English Dub Review: Dr. Stone “Treasure Island”
OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)
The group all get excited about Senku’s plan to go to the moon, as well as learn from Matsukaze that the Medusa is the only device of its kind left. Soyuz, known now to the people of the island as their leader’s son, leads them to build a radio tower for Senku’s plan. He also decides to stay behind on the island, but tells Kirisame to take his place. To celebrate, the team set off fireworks, reintroducing them to the present day. The next morning, Senku and Kohaku reflect on taking on Byakuya’s team’s goal and continue their work to get to the moon. With that, they all head back to the Kingdom of Science and plan to repetrify Tsukasa.
OUR TAKE
We’re still very much in cool down mode even as we are in the penultimate episode of the season and, to reiterate for wordcount padding, the second episode of a new arc and saga. Yet I do understand its placement as it does basically close the book on the last arc by making the final touches and sending the characters on their way. We say goodbye to Soyuz as he takes his rightful place of leading his father’s people…and is admittedly not that hard to say goodbye to, as he only first appeared partway through this season, already stuck out like a sore thumb, and was clearly from somewhere else. I suppose it’s good that he wasn’t wasted, in fact he was used exactly as he was supposed to be used, it’s just he feels less like a character and more like a function, kind of like Matsukaze, who also just kind of appeared to serve a function. There’s no mention of what becomes of Ibara now, but it’s implied Moz will be brought along and Kirisame will also be joining, so we at least have that to gain from this arc, character-wise.
But of course, the main win from all of this was the obtaining of the Medusa, the device most connected to the bigger mystery at the heart of the series. And the way in which it was gained and how it is used echoes the greater themes of the story, namely that science can be understood and used for the betterment of others. Something that might first be thought of as a weapon, like gunpowder or spears or electricity, can be used for other purposes the more it is studied and made use of. Likewise, the Petrification that engulfed the whole world was initially thought of as a mysterious malevolent force that couldn’t be understood, only feared, and even once a device that caused it was found, it seemed to only be used as a weapon. Yet now, the characters have not only found out more of the process of petrifying someone and its potential benefits, they have also obtained the device to use it, learned how to control it, and plan to use it for healing, not control. It’s these themes and lessons that have kept Dr. Stone fresh for me over the years and hooked into its later seasons. As we get ready for (probably) the finale next week, it’s best to remember: Knowledge is power.
