A new animated series on Netflix is prompting renewed discussion about the enduring legacy of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy and the complexities of war and its aftermath. Pluto, released in late October 2023, reimagines a story arc from the classic manga, expanding it into a suspenseful murder mystery with pointed political undertones.
Although Astro Boy, first serialised in 1952, established Tezuka as the “father of manga,” it was the 2003 announcement that Naoki Urasawa would adapt the “The Greatest Robot on Earth” story arc that generated significant anticipation. Urasawa’s Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, serialized in Big Comic Original from September 2003 to April 2009 and collected into eight volumes, didn’t simply retell the story; it transformed it, achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling over 10 million copies and winning the ninth Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
The Netflix adaptation, comprised of eight hour-long episodes, shifts the focus from Astro/Atom, the iconic protagonist of Astro Boy, to Gesicht, a highly advanced German robot detective. Gesicht is tasked with investigating a series of killings targeting both powerful robots and the human scientists connected to a devastating past conflict – the 39th Central Asian War. The murders are marked by the presence of horn-shaped objects referencing Pluto, the Roman god of death, and a conspicuous lack of human biological evidence.
The series draws a stark parallel between the fictional war and the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, presenting a profound meditation on the enduring consequences of conflict. A flashback scene features a Persian civilian lamenting to Gesicht, “There aren’t any terrorists here… The only ones here were children! You dropped a bomb on my sleeping child!” This echoes the anti-imperialist sentiments present in Tezuka’s earlier work, notably The Angel of Vietnam, a 1967 chapter of Astro Boy written in protest against US involvement in the Vietnam War.
The timing of Pluto’s release, coinciding with the onset of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, has given its antimilitarist message a renewed sense of urgency. The series explores the cyclical nature of hatred and grief, themes enhanced by expressive animation and nuanced voice performances in both Japanese and English. Composer Yugo Kanno’s soundtrack blends electronic and classical elements, mirroring the series’ blend of futuristic sci-fi and timeless themes.
Pluto distinguishes itself from the original Astro Boy by delving into the moral complexities faced by increasingly humanistic robots. Atom, created by a scientist to replace his deceased son, embodies hope for a world free from war, remaining untainted by hatred. However, as robots like Atom evolve, they grapple with sorrow and the inability to forget, a uniquely robotic burden. Gesicht, unlike Atom, carries a tragic past, adding another layer to the series’ exploration of grief and memory.
The series is currently streaming on Netflix in Australia, the UK, and the US.
