Netflix’s latest anime series, Pluto, introduces a plethora of endearing characters. There’s Atom, an adorable robot capable of shattering the sound barrier. Then, we have Brando and Hercules, a duo who, despite being rivals, understand each other better than anyone. Next is Epsilon, who cares for the children orphaned by the 39th Central Asian War, while North No. 2 yearns to learn music from his new master, the brilliant composer Mr. Duncan, who lost his vision due to a serious illness. However, amidst these shining stars, one character shines even brighter: Inspector Gesicht, a highly intelligent robot working for Europol, hell-bent on finding the one responsible for killing his friends.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is Inspector Gesicht?
Pluto introduces Inspector Gesicht as a calm, calculated officer from Europol who doesn’t speak to anyone if it’s not necessary. Unlike others in his line of work, Gesicht doesn’t jump to conclusions and investigates every clue. For the uninitiated, Gesicht might appear human, but in reality, he’s a robot built before the advent of the 39th Central Asian War that almost wiped the Republic of Persia from the world map. Created by Hoffman, Gesicht is one of the seven strongest robots in the world, alongside Montblanc, Brando, Hercules, North No. 2, Epsilon, and Atom. He is built from one of the strongest metals known to man and is able to withstand trouble others of his kind couldn’t even dream of. The story of the anime is set in a futuristic world where man-made machines coexist with humans. We first see Inspector Gesicht arriving in Germany to investigate the murder of a scientist, Bernard Lanke, who’s killed in a horrific fashion with horns placed beside his head.
A week earlier, Montblanc, one of the strongest robots in the world, was torn to pieces and showcased in a similar manner. Thanks to his super-advanced AI, Gesicht quickly figures out that these murders aren’t the work of any human, but a robot’s. Despite being a robot, Gesicht is capable of feeling all sorts of emotions, whether it is sadness or joy, thanks to his extremely advanced AI. This is clearly obvious in his joyous relationships with other fellow robots like Brando, Hercules, Atom, Elipsion, and others. On the other hand, he’s also scarred by the horrors he encountered during the 39th Central Asian War. Even though the war ended decades ago, he still experiences haunting visions. One of them is a dream about a child being eviscerated while lying in a cradle while his father cries in pure agony, blaming Gesicht for the death.
Why Did Inspector Gesicht Kill A Man?
Following the war, the higher-ups put several laws in place to protect both humans’ and robots’ rights. These laws suggest that no robot could harm a human in any manner, be it physical or emotional. These laws also allow robots to adopt a child. While working on a case, Gesicht comes across a broken robot in a scrap yard and decides to buy it. Back at home, he repairs the robot and later decides to adopt it. Gesicht does this because, his whole life, he has been grappling with an identity crisis. He feels that adopting a child would help him better understand human emotions. Unfortunately, this happiness is short-lived.
While working for Europol, Gesicht comes across a hate crime case against robots. The culprit, disguised as a repairman, was abducting and murdering innocent robot citizens and selling them for parts. Gesicht, with his exceptional AI, manages to track down the perpetrator, only to find out that the man has just killed his son, Robita. During that moment, Gesicht crosses all lines and vaporizes the man, ultimately taking his revenge. Realizing this could be damaging to both Gesicht and Europol, Director Shelling orders a fragment of his memories to be erased. This is why Gesicht was having those incomplete dreams. In reality, those dreams were the remaining fragments of Gesicht’s memories.
Why Was Inspector Gesicht Hated By Adolf Haas?
The man Gesicht killed in rage was Adolf Haas, a German citizen and a member of a radical group responsible for carrying out planned attacks on robots serving in high positions. Adolf and his brother always hated robots and blamed them for the death of their father, who killed himself after he was replaced with his mechanical counterpart. This feeling of rage and hatred intensified when Adolf learned about his brother being eviscerated by a zirconium cannon. Adolf takes matters into his own hands and begins tailing Gesicht, hoping to find an opportunity to blow him to bits. However, fate rolls its dice, and Gesicht ends up becoming his bodyguard when Adolf’s own radical group puts a bounty on his head. Even though Gesicht knew Adolf wanted to see him dead, he carried out his duty. He even throws himself in front of a zirconium cannon to save Adolf. This made Adolf realize that even though Gesicht doesn’t have a beating heart inside his mental body, his selfless dedication to helping others makes him more human than he could ever be. Gesicht taught him that revenge only begets more revenge.
Why Did Inspector Gesicht Choose To Not Kill Pluto?
As the story progresses, Gesicht manages to track Pluto to an atomic facility in the Netherlands. A battle ensues, and Gesicht incapacitates Pluto. Gesicht is just one shot away from ending Professor Abullah’s evil plan; all he needs to do is hit Pluto’s already fragile body with another zirconium shot. But Gesicht decides refuses to fire on Pluto, even after his superior, Captain Becker, reminds him about the robot laws, which state he cannot disobey a direct order. Gesicht realizes that Pluto is just another casualty of war who is being exploited by Abullah so he can get his revenge. Unlike others, Gesicht manages to see the pain and suffering Pluto is subjected to. Pluto is nothing but a sad AI trapped inside a giant mechanical war machine. Gesicht leaves the facility and even resigns from Europol. This is the moment when Gesicht is flooded with his lost memories and remembers the face of his son and his name. He wants to punish Abullah for what he has done to Pluto and his friends but is killed by a miniature helper robot carrying a zirconium canon. Gesicht’s story reminds us that being human isn’t just about the heart in your chest. It’s about putting others first, even if you’re chugging energy oil instead of enjoying a burger. In that sense, Gesicht was more human than characters like Abullah and Daris XIV, who saw people and robots as pawns in their revenge schemes.
