Norman Burg is Roger Smith's devoted butler and engineer, an older gentleman who manages the household and keeps Roger's equipment in working order. Calm, polite, and resourceful, he is a steady presence who handles routine tasks and crises alike with the same unflappable composure.
Norman is also the primary caretaker and mechanic of the Big O, supporting Roger during deployments and maintaining the giant robot between cases. His technical skill and quiet competence make him an essential member of the trio at the heart of the series.
Though often in the background, Norman provides reliability and gentle humor, and his loyalty to Roger anchors the household. He serves as a grounding figure as the story moves toward Paradigm City's larger mysteries.
Norman Burg is one of the central figures in The Big O, a anime/mecha/mystery/noir/science fiction/action/drama series that aired on WOWOW / Sunrise from 1999–2003. Within the narrative of The Big O, Norman Burg serves as a pivotal character whose decisions and relationships drive key story arcs throughout Seasons 1–2 (1999–2003). The character's journey has been central to many of the show's most memorable and discussed moments.
Portrayed by Kinryu Arimoto, Norman Burg has become one of the most recognizable characters in modern television. Kinryu Arimoto's performance brings nuance and depth to the role, creating a character that resonates with audiences on both intellectual and emotional levels. The casting of Kinryu Arimoto has been widely praised by both critics and fans as essential to the character's impact and the show's success.
Explore More on TVCeleb
TVCeleb.com is the internet's most comprehensive resource for television character fandom, covering 635 acclaimed TV series with 1982 detailed character profiles and 1613 actor biographies. Our coverage spans 155 genres across 145 networks and streaming platforms, with content organized to help fans discover, explore, and engage with television from every angle.
Browse our collection by genre to find shows in your preferred category, by network to see what's available on your streaming platform, by decade to explore different eras of television history, or by curated lists that group characters by archetype and achievement. Each show page features expanded synopses, production details, and video content, while character pages include detailed arc analysis, key episodes, quotes, trivia, and fan ecosystem mapping.
Every character on TVCeleb is scored using our proprietary Fan Heat Index, which measures engagement, social activity, meme velocity, fan art density, and fandom longevity on a scale of 0 to 100. This data-driven approach provides objective insight into which characters have inspired the most passionate and active fan communities. Use the search page to find any character, show, or actor instantly, or start browsing from our homepage to discover what's trending in television fandom today.
? Frequently Asked Questions
In the original Japanese version of The Big O, Norman Burg is voiced by Japanese voice actor (seiyu) Kinryu Arimoto. (Flagged for fact-check.)
Norman Burg is Roger Smith's butler and engineer. He runs the household and maintains the giant robot, the Big O, supporting Roger throughout his cases.