Dr. STONE, Volume 18 is an action-adventure science fiction manga written by Riichiro Inagaki, illustrated by Boichi, translated by Caleb Cook, and lettering by Steve Dutre. The series is published in English by VIZ Media. Dr. STONE takes place thousands of years in the future following an event that resulted in all of humanity mysteriously being petrified into stone. Until one day, a boy genius, Senku, emerged from the stone. Armed with his intellect and resourcefulness, Senku is determined to bring civilization back from scratch.
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Dr. STONE Volume 18 includes chapters 152 through 160. Now in this volume, it is the Kingdom of Science versus the Kingdom of Science! This showdown between Senku and Dr. Xeno is a race to see which side can take down the enemy’s science leader first. Despite the revelation of Dr. Xeno’s unexpected history and connection with Senku, Stanley’s deadly sniper rifle is already aimed and ready to make a deadly shot.
The mangakas Inagaki and Boichi deliver an amazing new installment into the series with this volume. Nearly every page of Volume 18 left me eager to turn the next, excited to see what would happen next. What makes this volume so suspenseful and thrilling is that this new arc presents the most formidable foes Senku and his friends have ever faced to date. In their past adventures, their use and knowledge of science gave them the upper hand even against the strongest enemies that outnumbered them. However, going up against a fellow scientist, who is older, more experienced, and has more advanced technology than they have seen to date.
Another thing I loved about this volume was how Inagaki wrote and compared the characters. Particularly when it came to the comparisons between Senku and Xeno in this volume, while both Senku and Xeno are men of science, it is clear they both have differing philosophies on how to use science in the Stone World. For example, Senku respects science and sees its the most powerful tool mankind has. He seeks to use his knowledge of science to help restore all of humanity to its former glory. While on the other hand, Xeno seeks to hoard his technology and use science to rule the world. It is fascinating to see how these two characters similarly respect and love science more than anything. However, they seem to find them on opposing sides.
Lastly, Boichi’s artwork in this volume continues to be some of the most diverse and masterfully drawn illustrations I have seen. I continue to be impressed with the range of their artistic style, especially when it comes to balancing comedic and serious moments throughout Dr. STONE, Volume 18.
Overall, Dr. STONE Volume 18 is a great read filled with suspense and a jaw-dropping ending. This new arc presents a new challenging foe, one of the likes Senku and his friends have not faced off against before. Boichi’s illustrations continue to impress, along with Inagaki’s awesome character writing skills. I can not recommend picking this volume up enough. It is simply one of the best I have read in the series to date.
Dr. STONE Volume 18 is available now wherever books are sold.
Dr. STONE Volume 18
TL;DR
Overall, Dr. STONE Volume 18 is a great read filled with suspense and a jaw-dropping ending. This new arc presents a new challenging foe, one of the likes Senku and his friends have not faced off against before. Boichi’s illustrations continue to impress, along with Inagaki’s awesome character writing skills. I can not recommend picking this volume up enough. It is simply one of the best I have read in the series to date.
