Cells at work vol 2 by Akane Shimizu

The cells are still hard at work, this time against a few different attackers. First, the blood cells have to fight off food poisoning from bacteria but also a tape worm hidden inside sushi, and it threatens to break through the stomach wall! Next, the body undergoes heat stress, which makes it difficult to fight off bacteria, especially ones that have their own heat protection. Red Blood Cell gets lost on a delivery (again) and finds herself in the Bone Marrow where red and white blood cells are nurtured through their young lives before they become mature red or white blood cells. This detour takes Red Blood Cell down memory lane, to her own upbringing. Lastly, the immune system must fight off the deadly, mutated cancer cells that trick the body into bringing it nutrients so it can multiply faster.

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This volume definitely tugged at the heartstrings a lot more than volume one. With baby Red Blood Cell-San, any parental and protective instincts are awakened in the reader as a mature bacterium goes after the tiny “child,” but she is saved by a pre-white blood cell... Could this be White Blood Cell-San? With the cancer cells, the topic hits close to home for anyone who has lost someone to cancer. The main cancer cell and White Blood Cell have a bit of a heartfelt moment of lament for his fate, and he tells White Blood Cell that he will return to kill him. Anyone with knowledge of cancer knows this rings eerily true.
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Sara’s Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12

Reviews of previous volumes in the series:vol 1

Publisher: Kodansha
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
ISBN: 9781632363572 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Humor, Educational, Action Adventure, Kodansha​