REVIEW: ‘Dr Stone Science Future’ Episode 5 — “Doctor vs Doctor”

Dr Stone Science Future Episode 5 pushes the series into high gear as Ishigami Senku (Yûsuke Kobayashi) and the Kingdom of Science standoff against Dr. Xeno (Kenji Nojima). After seasons of the characters facing off against those with greater physical strength, it’s gratifying to see an antagonist who meets them—mainly Senku—on their level. They have the most power they’ve ever had with advancements that no one could conceive of in Season 1, and yet, in Xeno’s eyes, they remain inferior.

“Doctor vs Doctor” doesn’t allow Senku and Xeno to meet just yet. Instead, Xeno believes Gen’s (Kengo Kawanishi) lie from Episode 4 that it’s Taiju (Makoto Furukawa) who is the science leader. While Gen feels bad for the ruse if it puts Taiju in direct danger, the rest of the team appreciates the quick thinking. Taiju is, by all accounts, Senku’s main bodyguard and one of the most formidable team players. He’s a better target if Xeno and Stanley were to attack because he could hold his own in a physical confrontation, whereas Senku would struggle.

This decision also gives Dr Stone Science Future Episode 5 one of its funniest visual gags. There is a shocked silence when Xeno says, ‘Dr. Taiju’ is already hilarious, but the animation amplifies the moment, which strips away any details aside from the puckered facial designs. Overall, Episode 5 plays with over-the-top animation and cut screens. In any other series, it would feel like a cheap and easy trick, but Dr Stone loves some crude and abrupt visual comedy.

Dr Stone Science Future Episode 5 makes time for comedy. 

Xeno can converse with them after he tracks their radio and interferes. Despite a brief back and forth in which we learn that Xeno has little manpower, Senku cuts the conversation short. Despite having a small crew, Xeno makes up for it with a large factory that can make material and weaponry at high speeds. Greater still than people that Xeno lacks, however, is the revival fluid. For now, the recipe for the revival fluid is the biggest trump card in their arsenal.

This means that they’ll have to attack Xeno’s factory to take it over and produce enough of the fluid to awaken society worldwide. These two competing factors create wonderful thematic tension that calls back to the start of the series. Senku wishes to revive everyone, while the opposing forces seem more selective and outwardly hostile.

For now, it means that the Kingdom of Science will have to devise a plan that gives them a similar advantage to Stanley’s aerial attacks. The solution is the stolen plane they apprehended after Stanley Snider (Kōji Yusa) crashed in Episode 4.

The decision lets Dr Stone Science Future shift back into comfortable territory with a montage sequence of them taking apart their ship to create an aircraft carrier — something Ryusui and Senku are thrilled over. It’s yet another fun reminder of just how far they’ve come without ever feeling like it’s taking too large of leaps in logic. Even Senku making sure they traveled with bamboo to give them an unlikely resource is calculated and in character.

Xeno poses a major threat to the Kingdom of Science. 

Gen spends the episode with Xeno and Stanley as he learns about just how advanced their technology is. “Doctor versus Doctor” makes the wise choice to divide the teams to help convey the scope of the battle they’re potentially facing. The series has amassed a superb ensemble, so we care about most of them — especially our core group. By the end of the episode, Senku has once again divided the team to get a better lay of the land, with a small team heading toward the factory.

Despite our overall trust in the series to not kill off major characters, there’s a strong sense that, for the first time, Senku and Co are in over their head. They’re producing scientific marvels, but Xeno and Stanley also didn’t hesitate to fire at them at the first meeting. The silliness of the animation is a good distraction from the dire circumstances. Still, despite their constant Herculean efforts, it’s hard not to wonder just how Senku will be able to pull off this miracle.

Dr Stone Science Future Episode 5 does a fantastic job of accelerating the tension and further establishing who Senku is up against. With laugh-out-loud moments and strong pacing, “Doctor vs Doctor” is another strong entry into Season 4.

Dr Stone Science Future Episode 5 is out now on Crunchyroll.