Pluto, Volume 4

Act 24 - The Professor's Day Off

Professor Ochanomizu has the day off, so he's spending it in the park. His escort is a police robot. Idle conversation doesn't really work, since the robot is only focused on protecting the professor. Later, Ochanomizu finds a damaged robot dog. It's a very old model, but he decides to try and fix it anyway. After searching for and failing to find replacement components, he decides to use newer parts instead. Unfortunately, it doesn't succeed, and the dog fails to properly reactivate.

Ochanomizu is heavily distraught as he's watching the dog struggle to survive. The symbolism of this event really tells a lot about his character. In the middle of his repairs, he's even contacted by the defense ministry to give approval to build robots as soldiers, which he vehemently rejects. It's quite a good scene.

The police robot informs Ochanomizu that the dog's owner has shown up, and is invited inside. However, the owner (a robot himself) reveals himself to be Goji, a key figure in constructing the Persian Kingdom's robot army used in the war. Goji demands that the professor summon Atom to a set of coordinates, at which the professor refuses. As incentive, Goji states that a stationary tornado has just touched down in Japan, where Ochanomizu's grandson is located...

Act 25 - A Fine Day for a Tornado

Goji and the professor continue to discuss robots' ability to kill. The professor is adamant that robots cannot kill people, it is against their programming. Goji argues that robots are now nearly indistinguishable from humans, is it possible they could also want revenge for wrongdoing done against them?

Goji also asks the professor what the Bora Survey group found in Persia when they went to investigate. The professor admits they found no weapons of mass destruction, so Thracia's declaration of war was unfounded. He asks if that's what the recent killings are all about: revenge. Goji just laughs and repeats that Atom needs to be summoned.

At that moment, Atom crashes through the ceiling, being summoned by the police, who are aware of the professor's current situation. Goji runs, but is caught by the police. However, his AI is missing, and all there are a bunch of cockroaches all over his body. Atom makes sure the professor is okay, then rushes to his grandson's aid in Japan, where he reveals Uran went already to check out the tornado situation.

Act 26 - The Confrontation

Ochanomizu informs the police that Goji is behind everything, and demands to talk to whomever is leading the investigation. Coincidentally, it's Inspector Gesicht...

Uran reaches Japan, where much of the house has been destroyed by the tornado. Everyone is okay, and Atom informs her that's he's almost there. Upon arriving, the entire oceans rears up as a wall with a demonic face. Atom charges in, and there is a huge surge of power. When the water recedes, Atom is lying lifeless on the ground.

Act 27 - A Different Dream

Gesicht awakens from a nightmare which he cannot remember. Across the street, Adolf Haas has a rocket launcher aimed, but is unable to fire. He is still out for revenge for Gesicht killing his brother. However, the KR wants Adolf out of the way, and state that Gesicht is crucial to their plan's success.

The next morning, Gesicht meets with professor Hoffman to discuss his new nightmare. Hoffman dismisses it, but secretly wants to tell Gesicht that he is merely a pawn in a larger game. He tells Gesicht to have fun on his vacation.

Meanwhile, Adolf, while visiting his brother's grave, is practically killed when his car inexplicably explodes. At the same time, Gesicht receives the news of Atom's death. He has a vision where Atom accuses him of being the same as Pluto, and asking if Gesicht is the one who killed him. Gesicht collapses.

Act 28 - Emergency Call

Gesicht awakens in Hoffman's lab. He insists he is fine and heads out due to an emergency call from police headquarters.

Meanwhile, Adolf is being interrogated by police about his car explosion. They ask if anyone is out to get him, maybe because of his brother. Adolf denies all accusations, never mentioning the KR or any of its members. He returns to his office and checks his messages. One of them is a hidden figure who informs Adolf that he is a KR assassination target. He realizes there could be another bomb in his office and sprints out, only to be stopped by none other than Gesicht, who states he has been assigned to protect him from here on out.

Act 29 - Whispering Shadows

Gesicht monitors all of Adolf's activity, checking doors, sampling food, and the like to make sure he won't be killed. It wreaks havoc on Adolf, since he still holds Gesicht responsible for his brother's death. At Adolf's office, he shows Gesicht video obtained by his company at one of Persia's maximum security prisons. After cleaning up the footage (somebody initially tried to erase it), it's revealed to be Darius XIV, the Surpreme Leader of the former Kingdom of Persia. The footage is Darius repeating a list of names. Gesicht realizes the names being listed are those who are being systematically murdered, and one of them is Hoffman...

Act 30 - Three Scientists at Kimberley

Hoffman is abducted by a shadowy individual, who actually turns out to be Epsilon, aiming to protect him.

Back at Adolf's office, a tiny bomb shoots through the window and nearly destroys everything. But thanks to Gesicht's quick reflexes, he manages to contain the blast. That's the last straw for Adolf. He states he'll tell the police everything he knows, as long as they can keep him and his family safe.

Meanwhile, Epison takes Hoffman to a secluded location to meet with Hercules. Hoffman tells them both about a meeting that occurred years ago at Kimberley. Three scientists, all at the top of their field, met to discuss ways to save the Earth from various environmental hazards, as well as improving the quality of life for all humanity. The three were Professor Hoffman, Professor Newton-Howard (who had just recently been murdered), and Professor Tenma.

Tenma, who would not share his research, warns the others that creating a perfect robot AI would mean that a robot would be able to encompass suffering, hatred, and the capacity to make mistakes. He tells them to stop trying to make robots like humans, because something terrible would happen.

Act 31 - The Greatest Robot on Earth

Professor Hoffman reveals that after that meeting, Tenma all but disappeared. Hercules asks if perhaps later, Tenma did indeed create his ideal robot. Hoffman reluctantly says yes.

Meanwhile, Gesicht is taking Adolf to a safe house. On the way, Adolf runs into a standard cleaning robot, who suddenly tells him if he wants to save his family, he has to kill Gesicht. He loses it and starts destroying the robot. Gesicht busts in and shows absolute rage at what Adolf is doing. Adolf asks if that rage is what Gesicht felt when he killed his brother.

Impressions

This volume was intense. Many things are slowly being revealed, and it's interesting to try and piece together who is really behind certain events, and what the true motivations really are. It's only the halfway point, though, so there's much more time for twists and unexpectedness.

Again, it's great storytelling. Saying a lot without a bunch of text can be hard. Urasawa does a great job with it. The old-model dog repair scene was excellent. It was very emotionally powerful. I am looking forward to seeing how all these characters and their stories are connected. On to Volume 5!