Review of Dr. Stone: Ryusui

I mean, what a treat this special was, honestly. If you love Dr. Stone already, of course you're going to love this special, and if you don't like Dr. Stone--well, this is more of the same, so I can't imagine your opinion will change much. I, however, have loved this series for a long time now, so it was nice to get stuck back into this world of Senku's. The most important thing to talk about, I think, is how useful it is to watch this special. In other words, is it necessary to watch this between the second and third seasons? Oddly enough, unlike mostspecials that I've seen, I feel like this one did very well to bridge the gaps between the two seasons. Though the third season hasn't been released yet, I would imagine that it's going to start in a place that would feel very much out of nowhere if not for this special to bring the anime into the new dimension it will occupy in the third season. You get the typical, fun science-y stuff that you're used to throughout this episode, but the world actually does receive some developments alongside the introduction of a new character, as well.

This is more of an afterthought on this episode, but since it's been awhile since I've experienced Dr. Stone, I wanted to highlight how incredibly beautiful it is to watch. I've always been a fan of the landscapes and big set pieces in Dr. Stone, but this special really reminded me that everything down to the character designs themselves were done with great care, and that can only improve the experience.

Other than that, you're just getting Dr. Stone with this special. It'll do a great job of pumping you up for the next season, and it tells its own story to set up what's to come, but the consistency that Dr. Stone has always had with its tone and character presentation is still there with this special. One of the best things about Dr. Stone, in my opinion, is its ability to go bigger without altering the heart of what the series is. I actually think this special--a special that gives you a new character, new information about this new world, and a new mission for these characters to work toward--is the perfect example of that. I'm more exhilarated to continue this story than I've ever been.