It is rare that a story with such heart also has other elements that
are required to elevate it towards greatness. The Promised Neverland
is such a great story, with very interesting world building and
characters that have depth but are also so very human. It has
plotting and a narrative that weaves delightful turns and twists that
pull emotions trough every possible passage towards its climax. Then
when is is said and done we know that there will be more to come.
I have a solid
history with this creation. I have read all the chapters every week
as they have come out since day one. I own all the current volumes in
paper and I was enthralled by the animation. It is something that I
need to talk about. I have often been absorbed by media I consume,
they all hook onto my imagination and I find myself lost in thought
at times.
We start at an
orphanage, a nice secluded country place run buy a kind middle aged
woman who cares for a bunch of children. From baby's to 12 year olds,
they live in peace which is only disturbed by the chaos of children
going about the activities of youth. The children are varied but
kind, helpful and little bit special. They have school lessons and
most would be coincided smart, even a few could perhaps be called
geniuses. They also all have numbers on their necks, marked like
brands.
Grace field house is
a farm. It rases children, smart and compitiant children then they
are a certain age they are 'adopted' or if they fail to meet the
standard they could be adopted at a younger age. When this happens
two of our main characters sneak to see their sister off and deliver
a lost toy. They instead see something to chill the bones and scare
them to high heaven. Now they must escape it they want to live.
The only issue is,
their Mom is in on it!
Cat and mouse
doesn't cover the mental battles and scheming that goes on. for many
episodes it is a game of discovery and counter plays. Hands are
played and countered and options removed and barriers constructed.
The kids verses the adults and the system. The children are smart but
age counts against them as dose the cold methods of their mother.
The way this show
sets out all the options as time goes on is masterful. The catharsis
of a small victory next to the terror of discovery or worse is
balanced finely. Thinking ahead is never the problem, being able to
see the rules to their strange world and discovering obstacles before
they become an issue is.
The way our three
main characters are rendered is past the typical tropes. They have a
past life and decisions have meaning. From wanting to save all the
children at once to if the is a need to kill. They come at the
options with finesse and heart. That they care for each other is a
given but how it is portrayed gets you in the guts. They are children
and trying to live as before with their new knowledge is hard to
watch.
This season covers
this plot line with such skill it is easy to forget this is only a
preamble to a larger plot and world to come. I have read well into
the third arc but it is that first escape plot that sets the tone and
feel of the way the author will show any story to us. The clues
dropped and world that expands slowly revel questions that will get
answered but not for quite some time. Its plotting is some of the
best around.
The animation direction and voice acting are routinely great with some stand out moments. The is a lot of times where it is two or three characters just talking but it is made in such a way that the tension never leaves. The art style carries over from the manga nicely, the are of Posuka Demizu is atypical and the sketchy, messy style works well on the on paper and on screen. As a side note this manga is the only one I know of that pulls of a jump scare in a book.
The editing helps
with the seance of unease, life is not normal we know this from the
outset but the edits and camera moves but we don’t learn until the
end of episode one. Such cleaver tricks are used throughout to good
effect. It piles on the emotions when needed and not gust terror but
times of pure joy and happiness.
Tears almost came at
several points, bearing in mind I know the story all the twists and
the future but it is sold to me and I buy it up and invest wholesale.
It is a story in which I loose myself, 24 minutes seems like 5 it
flys and leaves me wanting more. The cliff hangers are so well placed
not enough shows have good enough hooks theses days.
The music, the ‘bad
guys’, the punches it doesn't pull and the imagery. The is much
more to mention or dissect but that I will keep in my mind for now.
This is a show that
delighted, horrified and most of all engaged with me on a deeper
level. I can’t wait to watch the second season but in the meantime
the manga is entering its endgame.
