Great art. Great story. So, why aren’t more people reading Dr. Stone?
Maybe it’s the first few chapters.
Dr. Stone is about two high school kids frozen in stone, along with every human on Earth, for thousands of years. They escape and wish to bring back humanity, but an evil high schooler wants to restart humanity without adults or technology.
Now, my problems with the first chapters are Taiju and the manga’s slow start. Dr. Stone started off seemingly as another end of the world story where uber powerful high schoolers fight to survive. That’s part of the story, but there’s a lot more going on. Sticking with the series, you learn that it’s not a battle shounen but a comedy/adventure shounen with science!
Once the story is focused on Senku, the genius high school boy, things get good. He’s the more interesting of the two, a guy wanting to build a world of science using whatever and whoever he can. Senku is the keystone of Dr. Stone. Once he takes the spotlight, the story is off and running.
Did I mention the art is fantastic? Well, it is. Easily one of, if not, THE best drawn manga currently running in Shounen Jump. The comedy starts slow in the series too, plots focusing on the seriousness of the situation with flashes of humor here and there. Again, once Senku gets the full spotlight, the comedy comes busting in. You’ll learn science and you’ll laugh while doing it. A win-win in my book.
Give Dr. Stone a chance. If the first chapter doesn’t do it for you, skip ahead three or four chapters and see if you like it then. If you’re still petrified with boredom, read the latest two chapters and call me in the morning. You’ll feel much better.
Mammoth Base Opera Castle 