Pluto, a remarkable anime based on Naoki Urasawa’s manga, reimagines Osamu Tezuka’s iconic Astro Boy universe, offering a darker, more complex narrative. The story delves into identity, morality, and what it means to be human, set in a world where humans and advanced robots coexist.
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For fans captivated by its storytelling, there are several other anime that resonate with similar themes. From the morally gray world of Monster, where every choice has weight, to the cybernetic existentialism of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, these shows provoke thought and stir the soul. This list explores the Best Anime like Pluto.
10Paranoia Agent
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 7.67
Paranoia Agent
Why Watch Paranoia Agent?
Paranoia Agent byMadhouse Studiosstands as a compelling exploration of the collective subconscious, weaving a tapestry of stories that delve into the darker aspects of human nature, much like Pluto’s intricate narrative that probes deep into the psyche of its characters. Both anime excels in portraying a society grappling with complex, often disturbing issues.
In its 13-episode run, Paranoia Agent artfully combines suspense, mystery, and psychological drama, creating a unique experience where reality and psychological constructs intertwine in an unnervingly realistic manner. Satoshi Kon’s storytelling brilliance shines through in every episode. Paranoia Agent is a must-watch for those seeking an anime like Pluto, with mystery and suspense.
Release Date
Episode Count
Where To Watch
June 22, 2025
Crunchyroll
9Ergo Proxy
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 7.90
Ergo Proxy
Why Watch Ergo Proxy?
Ergo Proxy is acyberpunk animethat invites viewers into a dystopian world where existential questions and mysteries abound, echoing Pluto’s exploration of humans and advanced AI. Like Pluto, the anime delves deeply into the nature of existence, wrapped in a visually stunning, gothic-noir aesthetic.
Ergo Proxy takes place in a future where humans coexist with human-like androids, known as AutoReivs. The story follows Re-l Mayer, an inspector, as she investigates a series of murders and the mysterious phenomenon of the Cogito Virus, which grants self-awareness to AutoReivs. Fans of Pluto will enjoy watching Ergo Proxy for its intriguing plot and character development.
July 31, 2025
8Serial Experiments Lain
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.09
Serial Experiments Lain
Why Watch Serial Experiments Lain?
In Serial Experiments Lain, we’re introduced to Lain Iwakura, an introverted adolescent who stumbles into the perplexing digital landscape of the Wired after receiving an email from a deceased classmate. This narrative bears a resemblance to Pluto, where the methodical robot detective Gesicht unravels robot and human homicides.
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Each step draws him closer to confronting the ethical fabric of his society and the essence of his own artificial existence. Serial Experiments Lain is a thought-provoking odyssey that, much like Pluto, immerses viewers in a narrative labyrinth where the distinction between the tangible world and the realm of advanced technology becomes indistinguishable.
June 23, 2025
7From The New World
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.28
From the New World
Why Watch From The New World?
In From The New World, Saki Watanabe’s journey into adulthood is marred by the unraveling of her village’s dark secrets, including the harsh control over the psychic humans known as Cantus users and the subjugation of the Monster Rats. Her coming-of-age tale echoes Pluto’s protagonist, Gesicht. Saki’s and Gesicht’s search for truth leads them through moral quandaries and the darkness of their civilizations.
Watch From The New World for its meticulous world-building that, like Pluto, fuses a gripping storyline with ethical complexity. The anime presents a haunting vision of a future shaped by today’s choices, offering an experience similar to Pluto.
July 11, 2025
6Psycho-Pass
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.34
Psycho-Pass
Why Watch Psycho-Pass?
Psycho-Passintroduces us to a futuristic Japan where the Sibyl System quantifies the populace’s mental states, personalities, and the probability that they will commit crimes. The show’s exploration of law, order, and free will enforced by the new inspector, Akane Tsunemori, mirrors Pluto as Gesicht investigates murders in a society where robots are subject to human laws and emotions.
Psycho-Pass is an engrossing watch for its dark, nuanced look at the potential future of law enforcement and societal control. Like Pluto, it offers a gripping psychological drama that questions the nature of justice and autonomy in a world where technology can dominate the human psyche.
June 21, 2025
5Neon Genesis Evangelion
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.35
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Why Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion?
In Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shinji Ikari’s reluctant role as an Evangelion pilot against existential alien threats, known as Angels, parallels Gesicht’s duty in Pluto to solve a string of murders. Shinji’s battles with Angels while Gesicht investigations uncover layers of conspiracy and elicit questions about their identities and destinies.
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Both characters are drawn into psychological and ethical maelstroms: Shinji with the Human Instrumentality Project and Gesicht with the Anti-Robot sentiment, culminating in the rise of a formidable foe, Pluto. Neon Genesis Evangelion is a recommended anime for its bold narrative that, like Pluto, combines thrilling action with technology, psychology, and existential drama.
August 04, 2025
4Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.42
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Why Watch Ghost In The Shell: SAC?
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is amilitary animefeaturing Major Motoko Kusanagi of Section 9, who confronts cybercrime and terrorism. The series intricately fuses the Major’s quest to understand her synthetic existence while pursuing the enigmatic hacker, Puppet Master.
This resonates with Pluto’s narrative, where Gesicht, a robot detective, is entangled in a web of murders pointing toward a threat to both robots and humans. Watch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for its sophisticated exploration of identity, technology, and society. The anime pushes the viewer into a deep dive of futurism without losing the human element, much like Pluto.
June 04, 2025
Adult Swim
3Death Note
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.62
Death Note (2006)
Why Watch Death Note?
Death Notecenters on Light Yagami, a brilliant student who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone. Assuming the pseudonym Kira, Light starts to rid the world of crime, drawing the attention of the genius detective L. Like Pluto, where Gesicht seeks the perpetrator behind a series of high-profile murders; Death Note involves a cat-and-mouse game between two intellectually matched opponents.
Watch Death Note for its gripping psychological intrigue and moral debates that echo Pluto’s exploration of justice in an advanced society. With its clever plot twists and intense character showdowns, Death Note offers a cerebral narrative.
July 30, 2025
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 8.87
Why Watch Monster?
Monster follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a renowned brain surgeon whose life spirals into chaos after he decides to save a young boy named Johan Liebert, who grows up to be a manipulative serial killer. This narrative of moral consequence echoes Pluto, where Gesicht, the robot detective, must confront the repercussions of his society’s progress in robotics.
Watch Monster for its gripping psychological exploration with a complex villain whose enigmatic nature rivals the mysteries in Pluto, weaving a tale that questions the nature of evil and redemption. With its masterful suspense, Monster is a profound journey into the darkness of humanity, recommended to anyone who appreciates good storytelling.
August 11, 2025
1Steins;Gate
My Anime List (MAL) Score - 9.07
Steins;Gate (2011)
Why Watch Steins;Gate?
InSteins;Gate, Rintarou Okabe’s experiments with the PhoneWave lead to unforeseen alterations of the past, affecting the lives of his friends, especially Mayuri Shiina and Kurisu Makise. Each attempt to rectify time’s flow only deepens the crisis, echoing how Pluto’s Gesicht probes into a series of high-profile murders, with each revelation further destabilizing the coexistence between humans and robots.
Steins;Gate earns the #1 spot on this list for the show’s unique plot that masterfully weaves scientific theory with personal drama, creating an engaging narrative that, like Pluto, questions the morality of manipulating the fabric of reality, be it through time travel or artificial intelligence.
