"Pluto," the science fiction thriller, is an anime adaptation of Naoki Urasawa's manga and a retelling of Tezuka Osamu's "Astro boy." Urasawa is the man behind the critically acclaimed manga and anime "Monster," as well as the notable "20th Century Boys." This is a story with history and firm foundations, but there are more than just a few times when you can feel how dated it is. The futuristic world of Pluto is one still trying to pick itself up following "The 39th Central Asian Conflict," a brutal invasion of the Kingdom of Persia built upon a false report of weapons of mass destruction. The war has touched every family in one way or another and the characters we follow in Pluto were all central to the conflict itself. Some are human, but most are robots so technologically advanced that they cannot be telled apart. This world of controversial cohabitation between man and metal is thrown asunder as prominent pro-robot advocates are slain and the world's most loved robot, Mont Blanc, is killed. The central themes at the core of this story are revenge and inherited hatred. However, there is a great deal of time spent trying to pick apart what 'emotion' is as our robotic cast tries to become more human. This is a great framework for Pluto and it allows us to delve deep into the horrors that our incredible cast of characters were forced to endure during the war. We see how they've tried to move past all of the bloodshed that their picture-perfect memory won't allow them to forget, and we see the effects of the battlefield coming back to kill them in their new lives. While I think that the overall story trips and falls in a lot of aspects, I can truly say that I enjoyed every single one of these characters and the interactions that they brought about. While some were simple in appearance, they had an enjoyable depth that made you care about them and their fates. Carrying over Naoki Urasawa's unmistakable style into the anime, the art is incredibly unique. The character designs feel so fresh compared to the generic copy pastes that we see nowadays, and I will always welcome stuff like this when I see it. As well, we bounce around a lot in the story from Europe to the middle-east and Asia, and each region has a distinct atmosphere that was so thick you feel like you could grab it. Oppressive skyscrapers over Istanbul's intimate old-town, tiny villages atop futuristic mega-cities, war-torn Persia with cranes rebuilding the city. All of it is great, except the animation. Well, some of the time. Do not come into this expecting flashy battles that will blow your socks off. Its a slow mystery and most of the fighting is behind closed doors. However, the quality of the anime as a whole is fantastic when it doesn't lose itself in the CGI that likes to take over certain scenes. Its not too jarring and is only a fraction of the show, but it is worth mentioning. As well, the VAs in this show did a phenomenal job in both Japanese and in English. While I did think that there was more consistency in the Japanese voices, I loved hearing thick regional accents come through in the English and what I can I say, that's Netflix and their big budget casting for you. You could honestly watch it in either and it would not diminish the experience, much like "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners," a Netlflix-produced anime from last year. Overall, I think this show is well worth your time because its different. The mystery isn't sherlock-level but it keeps you invested as you try to pick up every breadcrumb of clues and world-building the story gives you. While I thought the ending was kind of Shonen-level generic, I think the journey our protagonist takes throughout it and the conversation surrounding human-connection and inherent-worth make this anime a must-watch. If you are a fan of the Blade Runner series, as I am, you will feel right at home.
