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[mdubs]

There's a new manga that is capturing the attention of many who read manga here - The Promised Neverland.

A warning - this thread has full spoilers, so proceed beyond the OP at your own risk.

Where can I read it?

Viz Media has licensed the series for same-day simulpublication in English through their Weekly Shonen Jump magazine (which also has My Hero Academia, Shokugeki No Soma, One Piece, and others). So basically, you can read it as soon as it hits newsstands in Japan on your device of choice. A full year subscription to the magazine runs $25.99 for 48 issues. As of October 24th, there are 12 chapters out.

They also have the first three chapters up for free reading here (in English-speaking countries anyways): https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/the-promised-neverland

The Story:

Emma, Norman, and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage, enjoying a comfortable life under the care of the woman they refer to as "Mom". One day though, Emma and Norman discover uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing - the children of the orphanage are being raised as food. With this knowledge, Emma and the rest of the children plan their escape.

Why should I be reading it?

If you're in for a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists, plotting, and betrayal, you need to get in on this series. Now I ain't saying that it's Death Note, but it definitely has some of the same vibes in terms of all the plotting going on here.

The characters:

Gaffer impressions:

Promised Neverland 1

This is promising. Basically take Seraph of the End and remove most of the bishounen imagery with some demon looking antagonists. I hope that it focuses on the whole "tactics" angle they're going with the dialogue, could be interesting.

The Promised Neverland ch1-2

Hey this is pretty cool. Digging it.

The Promised Neverland 12

HOLY SHIT

WHAT

WHAT THE FUCK?!

Promised Neverland 12

...wait, what?

what the heck just happened. whoa

 

[BassForever]

Series has so much potential glad it has it's own ot (glad you picked my suggestion too)

 

[Moaradin]

This has been really good

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Something to finally replace one of the big three?

 

[DJwest]

Thanks for the thread and for introducing me to something new. My Hero Academia is becoming boring, Hunter and Berserk are on hiatus and One Punch Man is too scarce. I needed something new.

 

[mdubs]

Thanks for the thread and for introducing me to something new. My Hero Academia is becoming boring, Hunter and Berserk are on hiatus and One Punch Man is too scarce. I needed something new.

Welcome! Everyone in the manga thread been super pleased that it's taken off since it's something very different from the rest of the Jump series, and it's had a very excellent start so far.

Worth also noting for anyone that if fan-service is something that you'd rather not have in a series, this series has absolutely none of it at all.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

I've been reading it since August (but I haven't posted my impressions) and besides the "twist" I'm not seeing anything overly remarkable about it.

Edit: I wrote my post before I read the new chapter. I fucking knew it. Carry on then.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Something to finally replace one of the big three?

Nah, that's probably Boku no Hero

I've been reading it since August (but I haven't posted my impressions) and besides the "twist" I'm not seeing anything overly remarkable about.

It's a really interesting pure thriller shounen manga, which is really really hard to do.

 

[Linkura]

Emma and Norman?

Sounds like an interesting and fucked up premise. I'll check out the free chapters soon.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

Nah, that's probably Boku no Hero

It's a really interesting pure thriller shounen manga, which is really really hard to do.

Oh, I'm not saying it's bad; if it was I would've dropped it already. I've just seen people hyping it on the internet and I don't really think it's quite there yet.

 

[BatDan]

Glad this is getting a thread. I'm liking this series, and I'm glad Japan is responding to it well. Thrillers or series with horror elements never really took off in Jump (they infamously rejected Attack on Titan), but I'm glad this one is.

Something to finally replace one of the big three?

It's time to let the "big three" concept die.

 

[Brazil]

Regarding this last chapter...

Wait what

 

[ezekial45]

Sounds like it's kinda like Never Let Me Go, the Kazuo Ishiguro novel and movie.

 

[mdubs]

Regarding this last chapter...

Wait what

Norman is playing 4d chess here, need answers

 

[Brazil]

Sounds like it's kinda like Never Let Me Go, the Kazuo Ishiguro novel and movie.

It's nothing like it, though. Never Let Me Go is about acceptance of one's own condition, and it's melancholic as hell; this is scary, and a story about mindgames and not giving up no matter the odds.

 

[Qvoth]

i think i've seen the cover of this, didn't know it's good
will check it out

 

[solomon]

So far this and black clover are my new favorites as far as new shonens go, also what is the overall feeling for this manga in japan? (A lot of darker manga tend to tank in weekly jump)

 

[OniBarubary]

Manga is quite good and has been incredibly consistent in it's quality.

When people complain about the pacing or "nothing happening" I get confused because this manga is entirely a psychological thriller so all of the drama and big plays happen in people's heads with plans. I think because it runs in a shonen manga people are expecting this manga to be more "active" and that in 100 chapters they'll be outsmarting Mama or

Spoiler

demons

in fights, using their smarts to Hunter X Hunter them and stage a rebellion with awesome battles and whatever.

Which isn't remotely the point or goal of this manga. Hell, if it does that I'll probably stop reading it. This is straight up mind-game thriller, not the Pirates of Neverland against the Lost Boys.

And it's good at it. The kids are all trained specifically to be as smart as possible so this entire manga being 4th dimensional chess is fantastic.

Now, with that outta the way:

The Promised Neverland 12

OH SHIT WHAT A TWIST

 

[Stone Ocean]

So far this and black clover are my new favorites as far as new shonens go, also what is the overall feeling for this manga in japan? (A lot of darker manga tend to tank in weekly jump)

It's been doing good in rankings

 

[NHarmonic.]

Thanks for the OT! I was waiting for this.

This manga is excellent, for all people just hearing about it, check it out!.


Regarding last chapter (12): holy fucking shit. Norman played him like a fool

 

[Linkura]

I just read all the free chapters. Good stuff.

Wondering why the hell this is in Shonen Jump though. I'd love to purchase individual chapters of this, because I'm not interested in anything else in Shonen Jump. I guess I'll just wait until they publish the tankobon.

 

[mdubs]

I just read all the free chapters. Good stuff.

Wondering why the hell this is in Shonen Jump though. I'd love to purchase individual chapters of this, because I'm not interested in anything else in Shonen Jump. I guess I'll just wait until they publish the tankobon.

If you're looking to purchase the individuals (for future chapters), if you get a year subscription you get the weekly magazine for about $0.50 US with all of the other stuff included. Back issues are $0.99

 

[Linkura]

Yeah, the annual subscription is reasonable and the cost of less than two tankobon. Considering it.

 

[Ozigizo]

Yeah, ok. I'm kind of digging it. Just finished the 12 that are out, and will be checking it out weekly.

 

[jph139]

It feels WAY out of place in the WSJ lineup for me - like, reading it between One Piece and Food Wars is such absolute mood whiplash - but I think it's probably the best in the lineup. I'm just hoping they can keep things tense and suspenseful without wearing out the premise.

 

[Kettch]

I've been enjoying the series, it's a nice setup so far. There's a lot riding on where things go after they escape though. I'm assuming the orphanage isn't going to be the meat of the story.

 

[TheSpoiler]

Goddamn that twist on 12. This shit delivers.

 

[casiopao]

The twist man. Is it really Ray?O_O

 

[mdubs]

I feel like Gilda is going to screw things up for Emma if she finds out that the children are being killed

 

[Linkura]

Just finished reading all the chapters.

LOLWUT

 

[daveo42]

I've been eyeing this series for a bit and now that I've finished the current chapters I'm hooked. That ending tho...like what?!

 

[Fou-Lu]

No, not Ray! He is my favourite.

 

[Wanderer5]

Oh sweet a OT.

Also shiiiiiiiiiiit at that last page. Quite a turn indeed.

 

[TheSpoiler]

Spoiler

Ray is probably playing both sides so he can preserve himself. Norman kinda gets at it in the chapter, so I think Ray is trying to see what side is more beneficial for him.

 

[Reptars Revenge]

Damnnnn it OP why tell me about this amazing anime when only 12 chapters are out.

Rayyyy I never actually told him the rope was under the bed haha.

 

[Monochromaticx]

Nice OP.

and that latest chapter. Oh man! Oh! Oh hohoho!

 

[Mendrox]

Latest chapter has been awesome. I really like the series and hope it will grow big.

 

[upandaway]

I'm in the OP!

Guess that explains Norman's question to Emma earlier in the chapter. They're definitely not dumping him then, by the end of this he'll be a good guy probably

 

[Akainu]

Glad this is getting a thread. I'm liking this series, and I'm glad Japan is responding to it well. Thrillers or series with horror elements never really took off in Jump (they infamously rejected Attack on Titan), but I'm glad this one is.



It's time to let the "big three" concept die.

Considering hunter x hunter was always better than the big three it had no meaning.

 

[Kusagari]

Considering hunter x hunter was always better than the big three it had no meaning.

HxH was always bigger than Bleach in Japan anyway.

 

[Fbh]

So, seeing as this has few chapters and no anime adaptatin (yet) I asume we can talk without spoiler tags in here right?.



The twist of the latest chapter was pretty unexpected. I really hope they stick with it and have Ray be evil. Though I fear it will be something like "yeah I'm giving her info to gain her trust. Didn't tell you guys anything because that's the only way to be 100% sure I'm fooling her"

 

[roknin]

So, seeing as this has few chapters and no anime adaptatin (yet) I asume we can talk without spoiler tags in here right?.



The twist of the latest chapter was pretty unexpected. I really hope they stick with it and have Ray be evil. Though I fear it will be something like "yeah I'm giving her info to gain her trust. Didn't tell you guys anything because that's the only way to be 100% sure I'm fooling her"

Spoiler

My guess is that they'll keep him due to what Emma said, they'll escape, but Norman won't make it or sacrifice himself somehow.

 

[mdubs]

I think the tip off for me was that Sister Krone was saying that Ray gives up easily, so I can see how he would be turned. Ray also spent all of chapter 11 telling Norman and Emma that the escape was going too fast as if to delay them. I assume he'll probably get used by Norman to feed information to Mom to decieve her.

 

[Crow Pudding]

Hahaha, that final plot twist. It's something I thought some time ago, but I rejected it
because then they will be really fucked. XD

Spoiler

First I supposed he's like a double agent who wants to get close to Mama, but then it means that he was using Don as the spy and as a scapegoat, so he's with everything to get out of here safe. I think this will have serious consequences...

 

[Tathanen]

I've been looking at this occasionally, and man, I really hate the art.

 

[upandaway]

I think the tip off for me was that Sister Krone was saying that Ray gives up easily, so I can see how he would be turned. Ray also spent all of chapter 11 telling Norman and Emma that the escape was going too fast as if to delay them. I assume he'll probably get used by Norman to feed information to Mom to decieve her.

I thought about him pulling it off on Don but if he wanted to do it with Ray then the wouldn't have told him what's up. I think he wants to bring him back.

Whatever the case we heard straight from the demons that Ray's done for too so it's in his best interest.

 

[Stone Ocean]

I've been looking at this occasionally, and man, I really hate the art.

I'm a sucker for this style of "unkempt" art, I love it.

 

[The Cool One]

so this manga is essentially prison break for kids

 

[mdubs]

I'm a sucker for this style of "unkempt" art, I love it.

At first I wasn't sure, but it's grown on me. I think it captures the innocence of the children while at the same time emphasizing the more horrorish elements well as a stark contrast.

 

[Linkura]

I have a question regarding the whole Gilda scene.

Spoiler

It makes it look like she's the one who put the note under the door at first, but it was Don or Ray pretending to be Don? It's a little confusing. If that's the case, why did Gilda get up in the middle of the night in the first place? Was it just a coincidence?