Pluto – A Review

Pluto takes place in a dystopian world where robots and humans live together. All the drama unfolds due to a war that broke out in the past, and that’s all I really want to say about the plot. Anything more, and I might give something away, and I want you all to experience this like I did, blindly. This manga has a few genres mixed into it, such as mystery and suspense, but I found it very thought-provoking. Urasawa gave the robots so much life that during the series you start to develop an attachment towards them, and that’s where it becomes thought-provoking. 

You can’t help but think about what it would be like to be a robot and feel no emotions or think and make clear-cut decisions because you don’t have a human element to you that would make you stop and think before you take a certain action. The series also pushes the boundaries of human ethics and how far we are willing to go technologically before it becomes a hindrance to our very existence. 

Some say we’re already at that point, but that’s for another discussion. I think what impresses me even more is that the original mangaka, Tesuka, was able to create this world decades ago. Sure, maybe it wasn’t as detailed in the storyline or the artwork was more traditional of Tesuka’s work, but this was and is his world, and to create this is nothing short of genius. 

Character development is on a completely different level than anything I’ve read in manga thus far even nudging out Death Note. The amount of backstory on each character is unbelievable considering that this series is only 8 volumes. There were no plot holes in any of the characters and everything came together beautifully. What struck me the most was how ruthless and unforgiving this world is. Quite a few shocking moments happened to me where I put the manga down for a second and said to myself  ‘holy shit did I just witness this?!’.  I found myself cheering for a lot of the characters and I really enjoyed the whole cast including the bad guys, which normally I don’t really gravitate towards.

“Pluto” has received widespread critical acclaim for its storytelling, character development, and thematic depth. Many readers and critics praise Urasawa’s ability to weave a compelling narrative that engages both intellectually and emotionally. Its exploration of complex themes and its connection to Tezuka’s legacy makes it a standout work in the manga medium.