Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

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

Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One is an action-adventure anime series exploring the the New World arc of the manga series. As such, Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One has been subtitled as Dr. Stone: New World. Originally broadcast in Japan on Tokyo MX, Sun, KBS, BS11, and TVA. Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One broadcast between April 6^th, 2023 and December 21^st, 2023.

Based on the manga by Riichirō Inagaki (author) and Boichi (illustrator). Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One is produced by Hiroto Matsukuma (Dr. Stone: Stone Wars, Grand Blue Dreaming), Ryōta Hasegawa (Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall, Dr. Stone: Ryusui), and Sōta Satō (One Punch Man, World’s End Harem). The series is executive produced by Kazutaka Yamanaka (My Hero Academia, Spy×Family).

Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One features series theme music performed by Huwie Ishizaki (opening) and OKAMOTO'S  (ending). The series features the voices of Yūsuke Kobayashi, Gen Sato, Kana Ichinose, Kengo Kawanishi, Makoto Furukawa, and Manami Numakura. Fans of shonen anime and action-adventure will find something to enjoy with Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One.

The journey continues as the characters encounter a new world. The Kingdom of Science isn’t done with discovery and a new world means new opportunities for science and learning. Senkū Ishigami (Yūsuke Kobayashi) and his close friends and allies continue to experiment with science and create more new inventions to learn and explore. Even despite the opportunities that arise on the new world, Senku encounters unexpected obstacles, too.

The new world might bring the team closer to finding the coveted treasure island but the path to getting there isn’t an easy one. Could the team sink – or swim? The treasure island is still on the horizon. The heroes also make unexpected allies and allegiances with newfound help by the Empire of Might. The Empire of Might teams up with the Kingdom of Science to create a perfect ship for seafaring exploration.

Senkū Ishigami continues to be a solid protagonist for the series. The character has a big passion for the world of science. The science world is certainly something coveted by the character and a significant reason for why the character lives the way he does. These elements of the character will certainly appeal to science-nerds and enthusiasts who love the world of invention and creation. Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One features solid character designs by Yuko Iwasa (Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas, Yowamushi Pedal). The character designs are a nice part of the production and add to the charm of the main characters.

The animation is bold and inventive for an action-anime in the shonen genre. Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One features solid art direction by Shunichiro Yoshihara (Attack on Titan, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) and chief animation direction by Junko Yamanaka (Case Closed, Kamisama Kiss), Mari Tominaga (Cardfight!! Vanguard G, Rumiko Takahashi Anthology), Nana Mori (Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side, Azur Lane: Slow Ahead!), Takashi Muratani (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, Yowamushi Pedal), Tamako Miyanishi (Yowamushi Pedal, And Yet the Town Moves), and Yuko Iwasa (Detective Conan: The Crimson Love Letter, Lupin III vs. Detective Conan The Movie). The animation team did a solid job with the series and bringing together a bold and visually inventive production with a lot of notable aesthetic elements. The animation is creative fun and the team of animators certainly take inspiration from other shonen anime series like One Piece and Fairy Tail amongst others.

The cinematography by Kwang-Jun Kim (Sands of Destruction, Yowamushi Pedal Limit Break) aids the visuals of Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One and enhances the series animation. The cinematography is crisp and imaginative looking. Outstanding visual finesse with the colors looking bold and vibrant on the series. The cinematographer certainly has a keen understanding of the visual language of the series.  

The original score composed by Hiroaki Tsutsumi (My Senpai Is Annoying, Teasing Master Takagi-san), Tatsuya Katō (Trigun Stampede, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere), and Yuki Kanesaka (Kawagoe Boys Sing -Now or Never- , Dr. Stone: Ryusui) is entertaining and energetic. The score is a good backdrop for the action and spectacle of the series. The music certainly pumps some energy into the production. A solid score and one that is well-suited for the shonen anime genre.

Written by Yuichiro Kido (Fruits Basket, After the Rain), Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One continues the science and exploration elements of the series. Science fans who want a fun action series with the blending of science and action together will find the series offers some solid entertainment. Kido certainly enjoys the characters and the world of the series.

Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One is directed by Shūhei Matsushita (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO!, YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world.) Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One is well-directed action-packed entertainment for genre fans. Fans of action-adventure series will appreciate the nice directing style of Matsushita. The series has ample energy and action for Dr. Stone fans.

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

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation is impressive with crisp and colorful animation. The animation looks beautiful, colorful, and bold. The aesthetic is one of the central elements of the Dr. Stone series. The quality animation is well reproduced on the release and background animation and line art impress.

The Blu-ray release provides a quality encode of the series presentation. Physical media and the Blu-ray disc format provides enthusiasts superior picture-quality compared to streaming video services. The streaming platforms tend to provide a more compressed image with lower video bit-rates and more compression. By comparison, physical media provides higher bit-rates and less compression. Home theater enthusiasts and videophiles seeking the best possible picture-quality obtainable will appreciate these differences – albeit sometimes subtle (and sometimes more pronounced), it is nice knowing the physical medium has a distinct advantage.

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

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release capably reproduces the sound direction by Jin Aketagawa (anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, The Heroic Legend of Arslan). Dialogue is clear and easy to understand on the release. The score is well reproduced and highlighted, too. The sound effects are well integrated into the mix. The English dub has a more expansive 5.1 surround presentation compared to the 2.0 Japanese language version (so the English dub expands on the soundtrack and score a bit more) but audio purists and enthusiasts who prefer the original language versions will still want to opt for the lossless Japanese audio. The English subtitles are well-done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

One of the distinct advantages of physical media and the Blu-ray disc format is the superior audio quality. Blu-ray offers a superior presentation with lossless audio encoding. Streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio quality. Audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts who want the absolute best quality achievable will want the physical media option with the superior lossless bit-rates and bit-depth. There can be a huge difference between lossy and lossless audio and it is nice to know Blu-ray offers such a distinct advantage even in the age of streaming media.

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

The first print-run of the Blu-ray release includes an o-card slipcover. The Blu-ray slipcover isn't quite as distinct or original compared to some Crunchyroll releases. The aesthetic is a bit less enticing and it doesn't manage to make as big of an impression. Nonetheless, slipcover fans will appreciate the addition of the slipcover to the release.

On disc extras include:

Next Episode Previews (HD, 9:48)

Promo Videos (HD, 2:36)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:32)

The Blu-ray release could have used a more expansive supplemental package. One of the weakest areas of the boxset is the supplementals. The set would have been more well-rounded and had more to offer fans of the series with audio commentaries, cast/crew interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more. Unfortunately, the on-disc supplements are standard and nothing stands out as particularly impressive in the extras department.

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

Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One continues the action-packed adventure of the series. The series has an eye for exploration and discovery. For science fans who enjoy the series sense of imagination and science forward creativity and its sense of invention, Dr. Stone: Season 3, Part One will continue to reward.

The Blu-ray provides an excellent video presentation and lossless audio presentation. The release also includes a nice o-card slipcover. On the downside, the set includes a lackluster supplemental package. The extras don't add much value to a purchase consideration. Fans should consider and decide if it is worth adding the release to their collection. Fans who want to own a permanent copy on their shelf might still want to indulge.