[KOT]

This one is really a great manga. Another masterpiece was created by Urasawa.

[Juvenal]

I agree. Anyone with emotional maturity should read this. It really delves into the human condition and emotions. It also has some political references to the Second Gulf War with the names all changed to avoid censorship or directly insulting the United States.

I could say more for this series speaks volumes, but I will let everyone else figure stuff out--the characters in this manga had to.

[MokoMokoMonster]

This mangaka is truly amazing. all the manga's that he's written are brilliant. but did anyone get what the teddy bear was all about? I know it was some kind of robot but he didn't elaborate AT ALL.

[Juvenal]

Originally Posted by MokoMokoMonster

This mangaka is truly amazing. all the manga's that he's written are brilliant. but did anyone get what the teddy bear was all about? I know it was some kind of robot but he didn't elaborate AT ALL.

I will explain this because it really doesn't reveal anything too important to the story. The Teddy bear acts as an interface for the giant computer that the US of Tharcia has because it cannot move. The Teddy bear is called Dr. Roosevelt. The inventor of Teddy bears named it after the the president of United States of America Theodore D. Roosevelt. The following is just my interpretation of the reason for a teddy bear:

Theodore D. Roosevelt political philosophy was to "speak softly and carry a big stick." The Dr. Roosevelt (the Teddy bear in the manga) speaks softly about its machinations and ambitions but also has dreadful weapons at its disposal. Theodore D. Roosevelt made the United States an active power in international affairs, once using his navy to acquire the Panama Canal. Dr. Roosevelt was a major influence in making the United States of Tharcia (however it is spelled) in the 39th Central Asian Conflict, which is a political reference to the current Second Gulf War (Iraq War).

Pluto is an political allegory for the Second Gulf War. Dairus is the Saddam Hussein in the story (click the link to see the similarities). The Bora investigation squad is the investigation squad for Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) that were not found in Iraq.

If I made any mistakes, feel free to correct me.