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Alriiiiiiiiight. Pluto is here, and damn have I waited a long time for it.

I’m gonna keep this concise instead of spewing meaningless drivel and elaborating on the entire synopsis of the plot.

Here we have an adaption of one of Urasawa’s masterworks, as well as the finest series produced by Netflix as of so far- animated or not. The fact of the matter is this- the source material was already great. But what makes this series so spectacular is that it elevated everything you loved about the manga and made it better, and I’ll die on this hill.

Pluto has been out for years ... upon years, and the original manga is already well reviewed. Fact of the matter is, I don’t need to rave about how remarkable and groundbreaking this piece of work is. It’s already well established that Urasawa is potentially the greatest mangaka of all time in respect to his ability to write narratives. Pluto is an exemplary manga that shows just that.

Our trust in Netflix isn’t very well established on the side of anime. It had some break out hits in the form of Edgerunners and Castlevania, but few would have put stock in their ability to adapt such a work. All it took was ONE trailer, and my mind was changed.

The result was a labor of love. This is an anime that had ambition. It didn’t want to just live in the shadow of the manga, it wanted to be everything the original work was, and more.

They succeeded. It shows in every corner of the production. I’m watching this show in English dub, since it makes more sense thematically since it isn’t just centered around Japan as a setting. The English voice actors put their soul into each role. The music was astounding, making the emotion originally portrayed by Urasawa amplified. The expressions of the characters maintain the signature style developed by the author. And it goes without saying, but the art direction is among the best I’ve ever seen. It’s vivid, rich in detail, and filled with set pieces that make you question just how much money was funneled in for the budget.

Seeing it adapted on the big screen with such care creates a substantially more remarkable foundation for the series. I found myself brought to tears on multiple occasions, all by scenes I thought little of upon reading them; but overwhelmed by when watching them. That’s right, I downright admit I think this adaption is better than the source material- which is a rare occurrence. This is a remarkable achievement in animation that brings me optimism when thinking about the future of anime as a whole.

I’ve heard criticism about the pacing of Pluto due to the hour long episodes. To be Frank, it is a brain dead criticism. Each volume is adapted into each episode, which in turn adapts the pace of the volumes as they were released. In my mind, this is worthy of further praise.

It is my hope that with the success of Pluto, an adaption will come of what is arguably Urasawa’s magnum opus, 20th Century Boys.

Until then, one can hope. One can enjoy the result that has come from this adaption. One can enjoy what is by far the greatest anime to have been produced in years. Enjoy.

Fact of the matter is this; it’s the single greatest harem manga ever written, other than Domestic Girlfriend if you subconsciously retcon that disaster of an ending. But I digress.

Ecchi manga is nice. I love tits. We love tits. They’re great. Yet it is a genre plagued with mediocrity. Shallow characters, often sub-par art work, no plot or character development, shitty tropes, and spineless protagonists. Fortunately for you, Umi No Misaki was written and it manages to subvert all of those negative expectations you would have for a ecchi/ harem manga.

It’s a manga that does a great job at feeling mostly organic when it ... comes to relationship development and the characters. You see a seemingly dull protagonist fill out into someone of significance that you care about. You see the perspective of the various heroines and how he begins to appeal to them, and grow on them. You don’t get deadlocked into a stagnant relationship that climaxes with a kiss. Let’s just say the author doesn’t pull any punches here.

I have a fondness for Japanese island settings and this scratches the itch perfectly. Vivid detail goes into the cape setting. It’s beautiful through and through, with vivid depictions of the ocean, the island, the surrounding sea caves, or even the ancient religious ceremonies depicted. Character designs are simple, but effective given that Soyogi is so damn cute.

It’s a romance anime. You’re not going to get your mind blown like you’re reading something written by Naoki Urusawa. But the underlying narrative keeps you glued, and can often be quite unpredictable.

I thought it impossible to find a manga or anime that some how manages to find the delicate balance between the trifecta of tits, plot, and genuine romantic sentiment. But alas, it is now proven that it can be done. As someone who is a Stan for romance but always found the genre completely and utterly underwhelming, this manga is one that I was searching for, for literal years.

Nausicaa and the valley of the wind is Hayao Miyazaki's magnum opus. Not only is it the greatest work that he has ever created- written or animated, but it's also the greatest manga ever made. It's masterclass in every way, and I believe more people should read it. From beginning to end, it is perfectly paced with a dynamic cast of support characters, and our lovely heroine. Nausicaa is a girl of high moral character, who acts selflessly and with the utmost determination. Her qualities as an individual make her quite literally the perfect human. Bad ass, full of compassion, acutely intelligent. She's so good ... natured, that I actually see criticism towards her for not having any fault to her intrinsic character. No inherent flaws to any degree, and some people don't like that for whatever reason. A troubled character is fine and all, and well executed in many manga- but it's not imperative. Nausicaa is the ideal person, and it adds to the charm of the manga. Side characters such as Kushana add a lot more to the story, and the antagonists are incredible. The setting and world building is one of a kind, building a well distinguished and unique apocalyptic wasteland that you'll never forget. Miyazaki dabbles in themes such as politics, environment disaster, religion, and more. While the conclusion is somewhat ambiguous, I prefer it that way, and I think Nausicaa to have one of my favorite endings of any manga. And the art style- man I won't even get started on the art style. All I can say is that it's vivid, rich, and unique. This series is ideal in length- neither too short nor too long, and available in hard cover for an extremely reasonable price. If you have a shred of respect for either Miyazaki, or the medium of manga as a whole, then you'll take the time to read this classic. I cannot recommend it enough