Dr. Stone Graphic Novel Volume 9 cover image

After a blinding flash, every human was petrified and turned into a statue.  Civilization gradually fell apart.  When high school student, Taiju Oki, reawakened, bursting from his stone shell, he was shocked to discover that it is 3700 years later!  And he was not alone, as his classmate, Senku Ishigami, had 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. 9 (Chapters 71 to 79; entitled “Final Battle”) opens, Chrome, one of the villagers Senku befriended, is trapped in a cage in the “Kingdom of Strength.”  He must make a prison break; it is the only way that he can alert Senku, king of the “Kingdom of Science,” about the plot against him.  However, the escape is just the prelude to the inevitable battle between Senku and his allies and Tsukasa Shishio and his Kingdom of Strength (anti-science) tribe.  Taiju rejoins Senku at the battle site, the “Miracle Cave,” which will also be the site of a surprising betrayal.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Dr. Stone manga continues, as I always say, to be a spry, imaginative manga that is as action-oriented as it is educational.  And while it is an odd shonen manga, Dr. Stone can also be an exciting battle manga.

Dr. Stone Graphic Novel Volume 9 may be the volume that best exemplifies the series' focus on the struggle between science and strength and also the union of both.  In Vol. 9, creators Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi may have produced the most-page turning volume.  There is so much exciting action.  Regular readers of this series already know the characters, and for them, that is what will make this one of the standout volumes of the series.

Caleb Cook's translation captures all the wild fun and the intensity of battle.  Stephen Dutro's lettering explodes off the page, which is just right.  New readers, you deserve to treat yourself to Dr. Stone and discover the fun of science vs. strength.

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

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9 out of 10