do without.
The remaining two tracks are the obligatory karaoke tracks, although I find myself smiling at the thought of anyone actually trying to sing "Big O!" in a karaoke bar—or anywhere else, for that matter. It's just not that kind of song. Still, it's fun to listen to and the karaoke tracks are a nice bonus for buying the CD single.
This CD single will doubtless appeal to those who've seen THE BIG O and can appreciate how the music helps to enhance the mood of this unique series. However those who haven't seen it will probably not be particularly impressed by what they find here.

Japan Victor
VIDL-30461
¥ 1,020
Available Now in Japan
Where to buy