MM: I have many fond memories of working with Tezuka-sensei. It’s hard to summarize them into a single word. But one thing is for sure, without Tezuka-san, Japanese anime wouldn’t have reached its current state. His creativity allowed us to produce works even without people, money, or time. Although anime production methods have evolved significantly since then, Osamu Tezuka’s fearless approach at the inception of Japanese animation laid the foundation for what it has become today. He wasn’t concerned about the obstacles, he was determined to make it happen no matter what. His unwavering willpower is what propelled Japanese animation and us anime creators forward.

MM: I first considered creating the Pluto anime when Naoki Urasawa released the manga. Before Pluto I have been involved in animating Urasawa’s other works, such as Yawara!, Master Keaton, and Monster. Given that Pluto was Urasawa-san’s take on Tezuka-san’s Astro Boy, I felt a sense of responsibility to adapt his work, because I had the privilege of working both with Tezuka and Urasawa. I felt like this is my mission to do this work.

MM: When I read Urasawa’s Pluto, I was overwhelmed by it; the story, characters, everything. I was more overwhelmed, than liking it. In other words, I couldn’t afford to merely like it. As a reader I can express my opinions freely, but when I am the one tackling such a demanding project I feel that I don’t have the luxury of just liking the work. While initially I thought it was impossible, I knew I had to find a way. I soon realized that the original manga was exceptionally well crafted. Of course I could shorten it into a summary, but to make it convincing and captivating, I had to keep everything intact. I once told Urasawa-sensei this, “Your manga is already perfect, maybe there is no need to make an anime out of it. If the anime was boring and only made people realize how good the manga is, it is meaningless”.

MM: I’m confident that you will be shedding tears if you watch the entire series continuously.

MM: Sixty years ago, when we created the first TV anime, Astro Boy, no one could’ve predicted the state of the industry today. It has been an entirely unexpected journey. Even Tezuka wouldn’t and couldn’t have foreseen how the anime industry would develop. Everything is entirely unpredictable. It’s incredible to think that Japanese animation is now celebrated not only in Japan, but also worldwide. I respect the determination of the first person who digs a well. Tezuka had that kind of vision and it has come into fruition. I’m honored to be part of it and I’m delighted to see how far we’ve come.