With the debut of Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto anime adaptation, Astro Boy returns to the small screen, but like many anime characters from the turn of the century, there’s always the question of whether it’s possible to undo his traditional persona. And thinking with today’s feeling. Plus, with so many new anime characters, there’s the added question of whether it’s necessary to bring back a classic character at all. In the case of Astro Boy, the answer to both questions is yes – and the anime industry is in a much better place because of it.

In the year Since his debut in 1952, Astro Boy has always been more than a super-powered robot capable of taking down villains and evil mechs three times over. Even though he was despised by his creator, he was also a boy who did not let this neglect get down to him personally, darken his view of the world.

Astro Boy had instant and automatic appeal to kids everywhere. He was a hero who was just like them – he went to school, he liked to have fun, he made mistakes, and he was rejected by his guardians. But no matter how hard times they faced, Astro Boy always remained positive. Thus, he gave countless children hope that tomorrow will always be bright. Netflix’s Pluto is primarily a psychological thriller featuring a super-robot detective investigating the mysterious deaths of other advanced robots and humans, but Astro Boy plays a key role in the story.

Astro Boy is hope for children everywhere.

Astro Boy (1980) and Pluto (2023)

Pluto is still a good story without any knowledge of Astro Boy, but the author Naoki Urasawa wanted to introduce it to a new generation of manga fans – fans of dark and violent stories that are less obvious with “evil and evil” stories. Despite the dark theme, Astro Boy’s original healthy, friendly and hopeful personality still shines through.

Netflix’s Pluto builds on Urasawa’s efforts to keep Astro Boy relevant and introduce him to anime fans who have definitely heard of him, but don’t necessarily understand his legacy. The Netflix version does a better job of updating Astro Boy for a modern audience than Urasawa’s manga. He continues to have all the same qualities that made him one of the most popular anime characters in the world. Most of all, though, the series does a great job of portraying the childhood qualities that kids everywhere love.

Astro’s child-friendship is the same, but different

Astro Boy (2009)

Netflix’s Pluto adaptation ends with Astro Boy in a better place as a franchise in the public eye. Although the character may be over 70 years old, Pluto confirms that he is “young at heart”. With each degree, he became more serious and implacable, an equal degree of humanity was shown.

That is, despite Pluto’s darkness, the original heritage of Astro’s child endures. He remains, if not the most, relatable to everyone, especially children. Faced with the prospect of being hunted by an unknown assailant, Astro Boy is positive and optimistic about everything. Thanks to Netflix’s Pluto, another generation of fans can enjoy the little robot boy that could.

Pluto is now streaming on Netflix.