Recently, Netflix announced an original anime adaptation of Pluto, an older manga that was written by Naoki Urasawa from 2003 to 2009. The series was based on a storyline in Osamu Tezuka's legendary Astro Boy, specifically "The Greatest Robot on Earth," focusing on a series of murders that target both robots and humans. As a posthumous collaboration between two legendary masters of manga, Pluto is certainly a unique titile.
For fans of Pluto, this is certainly a pleasant surprise, especially since the manga is a lesser-known series compared to more major hits like Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia. Still, all would agree that it is an incredible series that definitely deserves more attention than it has got, a situation that will surely be remedied by this adaptation. As a series that is quite different to the usual seasonal anime fare, Pluto is sure to stand out among the year's anime. Here are some reasons to be excited about this series being adapted into anime.
A Robotic Murder Mystery
The series takes place in a futuristic world where robots are commonplace and range from being clearly robotic to being almost human. They have become an inseparable part of society, which has begun to cause rifts between robots and humans. During this time, a series of murders begin, each one targeting one of the "Seven Greatest Robots in the World" as well as a human supporting the International Robot Laws. All victims are found with objects shoved into their heads to imitate the appearance of horns.
Gesicht, a German inspector and another of the "Seven Greatest Robots in the World," is assigned to find this mysterious killer. As he investigates, evidence suggests that the killer is another robot, which would mean that a robot has killed a human for the first time in eight years. As Gesicht races against the clock to avoid more deaths, questions about the humanity of robots are brought up, and a dark secret that even Gesicht cannot remember slowly comes to light.
Pluto is a suspenseful sci-fi mystery that combines the thrilling aspect of detective stories with a deep and philosophical look at a possible future where robots have become so advanced that they cannot be easily told apart from other humans. As expected, relations between humans and robots aren't always the best, and the series asks questions about the role of robots in such a futuristic world that cannot be easily answered. Despite that, the series shies away from being too dark or cynical, leaving a little bit of hope for the future of human and robotkind.
Naoki Urasawa's Masterful Storytelling
Pluto is written by Naoki Urasawa, with writing help by occasional collaborator Takashi Nagasaki. Urasawa is well-known as a master of manga, having written two legendary series in Monster and 20th Century Boys. Urasawa is well-known as a master of mystery and thriller stories, and Pluto is yet another series that shows off his particular skill in these genres. Furthermore, Urasawa's uncanny ability to create compelling character drama as well as his ability to give each character distinct, personable faces is part of what makes his work world-class.
While the original storyline is a rather old story that comes from the 60s, Urasawa has essentially completely re-vamped the story, turning it into his own. Character backgrounds have been expanded and the philosophical themes of the differences between highly intelligent robots and humans is something that is completely up Urasawa's alley. The transition of protagonist from Astro Boy (called Atom in Pluto) to Gesicht is also something that suits Urasawa's storytelling well. Pluto is a perfect example of Urasawa's skills, and fans would be mistaken to skip this.
A Story From The Godfather Of Manga
While Urasawa's stamp is certainly all over Pluto, it's important to remember that the storyline Pluto is based off of came from Astro Boy, one of Osamu Tezuka's most famous works. Tezuka is known as the godfather of modern manga, and is still hailed as one of its most influential figures decades after his passing. Urasawa is a big fan of Tezuka himself, and claims that "The Greatest Robot in the World" is his favorite Astro Boy story.
Despite Osamu Tezuka's legendary status, most modern anime and manga fans are understandably unaware of many of his most influential works. While it is in a form that is considerably changed, the core of Pluto's story does come from one of Osamu Tezuka's most famous works. For anime and manga fans hoping to experience a story from one of manga's most celebrated creators, Pluto provides a great opportunity for that in a style that is more palatable to modern aesthetics. Add to that Naoki Urasawa's incredible storytelling sense and Pluto is sure to be a story that will be remembered for decades to come, especially with this anime adaptation on the way.