Tsukasa officially made his return to The Kingdom of Science after being revived in the Dr. Stone: New World season finale. With a heartwarming reunion, a chilling Ryusui monologue, and a final season announcement, the season finale for Dr. Stone: New World was everything I hoped it could’ve been. It put a tightly sealed cap on what has been yet another phenomenal season of one of the best shonen anime that’s currently airing.
Seeing Tsukasa return ahead of the final season which was revealed at the end of the episode added that little bit of flare the episode needed. We got everyone’s favorite warrior back and he brought not only fist but humbleness and humor as well. Senku got a warrior on his side that he can completely trust again giving that sense of relief he desperately needed during the Treasure Island arc.
I wouldn’t necessarily call his return “epic” or “grand” but it was undoubtedly something only a series like Dr. Stone could pull off. It’s incredible to think how Senku, a teenager, managed to build what was essentially a cryofreeze chamber in the new stone age then use a device from space to turn him back to stone to heal his injuries only to quickly use revival fluid to fully get him back on his feet. That’s one hell of way to return back to the land of the living and would definitely be something I’d brag about here and there.
But it wasn’t just his revival that was huge, it was the immediate impact having him around had. From giving his sister attention before anyone else, to sparring, then to quickly asking Senku what the situation is just how the series goes and I’m glad the moment didn’t feel of course from the usual Dr. Stone way of going about things like this. Even Tsukasa’s reunion with Gen was needed and a little touching. Tsukasa turned a big moment focused on him and praised everyone else.
Ryusui had a big moment in this episode even though it may not seem so to others. A primary reason for Tsukasa’s revival was to have him on board the ship that is going to the moon. So after hearing Ryusui speak briefly about money and immediately turning into the warrior who wouldn’t hesitate to take down people who don’t align with what he believes is Senku’s goal, it sent some chills down my spine.
But eavesdropping on his monologue about why he likes money also sheds a bright light on who Ryusui is as a character. He’s an entirely new manifestation of greed in the best way possible that befits humanity, not belittles it. Throughout history, we always associate greedy characters either as a villain or even as comedic reliefs who always end up biting the bullet in some way. Ryusui’s heart is always in the right place and it was a perfect opportunity for Tsukasa to get perfect insight on just who he’s dealing with.
What I love about this moment is that Tsukasa had a sliver of doubt about Ryusui and that’s the perfect mentality to have as the warrior who will defend The Kingdom of Silence. And, in Tsukasa fashion, he managed to do his own recon on Ryusui and had that kind of smile on his face like he never should’ve doubted Senku if Ryusui was on his side all along. It was something I loved seeing because Ryusui doesn’t have these moments that other characters in the series do. Cutting out some fan service around Minami in this scene that was in the manga was a great decision and it kept the focus on Ryusui’s serious monologue.
It’s always a great day when we learn that more Dr. Stone is on the way. That being said, there is some concern I felt at the end of the episode after Dr. Stone Season 4 was confirmed. The Dr. Stone: New World series finale covered most of chapter 141 of the manga and all of chapter 142. That leaves 90 chapters left to be adapted. If each episode in the final season were to cover 2,5 chapters per episode, that would mean we would need 30 episodes to cover the remaining 90 chapters…and that’s if each episode covers that much.
This doesn’t even include the extra bonus chapter (232.1) or the ongoing sequel series (Dr. Stone: 4D Science) that’ll be releasing its third and final chapter on December 24, 2023 (note: each chapter of this sequel is over 40 pages each). And with five more arcs for the anime left to cover, it’s only right to be a little worried. Still, with all that in mind, it’s good to see the Dr. Stone anime seen through to the very end.
It felt like this season came and went in a flash. Since the Ryusui Special, it felt like forever since this season began airing. Now that it’s over with, I sit back and realize how quick time has flown by. It was another wonderful season of Dr. Stone and I imagine that the staff for next season is going to continue to give the millions of fans worldwide one amazing send-off with the final season.
Season finale rating: 8/10
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Screenshots via Crunchyroll
©Richiro Inagaki, Boichi/Shueisha, Dr. STONE Production Committee