Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui directs a genre-defying show honouring the Japanese art form of manga. Sensational visuals, impactful storytelling and performances of physical grace illuminate the Astro Boy tale

Depicting a universe where people and robots both coexist and find themselves in conflict, Pluto engages audiences with universal themes that ask what it means to be human. Starring skilled Japanese actors known for their versatility alongside dancers and elaborate puppet creations, this arresting staging is characterised by an energy and scale faithful to the original comic book – complete with graphics and spectacle.

Created in the 1950s by Osamu Tezuka, the father of manga, the Astro Boy series starred Atom, a humanoid robot. He and other characters from one of those action-packed storylines feature in Pluto – a striking reinterpretation for the modern age, serialised from 2003 by a group of revered artists – and the basis for the first full-length theatre production staged by pioneering Belgian choreographer Cherkaoui.