Another great episode of Dr. Stone Season 2. After such a long and hyped up wait for episode 1, this is like getting a second birthday cake on your birthday.
The anime closely follows the manga identically, but it still adds so much more to the experience beyond a frame-by-frame adaptation of the manga. I have to give major props to the production team for carefully crafting the pacing, sound design, and brilliance of the visuals. It’s clear they feel a great importance in this series and making the anime an exhilarating ride. The anime also brings a seriousness that seems to be more intense than the manga portrays.
Like I had mentioned last week, the production team is keeping in mind new Dr. Stone viewers. But also perhaps considering that it’s been a year and a half since season 1 and anime-only fans may have forgotten some things. We begin the episode with another small recap of the last conversation Senku had with Taiju, that they have been waiting for Senku this whole time.
Just like the sound bombs, there are many things in Dr. Stone that are hard to convey in a single panel of manga. Kohaku is known for moving very fast, and in the action of Stone Wars we’ll finally get to see what that looks like. In season 1, the only time her speed is really shown in a meaningful way is when she meets Tsukasa and fights him before getting pinned by a tree. She had to use her speed to match his strength. Now she is dealing with Homura, who is not only fast but has the advantage of gymnastics. Kohaku has to push herself to her limit to keep up.
Another thing the anime gives us is a better look at science gadgets in action. To be honest, I was thrown off for a moment at actually hearing the morse code on the phone being used. Seeing how the inventions are operated or used, while Boichi does his best to explain it in his drawings, can be difficult to visualize if you don’t know exactly how they work.
There are some small details that make the characters and the Stone World feel real. The conversations between Magma, Gen and Chrome feel natural as they try their best to get along. They are a bit aggressive towards each other, but after all, Magma did bring both of them to near death before.
When Homura lands on a branch and jumps off, the snow doesn’t move, however Kohaku follows on the same branch and the snow goes everywhere. It shows how forceful Kohaku is in the chase and as part of her character. There is a moment before Homura sees the glowing blue marks she left behind at dawn, where she is waking up. It’s quiet and still, and she huddles into her coat for warmth. Just before dawn is always the coldest time of night, and this season so far hasn’t let us forget that it’s the middle of winter.
One part that following the manga panel-for-panel kind of fails is when Senku releases the flash grenade. It would have been a much more unexpected and surprising impact if it had followed through from the flow of the chase to the release of the grenade without pause. Then let Senku say his line and learn from our beloved Mecha Senku. It was quite a long pause and I felt the intensity fall before that peak moment.
As Magma, Gen and Chrome reach Tsukasa’s empire, we see plenty of examples of the change in scenery. It makes our travelers appear small, with huge barren cliffs, which along with overcast skies make it uninviting. It can indeed make one feel weak. Once Chrome reassures us, it becomes sunny and bright and gives the confidence to carry on.
In the final moments of the episode, the phone call is so emotional we forget for a moment about the mission. When Senku picks up the phone, we get a slow buildup of emotion and suspense to finally see Taiju again. It gives us time to sit with Taiju and realize he has been waiting all this time for a word from Senku, and is ready to take over the Stone World with his best bud.
Taiju and Yuzuriha will prove to be valuable players in this mission. The Kingdom of Science has successfully infiltrated the Empire of Might. Events will be unrolling fast, even with the projected slower pace of covering less chapters per episode than season 1. Check back next week to join us for the next anime review! If you’re caught up on the manga, we also have weekly manga chapter reviews in the Logbook section. Follow us on Twitter to get updates as soon as they are posted.
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