a prequel perchance?

[R. Daniel 01]

Tifaria is wisdom. And Char and Graham, I like your spirit. I think Vogler's ideas are cool, but it would be even better if the third season simply incorporated lengthy pre-event flashbacks or visions. Best of both worlds.

Hey man, Save Big O... sent some letters. We needed a dynamic firebrand who CARED... we needed an adult with his life in order, so he could put aside a few hours every week and focus. Yet we were all students, generally unmotivated, or had too many issues clashing at once. So it never went anywhere.

I tried to keep it going, myself. I chatted up the webs and accumulated like twenty signatures. But with so few signatures... and without an energetic community to keep me happy and interested, principles fell by the wayside.

What's with all this ignorance about the tomato drive? There was no throwing intended. The plan was still pretty dumb, I'll agree there. Not to mention, Zola hasn't done anything with the money, as far as I know, and likely never will.

I enjoy the current state of the SBO page. It has promised that the site would return "later this week" for two years. I'm surprised it still exists.

[Brooklyn Luckfield]

an energetic community

That's something Big O fandom sorely needs. I guess once people has discussed it to death and every little theory explored it's a bit tough to keep folks interested. I kinda wish AS would pick up Heroman for broadcast once it get's picked up. It's got Stan Lee's name on it and I'd imagine it would be pretty popular.

[R. Daniel 01]

About Heroman: fo rizzles. Fo rizzley rizzles.

I guess once people have discussed it to death and every little theory explored it's a bit tough to keep folks interested

If the show has a tangible enough connection to our real lives, and if enough stimulating stuff gets posted on the forum, it's definitely possible.

[Tifaria]

What's with all this ignorance about the tomato drive? There was no throwing intended. The plan was still pretty dumb, I'll agree there. Not to mention, Zola hasn't done anything with the money, as far as I know, and likely never will.

Oh, wow, I did not know that.  That's... hmm.

an energetic community

That's something Big O fandom sorely needs. I guess once people has discussed it to death and every little theory explored it's a bit tough to keep folks interested. I kinda wish AS would pick up Heroman for broadcast once it get's picked up. It's got Stan Lee's name on it and I'd imagine it would be pretty popular.

It's funny, though, there are plenty of series that have been discussed to death (Evangelion is the first thing I can think of.  Oh, and Utena still has a very active fandom that continues to write critical analysis of the show) and have been over for far longer than Big O, yet still have dedicated fans that are invested in the work.  I mean, new Eva merchandise comes out all the time, and they just did that movie remake of it.  Utena just released a really nice tenth anniversary box set that I wish they'd bring over here. 

So what's the difference?  Why did people abandon this show?  Was it really because they had discussed it enough?  How do you go about attracting new fans to a show that's been over for seven years?  And if you do attract those fans, what do you do with them then?  What else is there to offer?  How do old fans, who really have discussed it to death and are probably tired of rehashing the same old stuff, attract new fans and not get annoyed by them? 

Some things to ponder, I guess.  It's something I wonder about myself every once in a while. 

[R. Daniel 01]

Well we could always use some more thoughtful people like you.

How do you go about attracting new fans to a show that's been over for seven years?

If a show is good enough, fans will emerge from the ether. This has been proven by my sister's generation. I have no idea how they discovered Big O, but according to her, kids seven years younger than myself have mentioned it and doodled it in class.

Good fanworks can generate interest. The implication of good fanwork is that a story and its characters are exceptionally robust. People will say, "woah what's all this about?" and check out the source material.

I think Big O lacks personal dilemmas. I really like that you brought up Utena and Evangelion. Would it be safe to say that those shows are primarily character-driven? Big O has very little of that; the characters mostly keep their issues to themselves and don't let them interfere with the plot at hand. They also don't have many connections, let alone friends. With so few recurring characters of any depth, I guess it's not surprising that Big O doesn't inspire such widespread loyalty. Big O has atmosphere and attitude, but its soul is hidden. Yes, no?

[Tifaria]

Well we could always use some more thoughtful people like you.

Hahaha, thanks!  But, you know, I'm actually a good example of what I'm talking about!  I tend to show up around here sporadically, like... once a year or something.  Or maybe longer, I usually lose count.  Back in the day I was really active, but since then I just sorta show up whenever and inevitably disappear into the abyss of the Internet after a while. 

I think you have a really good point about characters!  Yes, I think the appeal of Eva and Utena and a lot of other anime (or even live-action shows, for that matter) is the characters.  They give you something to relate to, or to project yourself onto.  Fanfiction and fanart often depict the more human aspects of the works they're inspired by, rather than the atmosphere.  For example, in searching through Big O fanart, I notice that most of it is depictions of characters and very little of the mech.  Fanfiction was, at least back during the show's heyday, more concerned with the Roger/Dorothy relationship than anything else.  I always find it interesting that in any given fandom, the pairings are the things people are most concerned with, even when none are defined, the fans will often force relationships upon characters in order to give them something to draw/write about. 

Big O's characters are such mysteries, it can be difficult to relate to them.  I wouldn't say that they necessarily lack depth, but rather that it's so vital to the story that you not know too much about them, and maybe that does prevent fans from feeling too close to them.  However, it certainly never stopped people from arguing over Roger/Dorothy v. Roger/Angel.  But I do think that maybe a lot of people were put off by the focus on the mystery and atmosphere.  They should have been intrigued by it, but some people just don't have the patience to stick it out.  It's tricky.  How do you balance that out?   

[R. Daniel 01]

I'm actually a good example of what I'm talking about

Well I'm sure if interesting things get said and done, you'll find yourself contributing more regularly.

What you say about the character stuff is true. Though, I'm positive that 90% of the pairing fanfiction is written by females. I'd write about good pairings and be part of the 10% exception, but I find it best not to tamper with character relationships.

Whenever I read attempts at Roger x Dorothy, it's never genuine. Those two need an earth-moving, plot-shattering event to make any move towards one another, considering all the issues with Dorothy that Sharpshooter005 would gladly start shouting. Even though Angel doesn't interest me at all, she and Roger would make a much better fit. His body belongs with Angel... but his heart... with Dorothy! lolz.

They should have been intrigued by it, but some people just don't have the patience to stick it out.

I'm not so sure. After discussing Big O and, similarly, Jin-Roh with irl friends, my position has shifted. Increasingly, the mystery aspect of Big O feels like parlor tricks. There are people who lack patience as you mentioned, but there are others who dismiss Big O's emphasis on atmosphere as a case of style over substance, and I fear that they are essentially correct.

How do you balance that out?

I think, to balance it out, there's just no substitute for hard work. Characters must really confront their mysteries, or have their mysteries tugged at with some discomfort, and decide whether to actively perpetuate the mystery and push the pryers away, or to share the mystery with someone new and potentially resolve it. Roger the Wanderer teased us very well, but perhaps it should have come at us much earlier, and definitely it should have had more tangible consequences.

After a point, reliance on mystery just feels like a cop-out.

[Tifaria]

I hope we're not getting too off-topic here!  We've strayed a ways from the prequel question now. 

What you say about the character stuff is true. Though, I'm positive that 90% of the pairing fanfiction is written by females. I'd write about good pairings and be part of the 10% exception, but I find it best not to tamper with character relationships.

Whenever I read attempts at Roger x Dorothy, it's never genuine. Those two need an earth-moving, plot-shattering event to make any move towards one another, considering all the issues with Dorothy that Sharpshooter005 would gladly start shouting. Even though Angel doesn't interest me at all, she and Roger would make a much better fit. His body belongs with Angel... but his heart... with Dorothy! lolz.

I can't prove it, but I do believe that you are correct in your belief that females write most pairing fanfics.  Or maybe I should say that the more popular stories tend to be written by females.  I only remember a few Big O fan authors being male (on PCF, anyway; I can't speak for fanfiction.net or other venues), but someone feel free to correct me. 

And I wholeheartedly agree that Roger/Dorothy always comes across as... weird.  Like, Dorothy tends to be written out of character in order to fit the situation the author has created.  I'm not opposed to them, but I feel like people get so concerned with the relationship that they sort of throw out all the characterization the show set up in order to get them together.  I'm really fascinated by the way fans treat the characters they love.  Seems like pairings take over almost any given fandom (Bleach fandom has been pretty crazy lately with pairing "wars" that basically consist of people harassing each other online about the pairings they like, and has gotten pretty nasty), to the point where people seem to be ignoring the story and focusing more on the relationships.  They feel free to infer things that are not there and to force characters together who the author has made clear will not end up together (Harry Potter fandom in particular.  Oh man).  I just find it so fascinating the way people do that.  I would really love to read some academic studies on the psychology of fans or something.   

Even though Angel doesn't interest me at all, she and Roger would make a much better fit. His body belongs with Angel... but his heart... with Dorothy! lolz.

Hahahaha!  I kind of agree, though!  Roger and Angel are very pretty together, but Dorothy and him have a, a thing, or something.  I dunno how to say it.

I'm not so sure. After discussing Big O and, similarly, Jin-Roh with irl friends, my position has shifted. Increasingly, the mystery aspect of Big O feels like parlor tricks. There are people who lack patience as you mentioned, but there are others who dismiss Big O's emphasis on atmosphere as a case of style over substance, and I fear that they are essentially correct.

[...]

I think, to balance it out, there's just no substitute for hard work. Characters must really confront their mysteries, or have their mysteries tugged at with some discomfort, and decide whether to actively perpetuate the mystery and push the pryers away, or to share the mystery with someone new and potentially resolve it. Roger the Wanderer teased us very well, but perhaps it should have come at us much earlier, and definitely it should have had more tangible consequences.

After a point, reliance on mystery just feels like a cop-out.

Hmm.  I guess I see it less as a reliance on the mystery and more like the mystery is the genre that the story is in, so that's just how it is.  I do agree that towards the end the mystery part started getting annoying and the second season never had the same feel as the first.  I greatly enjoyed the episodic nature of the first season and felt like it pulled off the mystery atmosphere a lot better.  The second season I will concede was relying too much on setting up questions that it never answered. 

[R. Daniel 01]

It's been just the two of us conversing back and forth for a while. I'm beginning to feel a little odd. Also, I agree this has spun off-topic. This more or less our chat-box, haha.

Man, that Bleach shit doesn't even surprise me. I have nothing but negative feelings towards all things Bleach. Most people chime, "Well I liked the first 25!" so maybe it was indeed good at first.

people get so concerned with the relationship that they sort of throw out all the characterization

Yeah, they're fantasies first and stories maybe later. They reflect the desires of the author.

I would really love to read some academic studies on the psychology of fans or something.

Smells like overkill, or impossible, but yeah so would I.

I guess I see it less as a reliance on the mystery and more like the mystery is the genre that the story is in, so that's just how it is.  

Yeah. You're right. Meh I just wish... the mystery got tugged at, got prodded at little more often. I can't stop whining about it.

The only way to do anything constructive about my stupid yearning is to finish writing my darned Season 3!

[Yuko-san]

>.> ...
I think the reason fans pair Roger/Dorothy is because regardless of how wrong it may seem, they do have a thing as Tifara mentioned. That "thing" they have is saving each others asses when things get rough, or when they could end up dead with out each others help. I do agree Angel and Roger would be better, but they have yet to enter a situation where they need each other to live or survive.
That's what connects Roger and Dorothy, every time they get in trouble, the other will come to the rescue.
the mystery in Big O kept me hooked. I know people get impatient, but one should watch something till the end, regardless of patience. In my own experience things get better with time.

[Char Aznable]

How do you go about attracting new fans to a show that's been over for seven years?

Four words: Rocky Horror Picture Show.