Is fanservice necessary in Dr. Stone? Explored

Modified Jan 25, 2025 23:30 GMT

Is fanservice necessary in Dr Stone? Explored (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Fanservice has various meanings and the Dr. Stone anime fits one of such descriptions. While this fictional material in Dr. Stone might not be as hardcore, it could still be considered a softcore version compared to Ecchi-genre anime. This had some fans asking whether it might be necessary for the animation studio to highlight it in every episode.

Surprisingly, fanservice might be crucial for the series for various reasons. Firstly, it might be a way to pay homage to the series' source as Boichi's art style is extremely detailed (especially for female characters). So, a ditto adaptation from the manga assured the appearance of fanservice. Moreover, these fanservice shots might be a good break for the fans after a plethora of scientific information.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.

Understanding why the fanservice in Dr. Stone is necessary

Kohaku as seen in the anime (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Dr. Stone commenced with the certification beam taking over the world. After 3700 years, Senku woke up and after retrieving his allies, they started exploring their surroundings. This was when Kohaku was introduced to the series and she was instantly impressed by Senku's abilities.

After allying their forces with the Ishigami Village, Senku visited a nearby village to acquire iron. To acquire the mineral from the river, Kohaku wore a swimsuit and this was the first time proper fanservice appeared in the series. However, a single episode wouldn't be enough to declare a series one that has fanservice.

Ancient clothes, which every female character wears in Dr. Stone, highlight one's body shape. These clothes also highlight the sensual parts of the body, making every episode one with hints of softcore fanservice. While Kohaku is the central aim of fanservice, other characters like Amaryllis were also used for the same purpose, especially in Dr. Stone's Treasure Island Arc.

As unnecessary as fans might consider this, it might be crucial to the series because of the source's illustrator. Boichi is the illustrator for the series' source (manga), also known for manga series like Origin and Sun-Ken Rock. The author is known for his detailed art style centered around designing female characters.

Kohaku as seen in the manga (Image via Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi/Shueisha)

Moreover, he is also the original character designer of Dr. Stone, hinting that he might also be involved with the anime series. So, the 'fanservice' might be a perfect way for TMS Entertainment to pay homage to the author by adapting chapters directly from manga to anime, without any alteration.

Another reason fanservice might be crucial is to relax the minds after the enormous dump of scientific information (something for which Dr. Stone is known). So, as the main fandom for this series isn't the one that has prior knowledge of advanced science, fanservice might be the perfect way to divert fans' minds.

Final thoughts

Nami vs Kalifa (Image via Boichi and Eiichiro Oda/ VIZ Media LLC)

One Piece: Ace Story manga was illustrated by Boichi, where he also reimagined the famous Nami vs Kalifa fight in his art style. As explained in the manga, Boichi stated that the Eiichiro Oda wanted to see Nami (a female character) in Boichi's art style.

So, the author's art style for female characters might be his selling point and this might also be why the animation studio didn't alter the character designs from the manga to pay homage to Boichi. Yes, the scenes in Dr. Stone hardly qualify as fanservice but they highlight the points that make something 'fanservice.'

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Edited by Bharath S