Hey, look: Senku is actually a functional protagonist now. I don't think this extended prologue was particularly great, but I'm glad it's revealed to be a prologue. because you can already feel a more interesting story clicking into place. The three main characters haven't really been letting the sparks fly as a unit, so the series makes the smart decision to split them up. Senku's awakening is finally detailed, and though it might be a bit later than it should have been, I'm glad it finally showed up. Up until now, Senku has been arrogant and perfect, so it's good to finally see him struggle so we can get inside his headspace. He heads off alone into the jungle to find other survivors. Finally, it feels like he has enough character weight to bear that kind of story.

Meanwhile, Taiju and Yuzuriha are sent off to spy on Tsukasa. Yuzuhira still feels like she's grasping for place (check out the bios at the beginning of the Volume, where her description basically amounts to "she can cook") and Taiju is still not especially dynamic, but I'm hoping them splitting up will tighten the screws on their characters and spur them to become more interesting.

So, I think I can say this is an improvement, albeit not a stunning one. The overt catchphrase nature of everyone's character is still a little tricky to swallow, and a lot of the characterisation and interactions feel like something more out of the Dandy than a big adventure. But I'll check out what comes next if a decent opportunity arises, even if I probably won't go seeking it out just yet.

I wasn't as enthralled with this second volume as I was with the first.

Partly, this is because there is just a bit too much time spent on Dr. Stone's back story. I also haven't found the "plan" for the main trio super clear.

I really want to like this series, but this volume turned me off for a bit, I can't pinpoint exactly why.

i absolutely loved it!

the story is still fun and enjoyable and i like seeing senku progress through the story.
the part when we saw senku's origins was so good and i really love his sense of humour.
i highly recommend this manga to everyone because it made us learn about science in a funny way and laugh at the same time.

3.5
Really enjoyed it. Such an easy read.

I'm not going to lie. This didn't hit me the same way that the first volume did. It was still a great read but just not as impactful as the first volume.

There were definitely some high stakes in this next volume as the characters attempt to create gunpowder. Of course, with the introduction of gunpowder things get more serious. The trio is still attempting to make sure that they can stop Tsukasa from his sick plan to select who should and should not live in this new world. The most enjoyable aspect of this for me as a reader is definitely learning more about Senku's origin. In the first volume we just see him appear whereas in this volume we get to see everything that he had to do before his friends officially "woke" up. The ending was extremely intriguing. A new character is introduced that seems to be able to match Tsukasa in fighting ability; however, their origin is quite sketchy. It definitely was an epic ending. I'm still on the fence if I want to continue collecting this series. I may just read them from the library first and then see how I feel.

Illustrated by Boichi

Senku succeeds in making gunpowder. An experiment gone wrong sends smoke billowing in the air, signaling their location to Tsukasa. But off in the distance, other smoke columns rise. Who could be setting these? We also go back to the moment when Senku wakes, and we see just how many experiments he tried in the early days. This time is very different than after Taiju wakes up because most of the experiments Senku does with his friend are successful, but those he does alone are an exercise in patience that Senku doesn't always have. We also see Senku as a child, and that what sparked his voracious appetite for Science was his life-long dream of becoming an astronaut.

This story gives a needed glimpse into the background of Senku. Volume one focused much more on Taiju and his potential relationship with Yuzuriha, and Senku played a supporting character roll. I think Senku's dreams will definitely resonate with young readers, and it's important that they see being an astronaut requires a lot of commitment from them, even as children. And, if there was any doubt about the role Science plays in this series, volume two dispels them. I'm not an expert in Science by any means, but some basic Googling confirms that the formulas and components of reactions are correct, but the quickness of reactions themselves are exaggerated (which makes sense - would we be entertained watching characters sit around for pages waiting for something to happen?). The interesting storyline coupled with this inclusion of Science makes this a no-brainer purchase for school libraries.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

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