“It’s the hope, it’s the cornerstone of my own heart, it’s the pillar of my own beliefs”: Aaron Dismuke, Felecia Angelle and Brandon McInnis on Dr Stone Future Science Cour 3

A mix of science, ridiculous shenanigans and stone-age hysterics, Dr Stone has been a staple in the mainstream anime scene since its initial release in 2019. It follows 15-year-old Senku, who awakens surrounded by petrified humans. The year is 5738, and as the series progresses, Senku discovers ways to revive the others, amassing friends who help him rebuild the world from the ground up, one scientific exploration at a time. Of course, not every revived individual agrees with Senku, adding to the overall stakes of the adventure he and the gang embark on. The show, adapted from the manga by Riichiro Inagaki, is now in its last leg with the third and final part of its fourth season airing this spring. This will carry the rest of the anime to its long-awaited conclusion. The Upcoming caught up with three of its leading voice actors as the series heads for its finale.

Aaron Dismuke, who plays Senku, kicked off the conversation with an interesting description of Dr Stone. He likened it to other creation-focused media such as Minecraft. Dismuke dove into his role as Senku, his intelligence and determination, and expanded on Senku’s different dynamics with other characters, specifically Kohaku and Gen. He highlighted getting to know more about Senku through the lens of Kohaku, and the unhinged shenanigans Senku and Gen come up with in their bid to trick their foe. Felecia Angelle, the voice behind Kohaku, talked about her similarities with the character and other favourite things about playing an individual who contains multitudes. She underlined key moments in her time playing Kohaku, from the silent moments between her and Senku to the realisation of goals and the boundaries crossed to achieve them. Angelle also touched on hope as a core theme that stays with her. Finally, Brandon McInnis explored the initial mystery in his character Gen and the theme that sometimes the end justifies the manipulative means. He expressed sadness for the coming end of Dr Stone, especially because of the pivotal role it played in his life; how he was cast as Gen early in his career and how that followed him up to now.