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Pluto #3
PLUTO: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 3
In a distant future where sentient humanoid robots pass for human, someone or some thing is out to destroy the seven great robots of the world. Europol’s top detective Gesicht is assigned to investigate these mysterious robot serial murders—the only catch is that he himself is one of the seven targets.
When robots become so highly advanced in function, yet so similar in kind to humans, societal resistance is inevitable. In this backdrop of technophobic discrimination, Europol’s top robot detective Gesicht and Atom, the most advanced robot in the world continue their investigation into the serial murders of the great robots of the world. The leaves of this mystery masterfully unfold into a complex intersection of reactionary robot hate groups, global politics, and an exploration of robot identity.
Contains Chapters 16 to 23.
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2006
About the author
Naoki Urasawa
346 books2,415 followersUrasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
January 9, 2021
Una historia intrigante que no pierde el hilo de la trama pero nos entrega pinceladas entre la relación de robots y humanos. Sobre la guerra, los derechos y por si fuera poco los prejuicios existentes contra la misma creación del ser humano.
Vale, me tiene enganchado.
Vale, me tiene enganchado.
October 10, 2020
--Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 003
Postscript: Why is Pluto Interesting?, by Fusanosuke Natsume, Manga Columnist
Postscript: Why is Pluto Interesting?, by Fusanosuke Natsume, Manga Columnist
February 20, 2012
This volume is more of a commentary on 'how human are humans' when interacting with robots. The series has started exploring the nature of the dividing line between robots and humans, and the impact of high functioning AIs (like Gesicht) on human society, and the introduction of a group not unlike the Ku Klux Klan that's sole purpose is to destroy and eradicate robots' existense.
Vol. 03, unlike the first two volumes focuses on character development, and of the newly introduced sister of Atom, Uran. In this volume we get a clear picture certain people who are against the peaceful co-existence between man and robot.
Overall, it is another enjoyable volume that definitely is setting up for a major showdown between man and robot, or is it? Can Gesicht get to the bottom of things before something crazy happens?
Vol. 03, unlike the first two volumes focuses on character development, and of the newly introduced sister of Atom, Uran. In this volume we get a clear picture certain people who are against the peaceful co-existence between man and robot.
Overall, it is another enjoyable volume that definitely is setting up for a major showdown between man and robot, or is it? Can Gesicht get to the bottom of things before something crazy happens?
January 15, 2021
Murders, murders everywhere, and hardly a shred of evidence to be found.
I am really liking the world building in this series. In this installment we meet members of KR - think future day KKK - and they want to get rid of all robots. Of course all us liberals would have a knee jerk reaction to these characters, but the back story reveal of one of them is very sensitively done. The cast of characters increases with each installment, and just when I thought no-one could be cuter than Atom, enter Uran. She's a delight. This volume is very slow paced, and the pieces are getting set to be played out, but I'm buckled in for the ride.
I am really liking the world building in this series. In this installment we meet members of KR - think future day KKK - and they want to get rid of all robots. Of course all us liberals would have a knee jerk reaction to these characters, but the back story reveal of one of them is very sensitively done. The cast of characters increases with each installment, and just when I thought no-one could be cuter than Atom, enter Uran. She's a delight. This volume is very slow paced, and the pieces are getting set to be played out, but I'm buckled in for the ride.
March 27, 2023
5/5
not only gesicht, even atom is now being targeted too!!! this is so freaking engaging!! so many mysterious keywords i've got to remember that are currently unknown and it's slowly unraveling the plot. the bits and pieces of what happened in the war years ago are starting to come together and we're slowly discovering who the enemy is. though overall, everything is still vague, but this is still so good!!
not only gesicht, even atom is now being targeted too!!! this is so freaking engaging!! so many mysterious keywords i've got to remember that are currently unknown and it's slowly unraveling the plot. the bits and pieces of what happened in the war years ago are starting to come together and we're slowly discovering who the enemy is. though overall, everything is still vague, but this is still so good!!
November 28, 2023
The third volume in the series takes a darker tone than it's predecessors, as if it wasn't already dark before. But I guess that's the direction the manga was always heading towards.
December 18, 2015
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
“Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 003” by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki is the third book in an eight-book science fiction manga series Pluto. The whole series is based on “The Greatest Robot on Earth,” the most popular story arc in Astro Boy series by a legendary manga master Osamu Tezuka.
The mysterious villain, who is targeting the seven great robots of the world and might be responsible for the related homicides, is still unknown. Meanwhile, members of KR, a far-right group aiming to eliminate robot civil rights laws, come up with a sinister plan. Finally, Atom’s little sister Uran, a robot girl with ultra sensitive receptors, befriends an odd robot.
THUMBS UP:
1) Excellent story building.
The story unfolds slowly, but I wouldn’t dare call it slow-paced as it is thrilling and completely engrossing. New background details and answers to the previous questions introduce new mysteries, moving the story along as well as keeping the suspense at its highest. The final three acts in “Pluto, Volume 003” are especially absorbing, and although quite a few puzzle pieces are revealed, I feel like I have even more questions than I had before and thus cannot wait to read the next volume to find out what’s going on.
2) Multidimensional characters.
The more I get to know the characters in Pluto, the more I like and care about them. Also, background details and side stories not only make the story line more complicated, more relatable and more engaging but also add some layers to the main characters, making them multidimensional, realistic and more interesting.
3) Social commentary.
This volume brings up a lot of interesting issues such as human and robot identity and human-robot conflict. A social commentary not only adds depth and complexity to the plot but also hints at a few universal topics such as humanity and compassion. For example, KR, a robot hater organization in Pluto, strongly resembles the Ku Klux Klan and its ideology.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) The last of the seven.
I didn’t really enjoy the act in which the last of the seven great robots of the world was introduced. The episode was rather uneventful and the character itself didn’t strike me as likable or particularly interesting. Hopefully, my mind will change in later volumes.
2) Static and colorless illustrations.
I know I talked enough about this issue in my previous reviews, but I still cannot get used to the artwork, which is truly stunning but too static for a comic book. The illustrations in the third volume seem more dynamic though, but only the ones picturing kids. The portrayal of adult characters is still too static (limited range of facial expressions and closed mouths when talking). What is more, in “Pluto, Volume 003,” only six first pages are colored and the rest of the illustrations are black and white, EXCEPT for two random panels towards the end of the book. Those few colored illustrations are SO MUCH better and just feel like a tease.
VERDICT: 3.5 out of 5
“Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 003” by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki exemplifies an excellent story building and character development and contains an intriguing social commentary, but the illustrations portraying adults are still too static for a comic book.
POST SCRIPTUM:
Check out my reviews of the previous two volumes:
1) “Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 001;”
2) “Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 002.”
“Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 003” by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki is the third book in an eight-book science fiction manga series Pluto. The whole series is based on “The Greatest Robot on Earth,” the most popular story arc in Astro Boy series by a legendary manga master Osamu Tezuka.
The mysterious villain, who is targeting the seven great robots of the world and might be responsible for the related homicides, is still unknown. Meanwhile, members of KR, a far-right group aiming to eliminate robot civil rights laws, come up with a sinister plan. Finally, Atom’s little sister Uran, a robot girl with ultra sensitive receptors, befriends an odd robot.
THUMBS UP:
1) Excellent story building.
The story unfolds slowly, but I wouldn’t dare call it slow-paced as it is thrilling and completely engrossing. New background details and answers to the previous questions introduce new mysteries, moving the story along as well as keeping the suspense at its highest. The final three acts in “Pluto, Volume 003” are especially absorbing, and although quite a few puzzle pieces are revealed, I feel like I have even more questions than I had before and thus cannot wait to read the next volume to find out what’s going on.
2) Multidimensional characters.
The more I get to know the characters in Pluto, the more I like and care about them. Also, background details and side stories not only make the story line more complicated, more relatable and more engaging but also add some layers to the main characters, making them multidimensional, realistic and more interesting.
3) Social commentary.
This volume brings up a lot of interesting issues such as human and robot identity and human-robot conflict. A social commentary not only adds depth and complexity to the plot but also hints at a few universal topics such as humanity and compassion. For example, KR, a robot hater organization in Pluto, strongly resembles the Ku Klux Klan and its ideology.
COULD BE BETTER:
1) The last of the seven.
I didn’t really enjoy the act in which the last of the seven great robots of the world was introduced. The episode was rather uneventful and the character itself didn’t strike me as likable or particularly interesting. Hopefully, my mind will change in later volumes.
2) Static and colorless illustrations.
I know I talked enough about this issue in my previous reviews, but I still cannot get used to the artwork, which is truly stunning but too static for a comic book. The illustrations in the third volume seem more dynamic though, but only the ones picturing kids. The portrayal of adult characters is still too static (limited range of facial expressions and closed mouths when talking). What is more, in “Pluto, Volume 003,” only six first pages are colored and the rest of the illustrations are black and white, EXCEPT for two random panels towards the end of the book. Those few colored illustrations are SO MUCH better and just feel like a tease.
VERDICT: 3.5 out of 5
“Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 003” by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki exemplifies an excellent story building and character development and contains an intriguing social commentary, but the illustrations portraying adults are still too static for a comic book.
POST SCRIPTUM:
Check out my reviews of the previous two volumes:
1) “Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 001;”
2) “Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Volume 002.”
March 15, 2018
This series is getting better and better. And this is only the third volume. Urasawa is deftly introducing his main characters and plot elements in a measured way, not dumping in front of the reader his narrative components all at once. We didn't see Atom until the tail end of the first volume, and Uran didn't appear until the very end of the second. And then in this third, not only were we more fully introduced to Uran, but Adolf Haas and the KR are added into the mix. Must read on!
March 31, 2020
3.5 stars.
December 17, 2020
Mhh j'ai moins aimé que les deux premiers tomes que j'ai trouvé super. Celui ci est vraiment pas subtil dans sa façon d'aborder le "racisme" anti robot.
Pleins de nouveaux perso détestables contrebalancé par la très mimi Uran !
Le moment avec tout les insectes dégueu par contre HELP T^T
Pleins de nouveaux perso détestables contrebalancé par la très mimi Uran !
Le moment avec tout les insectes dégueu par contre HELP T^T
April 9, 2012
The story of Uran and the homeless person is the real highlight of this third book. Though the book gets bogged down a little in the middle, with the further mystery of Gesicht, his past, and then the back story for the man out to kill him, it finishes on just the right note. The introduction of a new character in Epsilon opens the way for some more interesting story, and the last two or three chapters shed a little light on some things, but reveal just as much shadow underneath what's now been highlighted.
But then, with Urasawa Naoki at the helm, you should have seen that coming.
But then, with Urasawa Naoki at the helm, you should have seen that coming.
May 12, 2021
I just barely like this. This is very moody and completely not my style. It continues to dump in more characters and events and I can not remember all of them. Most of the time reading this, I am just confused. I understand that it's a slowburn and it's building up but I don't feel like I like this. But it has a lot of acclaim so I'm still giving this a chance.
March 8, 2018
This one slows down a lot and tus making it the weakest chapter so far (but still pretty damn good)
So we get a little time with Atom's sister "Uran" and she's honestly the most boring of the bunch. I really did enjoy Atom's introduction and then our Detective is still great, but Uran comes across kind of boring. We'll see if that changes. Also we get the KR group which is basically the KKK group of Robot Haters. They want them completely gone, and this "smart" group is skillful at building up their brand, and crushing the robots. This all leads up to a reveal of what could be the main villain of the series.
Good: I love how the KR group is actually smart and not just rabid crazy "fuck robot" groups. They are slowly thinking of ways to turn the public against robots similar to how the KKK has evolved in the last few years. I also enjoyed Atom's level of fear growing and making him more human like. His moments were great and the mystery growing is getting scarier.
Bad: I didn't love the stuff with Uran, found it pretty dull. I also thought the big reveal of the enemy wasn't all that surprising but it can also be a red hearing. So guess we will see.
Overall this is still really solid, a 3.5 out of 5, but not as good as volume 1-2. But I feel this is the bridge before the big major events occur.
So we get a little time with Atom's sister "Uran" and she's honestly the most boring of the bunch. I really did enjoy Atom's introduction and then our Detective is still great, but Uran comes across kind of boring. We'll see if that changes. Also we get the KR group which is basically the KKK group of Robot Haters. They want them completely gone, and this "smart" group is skillful at building up their brand, and crushing the robots. This all leads up to a reveal of what could be the main villain of the series.
Good: I love how the KR group is actually smart and not just rabid crazy "fuck robot" groups. They are slowly thinking of ways to turn the public against robots similar to how the KKK has evolved in the last few years. I also enjoyed Atom's level of fear growing and making him more human like. His moments were great and the mystery growing is getting scarier.
Bad: I didn't love the stuff with Uran, found it pretty dull. I also thought the big reveal of the enemy wasn't all that surprising but it can also be a red hearing. So guess we will see.
Overall this is still really solid, a 3.5 out of 5, but not as good as volume 1-2. But I feel this is the bridge before the big major events occur.
July 13, 2023
Y bueno, si el volumen anterior le tocó a Astroboy, ahora era el turno de su hermana, y Uran estuvo increíble. Toda la presentación de Uran es magnífica, porque ella realmente se siente como una humana, tiene características que la hacen muy única, desde emocionarse con una pintura, hasta conversar con humanos sobre sus sentimientos. Justamente este tipo de cosas suman muchísimo a la trama, porque tratan de presentar muchas dicotomías sobre qué son los robots para los seres humanos, por lo que terminan siendo meras herramientas para algunos. Pero, ¿cómo van a ser sólo esto si muchos de ellos ponen su vida al servicio de la sociedad?
Lo más increíble de todo, es la construcción de la historia, porque posterior a todo el argumento anti-robots de los KR, nos presentan a Epsilon, quién es completamente pacífico. Es más, no quiso participar en el conflicto Centroasiático debido a sus principios, prefirió alejarse (siendo discriminado como cobarde) y acoger a las y los huérfanos que surgieron de la guerra. Si ya me parecía increíble la manera en cómo se planteaba este universo, utilizarlo todos los personajes de Astroboy, darles una vuelta de tuerca y presentarnos una thriller geopolítico, es una brutalidad.
Lo más increíble de todo, es la construcción de la historia, porque posterior a todo el argumento anti-robots de los KR, nos presentan a Epsilon, quién es completamente pacífico. Es más, no quiso participar en el conflicto Centroasiático debido a sus principios, prefirió alejarse (siendo discriminado como cobarde) y acoger a las y los huérfanos que surgieron de la guerra. Si ya me parecía increíble la manera en cómo se planteaba este universo, utilizarlo todos los personajes de Astroboy, darles una vuelta de tuerca y presentarnos una thriller geopolítico, es una brutalidad.
February 19, 2024
4.5 stars
Lots of great new characters introduced in this volume, especially Atom's little sister Uran, who is hypersensitive to animals and people in pain.
We also meet a new character whose human brother was killed by a robot with a rare type of weapon. I appreciated digging into his back story, seeing why his family hated robots so much.
The exploration of robots developing emotions and how humans think of them and treat them continues, too, a theme that keeps getting more and more complex.
The tone keeps getting darker, particularly surrounding a secret organization working to destroy the robots, as well as some truly creepy scenes at the end!
Highly recommended!
Some truly horrifying scenes at the end!
Lots of great new characters introduced in this volume, especially Atom's little sister Uran, who is hypersensitive to animals and people in pain.
We also meet a new character whose human brother was killed by a robot with a rare type of weapon. I appreciated digging into his back story, seeing why his family hated robots so much.
The exploration of robots developing emotions and how humans think of them and treat them continues, too, a theme that keeps getting more and more complex.
The tone keeps getting darker, particularly surrounding a secret organization working to destroy the robots, as well as some truly creepy scenes at the end!
Highly recommended!
Some truly horrifying scenes at the end!
March 31, 2022
Her kitapla seviyesini korumak şöyle dursun, giderek iyileşiyor. Hikayenin cevapladığı her soru için yarattığı yeni onlarca soru işareti, okurun zihnini sürekli aktif tutuyor. İlk bakışta alakasız görünen her hikaye örgüsü, sonradan öyle güzel bağlanıyor ki hikaye kurgusunu takdir etmemek elde değil. Urasawa hem esinlendiği yerlere hakkını vererek selam çakıyor hem de anlatısını modern eksende tutmayı başarıyor. Pluto, 3. kitabıyla birlikte hala okuduğum en iyi işlerden.
November 21, 2023
Epsilon and Pluto have my full attention
I also think that the way the author took real, very evil organizations and reapplied them to the future setting was a good choice of showing how disgusting they are, and really shows that the author does not mean to have them be sympathetic or to have them be seen as having some type of moral ground to stand on. That being said, I would have liked to see more diversity in the robots and setting, especially since it is the future.
I also think that the way the author took real, very evil organizations and reapplied them to the future setting was a good choice of showing how disgusting they are, and really shows that the author does not mean to have them be sympathetic or to have them be seen as having some type of moral ground to stand on. That being said, I would have liked to see more diversity in the robots and setting, especially since it is the future.
February 11, 2020
4 1/5 Sterne!
Es geht stark weiter! Dieser Band ist ein wenig schwächer, aber immer noch genial. Hier spitzt es sich politisch zu und es wird einiges an Hintergrundinformationen aufgegriffen und erklärt. Mein Lieblingscharakter Gesicht kam hier leider zu kurz, aber diese Reihe beinhaltet viele wichtige Charaktere, deshalb bin ich frohen Mutes, dass noch einiges zu ihm kommen wird.
Es geht stark weiter! Dieser Band ist ein wenig schwächer, aber immer noch genial. Hier spitzt es sich politisch zu und es wird einiges an Hintergrundinformationen aufgegriffen und erklärt. Mein Lieblingscharakter Gesicht kam hier leider zu kurz, aber diese Reihe beinhaltet viele wichtige Charaktere, deshalb bin ich frohen Mutes, dass noch einiges zu ihm kommen wird.
May 9, 2022
things to appreciate in this book:
- the amazing art-panels.
- the tragic backstory. *forces you to sympathy even with the scums*
- Uran's cuteness.
- the mysterious tunnel old man and his concept.
- Epsilon's appearance. *sobbing*
.
the modern kkk cult conspiracy along side the creepy professor Abdullah made me clench my fist in anger.
- the amazing art-panels.
- the tragic backstory. *forces you to sympathy even with the scums*
- Uran's cuteness.
- the mysterious tunnel old man and his concept.
- Epsilon's appearance. *sobbing*
.
the modern kkk cult conspiracy along side the creepy professor Abdullah made me clench my fist in anger.
June 22, 2018
¡Ay, ese final, mamita querida!
September 30, 2019
A bit slow at stages but we learn more about certain robots and organisations.
March 13, 2021
4.5 stars.
That ending... I'm so glad the series is complete so that I can binge the whole thing!
That ending... I'm so glad the series is complete so that I can binge the whole thing!
June 15, 2021
bonitao achei o cara dos chifre hihihi, esse mangá só melhora a cada volume bora q bora
May 10, 2022
El tomo más interesante que he leído hasta ahora. Aparecen nuevos personajes que enriquecen la trama y vemos lo que parece ser el villano principal por primera vez.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2023
PLUTO PLUTO PLUTO IM INTRIGUED
September 18, 2023
Me ha encantado el personaje de Uran y la trama se está poniendo muy interesante.
May 30, 2012
Stuff I Read – Pluto Vol 3
Well Pluto keeps on rolling along, and with the third volume we are introduced a bit more to Atom’s sister, who has extreme senses, apparently, as she is able to sense fear in people or animals from very far away. In that side the story, we see her befriend a strange robot who likes art and who can make flowers grow, while in the rest of the manga we see the plot grow more complicated as other factions are added into the fray. With Gesicht we see the introduction of a group of anti-robot weirdos who have been made to resemble the KKK. Among them is one man, hilariously named Adolf, whose brother was killed and it seems like it might have been by a robot, and perhaps even by Gesicht. Whether that is true or not is still to be seen, but it is interesting. At the same time, Gesicht and the robot in Greece are visited by Epsilon, a very powerful robot who did not participate in the war that this manga seems to be about. If the war is the common element that binds these attacks, though, I wonder what Epsilon’s role will be, as he might then be left out because he was not present for the war.
In any event, this volume has dispelled my fears that this series might not be complicated enough to warrant twelve volumes. Because here is also when we see who will probably turn out to be the main villain of the series, a mostly robotic man from Persia, the nation that had been torn apart by the war all these robots seem to have been involved in. That he is mostly robot and yet human links back to a clue Gesicht got about the killings, and so it seems at least likely that this man is responsible for the deaths so far. I mean, it might also be Pluto himself, who is finally shown at the very end of the volume, but it seems more likely that it is this other character who is killing the humans while Pluto is taking out the robots. My theory, at least. But the new developments with that character seem like they are going to be the most telling, and as the story seems to be revolving around the war in Persia, it makes sense that a Persian would be the main villain, to complicate that role because he would have been on the side that was attacked and devastated without much cause. If he turns out to be fairly innocent, then how he is ultimately treated will impact what this series, ultimately, has to say.
But really the volume does a good job complicating all of the would-be villains, including Adolf and Pluto. While the organization that Adolf is a part of might be played as just bad people, racists and liars, Adolf himself is honestly conflicted, and has had reason for everything that he has done. It’s not that everything he has done has been forgivable, but rather that yes, he had a reason for it that we can understand. The conclusions he comes to as a result are where he runs into problems, and where the tragedy of his situation is most easily felt. This is an angry man whose life has been hard, in large part due to industrialization. But his turning that into blame of robots is unreasonable and wrong, as he should be angry at the system instead of the robots. It was capitalism that betrayed him, and he is projecting his hatred of a system where that can happen into hatred of robots for being the tools used hurt him.
How the volume complicates Pluto is a little less clear, as the entity seems to jump into an uninhabited body for a while. Meeting Atom’s sister, he becomes a bit on an artist, and learns that he has the power to make plants grow. For a while then it seems as though he wants his mission to be to make flowers grow, but this is set against the growing certainty that he is the odd robot who has been responsible for the attacks. It sets up that it might not be entirely Pluto’s idea to be doing what he is doing, that perhaps what he wants is just to make plants grow, but at the same time it seems like he has been responsible for a lot of death, and by the end he seems full of hatred for Atom, something that is not really explained. Assuming that it has something to do with the war in Persia, perhaps it will help to explain what Atom’s role there was.
In any event, this volume definitely gets the ball rolling on a number of plots, and I like that so much is going on here. The plot is going on at a rather meandering pace, but that works quite well, as we still have a lot to learn and see. The tension is slowly being ratcheted up, and more mysteries are being layered upon the old ones, so I’m really hoping that the payoff is going to be worth it. I am optimistic in that regard, as these opening volumes have been very good. As for this volume, I think that it does its job quite well, and I give it an 8.5/10.
Well Pluto keeps on rolling along, and with the third volume we are introduced a bit more to Atom’s sister, who has extreme senses, apparently, as she is able to sense fear in people or animals from very far away. In that side the story, we see her befriend a strange robot who likes art and who can make flowers grow, while in the rest of the manga we see the plot grow more complicated as other factions are added into the fray. With Gesicht we see the introduction of a group of anti-robot weirdos who have been made to resemble the KKK. Among them is one man, hilariously named Adolf, whose brother was killed and it seems like it might have been by a robot, and perhaps even by Gesicht. Whether that is true or not is still to be seen, but it is interesting. At the same time, Gesicht and the robot in Greece are visited by Epsilon, a very powerful robot who did not participate in the war that this manga seems to be about. If the war is the common element that binds these attacks, though, I wonder what Epsilon’s role will be, as he might then be left out because he was not present for the war.
In any event, this volume has dispelled my fears that this series might not be complicated enough to warrant twelve volumes. Because here is also when we see who will probably turn out to be the main villain of the series, a mostly robotic man from Persia, the nation that had been torn apart by the war all these robots seem to have been involved in. That he is mostly robot and yet human links back to a clue Gesicht got about the killings, and so it seems at least likely that this man is responsible for the deaths so far. I mean, it might also be Pluto himself, who is finally shown at the very end of the volume, but it seems more likely that it is this other character who is killing the humans while Pluto is taking out the robots. My theory, at least. But the new developments with that character seem like they are going to be the most telling, and as the story seems to be revolving around the war in Persia, it makes sense that a Persian would be the main villain, to complicate that role because he would have been on the side that was attacked and devastated without much cause. If he turns out to be fairly innocent, then how he is ultimately treated will impact what this series, ultimately, has to say.
But really the volume does a good job complicating all of the would-be villains, including Adolf and Pluto. While the organization that Adolf is a part of might be played as just bad people, racists and liars, Adolf himself is honestly conflicted, and has had reason for everything that he has done. It’s not that everything he has done has been forgivable, but rather that yes, he had a reason for it that we can understand. The conclusions he comes to as a result are where he runs into problems, and where the tragedy of his situation is most easily felt. This is an angry man whose life has been hard, in large part due to industrialization. But his turning that into blame of robots is unreasonable and wrong, as he should be angry at the system instead of the robots. It was capitalism that betrayed him, and he is projecting his hatred of a system where that can happen into hatred of robots for being the tools used hurt him.
How the volume complicates Pluto is a little less clear, as the entity seems to jump into an uninhabited body for a while. Meeting Atom’s sister, he becomes a bit on an artist, and learns that he has the power to make plants grow. For a while then it seems as though he wants his mission to be to make flowers grow, but this is set against the growing certainty that he is the odd robot who has been responsible for the attacks. It sets up that it might not be entirely Pluto’s idea to be doing what he is doing, that perhaps what he wants is just to make plants grow, but at the same time it seems like he has been responsible for a lot of death, and by the end he seems full of hatred for Atom, something that is not really explained. Assuming that it has something to do with the war in Persia, perhaps it will help to explain what Atom’s role there was.
In any event, this volume definitely gets the ball rolling on a number of plots, and I like that so much is going on here. The plot is going on at a rather meandering pace, but that works quite well, as we still have a lot to learn and see. The tension is slowly being ratcheted up, and more mysteries are being layered upon the old ones, so I’m really hoping that the payoff is going to be worth it. I am optimistic in that regard, as these opening volumes have been very good. As for this volume, I think that it does its job quite well, and I give it an 8.5/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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