The third and final season of the TV anime "Dr.STONE SCIENCE FUTURE," based on the manga serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha), will conclude with episode 37, "The Thing That Incites the Future," airing on June 25th on TOKYO MX and other channels. Approximately seven years have passed since the first season of the TV anime began in 2019, and it is finally coming to an end. Following the TV special "Dr.STONE Ryusui" and the third season, Shuhei Matsushita is directing the fourth season as well. We spoke with Director Matsushita about his thoughts on the anime's conclusion and the behind-the-scenes aspects of its production.
◇Based on real-world science
"Dr.STONE" is a manga series written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi. It was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from March 2017 to March 2022. In the story, all of humanity is instantly petrified by a mysterious phenomenon, and thousands of years later, Senku Ishigami, a natural-born science prodigy with a superhuman intellect, awakens and decides to use science to find his friends and reclaim the world. Senku attempts to rebuild civilization from scratch using science. The manga has sold over 20 million copies in total.
The first season of the TV anime aired from July to December 2019, the second season from January to March 2021, the TV special "Dr.STONE Ryusui" aired in July 2022, the first cour of the third season aired from April to June 2023, and the second cour from October to December of the same year. The final season was split into three cours, with the first cour airing from January to March 2025 and the second cour from July to September of the same year. The third cour is currently airing on TOKYO MX and other channels since April.
One of the important elements of "Dr.STONE" is "science." Director Matsushita, who joined the project from "Dr.STONE Ryusui," has been grappling with "science."
"Science is at the core of the story. Science is actually something very close to us in the real world we live in, and you can make new discoveries by engaging with the work. I think it's a work that has a breadth that extends beyond the world of the story. I was a humanities major, and there are many things I don't know, so I've been studying while working on the project. It's a work that can't lie about science. In order to adapt it into an anime, I needed to research things like colors and sounds that can't be expressed in manga, so I've been studying science."
Director Matsushita did not participate in the first or second seasons. He joined midway through, but he continued the previous direction while working on the project.
"I think the parts that are in line with real-world science are rules that have been passed down and are being upheld. The order was not to drastically change anything, but rather to 'make it with basically the same feel,' so it was easy for me. Personally, if there is a manga as the source material, I want to cherish the feeling I had when I read the original the most, so I didn't do it this way just because I was involved."
◇Character appeal
In the fourth season, Senku finally sets out for space. This season marks the culmination of everything that has happened so far, and the story accelerates towards its conclusion. Director Matsushita also emphasizes the importance of "pacing" when adapting the story into an anime.
"This story is the culmination of 'Dr. STONE,' as Senku always talks about going to the moon. That's why we carefully depicted the process of building the rocket. And then there are the characters. The number of characters has increased, but each one is placed in a role that suits them, and not a single one is missing. Characters who were active in the beginning play important roles in the latter half as well. In that sense, you'll grow to love the characters even more. I feel that this is the philosophy of the work, and I thought that if we faithfully adapted the original manga into an anime, we could fully bring out the charm of the characters."
Boichi's characters are captivating. It might be difficult to translate characters created with such overwhelming artistic skill into animation.
"Boichi-sensei is incredibly talented at drawing. There's a world of 'Dr.STONE' that can only be experienced through these visuals. For example, it was difficult to recreate Boichi-sensei's large, impactful illustrations in animation, and the animators worked very hard on it. Many of the animators are also fans of Boichi-sensei, and they wanted to do a thorough job, so the animation is excellent. There are many staff members who have a strong love for 'Dr.STONE.' I think it's a work that is very much loved by the staff."
◇We value speed
"Dr. STONE" entered its final chapter with a high level of intensity. The fast pace created an immersive experience, drawing the reader into the story.
"I love editing. 'Dr. STONE' is a fast-paced work, and its charm lies in the way it moves along quickly when you read the original manga, so I tried to express that sense of speed in the anime as well. I wanted it to be the kind of story that ends with you thinking, 'That was over in a flash.' As the story progresses into the second half, the pace gets faster and faster, so I made sure to maintain that sense of tempo."
They remained committed to "science" until the very end, paying attention to every detail.
"To turn something into an animation means you have to re-examine reality. For example, even with a rocket flame, whether it's blue, red, or orange depends on the fuel. What would happen in outer space...? We consulted with experts and worked to find a way to make it work as animation, and that process increased especially in the latter half. You can't lie. 'Dr. STONE' basically doesn't lie about science. If there's one lie, it's about human strength. There are superhuman characters, but you can't lie about anything else. It has to be as realistic as possible."
Director Matsushita said that production is already finished and that "now I'm just praying that it will be broadcast without any problems."
"Since the original manga had a proper ending, I wanted to make sure the anime also had a proper ending, taking that into account. It was tough in terms of the schedule, but I think we were able to make it interesting until the very end. I wanted to fulfill Senku's dream of 'going to the moon,' which he had been talking about all along, even on film. Not all anime can be made to the final episode, and the fact that 'Dr. STONE' was able to be made to the end is thanks to everyone's efforts. I joined midway through, but I still worked on it for four years, so while there is a sense of sadness, there is also a sense of accomplishment in having reached this point."
The anime "Dr. STONE" has been sustained by the staff's deep love for the work and their passion for paying attention to every detail. The story of the Kingdom of Science continues to accelerate towards its conclusion, making it impossible to take your eyes off it. (Manami Anima/MANTANWEB)
