This week of Dr.STONE is a double feature, courtesy of my inability to write! Here we cover the conclusion of the Grand Bout, finish the Cure-All and then dive into the history of Ishigami village. So without further ado, since we have a lot to cover this week, let’s dive in.
Starting off, first an apology for missing last week. I simply had no inspiration for the episode. Nothing that I really cared to focus in on or write about. Episode 15 was just rather dull across the board for me, it was pretty dang straight forward. The fights/action for instance lacked impact, which makes sense considering it isn’t an action series. Unlike episode 14, there wasn’t really any sort of interesting science behind it. Meanwhile a number of the scenes in 15 just lacked the impact of the manga. Turning the page to some of Boichi’s best scenes. Take for instance the Cola scene with Gen, I don’t think it worked as well in the anime. Whether that be the sound effects or something else, I don’t know. But it, and others, simply didn’t stick with me. Resulting in no inspiration to really write about Dr.STONE.
This isn’t to say the episode didn’t do anything right. For instance I thought the presentation of the Cure-All and the explanation of the various bacteria was great. Presentation and everything really worked there. There are also things like the sound of liquid in Ruri’s lungs that we don’t get in the manga. Or Senku’s yell at the end when they correctly identify Ruri’s Pneumonia. All in all, episode 15 nailed the 2nd half of the episode I feel. The scenes where action wasn’t really relevant or needed, where Dr.STONE could focus entirely on the emotion and artistry of the scene. Those are the ones it excels at, both in the anime and and the manga. And I forgot to mention it before, but this is all ignoring the great OST. I really enjoy how Dr.STONE sounds. The music is really unique, and fitting visuals or not, great listening.
Moving on to episode 16, this episode was much more interesting to me. As we learn about the 100 stories, how they came to be and were passed down through the village. Even the villages name and how the last story is Senku’s own name! Now, I have always found the setup here to be a bit crazy even in the manga. Not the inevitable founding of the village by the astronauts, but rather the naming of the story. How they were one day expecting Senku to arrive, when they had no idea what had happened to the people and statues. That said, it makes for a nice flashback, and Young Senku is a complete loveable idiot. Chasing the moon, thinking its following him, etc. It’s nice to get a look at his character back when he wasn’t as Shounen MC-ey.
I really enjoyed Senku’s relationship with his father this episode as well. We already knew how much Byakuya cared for him from earlier in the series. As he sold the car to buy Senku all of that science equipment. But here we get to see that reciprocated, both ways. What with Senku creating that suit to try and help him learn the clothes breaststroke and such. The best part of it thought was how it *didn’t work*. Senku wasn’t perfect, still isn’t, and his suit failed. But what it did do was inspire Byakuya to try harder, to work on his own, and this is a much more reasonable result I feel. The effects of showing someone how much you care for them helping push them forward. For me, that really sells their relationship as father and son.
It was also nice that certain aspects of the village started to get explained this episode. For instance the myriad of hair colors, like blondes and such, which aren’t native to Japan. Actually calling black to and explaining the foreign genes in the village. The ISS crew really adds to the diversity of it all for the cast. On them, I quite liked the cast to, from their gags to their personalities. From the rude singer gag to the Carole and Tuesday style insert song. Clearly a different VA there, but hey, it worked. That said I do wish they had used the 0G a bit better there. After watching Planetes for Throwback Thursday I am a little spoiled on depictions of space. As they didn’t really make use of any interesting angles, or momentum or anything. Just going with rather standard shots.
Finally, I want to touch on the ending segment with the earth. I thought this was very well done, both in the effects department and presentation. The effects of the light, spreading across the whole planet were good. As was the Astronauts realization, checking live cameras and such. Eventually coming to the conclusion they there is no one able to help them. As even if people did survive, few would have the expertise to help them. Seeing Byakuya take leadership was great and I am looking forward to the plan to get from the ISS back down to earth in one piece. We know the succeed of course, based on this story existing, but the how is still in question.
So all in all, how were these two episodes of Dr.STONE? I found 15 to be rather dull and not particularly worth talking about. However 16 had a lot of good stuff going on. From Byakuya’s story to actually seeing the earth from another perspective during the great event that started the whole series. The central conceit of it all still bugs me, but that isn’t unique to the anime. That said, I am starting to wonder where the series will end. As it has become clear recently that we will not be reaching the end of the Tsukasa arc. There simply isn’t enough time left for how much content is in the arc. So Dr.STONE is going to have to choose its ending point wisely, and there are a few it could be. I am looking forward to whichever one they choose.
