I started off watching Dr. Stone as another seasonal anime. I had free time in my week, the premise of a scientific anime seemed interesting enough, so I picked up the series while it was 6 episodes in. Little did I know it would be one of my favorites.

Plot

The plot of Dr. Stone is fairly straightforward: A mysterious light one day results in the immediate petrification of humanity. Thousands of years later, some humans are able to break free from the stone their bodies were trapped in, and so begins their mission: surviving in this primal post-apocalyptic land.

Spoiler, click to view

Senku is able to find a chemical mixture to undo the petrification of humans. Pouring the mixture on the stone statues can revive any person. In a desperate attempt to escape predators, Senku has to revive one of the strongest humans of his age, Tsukasa (more on him later). It becomes clear that Tsukasa intends to destroy the older petrified humans, and this conflict of interest between Senku and Tsukasa results in them going to war against each other. To save his own life, Senku reveals the recipe and source of his revival fluid, and whilst escaping Tsukasa, he discovers a primitive village. Now it is up to Senku to work with the village, defy Tsukasa and the army he has amassed, through the power... of science! The latter half of the season follows Senku as he creates more and more tech to push the village closer to a modern civilization.

I find that the overarching war between Senku and Tsukasa really compliments the episodic nature of the series. Rather than leisurely developing the village over time, and having constant fun, the main cast is always under pressure, and there are moments in the series where conflict breaks out between the two factions. This pushes Senku to act quickly and act smart. The potential consequences of not being able to accomplish a task or being lazy are magnified, which I think gives the series a good sense of direction.
I will admit that while the anime tries to be scientifically and realistically accurate, many of the inventions that Senku and the gang make can seem implausible with the technology they have. Lightbulbs, generators, record players. I understand that the show has to be fast paced, and I don't disagree that the show is all the better for it. What I will say is that don't go into Dr. Stone expecting for it to be realistic to a T.

Characters

The story starts off with Senku and Taiju as partners, but around halfway through the season, Taiju is left behind to "spy on Tsukasa" while Senku allies himself with members of the village, as well as a defect from Tsukasa's forces. For the majority of the series, the main cast will be Senku, the strong female warrior Kohaku, the aspiring scientist Chrome, the mentalist Gen, and the adorable young girl Suika. I for one think all of these characters in the main cast are likable, have their own strengths, and play off of each other really well. Senku's backstory is developed quite a bit, especially the relationship with his father, who becomes important later in the series. It adds a human element to Senku, who would otherwise be a unrealistically intelligent know-it-all.

Senku vs. Tsukasa

Every hero needs a villain, and while Senku is shown to be the savior of humanity, Tsukasa is represented as an authoritative and idealistic villain. I think both characters create an interesting dichotomy and a moral ambiguity which is really underappreciated. Tsukasa, as mentioned before, began to destroy the stone statues of older people, citing that if they were resurrected, they would fight over things all adults fight over: land, money, power, etc. He believes in creating a new world led by younger people, even if that means killing off the older generations, and even if that means sacrificing the advancements that makes modern life comfortable.
Senku, on the other hand, being the scientist that he is, wants to bring back every last human, and doesn't think too much of the potential conflicts Tsukasa proposes. He thinks that the best thing they can do is bring back humanity to what it once was thousands of years ago: technologically advanced and striving to reach new heights. Both characters bring up good points.
Tsukasa isn't wrong about potential conflict; we've seen crusades and wars in the past before, territorial disputes and wars over religion and greed. Bringing back everyone would surely cause disarray, and in any realistic sense, it would be naiive to think the outcome would be peaceful. However, Senku does seem to be the more moral of the two, believing nobody deserves to be executed for a crime they didn't commit. Still, it is nice to see an anime where both sides have compelling arguments, instead of a villain being evil for the sake of being evil. As the series progresses, I hope to see more of Tsukasa, and an excellent final showdown!

What Dr. Stone Makes you Feel

Dr. Stone all in all is lighthearted, but it has its moments where it really draws out emotion from the viewer. The show is a celebration of the accomplishments of humanity and really makes you appreciate the technology you take for granted each day.
Take for example the scene where Senku finds out the "fuzzy eye sickness" that Suika suffers from is just her bad vision. The primitive village doesn't know how glasses work, so she had to suffer from poor vision her entire life. Senku creates some makeshift glasses for her and we get to see Suika's reaction as she witnesses a sunflower field for the first time with glasses.

Dr. Stone just makes you proud to be human, it makes you proud to be a part of a centuries long legacy that has been striving for advancement and has constantly been reaching new heights. Am I being too dramatic? Maybe. But I would be lying if I said I didn't think Dr. Stone was really heartwarming.

My Verdict

Dr. Stone is incredibly fun, while also being able to teach you a thing or two about science. The characters are incredibly likable, but not extraordinarily developed. Don't expect characters to be as developed as those in series such as Cowboy Bebop. The overarching conflict with Tsukasa really brings the series together and adds a level of intensity and intrigue that we wouldn't otherwise see in an episodic series such as this. The constant grind of building inventions may be a turnoff for some, but I think that the humor and the wholesome moments really make Dr. Stone enjoyable to watch. The art style and music isn't something I have mentioned all too much, but I don't think it really affects my final verdict. It certainly doesn't blow me away like Demon Slayer, but it doesn't leave me dissatisfied like Seven Deadly Sins S3 or Black Clover at times. It's solid animation that I am content with.
Considering how I don't follow the manga, I am excited to see what Dr. Stone offers going forward. Here's to a strong and exciting Season 2!