Dr. Stone: New World is just flying by. Already episode 8 you guys! It seems like so much has happened and yet things are just getting started. I just quickly summarized all of Dr. Stone for someone that had never even heard of the show before (I know!), and he thought it sounded really interesting. That’s because it does! I’ve always said Dr. Stone has an amazing premise. And we are now in one of the most plot defining arcs of the series. Of course it’s going to be exciting.
What do you think, Crow? Have you ever described the plot of Dr. Stone to someone? I’ve done it a couple of times now and every time people get fascinated by it. Back in season 1, I did it during a work lunch and I had a bunch of middle aged lawyers oohhhing and awwing at how brilliant Dr. Stone sounded. One of my crowning achievements. I never told them it was an anime.
I’ve described it to my wife. Of all the concepts that go into this story, the one that seemed to surprise her the most is that the anime respects science and human curiosity. In my case, she knew it was an anime because my office is right beside the living room, and she knows I’m reviewing it this season. Still, it reassured me that’s what she liked about the series!
So for a quick recap, last week, Ryuusui and everyone that had stayed behind on the ship got petrified except for Suika who was pushed out of the way. That was already a bit of a paradigm shift as we finally found our first clues to the secret of the petrification that is at the center of Dr. Stone’s plot. But it turns out, that was just breadcrumbs. The real feast was this week. And yet we still have so much left to find out. But before we get into the details, I just want to know, without spoiling anything, did you have any theories about the petrification, Crow? And did they turn out to be correct? Or at least in line with what we know now?
Without spoiling… Actually, that’s easy, because the answer is no, none of my theories panned out! Though I guess there are scenarios where some of my ideas might still be part of the larger plan.
Still, gotta say – the reveal answered some questions and raised more, in a way that’s perfect for sustaining interest! I’m happy with what we learned, and I want to know more.
Ok so what exactly changed this week that has gotten me so excited? We got to know Amaryllis a little better. They actually did a pretty good job at establishing her character quickly and with very little exposition so I feel like we already got a handle on her last week. She’s a deceivingly cunning girl who uses her looks to get what she wants. But she isn’t the gold digger archetype, she’s simply using the one weapon she has against an enemy that seems to be holding all the cards.
This island has a master and all the islanders are beholden to this master. His power comes from the fact that he currently controls the petrification “beam” and has been using it liberally against his own people. Amaryllis wishes to free her brethren from his rule. And her plan is to seduce him and steal the weapon for herself. Not a bad plan, straightforward and all. And step one is to get chosen as a concubine, something that happens each year. The problem is that there are a lot of variables that could throw the plan off. What if the weapon is guarded by someone who can’t be seduced, for example. So she would need some brawn as well and the only way to do that, is to get a warrior on her side also into the master’s castle. This is where Kohaku becomes useful.
They are doing that anime thing where people act like Kohaku isn’t absolutely adorable and beautiful just because she’s a bit rough around the edges personality wise. Buth whatever, I’m happy to go with it because I like a good My Fair Lady storyline. How about you Crow? Do you think Kohaku can pass as a potential concubine? Do you think she’s already stunning like I do?
And do you like these types of makeover storylines?
I already think Kohaku is stunning. When they were talking about how she wasn’t, part of my brain was mighty confused! Then I realized they were playing against social normal, and I regained my balance. I still think she’s amazing as she is, but if she wants to add acting to her stable of skills, that’s cool, too.
I like what they’ve done with Amaryllis, too. She could have, as you mentioned, gone gold digger on us. But she’s actually a determined young woman on a mission, and she’s willing to use whatever weapons she can to prevail. I respect that. And to be honest, I’m really looking forward to see what she and Kohaku can do together!
So I mentioned a petrification “beam” and that’s what the show and internet are calling it but so far it’s presented more like a petrification bomb. It seems to be something that can be contained into a jar and burst out into a sphere. With a perimeter. Like it holds its shape so it’s not some type of powder. It really does look like light but how do you contain light in a bottle? So far, Dr. Stone has carefully avoided full on magic. Some characters sure seem more talented and powerful than average but otherwise stuff has always been stuff that can be explained by Science! I have to believe the petrification beam will also fall into that category and I’m so curious.
Also the fact that you can stop the petrification from spreading throughout your body by cutting off the stoned bits seems significant. It spreads so it is a mutation that goes from cell to cell.
So many questions. And theories, Crow?
It’s a field-effect weapon – which is my fancy way of repeating exactly what you already said! Senkuu pointed out that it’s following rules, which makes it subject to science. That’s cool. As to what it is – I don’t know of any radiation that will act like that. Something like a smaller-scale neutron bomb would not have a sharply defined boundary. It almost acts like a shield emitter, where a power source projects a spherical shield, and anything within that shield gets petrified. But that’s the best I got right now!
As an aside, Senku mentioning that the petrification has rules and if it has rules then it’s science and if it’s science then they can’t lose. Well that was pretty badass. I liked that scene.
Yep! Sorry I got ahead of ourselves in my previous paragraph, but that’s one of my favorite scenes in this episode.
The final takeaway we got this week is that Suika is not the only one on the ship that escaped petrification. It turns out that Ginrou had been diving at the time and managed to just get out of the radius in time to avoid becoming a sea bottom decoration.
For now, they are still treating Ginrou as the pathetic comedy relief type but I think this might be his chance to shine. At least I hope so. I like it when one-note characters have the possibility to grow beyond their default.
What do you think of Ginrou as a potential protagonist for an episode, Crow? Do you think it could be fun or just annoying?
I think it’s be great if he could perform well. Also, I’d love to see Suika mentor him. She had tons of field experience, and she can keep her cool under fire. It’s probably too much to ask, but you know what I think would really be cool? Ginrou going above and beyond, then being the one to unpetrify Kinrou and being proud to be explain everything he had done.
Alas, no reaction video to share this week: As there was mostly only the pseudo-science of the “Petrification Bolas” to cover, the science guy opted out till the next episode.
Random Thoughts/Observations:
– It’s highly effective, how they play with narrative time in this episode: Afforded us the ‘Jump Scare’ of Petrification, then rewound so that we could see/experience the full reveal.
– Reasonably certain that the music which plays over Amaryllis’ description of events is a new-to-series piece, don’t recall having heard it before.
– The ‘Runway Modeling’ music from the Ryusui Special Episode is briefly reprised.
– Kirisame is legitimately frightening: Some sources claim that her costume design is derived from depictions of Fertility Goddesses, oddly apropos.
– Ibara is pretty terrifying as well: Freakishly tall, even without the visible lifts.
– It makes a weird sort of sense that the presumably more incurious portion of the population which opted to stay behind would develop a more insular, almost regressive culture as well: Despite this, they do appear to retain knowledge of Byakuya’s 100 Tales.
– Ginro surviving the Petrification Effect was nicely set up by establishing that he was a distance away from Ground Zero.
– How skilled is Ukyo, to hit a small, moving target from such a distance?
– Poor Chrome! That’s gonna leave a mark.
(They’d better revive Yuzuriha first, to patch the others back together again!)
Manga chapters adapted in this episode …
106. “The Secret of Petrification” (石化の秘密, Sekika no Himitsu)
107. “Ace in the Hole on the Ship of Science” (切り札は科学の船に, Kirifuda wa Kagaku no Fune ni)
108. “Double Ace in the Hole” (切り札二枚, Kirifuda Ni-mai)
… so, three chapters again.
Efficient.
Senku would approve.
We’re approaching the midway point of the manga, not including the separate, stand-alone “Byakuya” side-story volume, by the way.
“She’s here fully prepared.”
Accompanied by that triumphant, evil grin.
Love the tremendous amount of respect and confidence Senku has for ‘Mega Elite’ Suika, she’s been the MVP more than a few times in the series, always a favorite.
Irina, I tend to forget to mention this, but your accompanying galleries of vidcaps from the episodes are always very much appreciated: Thank you for those.
Overall it’s been a relatively high-octane run, anticipating severe withdrawal symptoms once this half of the split cour concludes.