Without the benefits of modern society, could you survive in a Stone World with only scientific ingenuity at your disposal? This question sits at the core of the post-society smash hit Dr. STONE.
Thousands of years after everyone on Earth mysteriously turns to stone, a young scientist named Senku awakens and begins his quest to restore civilization by reinventing humanity’s lost technology, all while showing the viewers how it’s done (Think anime Bill Nye The Science Guy).
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So, as the English dub of Dr. STONE Season 2 continues right here on Funimation, we wanted to share some highlights from this exclusive interview our partners at TMS Entertainment had with anime producer Shusuke Katagiri, as part of their Ask an Anime Producer series.
So without further ado, get excited for five things Katagiri-san wants you to know about Dr. STONE Season 2!
The infamous Cup Noodles scene from Season 1
Katagiri: Let’s see…we were trying to think of all these things that would be handy during a winter battle and within the context of the current storyline of the anime series.
We were trying to figure out what item can be crafted and came to the conclusion that it would be interesting to improve ramen. That’s how I remember the idea coming together.
His favorite character
Katagiri: Chrome is my favorite character…. In the second season, his experiences and his knowledge just explode in one of the episodes. And if you’re a Chrome fan, I think it’ll be an episode that’ll just pull at your heartstring.
And the way he interacts with the new character is really funny, so it’s highly recommended.
Which character is popular among the studio staff?
Katagiri: Probably Gen. Ukyo’s popular too. There’s a lot of studio staff that tell me they want to draw Gen. That’s a fact. But you know, Yo has an adorable side too.
Nikki’s a good character too. What I want to say is that, setting aside the issue of popularity, they’re all good characters.
The funniest scene in Dr. STONE Season 2
Katagiri: As a Chrome fan, I’d like to say it’s the interaction between Chrome and Yo. That’s what I’d like to say, but to be honest I’d have to say Nikki vs. Senku and Gen.
Their back-and-forth over the phone is my personal favorite. Senku answers Nikki’s questions with his calculations, but in truly Senku fashion, his answer is too perfect, and that is what gives it away to Nikki.
That timing and tempo personally was what did it for me. And after you get loads of laughs, you segue into this really moving part. I think that sort of element is a good example of what this series excels at.
What should fans notice this time around?
Katagiri: The second season’s first episode was an anime original scene, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. But to tell you the truth, from Season 1 to Season 2, there are places where certain parts are expanded as an anime original.
And of course those parts are supervised by the creator, Inagaki-sensei. At first look, you may not notice, but those watching for the second or third time, if you were to watch with manga in hand, you may notice things like, “Oh, this part in anime’s been expanded a bit,” or, “Oh, this scene’s been flipped a little.”
You may make such new discoveries. That might be a fun way to watch the series again.
Dr. STONE debuted in July 2019 with a 24-episode Season 1. The simulcast for Season 2 began this past January, with the English dub streaming on Funimation. The series is directed by Shinya Iino and written by Yuichiro Kido, with music composed by Tatsuya Kato.
You can catch up on all things Dr. STONE right here on Funimation.
Are you ready for the epic meeting between Senku’s Kingdom of Science and Tsukasa’s Empire of Might? What moments are you most excited to see? Share this post and let us know! And stay tuned to Funimation for the latest news on all things anime, this season and beyond.
UP NEXT: Dr. STONE Anime Sequel Has Been Officially Announced
