Netflix has a string of exciting anime coming at the end of 2023, including the latest Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki adaptation! Pluto is based on The Greatest Robot on Earth story arc from Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy manga. Here's everything you should know about Pluto now that it's here!
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Pluto Anime Plot: Is This an Astro Boy Adaptation?
The Pluto anime is based on the manga of the same name by iconic mystery mangaka Naoki Urasawa (creator of Monster), which itself is a reimagining of an arc of Osamu Tezuka's iconic Astro Boy series.
Pluto reimagines The Greatest Robot on Earth story from Astro Boy, making side-character inspector Gesicht the lead and turning it into a murder mystery series.
Set in a world where robots have equal rights to humans, Gesicht is investigating a string of human and robot murders that involve sticking horns into the victim's heads.
He eventually discovers a plot to overthrow the great robots of the world, including Astro Boy, as well as the delicate balance achieved between human and robotkind.
Pluto Anime's Release Date Confirmed
Pluto debuted on Netflix on Thursday, October 26, 2023, with eight hour-long episodes.
The project was originally announced back in 2017, but news on it was pretty much silent for a few years. Then, a first preview was released by Netflix in early 2023.
Pluto had an early premiere in Japan on October 20th.
Pluto's Episode Count Excites Fans
An interesting aspect of Pluto's release is its episode count and runtime. Unlike most anime that get around 12 episodes at 24 minutes each, Pluto will have eight episodes, each one hour long.
Thanks to the unusual runtime, the Pluto anime adaptation will be closer to two cours in length than one, so there's plenty of story to get stuck into!
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Where Can You Watch the Pluto Anime?
The Pluto anime is only available on Netflix, which is distributing it worldwide.
For some anime, Netflix only has streaming rights in particular regions. Shows like Vinland Saga and My Happy Marriage are on Netflix in some places but are also available through other services elsewhere.
It doesn't appear that this will be the case with Pluto, as Netflix has the global rights to the series.
No matter where you are, you will likely need a Netflix subscription to watch the anime.
Who Are Studio M2 and the Staff Behind Pluto?
The Pluto anime is being animated by Studio M2, a studio with few credits to its name but with a wealth of experience to call upon.
Studio M2 was founded in 2016 by Masao Maruyama, a legendary anime producer who founded both Madhouse and later MAPPA. Maruyama is a producer on the Pluto project.
Pluto is directed by Toshio Kawaguchi, who isn't a hugely experienced director but did work as an animator on many iconic productions across the 1980s, 90s, and 00s.
The rest of Pluto's key staff also has a retro feel. Character design is by Shigeru Fujita, who famously did the same role in the adaptation of Urasawa's other iconic detective thriller, Monster.
Sound is being led by Yuugo Kanno, who has also done the same role for the Psycho-Pass and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchises.
Gesicht is being voiced by Shinshuu Fuji, most known for playing Risotto Nero in JoJo's Golden Wind arc. Atom is played by Youko Hikasa, who recently played Utahime Iori in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Pluto Anime Trailers
The above teaser was released by Netflix in July. In October, a more complete 'final' trailer was revealed, which gives a much better outline of the story as a whole.
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