The Hundred Tales were created by Byakuya Ishigami approximately 3,700 years ago to guarantee the continuation of mankind, a narrative that deeply connected with numerous enthusiasts of the Dr. Stone series.
Dr. Stone, a well-known shonen anime, is set in a distant future where 21st-century civilization has crumbled, and humanity must begin anew. In this new Stone Age, there is no trace of the previous world, including buildings, nations, technology, and culture. Nevertheless, Byakuya Ishigami, an astronaut, has left behind a connection to the past through the power of storytelling.
Ishigami Village is not linked to Senku and his foster father only through its name, but also through a number of other connections. For several centuries, the village priestesses were tasked with committing the Hundred Tales, which were legendary stories, to memory. When Senku became aware of these tales, he recognized their significance and gained an important lead. The idea of collecting a hundred stories is a familiar concept to individuals who are well-versed in old-world Japanese traditions, like Senku.
The Japanese Hundred-Story Collection’s Earlier History
Towards the end of the first season of Dr. Stone, Senku managed to cure Ruri, the priestess of the village, and in doing so, he learned about a crucial aspect of Ishigami Village’s culture. Kohaku, Ruri’s sister, had previously mentioned the Hundred Tales, which was a collection of stories that every village priestess had to memorize. Later, Senku heard the fourteenth story from the collection himself, and to his surprise, Ruri described a fictional bee named Speaker that could insert its stinger into headstones to imitate the voices of the dead. This was a subtle reference to the phonographs that played music or recordings on vinyl with their needles. Senku understood the message immediately, and it was proof that Byakuya had an appreciation not just for science but also for Japanese culture.
Byakuya employed a historical allusion to create his Hundred Tales, imparting essential scientific information to Senku under the guise of folklore, mimicking the style of Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and similar works from Japanese literary history. In Japan’s literary history, hundred-story collections were common, which were compilations of short poems and excerpts from various authors spanning decades and centuries. This structure allowed Byakuya to convey 100 valuable hints and instructions to Senku in the future through a familiar and convenient framework, which proved to be advantageous 3,700 years later when Senku encountered Ruri. While original story collections were primarily for cultural purposes, Byakuya’s Hundred Tales were more like verbal manuals for instructions. Nonetheless, it’s an ingenious and culturally significant way for crucial concepts to endure throughout the centuries, highlighting Byakuya’s resourcefulness and practicality.
How the Tales of Byakuya Balance The Story of Dr. Stone
The tales of Ishigami Village, consisting of one hundred stories, contrast with the main narrative of Dr. Stone in two significant ways. Firstly, Dr. Stone is an anime that aims to educate while entertaining its audience, emphasizing the role of science in saving the world. The show reflects vague isekai-like themes, as the old world has vanished, but it is not classified as an isekai anime. Senku acknowledges that only his inventions and the revival fluid can aid humanity in rebuilding society. Nonetheless, the Dr. Stone narrative highlights Byakuya’s success in saving the day using entirely different methods, with minimal scientific involvement, possibly to keep Senku’s ego in check.
Byakuya’s Hundred Tales technique centers around culture, creativity, and imagination, in addition to his impromptu glass recording. This approach serves as a challenge to Senku’s emphasis on hard science, asserting that oral traditions, short stories, and other linguistic wonders can be just as valuable and beneficial as any scientific lab or chemical kit. Senku acknowledges this fact, and it’s a good thing that Byakuya, who possesses a keen interest in culture and stories in addition to science, was the one who devised these tales. Senku himself would not have thought of this strategy if he were in Byakuya’s situation.
The Hundred Tales serve as proof that even when everything else has decayed, small fragments of the past still exist and create an intangible yet powerful connection between the vanished 21st century and the new Stone Age. Dr. Stone’s narrative elements emphasize that these are two vastly different worlds that will never intersect, and that science cannot reverse time. Nonetheless, the humble yet vital influence of human imagination and culture has bridged the two worlds, providing Senku with an additional tool in the Stone Age. This means that not everything was lost completely. The Hundred Tales are like a time capsule, reminding Senku of the culturally rich Japan he left behind and the possibility that he may reclaim it someday.
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