Welcome everyone to another week of Dr. STONE! This part begins our epilogue, our journey into the next part. Not much happens, mostly just check-ins and resets, but we do get a major plot reveal: Why-Man returns. What does that mean? So let’s get started and find out!
Starting off, like I said, it’s been a pretty slow week. You know, there’s a lot of preparation for the sequel, which guides us in reviving everyone and surviving on the island, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s like we’re quickly re-running the first few episodes of Dr. STONE. Identify the problems, get rid of those in need, slowly expand and rebuild. It’s a fun reminder of what people do and how far we’ve come. Additionally, it gives us a chance to spend time with some new characters, islanders who have now eliminated Ibara’s allies. The adult was of course Kirisame, who quickly took their side after hearing what happened.
For the above mentioned goal? Well, it’s simple: We’re going to the moon baby! This is a great reveal in the manga. It’s just an existing idea for a series built on a slowly growing tech tree. Space travel is so far away from where Dr. STONE is now, it’s clearly more of a long-term goal than our next immediate goal. Go to the moon, confront Why-Man? It’s our last game. However, it’s good to set it up sooner rather than later. Now we know where things are headed and it won’t feel as ridiculous as if we destroyed the lunar lander in just one season. Or… It’s funny, when we get there it’ll still be a bit wild.
Speaking of Why-Man, this was probably my favorite reveal of the episode, mainly because as a concept Why-Man is great. This ominous, enveloping voice continuously transmits on radio waves from the moon? Synthesis creates Senku’s voice while commanding Medusa to cover the Earth in a state of petrification once again? Drop more from space onto the island, turning everyone on it to stone at the time? It’s a great concept, a villain they can’t physically fight but who is clearly much more advanced than them. Obviously I know where it’s going, I’ve finished the manga and it’s great. But now it’s alive again, haven’t read it in a while? I’m glad to see that it still holds up and that Dr. STONE as an anime understands the kind of… galactic or hellish horror that his existence brings to the story.
Finally, let’s talk about a few of them. little details this week, specifically Matsukaze and Ginro as well as Kohaku and Senku. For the first pair, there’s not much to go on. Most Matsukaze came from the island’s original inhabitants who were petrified again just a few hundred years ago, with only a few surviving to become the islanders we know today. Apparently Ginro looks like his old master, Ginro is back to being a sleazeball, there’s really not much going on here yet. As for Kohaku and Senku, I really like their relationship. It’s not romantic, it’s more about mutual respect and admiration, but it crosses the line and that can easily happen. I love it when these two have “romantic” moments like this. Plus Kirisame being confused because she still thinks they’re together since last season’s kiss is funny.
So all in all a good episode of Dr. STONE. The series continues to be solid and consistent, without too many peaks but certainly no troughs either. It knows exactly what it wants, the production is solid if unexciting, and it just… slows down at a steady pace letting the story speak for itself. Maybe that’s not to everyone’s taste, they want something that delivers a seasonal high. And you know what, I don’t blame them. Dr. STONE is the kind of movie that will probably be more engaging once the whole thing is over and you can experience it all at once. Because it’s really about the slow and mysterious character building of Medusa. Personally though? I like it, it’s very relaxing.