Spoiler free review of Dr. Stone – current latest chapter as of writing: 200
This is my first review, feedback is appreciated!
Keep in mind, most of this review (story, characters) is identical to the one I wrote about the anime, however I wanted to make 2 separate ones anyways so I can review the manga original aspects too!
Story
The story starts out looking simple - One day all of humanity is petrified, thousands of years later two of our main characters Senkuu - a science genius with massive amounts of knowledge - and Taiju - a simpleton with pretty much infinite stamina - break out of the stone and begin their attempt at reviving every human, restoring humanity with science, as well as uncovering the mystery behind the petrification. However it soon becomes much more than that. They’re faced with challenges, many of which were caused by the choices they made. The path towards civilization is anything but straightforward. Without spoiling anything, things that they didn’t expect start going on, and they find things that they never tought would be there.
The writing is a huge strong point. Everything connects and makes perfect sense, yet the story is unpredictable and makes you want to read more. Many things that may or may not seem important come back and affect the story later on. The pacing is perfect: It never feels too slow, too fast, no part is dragged out or rushed. It’s a consistently good experience.
Of course, how could I not mention the comedy. Comedy is a major element and whenever it does it, it’s genuinely funny. It never forces it in where it doesn’t belong, and never skips it when there’s an opportunity. It handles it in a way that blends in perfectly with the gripping story.
Science
The main driving force behind the story is of course science, it’s also what sets Dr. Stone apart from many other things out there. Not only do the things constructed have a huge effect on the story, it manages to make the progress feel satisfying. It manages to really make you appreciate all the things around us that we now consider natural, everything that weren’t just there for us, but were made by us humans through slow and steady effort.
Forget your bad experiences with science classes in school, this manga will make it as interesting as it can get!
Still, this manga isn’t exactly educational. All the processes are based on reality and are indeed the real thing, but it won’t give you in-depth explanations on everything that’s happening, however it will make sure you understand what’s going on, and maybe you’ll even pick up a few things here and there.
Characters
The characters are some of the most likeable I’ve seen. Not only that but Dr. Stone makes sure to make all of it’s characters unique and memorable. The character designs are eye-catching and fit the personality of the character as well as the theme.
A lot of the characters have some unique quirks to them, often in the form of catchphrases or ways of speaking. The personalities of characters are somewhat exaggerated which fits well with the comedy and really sets the characters apart from each other. Pretty much every non-background character has some unique skills or stuff that they’re better at than those around them. Yes, this has been done before a lot, but there is a lot of focus on this which makes it become an essential part of the story and often a core element of the tactics used. The goals of each character also play an important role. No one will cooperate randomly, they need a reason to work with whoever they’re working with, and this appears over and over, it’s something that they always have to consider. Sometimes risks are taken and compromises are made by having a character on the team because they need them for their skills. Later there is also quite a bit of focus on the bonds between characters that let them work together as a team efficiently.
All in all it just knows how to properly handle it’s characters and make them a meaningful part of the storyline instead of just the people who perform the actions.
Art
The art is high quality. Landscape panels and characters look great and detailed. Facial expressions are often exaggerated for comedy. The great character designs also contribute to it being a great visual experience. There’s not much else I can say so I’ll put some spoiler free panels here so you can see it for yourself:
Conclusion / Who do I recommend it to?
With it’s well written story, unique premise, great characters and visuals, it’s not something you want to miss out on.
I can safely recommend Dr. Stone to any manga fan - new or old - , those who like science and those who don’t (because believe me it will make you like it more).
Notes
Watching the anime for the currently adapted arcs is also a great choice. The soundtracks are outstanding! In case you go with that, you can continue from chapter 84 (after s2).
„It’s not that there are things science can’t explain. You look for the rules behind those things. Science is just the name for the steady, pain-in-the-ass effort that goes behind it.”
