Pluto, Volume 2

Act 8: Atom

In Japan, Superintendent Tawashi (Metropolitan Police Department) arrives at the murder scene of Junichiro Tasaki, the man who came up with the International Robot Laws. He's been strung up high, with large horn-like protrusions sticking out of his head. Tawashi remembers hearing about similar cases in other parts of the world, and decides to contact Gesicht.

Meanwhile, Gesicht and Atom are having lunch in a café. Gesicht is fascinated by Atom's seemingly genuine emotions. He also warns Atom that they're both in danger, and exchanges memory chips so they're both up to speed on everything that's happened so far.

However, upon gaining Gesicht's information, Atom excuses himself to go to the bathroom. He ends up crying over what he's learned from Gesicht's mind, but what he learned is kept hidden from the reader.

Atom tells Gesicht that he should vacation back to Japan with his wife, which Gesicht confirms he will.

Act 9: Professor Ochanomizu

At the Tokyo Police Station, Superintendent Tawashi and Inspector Nakamura are looking through a holographic recreation of the crime scene to see what else they can find out. Atom joins them (much to Tawashi's displeasure), and discovers several pieces of evidence.

Putting the pieces together, Atom discovers that Tasaki was attempting to reach Professor Ochanomizu right before his death. Atom travels to the Ministry of Science to inform Ochanomizu of his findings, and also to get some answers.

It turns out that Ochanomizu was part of an investigatory group (titled the Bora Survey Group) back around the time of the 39th Central Asian War. During that time, the Persian Kingdom was ruled by an oppressive dictator who used massive robot military strength to conquer much of the surrounding countries. The President of the United States of Thracia called for an international treaty banning the production and use of robots of mass destruction. After the treaty passed, the President accused the Kingdom of Persia of hiding robots of mass destruction.

Act 10: Hercules

Ochanomizu explains that the Bora Survey Group was sent in to investigate the President's claims, but were unable to find anything. The only supposed proof was an almost-myth of a super scientist known only by the moniker "Dr. Goji." The only thing the Bora Group did find was a mass grave of thousands of robot corpses, which was extremely odd, but didn't confirm anything. Soon after, however, the war started.

Cut to Greece and Hercules, a robot wrestler much like Brando, and every bit as skilled. After an electrifying match against a local opponent, Hercules meets up with Gesicht. They talk about the war and how it changed both of them. Hercules wonders if robots might be evolving, since it seems like he almost feels actual emotion at times.

Back at the Ministry of Science, Atom inquires about Brau 1589's AI, and why he was able to kill a human. Ochanomizu states that there was no defect, that Brau 1589 was perfect. Atom wonders if Brau 1589 was perfect, and was able to kill a human, then is that was being human is?

Ochanomizu doesn't have an answer.

Act 11: Patching In

In a flashback to the War, Mont Blanc meets up with Brando and Hercules after a large battle. Thousands of robots are dead, and Mont Blanc asks what they're really doing in Persia. They were sent to fight for justice, but all they're doing is killing. All three ponder on the emotion humans call "hate."

Jump to present day Istanbul. Brando senses something ominous in the distance, and makes up an excuse to go investigate. He sneaks out his Pankration Suit (the giant mech used for his wrestling matches) to go check out the threat. He's knows that it's what's been killing the robots and humans.

Brando patches in Gesicht, Hercules, and Atom, so they all know what's transpiring in Istanbul. It's unclear exactly what Brando is seeing, there's only explosions and chaos, but all three of them know it's bad.

Act 12: Family Portrait

It's a tense battle, and the three outsiders can't be sure of what's happening, but they know Brando is in serious danger and needs their help. Suddenly, there's a massive explosion followed by silence.

Brando states that he beat the threat, but he won't be coming back himself. As he's dying, he attempts to transmit the data from the battle. However, something is preventing him from doing so. He guesses it's because his circuits are messed up from the brutal fighting. The only thing he's able to transmit are images of his happy family. It's extremely depressing.

Atom detects something else hidden in the transmission. It appears to just be more interference, and he can't give a definitive reading on it, but chalks it up to an overwhelming suffering.

Act 13: False Memory

Gesicht is still having nightmares, and awakens to watch Brando's funeral on television. Since Brando eliminated the threat, he and his wife decide to take their vacation to Japan. Upon contacting the travel agency, he finds out that not only are he and his wife already registered, but they previously cancelled a trip to Japan.

Obviously, this is a red flag since they're both robots and are unable to forget memories unless they delete them (which they haven't). During the time they supposedly made and cancelled the trip, they were in Spain. They check all of the photos they took during that time and find that there's way more than they would have normally taken. It's almost like someone is purposely trying to cover something up...

Gesicht plans a diagnostic check with Professor Hoffman, who informs him that everything checks out just fine. Gesicht asks him if it's possible to insert false memories, to which Hoffman states that Robot Laws and rights would prevent that. Gesicht speculates that the reason he's been having nightmares is because someone erased his memories and put false ones in their place.

Hoffman is intrigued by Gesicht's theory, so he schedules a meeting with the head of the German Europol Division. He asks if anything was done to Gesicht's memory. The "answers" he's given are dodgy as hell, and hint at some kind of massive coverup. The main point is that the seven robots that ended the 39th Central Asian War basically hold the balance of world power in their hands, and Gesicht is one of them. They've made a huge investment with Gesicht, and just need to make sure he's maintained.

So shady.

Act 14: Dr. Roosevelt

A lone teddy bear is sitting in a simple chair, talking to a man in the shadows. They review the deaths of the three advanced robots so far, and state everything has gone well up to this point, but the tough part still lies ahead.

The bear asks the shadowy figure if he thinks "this is it, if it will all finally be over?" The figure smiles and states that he has to be going, and bids adieu to "Dr. Roosevelt." It's then revealed that behind the teddy bear in the chair lies a gargantuan, menacing-looking computer.

Meanwhile, Gesicht is checking out another murder scene with horns, which he deems to be a copycat murder covering up a simple robbery. He is also continuing to investigate what happened to his lost memories. He ends up heading back to the Artificial Intelligence Correctional Facility to pay a visit to Brau 1589.

As he's heading down the corridor, the President is giving his newest inaugural address, in which he asks when will the world rid itself of all its weapons and finally establish a true and lasting peace? He states that now is the time for every citizen to take a stand, and together they will create a true utopia on Earth. A teddy bear is seen sitting on a chair behind him...

Gesicht informs Brau 1589 that he wants to exchange memory chips. The resulting experience is overwhelming for Gesicht, and he removes it as soon as he's able. He says he couldn't read the data, however. Brau 1589 says he founds Gesicht's memory chip very interesting (alluding that he knows what's Gesicht's nightmares mean), and states that the President has an Artificial Intelligence behind him, many thousands of times more powerful than any robot brain, but that it's rooted to one spot. What must a brain like that spend all its time thinking about (heh heh heh)?

Gesicht says it was a waste of time to come to the facility, and starts to walk away. Brau 1589 suddenly shouts out a vivid recurring statement from Gesicht's nightmares, before chuckling disturbingly.

Act 15: Enemy Parts

Back in Istanbul, Hercules has all but given up wrestling, instead opting to search for Brando and his attacker's body. Oddly, the crews have only found pieces of Brando. Suddenly, a few crew members state they found Brando's arms, but it's not what they expected. Hercules rushes out to investigate, and finds Brando's memory chip, as well as the arms. They've been plunged into a rock. Their shape doesn't bode well.

Back in Tokyo, a "localized tornado" smashes into a cargo truck. The truck was carrying ten large cats (lions, tigers, etc.), and they've all escaped. Five of them have cornered a small boy. The police are debating what to do when a small girl walks through the police line and somehow manages to get all the cats to come to her.

She turns around and yells that the police guns are scaring the cats. Don't they know anything?

Impressions

Again, such a brilliant read. The level of sentiment Urasawa brings to all his characters and situations resonates very well. Evoking an emotional response from the reader is no easy task. But at times I feel downright despair. I want it to know what's really happening, and I want it to resolve happily. But everything that's happened so far leaves such a foreboding tension in the air, I can't stand it. Once I start a volume, I can't put it down. The mystery keeps on deepening, and now there's a huge conspiracy going on too. Great.

The writing is top-notch. I am always searching out new manga from the billions available, and things like Pluto only encourage the continuing search. It really shows how manga can truly be an art form. Certain things like Thracia's accusation of Persia's robots of mass destruction are obvious remarks on what real-world events were playing out at the time, but that's always been a part of writing. Using what's around you in your work.

The artwork is still wonderful. It's not alway about being as complex as possible. Sometimes it's about using the simple things to their full potential. Urasawa gets that, and Atom is a prime example. So much emotion in so few strokes. I really liked how his innocence and squeaky clean personality were captured perfectly, but without an ounce of cartoonishness. Not to say that complex drawing is bad. Most of the settings are very cool, perspective-wise and imagination-wise. It's all good.

But down at the nitty gritty, it's really good storytelling. And that's what it's all about. On to Volume 3!