2021 is going to be the year of anime. From the release of season five of My Hero Academia to Dr. Stone: Stone Wars, fans of these popular shows will have their watching schedules full to the brim. Along with these famed animations, The Promised Neverland will return with a second season. Although it’s predicted to premiere on Netflix during the summer, it’s the perfect time to review the first season before fans race to finish the second season in a night. 

Everything seems normal when we meet Emma, Norman and Ray, the three oldest and smartest inhabitants of the orphanage. Life is ideal on the quaint farm that they’ve resided in all their lives, and they have everything they’d ever need. A caring mother, expansive fields and forests, warm meals, and around 30 siblings. What else would you need? 

But an unfortunate discovery rips the wool from their eyes, revealing the dark secrets lurking behind the orphanage. The deception of a safe life leads to a heartbreaking reality, forcing them to trust nothing. They’ve got around five months to escape before their grisly fate becomes true. Tension rises as the clock ticks down, obstacles are thrown from every direction, and walls are starting to close in on the trio. But yet, hope still resides in their hearts. 

The conflict touches on the hardships of finding hope in a situation where you’re trapped. Despair grows its roots at every turn until you’re left feeling stuck. It leaves you turning to darker things that appear to provide refuge until the floor falls through, leaving you further away from the light. But even in the darkness, light can still shine. The trio’s journey to darkness and back reminds the watcher that nothing is hopeless. 

These 12 episodes throw you into a cruel world graced by the innocence of children.  Although it tells a grim tale, sweet and funny moments attach you to the cast. It has you longing for easier times depicted in the first episode while wishing for them to succeed. Regardless, this is a truly wonderful story full of love, resilience and determination. 

When I first began watching the show, I only intended to watch two episodes, but ended up finishing it in one night. Within the first twenty minutes, you already feel the urgency of the situation, hooking you to continue watching. The tension was simply too strong to not finish it, captivating your thoughts till you do. 

In the end, The Promised Neverland encapsulates the ideal of never giving up, regardless of how much the odds are against you. It casts light on the hardships of death and resilience while holding tight to hope. It’s an inspiring, dark tale of choosing your own destiny regardless of how inescapable the situation might be.