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Reviewed by Steven M. Bari Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka is a re-imagining of the Astro Boy story arc “The Greatest Robot on Earth.” In that story line, Astro Boy is confronted with a sincere question of robot programming. Why bother building a human-like robot only to inhibit its wider development and individuality with specific hardware and software that keep it locked in a certain niche? And moreover, why do humans then force robots to destroy each other? Urasawa takes Tezuka’s weighty concept of artificial essentialism vs. existentialism and focuses on the mature underpinnings that the original did not explore. Gesicht, a humanoid robot who’s the best investigator at Europol, follows a string of gruesome human and robot murders around the world, each body taking him closer and closer to the culprit. Who is destroying arguably the world’s greatest robots, and why? And could Gesicht himself be next? In volume 6, Gesicht seeks out the answers he needs in Samarkand, Persia, only to be given the run around by Professor Abullah. Who is Goji? Who is Sahad? And what does an everlasting tulip named “Pluto” have to do with these grisly murders? Pluto is an astounding murder mystery that has beautiful visual imagery and literary gravitas. From the gorgeous architecture of the future, especially the Netherlands, to the subtle physicality of his characters, Urasawa’s art is stunning. In one of the early scenes, Gesicht meets with Professor Abullah, Head of the Republic of Persia’s Ministry of Science. The tense cat-and-mouse nature of the conversation is cleverly relayed in Abullah’s body language. When he lies, Abullah does not look Gesicht in the eyes, such as when he denies knowing about the man called “Goji.” Furthermore, Abullah’s snide demeanor is carried in his smirks and furrows, never his words. The juxtaposition of smug expressions and vague verbiage makes Abullah three-dimensional and deadly. In another Abullah scene, the Professor gives his condolences to the late Dr. Netwon-Howard’s android Epsilon. When Abullah remarks how wonderfully Epsilon is built, she counters with a jab at his own prosthetic body. Epsilon quickly apologizes for the insensitive outburst, but Abullah sooths, “It’s not so bad. Compared to losing my entire family, losing my body was nothing...” Abullah’s sentiment underlines his motivations, as well as articulating the grief of losing one’s whole family. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka is an extraordinary manga that re-imagines a classic without cliché or lack of invention. It’s a brilliant exploration of the dark side in Tezuka’s Astro Boy. And the best part of Volume 6 is that you don’t even need to be up-to-date to enjoy this book. Even if you don’t know any of these characters, the thrilling mystery that Gesicht follows is a contagious page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
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