Winter 2025 Preview: Dr. Stone Science Future

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Summary

  • Final Dr. Stone season, Science Future, starts Jan. 9, with 36 episodes split into 3 cours.
  • A special episode, Dr. Stone: Ryusui, is canon and adapts chapters 84-89.
  • Story explores science vs power theme, introduces scientific concepts in a fun way.

As someone who has been following the anime scene for quite some time now, I must say that the upcoming final season of Dr. Stone is a real treat for science and adventure enthusiasts alike. With its intriguing storyline, captivating characters, and clever integration of scientific concepts, it’s an educational yet entertaining experience that doesn’t come by often.

Following a year and a half since the premiere of “Dr. Stone: New World“, it’s been announced that the fourth and concluding season of “Dr. Stone” will commence airing next month, on January 9, 2025. The final season, titled “Dr Stone: Science Future“, can be streamed on Crunchyroll. Comprising of three “cours”, this final season is expected to span approximately 36 episodes in total. Season 3 covered volumes 11-16, and the upcoming season will adapt volumes 17-27. With only around 30 episodes, the storyline might appear a bit hurried.

In addition to the prior series installments, there was a unique episode aired in 2022 called “Dr. Stone: Ryusui.” Although this specific animation stands alone, it aligns with the main storyline and covers chapters 84-89, which centers around Ryusui Nanami, a maritime conglomerate heir from an arc occurring between seasons 2 and 3.

Petrification and The Future

In case you’re not familiar with Dr. Stone, the narrative begins in the year 2019 (already “a near future” when it first began serialization in 2017). During this time, all humans, including the protagonist Senku Ishigami, are mysteriously turned to stone. Fast forward to the 58th century, Senku is brought back to life out of nowhere. The human civilization has vanished, but he decides to investigate the petrified humans in an attempt to discover a cure for their condition.

A few months after his own resurrection, one of the protagonist’s friends, Taiju Oki, experiences the same fate. They discover that nitric acid was the cause of their revival, leading them to explore a method to de-petrify everyone else and establish a progressive society centered around science. One of their comrades, Tsukasa Shishio (one of the earliest resurrected individuals), however, is skeptical. Tsukasa advocates for a world based on strength and is prepared to confront anyone who opposes him or seeks to hinder the creation of this new world.

Science Can Be Fun

This narrative unfolds as a struggle between “science and authority,” where Senku and Tsukasa establish their separate realms, leading to confrontation – though Senku emerges victorious. Later, they reconcile, with Tsukasa aspiring to create a world devoid of oppression (albeit in a more peaceful manner). However, there are other kingdoms scattered globally as well. Beyond these main storylines, the characters continue to explore the enigma of petrification, eventually discovering it’s connected to an unusual green light.

In a lively fashion, Dr. Stone delves into various scientific principles while intertwining snippets of history. For instance, during the last season, the primary characters might unveil the Americas once more, and perhaps set foot on the moon as well.

Season 3 Main Staff

Season 3 Staff is Likely Returning For Season 4

In the course of production, TMS Entertainment has been responsible for all seasons. However, it was 8PAN who handled animation for seasons 1 and 2, while Die4Studio took over for season 3. Additionally, a change in directors occurred with Shuhei Matsushita (known for Deemo: Memorial Keys) replacing Shinya Iino in the third season. As per MyAnimeList, Matsushita is set to return as director for season 4.

It appears that Yuichiro Kido has been the primary scriptwriter across all seasons so far, but there’s currently no confirmation about his role for season 4. Meanwhile, Tatsuya Kato, Hiroaki Tsutsumi, and Yuki Kanesaka are expected to handle the music once more in season 4.

The popular “Dr. Stone” manga was published in chapters from 2017 to 2022, totaling 27 volumes. This work was distributed in the United States by VIZ Media. The storyline of this captivating series is written by Riichiro Inagaki, while Boichi provides the stunning artwork.

Dr. Stone: Science Future is confirmed to be streamed on Crunchyroll starting January 9, 2025.

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2024-12-19 06:05