Blade Runner Meets The Silence Of The Lambs In Netflix's Brilliant Sci-Fi Epic

Published Aug 21, 2026, 6:15 PM EDT

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‎Several decades after the release of the two influential films, Netflix's Pluto combines the best of both worlds. Based on the Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka manga series by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki, the Netflix animated series centers on Europol robot detective Gesicht as he endeavors to solve a case involving the death of the world's most sophisticated robots.

As a limited series, Pluto is arguably too short at just eight episodes. However, each entry in the show's only season leaves an emotional dent that few science fiction TV shows manage to achieve.

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Pluto Is One Of The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows On Netflix

‎Netflix's vast library has a little bit of everything, from fantasy to sci-fi. Yet the science fiction titles on Netflix are rarely among their most famous shows, unless they are smash hits like Dark or 3 Body Problem. Surprisingly, Pluto, which should arguably be considered a sci-fi juggernaut, has faded into the background, with few people aware of it.

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‎When it comes to Pluto's subject matter of whether robots have emotions, the series doesn't tread new water, but there is something uniquely appealing about how the Netflix show executes its premise. Pluto isn't just a beautifully created animation; it admirably invites its audience to ask questions that do not have easy answers. Through Gesicht, a detective solving the brutal murders of robots and humans, and Atom, a robot with a zeal for life that rivals that of humans, the series goes beyond science fiction and delves into the very meaning of existence.

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‎Pluto is a slow burn, but the show outlines its story in a way that makes its eight episodes fly by. For lovers of science fiction, the Netflix show has enough technology and philosophical musings to make its slow start enjoyable, while fans of crime dramas will appreciate how the series puts together every clue until the perpetrator is discovered.

Pluto Is Grossly Underrated

Netflix’s science fiction titles can be hit or miss, so it's even more frustrating that Pluto, an arguably perfect series, doesn't get the adoration or attention it deserves. The series’ release wasn’t the cultural event it should have been, given that it's one of the streamer’s biggest manga adaptations. The show premiered on Netflix on October 26, 2023, and it arrived with considerably less fanfare than many of the streamer's bigger anime properties. Criticism specifically pointed to Netflix's relatively quiet promotion of the show.

Its batch-release format arguably didn't help either. Releasing all eight episodes simultaneously meant there wasn't the same week-to-week conversation that surrounded many other anime series. Fans have even pointed to Netflix's release strategy as one reason Pluto struggled to maintain online discussion, which is unfortunate because the critical reception was exceptional. Pluto currently holds a perfect 100% Tomatometer score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Metacritic lists it in the Universal Acclaim range.

Pluto is an emotionally gripping series that understands that quiet moments can be more powerful than explosions. Some of the show’s most memorable scenes involve robots simply interacting with humans, confronting loneliness, or trying to understand their own emotions. A series that can excel at this yet remain entertaining should be seen as one of the greats.