Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 8: Volume 8

In a sense there was no way that the final volume of Pluto could not be disappointing. Whatever huge, awareness expanding conclusion you'd started to see the shape of in your head, it was not going to be the same thing as appears on the page. Similarly, the story continues to deviate from its template story "The Greatest Robot in the World" by Osamu Tezuka (which you can pick up in a reasonably priced Astroboy collection from Dark Horse - it's volume 3 you want). Atom is awake, revived by undergoing an upgrade of a similar nature to the process that created Pluto, the monstrous robot that has wreaked vengeance on the world's mightiest robots for the sins committed against Persia by the United States of Thracia and their allies. He is on a collision course with Pluto, who we know is sort of being coerced into his villainhood by Doctor Abullah. Atom can now hate and he seems intent on using that hate to defeat Pluto. But there's still the threat of Bora and that terrible teddy bear, Dr Roosevelt to clear up. And what was the deal with the robot who murdered a human, who Gesicht visited? It is undoubtedly a compelling ending, though the events of the previous volume mean that it feels as if this is the only way it could end, and therefore has a sense of a mechanism winding down, rather than a flame burning its brightest. Uran highlighted early on, and the only one able to reach Pluto previously, plays a smaller part than I had hoped she would, as does Dr Tenma. But Gesicht, who has moreso than Atom, been the lynchpin on which the story has turned, has a resolution to his story and Atom, similarly, has more revelations to hand. Emotionally as well as visually, it's a rollercoaster. And the final twist in the tale, involving Dr Roosevelt is a fine one. The art is astonishingly good as ever, simple, clean but perfectly composed that makes a wannabe artist want to cry in frustration, because I will never produce something as good as that. Which is to say, that while the excellence of the story so far had me hoping for something exquisite, what I got was still by far and away the best comic series I've read all year. This is one of those series that should be mentioned with Watchmen, and Ghost in the Shell, and Nemesis the Warlock as the high watermarks of the adventure comic strip as a narrative.

One of the best Manga titles I have read. Wonderful art work and the story is gripping, highly recommended reading

Superb, urasawa and tezuka did an amazing job on a new vision of astro boy. Would 10 out of 10 recommend

Best Manga ever written in history, It's a MUST read!. Also Manga came in perfect condition.

Another great Urasawa volume!

Mangá de ótima qualidade

As the stories by Urasawa are often so interesting, I often read them too quickly and end up having questions at the end. The literation process I seem to go through. In the case of Pluto, firstly, I do not what the bear is on the last page of Pluto. Secondly, I do not completely understand why Gesicht and his wife lost part of their memories. Is it because Gesicht took out what he was not supposed to take out?

Ce volume est la suite et la fin d'un très excellent hommage à Osamu Tezuka, le défunt créateur d'Astro Boy, le manga des années 1950/60 par lequel tout l'univers des manga et anime est arrivé. Naoki Urasawa, lui-même aujourd'hui considéré comme l'un des meilleurs mangaka, et le co-auteur Takashi Nagasaki s'inspirent de l'oeuvre révérée de Tezuka, et notamment d'une aventure d'Astro Boy (The greatest robot on Earth), pour développer une histoire originale sur la relation entre hommes et robots, admirablement écrite (et traduite) et remarquablement dessinée. Les meilleurs robots du monde, certains parmi les plus aimés des hommes, sont mystérieusement et brutalement assassinés les uns après les autres. Les concepteurs de ces robots, mais ausi les membres d'une commission d'enquête sur les robots de destruction massive produits en "Persia" sont également ciblés. Un robot policier, Gesicht, mène l'enquête. Les différents volumes nous apprennent à connaître les robots assassinés, pour la plupart vétérans vainqueurs d'une guerre menée contre la "Persia", ainsi que leurs concepteurs. Ces robots ont des pouvoirs impressionnants mais aussi une AI exceptionnelle et, pour certains (seulement certains ?), des émotions. Depuis Akira, je n'ai jamais lu avec autant d'intérêt, de frénésie et de plaisir une série dessinée. Il s'agit sans conteste d'un chef d'oeuvre dont la lecture commence ici Pluto, Tome 1 : ou là Pluto Urasawa X Tezuka 1 . Ne passez pas à côté.