Anime Season One
A pastoral paradise hides a terrifying secret in this psychological thriller debut.
The Promised Neverland Season One is the inaugural animated adaptation of Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu's acclaimed manga series. Produced by CloverWorks, this twelve-episode run aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block from January to March 2019. It introduces viewers to the idyllic yet sinister world of Grace Field House, establishing the core mystery surrounding the children's true purpose while delivering high-stakes psychological tension. The season was well received by critics, being considered one of the best anime series of the 2010s.
- Studio
- CloverWorks
- Episodes
- 12
- Release Year
- 2019
Lore & Background
The narrative explores themes of captivity, intelligence, and the resilience of youth against overwhelming odds. The story follows a group of orphaned children in their plan to escape from their orphanage, after learning the dark truth behind their existence and the purpose of the orphanage. In 2045, 1,000 years after the formation of "The Promise," the bright and cheerful Emma is an 11-year-old orphan living in Grace Field House, a self-contained orphanage housing her and 37 other orphans. They lead an idyllic life, with plentiful food, plush beds, clean clothes, games and the love of their "Mom," Isabella. Their education is seen as an important part of their development, and Emma, with her two best friends Norman and Ray, always excels in the regular exams. The orphans are allowed complete freedom, except to venture beyond the perimeter wall or gate which separate the house from the outside world. One night, a girl named Conny is sent away to be "adopted," but Emma and Norman follow with her favorite stuffed animal toy. At the gate, they find Conny dead and discover the truth about their existence in this idyllic orphanage—to be raised as meat for demons.
In Their Own Story
Emma stood by the perimeter fence, the grass brushing against her ankles as she traced the cold iron bars with a trembling finger. The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple that felt too beautiful for this place. She looked back at the white house where laughter still echoed from the courtyard, unaware that tomorrow would change everything. A shadow fell across the field, not from a cloud, but from something moving silently beyond the tree line.
Reader's Guide
The narrative opens at Grace Field House, where orphans live in apparent comfort under Mother Isabella's watchful care. However, Emma and Norman stumble upon Conny's dead body at the gate and discover the truth: the children are raised as meat for demons. Emma and Norman plan with Ray to escape from Grace Field House with the children, but Norman is taken off to be "adopted." Emma and Ray then decide to escape with some of their other siblings, leaving half of the younger children behind. The season covers their initial discovery, their secret planning, and their eventual escape into the forest. The escapees find life outside Grace Field House is filled with dangers, but under the leadership of Emma and Ray, they become determined to return to free their remaining siblings, along with children from the other Farms. The season concludes with a tense standoff at the edge of the woods, establishing that survival is only the beginning of their struggle against an unseen enemy.
Did You Know?
- The first season ran for 12 episodes from January to March 2019 on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block.
- The series was produced by CloverWorks.
- The story follows a group of orphaned children in their plan to escape from their orphanage, after learning the dark truth behind their existence.
- The anime's first season was well received, being considered one of the best anime series of the 2010s.
- The season covers the children's discovery that they are raised as meat for demons and their subsequent escape from Grace Field House.