Most, if not all, anime fans know about the legendary Osamu Tezuka and his globally recognized, iconic series Astro Boy. Back in the '60s, the powerful robot boy named Atom captivated the hearts of children with his fearless heroism and thrilling adventures. While adults could enjoy these stories as well, the childlike humor and simplistic storytelling wouldn't captivate a more mature audience. Flash forward to today, and adults are finally given a mature version of Astro Boy that takes the world by storm and has already proven a massive hit.
When Netflix released its trailer for its upcoming series Pluto, viewers who had never heard of the title were awestruck by the dark and gritty version of an Astro Boy story. At the same time, diehard fans of the franchise were ecstatic that an iconic comic is being given the attention it deserves. The upcoming Fall anime Pluto is based on a comic created by Naoki Urasawa. With the support and collaboration from Osamu Tezuka himself, Pluto became a darker version of Astro Boy's "The Greatest Robot On Earth" arc. This mature crime thriller, filled with high-octane action, wound up becoming a legendary piece of manga history with awards and acclaim from critics and fans alike. Now that the series is being given attention with an anime adaptation, its dark tones and mature themes are sure to change the way most people look at the Astro Boy name.
A Dark Trailer Not Recommended For Kids
From the Netflix trailer, viewers are taken down a heavy road of murder, mystery, and action that is depicted in the grittiest ways. The only hints of the original Astro Boy anime are some of the characters in name and the cartoon-like design of a few characters. For the most part, the series looks like an original seinen anime, and these mild callbacks to the original franchise certainly do not outweigh the trailer's darkest moments. In visuals alone, this series is shaping up to be not safe for kids unless they are incredibly mature and prepared for some mild gore. The first minute of the trailer shows not only the mutilation of a robot but also the vicious murder of a human, both with the serial killer's calling card of horns smashed into their heads. Opening the trailer, and perhaps the series, in this way is the most clear indication that this series is meant for an older audience.
Digging deeper into the series, the themes present in the narrative are clearly for mature viewers. Without question, no children's story is going to depict the chase after a serial killer mixed with police procedure and philosophical debates on society, especially in the dramatic and disturbing way that Pluto does. There is a deep layering to Gesicht's search for the murderer, from uncovering the connection of the victims to the complexities of the culprit most likely being a robot. In this society, robots and humans coexist. Though humankind is aware of how powerful and potentially hazardous robots are, they don't appear to live in fear because of the preset rule that robots are programmed to be unable to kill a human. This makes Gesicht's number one suspect such a devastating game-changer to the world. The high stakes of this life-or-death case, along with the complicated narrative, surely means that few, if any, children ought to watch this series, which is a drastic change to the initial demographic for the original Astro Boy.
Two Separate Astro Boys
In the original Tezuka comics, Astro Boy is always the lead hero, with everyone else reacting to his heroism against the lowest villains. Mixed with childlike comedy and action, the stories of Astro Boy were always a fun escape for children, inspiring them to fight for justice and friendship for all. During Tezuka's "The Greatest Robot On Earth" arc, there is the fight against a murderous robot hellbent on proving himself as the strongest, but in this original version, he never lays a hand on humans. This enemy challenges the most powerful robots known to humankind, leading him to fight against Astro Boy. In the manga, the fight scenes are quick, with not much further plot surrounding them, but they are incredibly fun to read, especially for sci-fi fans. In the case of the series Pluto, either the newly debuting anime or the acclaimed manga, the story strays far from the original with a different role for Astro Boy.
In Pluto, Astro Boy is a side character but still has a critical role in the story. Rather than laying out all the plot details and focusing on the fight scenes, the story is turned into a mystery crime thriller leading up to the action. The audience's perspective comes from the lead character, Detective Gesicht, who has a story of his own to tell. In this way, viewers are left to wonder what will happen next, stirring a bit of anxiety and a deep degree of engagement. The antagonist is treated like a monster from a horror film, unknown and not understood by even the main characters themselves. As the investigation continues and this version of Astro Boy is gradually introduced, viewers have to endure an intense journey of murder, intrigue, and deep philosophical debate. This complete change to the Astro Boy formula was initially devised by the genius mangaka Naoki Urasawa.
Urasawa's Influence
Naoki Urasawa is a name that some hopefully recognize as the creator of the legendary series Monster. Back in the early 2000s, Urasawa collaborated with Osamu Tezuka himself in honor of Astro Boy's 50th anniversary. The manga series would prove to be a complete twist on the franchise's name but be worth it in the end. Urasawa gained even more acclaim after the manga Pluto was published. He received awards and accolades from critics and readers alike, and the manga became known as one of the greatest masterpieces in manga history. Granted, it never became as popular as the original Astro Boy franchise, but now with the Netflix anime adaptation, Urasawa and his manga Pluto are finally being put under an even bigger spotlight.
To this day, there is no question that Astro Boy has cemented itself as an iconic part of anime history. It's known as one of the greatest animated children's series to come from Japan. However, upon Pluto's success as a manga as its upcoming anime adaptation, the image of Astro Boy is going to change. Children can still enjoy the original Astro Boy in either comic or anime form, but now adults have their own mature versions of the beloved robot hero and his stories.