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TsukaSen is the slash ship between Tsukasa Shishio and Senku Ishigami from the Dr. Stone fandom.
Canon[]
Prologue Saga[]
Stone Formula Arc[]
In Z=3, the second Tsukasa is conscious, he and Senku are almost perfectly in sync. Tsukasa asks for a briefing which Senku unflinchingly gives, and when he notices Tsukasa pulling his arms back for a counterattack, he throws himself to the ground to avoid getting in his way (unfortunately Taiju doesn’t react quick enough and is caught in the crossfire). The interaction illustrates some natural chemistry between the two men, which is mirrored again when they join forces in the battle against Hyoga (Z=80 & 81), and again during the corn city arc when Senku notices Tsukasa’s alert demeanour before he even says a word (Z=149). It also should be noted that Senku appreciates people who “catch on quickly” via his comment on Stanley’s first words after being revived– “What’s the job?” (Z=221)– reminiscent of Tsukasa’s– “What’s the situation?” (Z=3 & 141).
Senku and Tsukasa share their first high five, Z=4
Senku was wary of Tsukasa’s battle prowess from the moment they met, but the two of them still got along well. Impressed by Tsukasa’s eptitude in hunting, Senku even offers Tsukasa a high five as their sense of camaraderie deepens (Z=4).
Tsukasa, fascinated by Senku’s encyclopedic knowledge of science, approaches him out of the blue to heap praise on him. Senku responds by clocking that Tsukasa is either gay or has ulterior motives (Z=4).
Vs. Tsukasa Arc[]
After witnessing Tsukasa knowingly kill a man by breaking a statue, Senku continues to call him “a good guy” (Z=5), understanding his ideals to be pure despite his extreme methods.
Though Tsukasa had already known from the start that their goals would not allow them to coexist, it’s clear that he did not want to kill Senku. In their conversation before the fatal blow, Tsukasa uses Senku’s empathy against him, taking Yuzuriha hostage knowing that Senku would concede to him. Despite his wariness, he understands Senku to be a good person, and this manifests in the fervour with which he tries to get Senku to renounce his scientific endeavours. Tsukasa asks him three times.
The first time, Senku claims that he can just make a false promise. Tsuaksa cuts him off, and tells him he knows he will never lie about science. The second time he asks Senku to promise him, Tsukasa’s menacing air slips and his expression becomes openly desperate. He isn’t asking, he’s begging (Z=9). Senku doesn’t say anything and when Tsukasa prompts him a third time, his face is solemn. When Senku declines and says abandoning science is the one thing he can’t do, Tsukasa closes his eyes and lifts his head, the answer clearly affecting him. He reveals that he already knew Senku’s answer, which seems to render their entire exchange nonsensical. It was important to Tsukasa that he made absolute certainty of his choice before he could proceed with his actions.
Senku agrees that he could have been Tsukasa's friend, S1E4
Senku displays incredible empathy towards him despite Tsukasa’s attempt on his life. When Tsukasa says “If we had met 3700 years ago, you probably could have been my first friend.” he shows Senku a sad smile. Their brief companionship had allowed Tsuaksa to experience a taste of normalcy; he can’t help but express his longing for Senku’s friendship. Senku replies “Probably”. Moments before his impending murder, he still cannot find it in himself to deny Tsukasa’s innocent and sentimental wish.
When being dealt the fatal blow, there is a short fantasy sequence of flashbacks where the two are childhood friends (Z=11). In that universe, Tsukasa is the one defending Senku from bullies. He’s no longer alone and his little sister is healthy, he and Senku have a blast conducting experiments together, and he’s pleasantly surprised at the sight of the wool dolls Yuzuriha makes for all four of them. The sequence casts their relationship in a tragic light, turning it into one of missed opportunity and wishful thinking. As it involves a mesh of both Senku and Tsukasa’s memories, it is unclear who exactly was the one who dreamt it up. It is a fact that Tsukasa wanted to be Senku’s friend, and that fantasy may prove that Senku also wanted to be Tsukasa’s friend.
Stone Wars Saga[]
Communications Arc[]
Moments before their decisive battle, the banter they trade is accompanied by honeyed words and smiles, Z=76
Soon after Senku secures the Cave of Miracles, Tsukasa shows up and restarts the battle (Z=76), The two of them coyly exchange banter upon their reunion. With an amicable tone, Tsukasa says it's been a long time, and that he’s very sad because he has to kill Senku again. Senku laughs and complains that Tsukasa is acting cold and that he crawled his way out of hell because he wanted to see him so badly.
Senku manages to force a stalemate with Tsukasa when he creates nitroglycerin, and begins to outline his demands for a truce (Z=78). In doing so he demonstrates an intimate understanding of Tsuaksa’s motivations and character. There is nothing Tsukasa hates more than capitalistic greed, the subjugation of others to accumulate wealth and material possession. Despite this, he threw himself headlong into the very system he wanted to see burn. Tsukasa, as an MMA champion, made a fortune off literally beating people into submission, a behaviour that would never be in line with his ideals. Knowing all that, and what little he knew of his past, Senku managed to outline the inconsistencies in his behaviour and deduce what Tsukasa wanted most: to be reunited with his little sister.
Senku promises to help Tsukasa revive her, and when he asks what basis he has to trust that it’ll work, Senku admits that all he has is his word. He asks Tsukasa if that’s enough and Tsukasa closes his eyes, vulnerable and relieved all at once, and agrees that it’s enough.
When Senku realises that Hyoga intends to betray Tsukasa, he rushes off to warn them (Z=79). It should be noted that Senku’s physical strength is not up to par with the rest of the cast. Despite this, his fight or flight reflex kicked in and he managed to outrun even Kohaku, getting to the scene of the incident before anybody else. Ukyo, who is conveniently wielding a ranged weapon, perplexedly decides to stay his hand and let the following scene play out.
Senku catches Tsukasa in the nick of time, Z=79
Hyoga isn’t stopped in time, Tsukasa is stabbed through the lung and callously flung off the cliff. As he falls, Senku seemingly appears out of thin air to grab his limp, outstretched hand.
Though he has Tsukasa in his grasp, Hyoga proceeds to knock them both off the cliff (Z=80). Senku clings onto Tsukasa and refuses to let him go as the current sweeps them away. They wash up on the riverbank together, Tsukasa as complete deadweight with Senku’s arm wrapped around his chest. He continues to put pressure on Tsukasa’s open wound to prevent him bleeding out.
Hyoga attempts to intimidate Senku into compliance, aiming his spear towards Tsukasa’s vulnerable form as he speaks. Senku responds flippantly, seemingly unimpressed with the threat. Upon a closer look, the hand he’s using to hold Tsuaksa’s wound shut is trembling uncontrollably.
Hyoga knocks Tsukasa away and becomes increasingly aggressive in his demands, managing to land a warning slice on Senku’s pinky finger. As he’s backing away from the attacks, Senku backs right up to where Tsukasa was flung. He’s cornered and desperate until he notices Tsukasa clench his fist, signalling that he wants to keep fighting.
Tsukasa promises that Senku will never be in danger again, Z=80
Senku catches on quickly and begins causing a scene, yelling and throwing rocks at Hyoga. Some of these rocks turn out to be petrified swallows, and they startle Hyoga when they are suddenly freed from the stone. This creates enough of an opening for Tsukasa to rejoin the fray and he knocks Hyoga away from them with a ferocious blow.
Tsukasa laments that he once broke his promise to Senku in the pursuit of his ideals, and despite this, Senku had kept his promise and revived Mirai. He then proceeds to renew his vow to Senku, reaffirming his promise that he will never be in danger again because from now on, Tsuaksa will fight for him.
The two of them trade hushed words and briefly talk strategy, but Hyoga charges them to disrupt their discussion (Z=81). Tsukasa keeps Hyoga occupied while Senku sets up his gunpowder trap, and when Senku gives the signal, he’s immediately able to corral Hyoga into position for Senku to light him up. The teamwork between the two of them is efficient and effortless, built on the natural chemistry that has existed between them from the start.
Tsukasa passionately defends Senku, Z=81
Hyoga gains the upper hand as the battle progresses, landing a devastating blow on Senku, and having Tsukasa pinned with his spear. He states that the puncture in his lung is fatal, and asks why Tsukasa is fighting so hard when he knows he will inevitably perish. Tsukasa smiles and says he isn’t sure, but maybe it's because he wanted to fight alongside Senku for just a while longer, and that was just how fun their fleeting partnership was.
Hearing Tsukasa’s determination to keep fighting to the bitter end, Senku musters enough strength to crawl forward, grinning away the whole time. As Tsukasa is shaking with the effort of wrestling Hyoga’s spear away, Senku is dragging his battered body inch by inch towards them, pinky finger armed and outstretched. Hyoga realises Senku is about to electrocute him and attempts to retreat, only for Tsukasa to double down, holding his spear in place to allow Senku to land his 100kV attack with his makeshift taser.
Senku and Tsukasa high five after defeating Hyoga, S2E10
When the battle is won and the adrenaline is seeping from their bodies, there’s nothing left to do but collapse. Senku and Tsukasa lie side by side, breathing hard, bloody and bearing matching spear wounds. They muster enough strength for one last victorious high five.
In the aftermath of the war, Tsukasa is in dire need of medical attention. Senku synthesises some tissue adhesive to close Tsukasa’s wounds, but acknowledges that this will only temporarily stabilise him (Z=82). Tsukasa’s trust in Senku extends so far as to allow him to operate on him without anaesthetic, surgically repairing as much tissue damage as he can and carefully suturing up his wounds. After the surgery, Senku is at Tsukasa’s bedside. He tells him there’s only one way to save him, and that was by using the petrification effect as a miracle cure for Tsukasa’s fatal wound.
Tsukasa maintains that he’s on his deathbed, and Senku reaffirms it. He tells him that the plan to harness the healing effects of the petrification beam may take years to pull off, time that Tsukasa doesn’t have. By his side, down on one knee, Senku proposes to Tsukasa that he will kill him in order to save his life. He reveals his plan to kill Tsukasa via freezing, putting him in a literal cold sleep. This desperate plan will buy Senku enough time to figure out a way to save Tsukasa. “No matter what it takes, I’ll bring you back!” Senku promises Tsukasa, head bowed, fists clenched. He pleads with him,”Have faith in me and die.”
Tsukasa doesn’t hesitate to agree, he confesses that he would rather die in his hands, reminding Senku that he’d killed him once before. Senku pretends to have forgotten that past ordeal, and laughs as he calls this his revenge (S2E11).
As Senku is building the mechanism for Tsukasa’s freezer, he’s bantering with the rest of the cast. Tsukasa is resting near the back of the cave, listening but not contributing to the conversation. He recalls Senku proclaiming that if earth cannot support all its inhabitants, then everybody should work together to come up with a solution. As he listens to Senku’s voice, he flashes a contented smile, safe in the knowledge that his life is in Senku’s hands.
Upon the completion of the fridge, everyone ushers out of the cave to give privacy to Tsukasa and Senku. Kohaku mentions that as their leaders, it will be cumbersome for them to say their last will with bystanders about.
Senku convinces Tsukasa to forget about business and have a pointless conversation with him, Z=82
She makes it sound grand, but in actuality the final words Senku and Tsukasa exchange are mundane and inconsequential. As Senku is making the final adjustments to the freezer, Tsukasa mentions offhand that cryostasis is a concept he’s only heard of on sci-fi spaceships. Senku decides to ask him which three people he would choose to bring to space, and at first Tsukasa thinks he’s being asked to list out capable individuals for Senku’s reference before he dies. Senku reacts incredulously, emphasising that it was just a simple question. Tsukasa doesn’t understand why Senku would bother asking such a pointless question in his final moments. Senku steadfastly hides his face from Tsukasa, he asks what’s wrong with a little pointless conversation?
During the following sequence, the insert theme “The Plan” begins to play. The lyrics are coloured by yearning and lament, including lines like “How I wish I could hold you” and “Still I trust our heart will be, together/Though we're enemies/'Cause my soul remembers you”.
The two of them begin to discuss their choices for a space expedition, trading words easily about matters that don’t matter. Their conversation meanders over a variety of topics, Senku teasingly asks after Tsukasa’s ‘type’, learns why he’s called “the strongest primate”, and they reminisce fondly about the time they spent together before waging war. Tsukasa uses the last of his strength to tell Senku that those couple of days he spent with him were really fun.
Senku continues to talk even when Tsukasa stops responding, going on about Mario and mushrooms and hallucinations. He keeps talking until his voice is shaking with the strain of forcing the words out and his eyes get shiny with unshed tears. Senku presses his hand to his face, trembling, voice warbling, egging Tsukasa for a reply that he knows he won’t receive. He handles Tsukasa’s body by himself, moving him into the freezer and making him presentable before he can be seen by anyone else.
Senku has openly cried two times in the entire series, once when he was alone at his father Byakuya Ishigami's “grave”, and again when Tsukasa dies.
The Truth of the Petrificiation Saga[]
New America City Arc[]
After retrieving the medusa device from Treasure island, Senku eagerly returns to the mainland to revive Tsukasa. It’s revealed that he had been enduring the stab wounds he received from Ibara, refusing to use the device’s healing effect on himself, as he was saving the last spark of its battery for Tsukasa (Z=141).
During the actual revival sequence (S3E23), the normally unflappable Senku gets impassioned when administering the revival fluid to Tsukasa’s petrified body. He’s collected himself by the time Tsuaksa finishes greeting his sister and Minami, and patiently waits for Tsukasa to return to his side. Knowing that Senku likes prioritising efficiency, Tsukasa doesn’t waste time on sentimental words or gratitude. Their last, “pointless” conversation was more than enough for him. Mirroring their first meeting, he opens coolly with a “What’s the situation?” as he is finally reunited properly with Senku. Just as Tsukasa rewrote the tragic ending of the little mermaid for his sister, Senku had fought tooth and nail to rewrite fate and give Tsukasa this happy ending.
Tsukasa and Senku play coy with each other, Z=141
Senku flippantly tells Tsukasa that they’re planning to invade the moon, making him splutter momentarily as he tries to process their new mission. He recovers soon enough, deducing that there will be limited passenger space on their spacefaring vessel, and it would be most efficient to send their best fighter. Tsukasa claims this is the only reason Senku revived him.
There’s a slight hesitation, but Senku doesn’t correct him. He wholeheartedly agrees, “ten billion percent”, and doubles down further on his playful ribbing. He’s smiling fondly as he tells Tsukasa that he would be too sick of seeing his boring mug otherwise. Tsukasa just looks away with a matching smile on his face.
Senku is known to redirect his emotions (when he first digs up Taiju’s statue etc) or mask his true intentions (when he constructs the steam gorilla etc). It’s clear that he’s being purposefully coy in this exchange considering that the last time they spoke, he all but stated that he didn’t want anything from Tsukasa. The two of them had already exchanged their genuine sentiments in private. Senku couldn’t even bear to let Tsukasa pass away in lonely silence, he had forced himself to keep talking to the very end to spare him that unbearable fate. Tsukasa knows full well that Senku’s desire to save him was entirely unconditional.
Just so people don’t take their coolheaded exchange at face value, Ginro explicitly states that Senku just wanted to hurry back to Tsukasa before it was too late to revive him, and the two of them simply didn’t want to get emotional and touchy feely with each other. He almost has a point, as when Matsukaze demonstrates his fighting ability, Tsuaksa realises that his presence is unnecessary. The lineup of capable fighters that Senku has amassed has basically rendered him obsolete.
Tsukasa brings this up and says it’s too shameless of him to accept being welcomed into the Kingdom of Science when he has broken so many statues. Senku immediately tells him to get over it. Despite the rocky start to their relationship, the moment Tsukasa is back on his side he’s eager to forgive him and move on.
While being interviewed by Minami Hokutozai, Tsukasa reveals that he’s taken it upon himself to prevent people from tainting science with blood (Z=143). Previously to him, science and advancement had been synonymous with warfare and oppression. As Tsukasa bore witness firsthand to the greed and selfishness of humanity, he believed that one would inevitably lead to the other. Senku’s efforts to reach out to him with continued compassion and earnestness had successfully convinced him otherwise, earning Tsukasa’s enduring trust.
Tsukasa tirelessly throws himself into being useful when they finally make it to American soil. As he’s butchering the alligators he hunted, he finds an intact ear of corn in the animal’s stomach and accidentally grosses Senku out with it (Z=148). He’s also the one that saves the crew from being gunned down with his sharp senses and quick reflexes (Z=149), and is shown to take his responsibility of protecting his comrades very seriously. Tsukasa also suggests aggressively pursuing Stanley after the sneak attack, a plan which Senku is immediately on board with (Z=151). He also comes up with the idea to tunnel to the American Colony's base (Z=160), and when Senku puts Chrome in charge of the operation, Tsukasa is the first one to throw his support behind him, having full faith in Senku’s decision.
South America Arc[]
Senku and Tsukasa prepare to cross the ropeway, Z=179
When being hunted by Stanley Snyder, Tsukasa and Senku are the last two to cross over the Andes range, and ride the ropeway together (Z=179). Tsukasa is also the first to pick up on the fact that Senku wants to begin breaking apart the medusa devices en masse to study them without him needing to say anything (Z=181).
During the final battle with Stanley, Tsuaksa, Kohaku and Hyoga trade their lives to destroy the enemy transceiver (Z=188). Tsukasa is fatally wounded, and as he waits with death approaching, he wonders about the extent of healing from the petrification beam, and if it can resurrect the dead. He starts formulating his own theories based on the state that Mirai and himself have been brought back from, and has a startling epiphany. He wonders when and at what moment he decided to entrust his fate to the science of Senku’s Kingdom, and muses that what he once sought to destroy has become a shining star of hope. While looking up at the stars, he declares that he’s leaving the rest up to Senku.
New Stone World Arc[]
Senku and Tsukasa conversing privately, Z=197
During the celebration after Suika and Senku revive everyone, Gen approaches Senku to inform him that Tsukasa took a stroll to the waterwheel hut all alone (Z=197). He proceeds to draw everyone’s attention toward himself to give Senku a chance to sneak off and meet Tsukasa. While they were simply about to discuss the implications of the death defying petrification beam, the scene is heavily reminiscent of a common romance trope where two characters sneak off during a party to fool around with each other.
Stone to Space Saga[]
Moon Mission Arc[]
After he returns from space, Senku greets a lineup of characters with a high five, Tsukasa included (Z=232).
Extra Volume Pages[]
In Volume 12 of the manga, Boichi left an author’s note detailing Senku’s design for Tsukasa’s fridge. He claims that the most important factor in designing one of Senku’s inventions is his heart, the consideration he gives people and the feelings involved in the construction. Below is the quote:
- No matter how long the voyage takes— despite the passing seasons and earthquakes and changes to the waterfall— Tsukasa's device has to maintain a constant temperature, so that's how I designed it.
- "Even while I'm away, Tsukasa will remain safe."
- That sentiment of Senku's went into this design.
Fanon[]
Another popular ship in the fandom is Stanxeno, who are portrayed having a deep bond and intimately close relationship. If one regards Stanxeno as “canon”, it becomes worth noting that there are significant parallels between Stanley and Tsukasa, the most prominent of which is when Xeno and Senku both refer to their top fighters as their “ultimate knight” (Z=166). Additionally, Stanley’s petrified statue is also stored in the same cave that Tsukasa spent his cold sleep in (Z=220). Both pairings are constructed with an genius scientist and unrivaled fighter duo.
Fandom Perception[]
Tsukasa and Senku if they had met in high school, Official BD & DVD art
In their early relationship, heavy tension was established between Senku and Tsukasa due to their opposing goals. Senku’s decision to wonder aloud if Tsukasa is gay (Z=4) painted some of this tension in a suggestive light. The two characters also tend to speak coyly to each other, acting affable despite the existing conflict between them. As a result of their evasive and elaborately worded dialogue, their conversations often come off as flirting.
On top of their established dynamic, it is also explicit that Tsukasa and Senku desire each other’s companionship. Their mutual wish to have been friends before the world turned to stone, as well as the fact that extenuating circumstances prevented them from doing so also earns their pairing the reputation of being the “gay yearning” or “mutual pining” ship, steeped in endless “what-if”s. A popular alternate universe (AU) setting for them is the childhood friends AU, featured in many fanfics, fanart, and even official art.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Senku/Tsukasa tag on AO3
- Senku & Tsukasa tag on AO3
- TUMBLR
- TsukaSen tag on Tumblr
- Tsukasa x Senku tag on Tumblr
- WIKIS
- Senku's Relationship with Tsukasa on the Dr. Stone Wiki
- Tsukasa's Relationship with Senku on the Dr. Stone Wiki
Gallery[]
- Main article: TsukaSen/Gallery
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| Dr. Stone Ships • Dr. Stone Characters | ||
| SHIPS | ||
| het | Chruri • Senhaku • SenRuri • TaiYuzu | |
| slash | RyuKasa • RyUkyo • Sengen • StanXeno • TsukaSen | |