by Manga artist Naoki Urasawa has announced that “PLUTO,” a remake of Tezuka Osamu’s masterpiece “Astro Boy,” will be animated and exclusively distributed on Netflix in 2023. A “production decision PV” featuring the main characters Gejihito and Atom has also been released on YouTube.
“PLUTO” is a remake of “The Greatest Robot on Earth” (1964), one of the episodes of “Astro Boy,” with Urasawa’s unique perspective and interpretation. Produced by Takashi Nagasaki, who has teamed up with many representative works such as “MASTER Keaton,” it was serialized in “Big Comic Original” (Shogakukan) from 2003 to 2009.
A high-quality suspense drama set shortly where humans and robots coexist gained support both in Japan and overseas and have won numerous awards, including the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Manga Grand Prize.
In the animation production decision PV, the robot investigator Gezihito, the main character of the story, and Atom and Uran, who are involved in a particular incident that he is chasing, also appear. Gezihito is voiced by Masahide Fuji, who dubs Daniel Craig in the 007 series, and Atom is expressed by Yoko Hikasa from K-ON! Minori Suzuki, such as (role of Freya Wion), will be in charge.
“The Greatest Robot on Earth” is a masterpiece that depicts Tezuka Osamu’s critical spirit against the war while depicting battles between robots. For the animation of “PLUTO,” the original author Urasawa commented, “I hope that Mr. Osamu Tezuka’s message will reach the world now.” Nagasaki, who worked on the original production, said, “‘PLUTO’ inherits Tezuka’s philosophy, and it is not just an anti-war appeal. It is a work that I want to tell the world that there is only peace.” Appeal to the feelings contained in the story.
For animation, Genco is in charge of production, and Studio M2 is in charge of animation production. The executive producers are Taro Maki and Masao Maruyama, and the planners and producers of “In This Corner of the World” will reunite. In addition, Osamu Tezuka’s son and visualise Makoto Tezuka is supervising, saying, “This is a new Urasawa animation, and at the same time, a new Tezuka animation. It is.”
Urasawa will participate in “AnimeJapan 2023” (March 25-26) at Tokyo Big Sight for the first time. Along with Tezuka, Hikasa, and Suzuki, she will be on stage at the “Netflix Anime Special Stage” on the 25th. The full text of Urasawa, Nagasaki, and Tezuka’s comments is below. (Editorial department Koichi Irikura)
Netflix series “PLUTO” exclusive distribution in 2023
Naoki Urasawa
Since its announcement 60 years ago, the indescribable sadness has moved my heart, and the episode “The Greatest Robot on Earth” from “Astro Boy” has become a “cartoon in the hearts” of many people. Knowing firsthand how difficult it is to remake this work, I applaud the courage of the staff who took on the challenge of adapting it into an anime, and I am thrilled with the birth of a new “work from the heart.” Tezuka Osamu’s message will reach the world now.
Hisashi Nagasaki
The original “PLUTO,” “The Greatest Robot on Earth,” was born sixty years ago. It was a story in which robots with the most potent fighting ability competed, but there had been no previous works in Astro Boy that had this kind of fighting style, and the boys at the time were frenzied. Rather than Atom fans, this is the birth of fans of the “greatest robot on earth.” In the midst of this, this work was not just about who was strong but wanted to convey something more profound.
And when I challenged “PLUTO,” the answer came out. Tezuka Osamu was a prophet. The wars we face today result from our failure to understand and respect the differences in culture and way of thinking between the East and the West. “PLUTO” inherits Tezuka’s philosophy, and it is not just an anti-war appeal but a work that wants to tell the world that there is pain involved… and that there is only peace.
Makoto Tezuka
Finally, finally, “PLUTO” becomes an anime. I thought this would be made into a movie. The project came up and disappeared again and again because of the difficulty of the content. The hurdle is undoubtedly high. But that’s why the “genuine” of the real thing is worth the challenge. And this is a new Urasawa animation and, at the same time, a new Tezuka animation.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the evolution of anime will show.
