Netflix announced an anime adaptation based on Naoki Urasawa’s sci-fi manga Pluto and is planned to premiere on the streaming platform sometime in 2023. A sneak-peek trailer was released on Netflix Anime’s official YouTube channel.
Pluto is Urasawa’s unique perspective and interpretation of the story “The Greatest Robot on Earth” story arc from Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy. The manga has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad, winning the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize’s Manga Grand Prize, the 2011 Intergeneration Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, and the ACBD Asia Prize, among other awards.
It was also adapted for the stage in 2015 and performed again in 2018. In addition to Japan, the play toured Europe in the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium. And now will be the first time that the manga will be adapted into an anime.
Genco is producing the animation, and Studio M2 handles the animation production. The planning and producer team for the film “In This Corner of the World” has also reunited, with Tarō Maki and Masao Maruyama as executive producers.
Shinshū Fuji plays the role of Gesicht, Yōko Hikasa plays the role of Atom, and Minori Suzuki plays the role of Uran. In addition, it was announced that Naoki Urasawa, Makoto Tezuka, Yōko Hikasa, and Minori Suzuki will appear on the “Netflix Anime Special Stage” at AnimeJapan 2023, which will be held on March 25 and 26 at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan.
▍Pluto Anime Story
Set in a future where robots have gained similar rights to humans, the story follows Gesicht, a robot detective who works for Europol, as he investigates a case revolving around the murders of robots and humans that are taking place. Complications arise when evidence begins to suggest that a robot is behind it all.
▍Pluto Anime Staff & Production
Original Work: Pluto by Naoki Urasawa and Osamu Tezuka, produced by Hisashi Nagasaki, supervised by Makoto Tezuka, in cooperation with Tezuka Productions (Published by Shogakukan’s Big Comic Original)
Animation Production: Studio M2
Produced by: Genco
▍Pluto Anime Cast
■ Gesicht – CV: Shinshū Fuji
■ Atom – CV: Yōko Hikasa
■ Uran – CV: Minori Suzuki