The Promised Neverland

Details: Cast: Yuko Kaida, Nao Fujita, Hiyori Kono

MPAA Rating: TV-14

Release Date: May 28, 2018

Synopsis: Three orphans discover something sinister at their orphanage and plan a dangerous escape.

Pros: I've never really been one to watch Anime. Before the Promised Neverland, I'd only ever watched a couple of other animes and they weren't very good so going into this one my expectations were low. Whether it was due to my low expectations or its own merit, this show blew me away. For starters the actual animation was gorgeous. Everything from the background to the characters was drawn with effort and you can clearly see that while watching the show. Speaking of the characters, while the show mainly is focused on the 3 orphans, every character is written perfectly. Throughout the short 12 episodes, the audience develops a strong emotional attachment to every single character no matter how small which only makes the story that much better. Additionally, the story is so masterfully woven together. The pacing is just quick enough to keep the audience invested but not so fast that there are no stakes established or there are major plot holes. The story is heavily supported with the captivating score and the general tone the show provides early on. Both the score and the characters establish that while this is a very dark show, ultimately it's about family and coming of age, both genres which the show executes very well.

Cons: While I did say there weren't major plot holes, towards the end, there are some moments that require you to suspend your belief a little bit. After all, the main characters are kids so the planning and the execution of their escape at some parts are a little unbelievable but generally, this is covered up by the proper execution of the rest of the show.

Star Rating: 9/10

Final Thoughts: The Promised Neverland is a great binge, taking a little over 6 hours. With a great plot, beautiful cinematography, characters that will tug at your heartstrings, and an amazing score, I can't wait for Season 2.