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Pluto's anime adaptation finally moving forward, bought by Netflix (preview confirms 2023 release date)

lachesis

Member
I am really looking forward to it. Original Astroboy/Atomu manga's "The Greatest Robot" arc was one of my favorite in my youth.
I also loved the fact that this story arc was part of the Treasure's Astroboy GBA game. (One of my fav GBA game)

I also really enjoyed the adaptation by Naoki Urasawa manga - but at times it felt a bit dragged out. It was indeed interesting though - to see the whole story from the German detective guy,
(with that typical Urasawa's "Naniiii~~" close up moment with cliff hanger...) Characters fleshed out and all. Suspense thriller type feel was also a great match.

But it did feel a bit slow sometimes. So many questions thrown in the beginning, I was really thinking "huh"? (Typical Naoki style)
The anime series from 80s had this episode arc as two 30 min episodes. It could have used some fleshing out - but I also liked the fast pacing of that... and also the actual original Atomu manga... so maybe that's why I feel that way.

Nevertheless - very much looking forward to it. Loved his work since Yawara days. :) I hope they add some good robot action, in more detailed way. Pluto being a bit illusive is one thing, but not just some cyclone stuff. :)
 
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The anime series from 80s had this episode arc as two 30 min episodes.
Oh wow, only two episodes? That's crazy, I'll definitely have to check that out.

My only exposure to Astroboy is the Pluto manga, so to me at least, the pacing didn't feel off. I really liked how it was only 8 volumes--not too long, not too short. I also liked how every robot was fully fleshed out and had their own story (North #2 being my favorite).

Apparently the studio behind this adaptation (M2) was founded by the same guy that founded Madhouse and MAPPA.
 

lachesis

Member
Oh wow, only two episodes? That's crazy, I'll definitely have to check that out.

My only exposure to Astroboy is the Pluto manga, so to me at least, the pacing didn't feel off. I really liked how it was only 8 volumes--not too long, not too short. I also liked how every robot was fully fleshed out and had their own story (North #2 being my favorite).

Apparently the studio behind this adaptation (M2) was founded by the same guy that founded Madhouse and MAPPA.

Characters were much more fleshed out in Pluto manga. I also loved Urasawa's adaptation of all the main side characters! Very well done.

Yes - and the original Manga wasn't that long either. IIRC, if it was re-published today, it'd be perhaps 1-2 volumes too. The 80's anime adaptation, really could use 1-2 more episodes, and it had different ending (somewhat) as well. If I compare to it to the anime to manga, actually I liked the manga one much better. Unlike 80's anime one... original manga showed some personal struggle of Atomu becoming 100M Hp robot, like Pluto, that whether he really wanted/needed that power - as people starting to see him as like a real monster as he became so strong.... but he still needed that power to battle Pluto.

To come to think of it... I think that arc became almost a template for modern Dragonball-esque power game too. Tetsuka Osamu, indeed was a king of manga, and still amazes me.

The original manga volumes, well, I read long long time ago, but I was able to connect to side characters. Epsilon's episode was indeed very heartbreaking. North 2's episode was also told very briefly, but at the same time almost impersonal, cold way... that very Tetsuka style. Really to the point, straightforward style of storytelling. Urasawa's work is quite opposite, but then again - that's really the key charm of his style!

Thx for posting - I hadn't heard that Pluto is actually being made as animated version. Now.. hope they make 20th century boys, or modern remake of Yawara! (I watched live action version of it with Abe HIroshi and Asaka Yui back in the days... so cringe. ;))
 

thefool

Member
With good direction, this should be a legendary adaptation. Most refined Urasawa work.
Looking at the preview, some looks really good, some doesn't look good at all, and I can't say I like the aesthetics. This should be more restrained in colors, noirish, instead of all those blazing colors.
 

mortal

Banned
The Pluto manga is highly regarded, so an anime adaptation would have to be of equal or exceeding quality in multiple regards to be satisfactory imo.

The animation in that preview looks phenomenal. Lots of sakuga, and beautiful background art. The way 3D assets are incorporated into the composition looks rather tasteful.
The use of budget 3D animations in most modern anime looks fucking garish imo and often diminishes the presentation of the animation.

I'm not familiar with the character designer for this production, but I like their interpretation of Naoki Urasawa's designs, of which I was already a fan.
 
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Looks like low quality garbage. There's a reason it's on Netflix. Look at Stone Ocean, ZERO animation and still frames.

Netflix is the elephant graveyard for Japanese animation.



A better animated tribute to Astro Boy and it's Star Wars.
 

mortal

Banned
Looks like low quality garbage
what in the world? how does anyone remotely familiar with anime, see that and call it low quality?
The quality of animation in the average anime is far less detailed. Most anime budgets cant afford that volume of detailed frame animation in the production.

Maybe the writing or performances end up subpar and make it a lacking experience, maybe the art direction might questionable, but to say its looks low quality is baffling to me.
 
what in the world? how does anyone remotely familiar with anime, see that and call it low quality?
The quality of animation in the average anime is far less detailed. Most anime budgets cant afford that volume of detailed frame animation in the production.

Maybe the writing or performances end up subpar and make it a lacking experience, maybe the art direction might questionable, but to say its looks low quality is baffling to me.
Masuo Murayama started up MAPPA after leaving MADHOUSE to adapt manga that would never get the treatment under normal circumstances and he hasn't been the CEO for some time so business decisions will change.



This has been in the works for years apparently... Or has it? MAPPA isn't new to proof of concept trailers.



None of this is actually used in the series at all and it has bad CGI or generally looks worse.



Titans in this trailer aren't CGI, guess what they were in the real show. :)

Don't believe MAPPA's lies.
 

mortal

Banned
Masuo Murayama started up MAPPA after leaving MADHOUSE to adapt manga that would never get the treatment under normal circumstances and he hasn't been the CEO for some time so business decisions will change.



This has been in the works for years apparently... Or has it? MAPPA isn't new to proof of concept trailers.



None of this is actually used in the series at all and it has bad CGI or generally looks worse.



Titans in this trailer aren't CGI, guess what they were in the real show. :)

Don't believe MAPPA's lies.

Isn't animation being done by Studio M2, with Genco producing? The source of the initial story you provide is like 5 years old.
 
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Doom85

Member
Masuo Murayama started up MAPPA after leaving MADHOUSE to adapt manga that would never get the treatment under normal circumstances and he hasn't been the CEO for some time so business decisions will change.



This has been in the works for years apparently... Or has it? MAPPA isn't new to proof of concept trailers.



None of this is actually used in the series at all and it has bad CGI or generally looks worse.



Titans in this trailer aren't CGI, guess what they were in the real show. :)

Don't believe MAPPA's lies.


*SIGH*

First of all, MAPPA confirmed that with Chainsaw Man they took a whole extra year to get it right as much as possible. So they just animated a teaser of scenes and characters to give fans a taste, never meant it would be in the actual anime. Hell, the moment with Makima and the prisoners at the shrine isn’t until episode 9, why would have they animated that part in particular so far in advance?

Secondly, yeah no shit some of it isn’t used in the teaser as actual Chainsaw Man fans who go back and watch the teaser would realize THAT WAS THE POINT. Notice how it shows Aki and Himeno in bed naked together? And Denji playing with Power and Kobeni in bikinis in the ocean?

In the anime, Himeno dies without telling Aki how she feels so they never slept together. Denji wants a girlfriend, but he certainly never got anything on the level of playing with Power and Kobeni in bikinis. This is why it’s shown to be simply inside a TV, to indicate this is just a dream of certain characters that will go unfulfilled in reality.
Actual manga fans appreciated the clever twist, and even anime onlys can go back and watch the teaser and pick up on this. If you did watch the anime like you claimed, you should have picked up on this upon rewatching the teaser.

Finally, YOU’RE just lying if you are saying nothing in the anime was on that level. Heck, the 360 degree camerawork as Denji and Katana Man fight on top of the train in the final episode trump anything in the teaser alone. And bad CGI? In Chainsaw Man? I’ll give you a few seconds in episode 1, but beyond that, no, anyone claiming Chainsaw Man had bad CGI is clearly just biased against all CGI in anime period.

Ex-Arm had bad CGI. Berserk 2016 had bad CGI. Chainsaw Man had some damn good CGI only bested by actual gods at CGI AKA Studio Orange.
 
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One of my favorite things this decade has been seeing how anime studios are embracing and evolving their usage of CGI and special effects. Other than a few outliers, I feel like we’re finally seeing the payoff from all of those awkward looking CG anime shows from last decade.

The work had to be put in for us to reach this point.
 

Coconutt

Member
Finished the anime and I enjoyed it, it's been a while since I read the manga but the anime appears to be a faithful retelling.
 
Apparently this is actually good. I'm ready to admit I was wrong... Mostly, MAPPA are still GROSSLY overrated amongst anime fans.

Dunno if I'll watch it any time soon however.
 

The Cockatrice

I'm retarded?
Gonna binge it Today after work, 1 hour each ep, insane for an anime tho I dont watch that many. Ill come back with my thoughts on it, as a person who hasnt read any manga and only briefly know about Astro Boy from when I was a kid. Monster is one of the best animes ever tho so slightly excited.
 

The Cockatrice

I'm retarded?
Done. 8/10, nice main story mystery, visuals were just ok, nothing outstanding, didnt like some of the ridiculous fantasy non-sci-fi stuff that the AI could do, and even tho it's not a combat type of anime, they could've done much better regarding the fights but instead it was meh in that regard. Also for an anime based on Astro Boy, he was useless. The detective carried the entire show.
 
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Fbh

Member
Have been waiting for this. Always nice to see more of Urasawa's work getting adapted.

First episode was fantastic!. Some bland CG effects aside it almost feels like an anime from an earlier era.
 
watched the first episode and it's just what I wanted for an adaptation of the manga. it's an amazing piece of work and I will go through the whole thing this weekend for sure.
 
Pluto is so good and at this point I'm wary of all comic/Manga adaptations, so I'll wait for reviews.

The teaser looked alright. I'm hoping it's good, too. Too many shit animes, now at days. However, I am interested in binging Chainsaw Man. Looked it could keep my brain entertained.
 

lachesis

Member
Finished over the weekend. Like manga, a little slow, so watched at 1.25 setting. Loved North #2's episode. Loved the music and all.
Each episode is like 1 hour long. Felt like very good adaptation of the original - and I have no qualm about the animation quality.
Seeing the characters moving, talking etc - really made the plot line easier to follow.

Edit: Also loved the short opening and ending theme - with hardboiled detective theme. :)
 
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Doom85

Member
I’m definitely excited to watch this when I get a chance.

And I definitely hope this leads to Urasawa’s other unadapted series finally getting animated, especially 20th Century Boys.

Billy Bat would be cool too, as the manga never got released in the US (apparently there’s copyrighted characters from other media or something that would cause major licensing issues or something).
 

thefool

Member
This is an incredible adaptation, a standard for anime adaptations. Reminded me of late 80's, early 90's OVA.
Trailer is misleading, animation is top notch, backgrounds are more polished and less glowy. I would have preferred a somber adaptation, with crushed colors (that's how I imagined it) but direction is impeccable.
 

EviLore

Expansive Ellipses
Staff Member
Thumbs up. It’s a slow burn (not as slow as Monster at least), and a little naive and idealistic for my typical preferences, but since it’s a reimagining of Astro Boy I can’t really fault it for that. Well done all around with a lot of poignant moments, and it’s cool to revisit an old school vision of the future with some contemporary tweaks.
 
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