The Promised Neverland S1
- bingeconnectco
- Aug 10, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 12, 2020
Genre: Animation, fantasy, mystery, psychological thriller
Run Time/Episode Length: 12 episodes, 22 min/ep
Cast/Production Staff:
Studio: Cloverworks
Written by Kaiu Shirai (Manga creator), Posuka Demizu (Manga illustrator), Toshiya Ono (Screenplay)
Directed by Mamoru Kanbe
Morohoshi Sumire → Emma
Uchida Maaya → Norman
Ise Mariya → Ray
Kaida Yuko → Mama
Summary
Set in 2045, The Promised Neverland takes place in the Grace Field House, where orphans live happily with their caretaker “Mama”. Life seems to be perfect in the orphanage: the children have warm food, shelter, and are free to play outside as long as they don’t venture beyond the borders. However, the three oldest siblings begin to uncover the truth behind the orphanage when one of their siblings is sent away for “adoption” and is never heard from again. The story follows the children as they solve the mystery of the orphanage and learn they must escape the orphanage to avoid a cruel fate.
Characters
Emma
An 11-year-old girl and one of the three smartest children at the Grace Field House. Emma is cheerful, energetic, and fiercely protective of all her siblings. She hopes to escape the orphanage with as many children as possible.
Ray
An 11-year-old boy and one of the three smartest children in the orphanage. Ray is an avid reader and has strong deductive skills. He approaches all problems realistically and is skeptical of others. Despite his distant attitude, he is close with Emma and Norman and is deeply loyal to them.
Norman
An 11-year-old boy and one of the three smartest children in the orphanage. Norman is particularly skilled at math and a genius strategist. He has a supportive and caring attitude and is willing to sacrifice himself to help the children escape.
Mama
The caretaker at the orphanage. Mama is usually seen to be kind, patient, and nurturing. To ensure the orphanage is successful, Mama is cunning and perceptive—being easily able to thwart the children’s plans.
BingeConnect’s Opinion
BingeConnect believes The Promised Neverland can have viewers on the edge of their seats from the start until the end. The Promised Neverland is a suspenseful show, with excellent foreshadowing that culminates in the climax of the show. Moreover, there are constant conflicts for the characters to overcome, and viewers must keep thinking about the best course of action given the conflicts. Due to this, viewers often compare the show to a “cat-and-mouth chess game”.
One of the best aspects of The Promised Neverland is the world-building. As the show is told through the perspective of children, viewers do not have a complete understanding of the world around them; the setting and why such a setting exists largely remains a mystery. Despite that, BingeConnect believes The Promised Neverland did not fully explore the world it established. There were many plot threads that were left unaddressed, at least during the first season.
BingeConnect believes the visual directing and soundtrack in The Promised Neverland are high quality. Every panel adds suspense to the show and there are often scenes that are framed in a way to make the viewer feel as if they are being watched. Some viewers may be disappointed at the lack of action sequences in the show; most of the show consists of mental strategizing rather than flashy fights. Regarding characters, BingeConnect feels that the three protagonists of The Promised Neverland are well-crafted. Each character has distinct motivations and personalities. Despite that, the side cast may appear to be slightly one-dimensional—which is understandable considering The Promised Neverland’s plot-oriented nature.
Overall, BingeConnect believes The Promised Neverland is a great watch for viewers who enjoy well-crafted mysteries and dark dystopian settings. The show is an immersive experience, allowing viewers to craft their theories alongside the three protagonists.
Fan Resources
Fandom subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thepromisedneverland/
Crunchyroll “Could You Escape Grace Field House” Quiz: https://www.
crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2019/02/07/quiz-could-you-escape-grace-field
Pixiv Fanart Page: https://www.pixiv.net/en/tags/約束のネバーランド
Trivia
Q: What do the titles of the episodes mean?
A: The date that the episode takes place in DD/MM/YY format!
Q: What are some other adaptations of The Promised Neverland?
A: Amazon is currently creating an English live-action adaptation!
Q: Why is the protagonist a girl?
A: Because the manga’s creator wanted to portray a mother-daughter relationship between Emma and Mama!
Aggregate Ratings
8.7/10 IMDb
4.9/5 Crunchyroll
8.7/10 MAL
Aggregate: 9.1/10
Critic Quotes
“The horror elements aren’t through blood and violence but through the premise and the tension that runs through the series.” - Mark Green, ReelHorrorShow.co
“. . . it seems those who make anime know how to entice you without giving the whole plot away. Such is the case with The Promised Neverland for while there was clearly something sinister going on, it wasn’t made clear what it exactly was.” - Amari Allah, Wherever I Look
References
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/promised-neverland-live-action-series-in-development-at-amazon-1234629626/
https://www.reelhorrorshow.co.uk/post/the-promised-neverland-series-1-2019
https://wherever-i-look.com/tv-series/anime/the-promised-neverland-season-1-episode-1-121045-series-premiere-recap-review-with-spoilers
https://comicbook.com/anime/news/the-promised-neverland-emma-inspiration-revealed-manga/
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