Synopsis 

There’s a new big bad in town, and he is not afraid to remove anyone that could get in the way of his goal of a perfect utopia. Picking up right where volume one ended, Senku and his friends attempt to create gunpowder to stop Tsukasa from fulfilling his mission of destroying the stone people he deems unworthy of revival. While in the midst of this experiment, Senuku, Taiju, and Yuzuriha notice smoke rising from somewhere in the woods. Not knowing whether this smoke signal is a trap, Senuku goes off to see if this signal is from potential survivors other than his enemy. This volume contains many twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page. 

Review and Recommendation 

Although the amount of suggestive images has significantly decreased from the first volume to the second volume, the main themes have not changed. Our heroes and main villain are still trying to navigate a post-apocalyptic world and determine the appropriate strategies for survival that may or may not benefit all of humanity. These concepts are what I find most appealing and enjoyable about the series. It’s a fresh take on survival that doesn’t include flesh-eating zombies or a totalitarian government. There is a lot of mystery yet to be solved about how this New Stone Age came to be and how society will be reintroduced to a world without the comforts of modern technology or medicine. Senku’s knowledge and love of science drive the narrative and keeps the reader engaged while introducing scientific concepts. Each new concept introduces plots that move the story along and familiarize the reader with the characters and their motivations. I do think sometimes those concepts can be far-fetched. However, they are still vital in what makes the series unique from other post-apocalyptic and survival stories. I still believe this story is excellent for anyone interested in science or the post-apocalyptic/survival genre. 

*Spoiler Alert* (A spoiler alert is being issued because there are mentions of specific plot points that could be inappropriate for some readers.) 

Again, there are still some suggestive images in the second volume. For example, the storyline deals with Senuku’s backstory and his emergence from the stone, where he’s naked, but plants cover him. Senuku is also harmed by Tsukasa as well. However, there is no blood, and there is no disfigurement of Senuku. Senuku is also later revived using the stone that preserved his body.