Dr. Stone Graphic Novel Volume 7 cover image

There is a blinding flash, and every human is petrified and turned into a statue.  Civilization gradually falls apart.  When high school student, Taiju Oki, reawakens, bursting from his stone shell, he is shocked to discover that it is 3700 years later!  And he is not alone, as his classmate, Senku Ishigami, has been up and running for over half a year.  Now, the duo and more reawakened humans must kick-start civilization, which will not be easy, as not everyone agrees on how civilization should be rebuilt.

As Dr. Stone, Vol. 7 (Chapters 53 to 61; entitled “Voices from Here to Eternity”) opens, Senku continues his quest to build a cell phone for his adopted village in this age of stone.  First up, make a battery.  Then, Senku joins his science disciple, Chrome, and his rival, the muscle-bound Magma, for a treasure hunt deep in a local cave, but will Magma use this opportunity to get rid of the  science wimp standing in his way?  Plus, a message from the past could help start the stone wars!

THE LOWDOWN:  The Dr. Stone manga continues to be a spry, imaginative manga that is as action-oriented as it is educational.  And while it is an odd shonen manga, the story introduces the most interesting oddities.

Dr. Stone Graphic Novel Volume 7 contains the chapters that are a pivotal point in the overall narrative.  Senku will have to make some devious choices that might send him to hell – if he believes in such a thing.  It is a curious thing, as the authors tackle the idea of Senku's intentions.  Are Senku's innovations or reintroduction of inventions for his own ego or for his fellow man?

Writer Riichiro Inagaki and artist Boichi present something so off-the-beaten story path that I am sure many readers are constantly intrigued.  Dr. Stone, in some ways, defies easy categorization, but readers will find being surprised a good thing.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for odd shonen manga will want to try the Shonen Jump title, Dr. Stone.

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8 out of 10