Naa na na na na naa – The Promised Neverland First Impressions

I went into this 100% blind and oh man am I in for a ride. The formula for a tense thriller is in full swing in this show. This show does so many things right that I can tell from just three episodes that it will be one of my favorites this season. Aside from the premise of it not being entirely unique, it has its own uniqueness to it that adds to the charm of the show and sets it apart from others like it.

There is an orphanage with children all overseen by a single adult that they call Mama. Mama is a caring individual who just wants to see the orphans grow and eventually leave the orphanage. The kids do all their typical kid stuff with homeschooling and playing out in the field and woods. The three oldest, Emma, Ray, and Norman, are all talented in their own ways. Emma is the more athletic, Norman the more tactical, and Ray is more intelligent. They’re looked up to by all the other children because they all care about the kids and excel at everything they do.

Then one day, the orphan that always carried a teddy bear was selected to leave the orphanage. After being brought out to the gate to leave, Emma and Norman realize she left her teddy bear in the house and rush it out to the gate to give to her. But upon arriving, they discover her corpse in the back of a truck and witness the monsters that live on the other side of the walls surround the orphanage. The orphanage is a farm, raising children to be eaten and run by what seems to be a human adult working with the monsters. And now Emma, Norman, and Ray are trying to find a way to escape from the orphanage with everyone.

This show did a damn good job at establishing the characters. The children were all lovable and you can see the excitement in their eyes to be playing with each other and how much they’re ready to become adults like Mama. Mama also is portrayed as a loving human, much like an actual mother. The viewer grows to like Mama… then the big reveal happens and she suddenly becomes the most hated villain ever. The mind games each side plays against each other grows with intensity as each episode passes and it keeps the viewers on the edge of their seat just waiting to see what happens next.

Overall, The Promised Neverland is a show that will deliver. It will definitely be at the top of many lists this season, possibly the year but it’s too early for that. I am looking forward to how Emma, Norman, and Ray figure out how to survive this world. It airs on Crunchyroll on Thursdays. Lemme know what you all think in the comments! Is this your anime of the season?