Following the events from last chapter, we're still in the process of assembling the rocket in space. It's a rather pleasant surprise, seeing the step-by-step process of how the device is being constructed. I had this funny feeling that following the end of last chapter, we would see the whole rocket complete at the start of this chapter, but this is more fulfilling.
The second bit docks successfully, but this wouldn’t be Dr Stone if there weren’t any issues that showed up in the middle of a scientific invention/process. The docking gets progressively harder:
-For the 2nd bit of the rocket, it’s docked with missing communication. The communication is only one way at this point, which makes you wonder if there will be some Why Man communication shenanigans soon. It’s happened twice already when there has been a communication issue in a chapter.
-For the third bit of the rocket, the screen falls partly blank, but this isn’t a problem for Stanley. He can still dock just fine, even with a blurred screen. Kohaku even congratulates him (Pretty funny moment), and this makes it the second time that we see her speaking in English in the story. Back before she met Senku, we saw her counting from 1 to 3. In English. It does fit in with the explanation that bits of broken English survived in Ishigami village over the centuries. And not just in Ishigami village, also in Treasure Island as well.
- The 4th bit of the rocket docks with no visuals. At this point, the issue can’t be ignored anymore.
Disturbed, Senku goes to investigate the issue. We understand why a scientist was needed on this voyage, because there was no chance that either Kohaku or Stanley would pick on this issue. Also, with Stanley there, we see how difficult the docking process is. It requires precision, accuracy. Much like sniping.
Turns out, there was a petrified piece of hair that got stuck in the electronic set up of the ship. This bit here gives us some interesting insight over the petrification phenomenon. For normal stone minerals, they tend to act as insulators. Including them in a circuit usually does nothing to alter an electric current/flow too much. But for this specific type of stone, we see the circuit break completely, and the capacitor has a complete meltdown. Meaning that it conducts electricity in some form or manner, which is an interesting find.
We also learn that anything containing DNA in it can be turned to stone. Be it hair, nails etc. Even if its away from the body, if it encounters the petrification beam, it will be turned to stone. Another lesson from this exchange, though a minor one, is that rocket testing and building areas must be kept as sanitary as possible. The manga played it off rather seamlessly, but a simple setback in space can be…. fatal.
Thankfully for them, someone on the ground decided to take matters into their own hands. Two more capsules need to be attached, so for the incoming 4th one, we have Ryusui piloting it manually. Considering his prowess with anything that requires driving/navigating, it feels rather fitting that he is the one who is piloting it.
This decision does not really surprise those on earth so much. Sai finds it amusing how Ryusui’s first words in space are of how the universe is his all over again. Kinda like his first words after being revived.
Using his navigation skills, Ryusui manages to dock the 4th bit of the rocket successfully. This whole sequence looks hellishly tiresome, but also, it’s sort of funny. Since the unit can’t be controlled automatically, Ryusui needs to strain himself to rotate it and make it fit perfectly. A gyroscope is what’s usually needed for that process, and we get a glimpse of what it looks like in the chapter.
Senku redraws the iconic equation on his shirt, but this time with marker rather than his own blood. He did something similar at the start of the story, at the time when he was trying to come up with the revival formula. Back then, he was trying to remind himself that the whole petrification phenomenon was not fantasy, and there was a scientific explanation behind it all.
One thing I really appreciated about this scene is that it shows how far the series has come from the beginning. At the start, Senku didn’t really have any writing equipment anywhere. He had to jot down the formula in blood. This time, since they have made considerable scientific progress, he’s able to write down the formula with a pen. Makes you realize just how far the story has come from the beginning.
Great chapter to get us back on track, after another break. From this point on, the chapters will come uninterrupted, which is something to look forward to. A detail I really liked in this chapter is how much time they are taking to complete the five-piece rocket. Senku admitted earlier in the arc that a two-way rocket would take too much time, and we are seeing that firsthand already. If it was just a one-way rocket, they would have already arrived at the moon.
Now, I wonder what this will mean for the final piece. Assuming Ryusui has come there with some electrical supplies from earth, obviously Senku can fix the whole set up. But if that’s not the case, does that mean that the fifth and final piece will also need someone to navigate it manually? Would mean that the initial three-man crew ends up increasing and becoming a five-man crew. I wonder whether that was something they factored into the equations when planning for this moon trip.
Trivia:
-Senku wearing a polo shirt which is the standard daily dress code for astronauts on the ISS (which includes wearing socks without shoes)
-Ryusui’s new outfit is a homage to captain Harlock, a space pirate.
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