Dr.STONE – 11 [Clear World]

Ladies and Gentleman who actually read these posts, this is an important week for Dr.STONE. As this week we meet Kaseki, perhaps the greatest old man of the season. Dr.STONE doesn’t stop there though. Introducing us to the wonders of glassmaking and giving us another heartfelt moment of technological progress. Enough of that though, in we go!

Starting off, Dr.STONE once again makes us appreciate the modern world through technological advances. The whole thing with Suika’s glasses was, in my opinion, beautiful. From discovering her issue, to making it clear this isn’t a defect or flaw. Dr.STONE really sells how much of an issue this would be in ancient times. Then, when it comes time for the grand reveal, the series knows when to hold back. No one says a word when Suika puts the helmet on. Letting her facial expressions and the scene itself sell the moment. Rather than telling the audience how to feel, it shows us. As someone who needs glasses in their day to day life, I loved it. It’s Dr.STONE once again slow-rolling the audience, without ever really screaming in our face, “APPRECIATE TECHNOLOGY”. If anything, the series sort of throws that at us back with characters like Kinro.

As he has the exact same problem as Suika. But unlike her, he has grown up to adulthood with it. He has accepted it as part of who he is, as a “weakness”. Yet this is isn’t an entirely negative attitude, as he doesn’t want to moan and whine about it. Rather accepting it and pushing forward in spite of it, with no excuses given. It’s another moment of characterization for him, as we see his pride again flare up on the matter. And while it isn’t shown to be directly against Science, as Kinro is helping them, it’s definitely a mindside of an “older” generation. Those who have lived their life one way and see no reason to change it, as they have made due. In a way it is admirable, yet we also see this attitude in our real day to day lives. I really liked that.

Meanwhile, the science of Dr.STONE continues to be fantastic. Sure, the labor aspect is still ridiculous, as you could never manually grind prescription glasses. Nor could you get perfectly clear glass on the first try. As a single impurity would ruin the entire batch. Its theoretically possible, but not realistically plausible. However, I think I can give Dr.STONE the benefit of the doubt on this one because of the effort it puts into the science. Recognizing the effort needed to slowly pinpoint prescription lenses, or the pinhole effect of Suika’s helmet. How all of the previous steps in their science journey have come together to help with the current step. Showing that science is an additive process, building on previous blocks. So yeah, while the specific details are lacking, I think the spirit of it all is there. And in a series like Dr.STONE, the spirit is more important.

And no one embodies the “spirit” more than our new best old man, Kaseki! I love this old man. Yes, similar to the science, his skill is a bit unbelievable. Clay work isn’t similar to glassworking in the slightest, yet he is able to do it perfectly on the first try. Yet the spirit of the scene carries through. This idea that, regardless of the Era, human passion is there. Regardless of the time, you can find someone who loves and is passionate about their craft. Who is diligent about their work and pushes it above and beyond what simply “works”. In a word, you can find an “artist” in any era. And I love that. It helps that Dr.STONE also uses Kaseki to once again hammer home Senku’s limitations. He has all the know how, but little of the actual ability to make it happen.

This carries through to another theme of the series as a whole, that being “community”. That being this focus on the many working together for the whole, vs Tsukasa’s more individual focused kingdom. One based on individual strength with no weakness allowed. Rather than Senku, who has people cover for each other’s weaknesses. In a way, Kinro’s progression seems to be tied to this as well. From his individual pride, to accepting and joining the “community”. While I personally disagree with the politics of this in a few ways, I do like how… subtle Dr.STONE is trying to be with it. As the series hasn’t really directly called this out yet. Screaming at the audience about “community” and “individuals”. Instead mostly leaving you to infer it from these arcs and how everything comes together as the series goes on.

The last bit I want to talk about is actually a 2-fer, that being Senku’s emotional response and Ginro. Once again, we got to see a nice quiet moment of appreciation from Senku this week. As he earns back the lab his father bought for him all those thousands of years ago. I really do enjoy these quiet moments of humanity from the otherwise almost robotic Senku. Spouting off science left and right, until something hits him and he just gets quiet and appreciative. It helps keep him just grounded enough that he doesn’t get to ridiculous. Meanwhile, we also have the setup for our next mini arc with Ginro and his silver spear. This “deadly” ingredient Senku requires. I know what’s up, and if Dr.STONE can pull this off, I am looking forward to some nice horror next week. Really, can’t wait.

So, all in all, how was this week for me? Well in case it wasn’t obvious, I once again really enjoyed Dr.STONE. Ever since we have moved away from Tsukasa and focused on the science, it’s just been hit after hit. With these early arcs just hammering home emotional scene after emotional scene. Maybe as just a technologically minded person, it hits me harder than others. As a Software Developer by day, my job wouldn’t exist without technology. So this feeling of appreciation I get from Dr.STONE is something I welcome every bloody week. Yes, I could nitpick the impossibility of some of the craft, such as Kaseki’s glassblowing or Senku’s glasses. And I did a little above. Yet I don’t think that takes away from the series much. As I would rather it nail the spirit rather than forsake it for exact realism. And that’s what I got.