Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

An exceptional collectors edition.

Fans of action-packed adventure anime series should check out the second set of Dr. Stone. The Shonen Jump anime series powerhouse returns with a higher action-quotient than before and is sure to please anime fans with non-stop excitement. The series manages to blend together a variety of compelling elements: science-fiction, fantasy, and nerd-tastic science-facts. The series is based on the popular manga from illustrator Boichi and written by Riichirou Inagaki. The anime adaptation fulfills the promise fans would expect with plenty of science and action to keep the episodes engaging.

During the first set of Dr. Stone, the story explored the mysterious event in which the world population turned to stone instantly. The only hope for humanity's survival now rests in the hands of a super-smart scientist, Senku (Yūsuke Kobayashi), and his friends. The determined scientist wants to be able to save everyone – not just a select few – from their eternal slumber. As Senku seeks a cure, the hero finds the journey is even more perilous in set two. The obstacles become bigger, better, and more thrilling than ever before. The scientific journey leads to the development of some particularly bad-ass things: the tube amplifier and turntables become part of the equation. As the scientific experiments continue to fascinate, so does the action: the second set ramps up the excitement with even more intense action sequences to counter-balance the science-fun.

One of the best elements of the second half of Dr. Stone – Season 1 was the backstory given to the events surrounding the stone-event. The story showcases the ancestor of our hero, Senku, as he is drifting around outer-space (in a space-ship) and the obstacles the ancestor faced with his crew. The storyline flashes back to these characters multiple times during these episodes and it gives the series some renewed energy. The storyline builds to Senku receiving a surprising message from the relative: one passed down, recorded, and played back when the time is right. What other mysteries await Senku as his journey to save humanity continues?

Dr. Stone is even more beautiful from an animation standpoint during the second half of the first season. The art direction is expertly handled by Shunichiro Yoshihara (Attack on Titan) and the series consistently manages to impress with breathtaking visuals that give the entire production a sense of wonder. The character designs by Yuko Iwasa (Yowamushi Pedal), are also spot on and feel perfectly suited to the cast of charming characters. The background art is highly convincing and gorgeous to behold: the level of detail the animators brought forth to the table in each and every episode is impressive. With vibrant, bright, and colorful imagery episode-to-episode, Dr. Stone is a clear visual stunner.

Science meets brawn.

The music score continues to be one of the best elements of the production. The score is composed by the team of Yuki Kanesaka (The God of High School), Tatsuya Katō (Buddy Complex), and Hiroaki Tsutsumi (Children of the Whales). The music gives the series a sense of dramatic energy and also action-packed adventure (depending upon the scenes). The score is consistently enjoyable and it is melodic in all the right ways: perfectly fitting. The scale of the music is outstanding: soaring to great heights, one tune at a time. Each composer brings their A- game to the table.

The screenwriting seems even more ambitious and cohesive during the second half of season one. Head screenwriter Yuichiro Kido (After the Rain) finds a nice balance between exploring the characters, the science, and the action-packed adventure. The story moves at a greater pace during these episodes. It never seems bogged down by unnecessary plot contrivances and the new side-stories providing the audience with a back-story to the origins of the stone-event.

The focus on science is never forgotten. As someone who has become enthusiastic about vinyl, it was a delight to see that one of the season's best episodes explores the way in which sound travels through the vinyl format and how the origins came-to-be. The characters are thrust in to a situation in which it is necessary to make their own turntable for an important scientific development. The scenario is truly engaging.

Director Shinya Iino (Revue Starlight) finds the perfect balance between action-adventure staples and a unique blend of character- based drama and scientific-exploration. Dr. Stone is unlike any other anime series out there in this regard (as it seems almost like an educational program at times – but then the action kicks in to high gear). Dr. Stone is a special creation for it: making science cool for kids who love anime.

Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Dr. Stone – Season 1, Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The picture-quality is consistently a joy to behold: the art work is fluid and crisp. Encoding remains consistently impressive and the series doesn't suffer from any egregious compression woes. The line art is sharp and compelling. The visual splendor of the animation is well-preserved with the release. If there is any minor drawback, it is the occasional minor banding (but these scenes are so fleeting that most won't notice or be bothered by it).

Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The audio is impressive from beginning to end. The dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music soundtrack is dynamic and crisp. The exceptional depth to the audio tracks makes the experience all the more engaging. The anime has a good time playing around in the world of science and uses the sound design to reflect the scenarios quite well.

Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The best draw of the deluxe collectors set is the 152 page art book featuring a thorough and extensive breakdown for the entire first season. The book features interviews with the creative team from Japan – including the series director, head screenwriter, animation producer, character designer, music team, and original voice cast. The book has countless interviews and a plethora of illustrations highlighting production art work and character designs. There are many "bonus" sections that cover fun elements fans will enjoy pursuing. An extensive art book and one that fans will be happy to own – for both the illustrations and the interviews.

The deluxe set also includes 3 art cards (featuring iconic illustrations from Dr. Stone), a set of three character-based key-chains (as pictured), a sticker, and a collectible rigid art box. The extra pack-ins are designed to be removed from the core set and fans can insert the Dr. Stone – Season 1, Part 1 set within the same collectible box (right next to the second set and art book). A nice touch that fans will appreciate.

On disc extras are as follows:

Dr. Stone: The Science Guys (HD, 13:32) features Aaron Dismuke (voice of Senku) and Matt Shipman (voice of Chrome) as the two nerdy-guys discuss Dr. Stone and the wonderful world of science.

Episode 24 Audio Commentary featuring select members of the English dub voice-cast.

Textless Opening Song: Version 1 (HD, 1:32)

Textless Opening Song: Version 2 (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song: Version 1 (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song: Version 2 (HD, 1:32)

Dr. Stone: Season One - Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The second half of Dr. Stone Season 1 is even more entertaining than the first half. The episodes are engaging and exciting. The back-story episodes (with some outer-space fun!) are worth the price of admission alone. The collectors edition box-set includes a stunning art box, 152 page art book, a sticker, 3 art cards, and 3 key-chains. The set is much more impressive with the cool collectors edition swag. Fans of the anime series will undoubtedly want to add the impressive release to their collection. The Blu-ray set has superb video-audio quality too. Highly recommended.