I am a fan of stories in many forms, especially anime and manga. I am also a bit of a science nerd; I work in the healthcare field, so it is a natural byproduct of being around that environment for so long. When Dallas and I were looking at doing Anime April this week, we went to several places asking for anime recommendations, and “Dr. Stone” came highly recommended for the anime, and our friend and Devoted Patreon Geek APK also suggested the Manga. So we have given it a try, there is a devotion on our Youtube about the anime, but the purpose of this article is to compare the manga with the anime and let you know if you should do the anime, the manga, or both! This article’s parameters are the first three anime episodes of the series alongside the manga’s first volume since they have the same story coverage.
So… get excited.
The Manga:
The manga was a beautiful book, bought from B&N, and like most current manga, was not flipped. For those unaware, Japan reads from right to left, and as a result, what we would consider the back is the front. They used to do what we call “Flip” -ing for the manga for English readers, but that has fallen out of fashion, and some debate that you lose part of the story when they do flip it. The book itself was well printed, an excellent feel to the pages though, for the book enthusiasts like myself, the print left an odd scent to the pages( I smell all my books, it’s a thing). The art and lettering in the manga are beautiful, and there are little extra tidbits at the end of “chapters” that are lacking in the anime. The lack of these tidbits does not mean less story in the anime, but they rob you of a way of helping you to feel closer to the characters than you do in the manga.
The Anime:
We watched the anime through a free account on Funimation. The art, story, and general feel of it is identical to the manga, which is a good and a bad thing. The “good” aspect of it is that there is no story missing from the anime that is in the manga. As a result, you do not have the age-old argument of “the book is better” or the “movie is better.” However, if they read the manga or watched the anime, you do have people asking, “why read or watch the other?” To which we say, “Because you must complete everything. Right? Or is that just me? Overall the first three episodes are great. They pull you in, the story gets moving quickly, and you are swiftly invested with the story.
Is Dr. Stone Worth It?
In my opinion, yes. The art for both manga and anime is beautiful; it is slightly educational because the science is sound in theory, and it is an entertaining story. Should you read the manga AND watch the anime? Well, that is up to you and your preferences. I loved getting the extra tidbits( such as a conversation between Senku and Tanju about them only metaphorically being the Adam and Eve of the new world). Still, if you are not a reader, you will be able to love and enjoy Dr.Stone just as well with just viewing the anime.
Our Rating of the first book and first three episodes of Dr. Stone is a resounding four out of five Oniguri, the last onigiri being reserved because we have not finished the story in anime in manga form.