He was definitely based on Batman. The people responsible for animating TAS also worked on The Big O, and Cowboy Bebop. They stated that they wanted this show to be successful in the United States, which it was. The only reason Big O got a second season is because we here in the west received it so well. Needless to say, Big O was more successful here than in Japan.
Roger Smith is a pastiche of the Bruce Waynepersona and the Batman. The character design resembles Wayne, complete with slicked-back hair and double-breasted business suit. Like Bruce, Roger prides himself in being a rich playboy to the extent that one of his household's rules is only women may be let into his mansion without his permission. Like Batman, Roger Smith carries a no-gun policy, albeit more flexible. Unlike the personal motives of the Batman, Roger enforces this rule for "it's all part of being a gentleman." Among Roger's gadgetry is the Griffon, a large, black hi-tech sedan comparable to the Batmobile, a grappling cable that shoots out his wristwatch and the giant robot that Angel calls "Roger's alter ego."
The Big O's cast of supporting characters includes Norman, Roger's faithful mechanically-inclined butler who fills the role of Alfred Pennyworth; R. Dorothy Wayneright, who plays the role of the sidekick; and Dan Dastun, a good honest cop who, like Jim Gordon, is both a friend to the hero and greatly respected by his comrades.
@Darkmount1: Hey, you're really on to something here, I have watched that entire series and and I'm disappointed at the fact that I had never thought about that. Talk about hitting the nail on the head! Anybody who has seen the Big- O will surely agree! Didn't know about the connection at all.
